The Faculty of Arts welcomes a growing number of incoming exchange and visiting students, who study at HKU for a semester or an academic year. Incoming exchange and visiting students are classified as Year 0 students on the Student Information System (SIS).
Your Contact Information
- Please enter your telephone number(s) and correspondence address in Hong Kong in your HKU Portal Account.
- You are advised to check your HKU email account regularly.
Online Course Selection
| Course Selections: | Course Selection Periods: Please refer to Important Dates of 2025-26 for details. Study Load: At least 6 credits per semester, while the normal study load for regular BA students is 24-36 credits per semester. Course Distribution Requirement: At least 50% of the credits taken must be in Arts courses (i.e. courses offered by the following teaching units: School of Chinese, School of English, School of Humanities, School of Modern Languages and Cultures, and Centre of Buddhist Studies). |
| Course Descriptions: | |
| Special Course Selection Arrangements: | CHIN95xx Courses Offered to International Students and Non-Chinese Speaking Local Students
Subject to availability and approval, Year 0 students may take up to 12 creadits of CC courses from a selective menu, each from a different Area of Inquiry. |
| Examinations: | If any special arrangement for an examination during the assessment period is needed, please write to the Examinations Office for approval in advance. |
Health and Insurance
- University Health Service (UHS) provides free primary health care to full‐time registered students for medical consultation. Certain medications, preventive services and other items are charged at cost. Once you have completed your registration at the University and received your Student Card, the level of medical benefit for you will be known by then. Learn more about medical benefits for Year 0 students here.
- No health insurance will be provided by the University. You are strongly advised to arrange, on your own cost, accident and sickness insurance for the duration of your studies in Hong Kong. The coverage should also include provisions for emergency evacuation/rescuer's expenses and repatriation. If you plan to travel around Asia, please purchase medical insurance that cover all the countries that you plan to visit.
- Registered students are entitled to HKU Group Travel Insurance for travelling overseas on activities which are officially arranged by the University.
Orientation Activities
Arts Faculty Gathering for Exchange Students
| Date & Time: | January 15, 2026 (Thu), 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm (HKT) |
| Mode of Event: | Face-to-face |
| Venue: | CPD-G.02, G/F, Run Run Shaw Tower, Centennial Campus |
by the International Affairs Office (IAO)
- IAO Orientation (January 2026, registration)
- Campus Tour (January 2026, registration)
by the Centre of Development and Resources for Students (CEDARS)
- Weeks of Welcome (WoW) events will be opened on a first-come, first-serve basis.
- Orientation Day for Non-local Students. For registration, please refer to the invitation email sent in December 2025.
HKID Card
- You need to apply for a HKID card if your length of stay in HK is more than 180 days. Please refer to the Hong Kong Immigration Department for the procedures.
Other Useful Information
