Cultural and Language Immersion

Application Deadline

Applications are open from 18 January to 2 February 2024. Please complete the followings on or before 2 February 2024 by 23:59 (11:59 pm, HKT):

• Complete the online application form; and
• Upload all the supporting documents; and
• Save a pdf copy of the form at the end of the application process for future reference.

Application Procedures

Students who would like to participate in the Cultural and Language Immersion should follow the application procedures stated below:

1. Prepare an electronic copy of the following documents for upload during the application process:
   1. passport page showing name, photo, passport number and expiry date
   2. your academic transcript (remarks: transcript printed from AIMS is acceptable. Click here for a sample)
   3. your personal information/student status information in AIMS (Click here for a sample)
   4. proof of English language proficiency* (The original certificate is required for verification after being shortlisted.)
   5. Parental Consent for students who are under the age of 18 (the form can be downloaded here )
2. Apply online via this link before the application deadline.
3. Application results will be announced via email around February/March 2024. Successful applicants will be informed of the procedures for offer acceptance and payment. After announcement of results, you will have around 2-3 days to accept the offer by paying a refundable HK$3,000 caution money. Students should fill in the reply slip enclosed in the announcement email, then submit the payment slip together with the signed reply slip to Projects and Internationalisation Team of the College Office at Room 6361, 6/F, Li Dak Sum Yip Yio Chin Academic Building before the specified deadline.
4. Pay the full programme fee to the College before the specified deadline.
5. Receive official admission offer from host institution.
6. Lodge your visa application and prepare for departure.
7. Attend the pre-departure briefing session before departure and the post-trip debriefing forum after your return. Complete all the assignments and fulfil all the requirements of the College and the host institution.

Note *: The following results will be considered: IELTS score result, TOEFL score result, and transcript of HKDSE.

Notes to CALI Applicants

1. Before you file an application, please note the following:
   1. Under the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic, students should beware of their financial responsibility before and throughout the programme, e.g., any personal insurance, visa application payment, and/or personal expenses incurred by students will not be refunded or subsidised by CityU or the College should the programme be called off.
   2. All students participating in this programme will be required to purchase a travel insurance covering COVID-19 infection before departure and provide proof of purchase.
   3. Participants are responsible for additional personal costs, if any, including but not limited to insurance, visa fee, vaccination, quarantine hotel stay, mandatory COVID-19 tests, etc.
   4. Should the partner institution cancel face-to-face instruction for its classes, the programme will be called off.
   5. Failure to submit any of the required documents will constitute an incomplete submission, and the application will NOT be processed.
   6. Application results will be announced to successful applicants by email in February/March. Please check your CityU email account (i.e. EID-c@my.cityu.edu.hk) frequently. Students need to pay a refundable HK$3,000 caution money to confirm the offer acceptance. For students that will be out of town at this period of time, please make appropriate arrangements in advance, i.e. seeking help from family/relatives, friends or classmates to pay the caution money and/or the full programme fee and submit the reply slip to the College before the stipulated deadline. The College reserves the right to withdraw an offer, should any student fail to pay the caution money and/or the full programme fee by the deadline.
   7. Caution money: The caution money is refundable, provided that students fulfil all programme requirements. It is non-transferable and does not form any portion of the programme fee. Students who withdraw at any time with no strong justifiable reason will not get any refund. If any additional cost is incurred after full payment, e.g. change in exchange rate or rise of fuel costs/other charges for air ticket, the additional cost will be deducted from the caution money.
   8. Once accepting the offer, you are obliged to attend all pre- and post-trip meetings and briefing sessions and any activities connected to Cultural and Language Immersion before and after the participation in the programme as required by the College.
      1. The compulsory pre-departure briefing session will be held in May 2024 (to be announced) for ONE FULL DAY.
      2. The post-trip debriefing forum and its rehearsal will be scheduled on two separate days in late August.
      3. In this connection, plans you may have shortly before or after the programme, i.e. tour with friends and family, or join another study tour, or return home for a summer holiday, might have to be re-scheduled. Your sponsorship will be forfeited if you do not attend ALL the related activities. If you are not sure about the dates of these activities, you are responsible for finding out these dates by contacting CLASS Projects and Internationalisation Team.
   9. Note to non-local applicants:
      Further to note (h) above, you have to make sure you are able to attend the pre-departure briefing, the pre-trip IELTS test (for students who do not have valid IELTS proof), post-trip IELTS test, and the post-trip debriefing forum. The post-trip IELTS test might be held in early August (to be confirmed), whereas the post-trip debriefing forum will usually be held in late August. To do so, you have to ensure that your accommodation in Hong Kong will still be available after you complete the summer programme and make sure that you will be back in Hong Kong for the post-trip debriefing forum. No further subsidies will be provided for this purpose;
   10. Note to applicants who will go on semester-long exchanges:
       If you have successfully applied for a student exchange programme for Semester A 2024-25, please make sure you are able to attend the post-trip debriefing forum. This forum will be held in late August according to current plans.
   11. There is no stay behind after the completion of the programme. You will have obligations to fulfil immediately after the programme.
   12. After completion of the programme, you will be required to share your experience with potential applicants through activities organised by the College.
2. If you cannot fulfil any of the above requirements without strong justifiable reasons, your caution money, and programme fee if applicable, will be confiscated and you may be required to repay CityU the full amount of sponsorship, and any related penalties if applicable, which has been given to you for this programme.
3. Each student shall be responsible for obtaining his or her visa, passport or other required documents and for any related charges. The College shall not be liable for the failure on the part of the students in obtaining the required visa/documents.
4. The College reserves the right to cancel the programme if it does not reach the minimum number of participants.