Notes for Applicants

Application Period

Applicants are required to submit the online applications for individual programmes by the respective deadlines.

Provision of all the personal data requested in the application form is voluntary. Failure to provide the necessary information and particulars may result in City University of Hong Kong ("the University" or "CityUHK") being unable to process your application.

Medium of Instruction and Assessment

English is the University's medium of instruction and assessment unless otherwise specified for a particular course or programme.

Programme Information and Entrance Requirements

Master's Programmes Information including the general entrance requirements, programme-specific entrance requirements and English proficiency requirements are available at https://www.cityu.edu.hk/pg/taught-postgraduate-programmes/list.

Submission of Applications

When you submit your applications, please refer to the Steps and Procedures or the Flow Chart .

To update your contact information including your correspondence address, email address and contact phone number, please login to your online application account at any time. It is important that the email address you provide is correct and will not proactively block emails from the University, as emails are normally used for communication between the University and applicants.

Please note that applicants,
SHOULD:
- Create only one application account;
- Submit application by themselves;
- Ensure that all information provided is true and accurate;
- Observe the anti-corruption laws in Hong Kong: Understanding Integrity in Seconds (秒懂廉政); and

SHOULD NOT:
- Entrust their application to a third party or an intermediary agency;
- Create any application account on behalf of others.

If applicants violate any of the above, their applications will be disqualified or any enrolment made will be rescinded. All fees paid will not be refunded. If fraudulent documents are identified, the University reserves the right to refer such cases to the law enforcement agencies in Hong Kong for investigation and handling.

Application, Tuition and Other Fees

Application Fees (non-refundable and non-transferable)

The online application fee for master's programmes is HK$500 per programme choice except for EMBA (P01A, P01B & P12) which is HK$800. Please submit an additional application if you wish to apply for more than one programme. You are required to pay the application fee online using VISA, MasterCard, UnionPay, AlipayHK/China, WeChat Pay or Faster Payment System (FPS).

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are charged on a credit unit basis. Please click here for details of the fee instalment. Tuition fees for the upcoming intake are available under Programme Information for individual programmes.

Other Fees and Charges

Please click here for details of other fees and charges relating to master's programmes (the fees are subject to change without notice).

Supporting Documents

1. No hard copy of supporting documents sent by applicants will be accepted unless otherwise requested by CityUHK. Any submitted documents will NOT be returned.

2. If the documents are used for applying to more than one programme at the same level, you are required to upload the file(s) once only. If the documents are specific to a particular programme, please specify it in the filename (e.g. document_for_P11.pdf).

3. For Applications (to be uploaded by applicants)

Documents to be uploaded by applicants in support of their applications are listed under the “Supporting Documents” section in the online application form. Applicants are required to upload the following documents before submitting their applications:

a) Academic and/or Professional Qualifications

official degree certificate [for mainland qualifications, the degree certificate and the Online Verification Report of Higher Education Degree Certificate (OVRD) (中國⾼等教育學位在線驗證報告) issued by the Center for Student Services and Development, Ministry of Education, P.R. China (CSSD) (教育部學⽣服務與素質發展中⼼), with the expiration of OVRD no earlier than the enrolment date;
official full transcripts with award GPA/average mark *;
official GPA grading system showing the maximum GPA obtainable (e.g. A=4.0) if a 100-mark system is not adopted. Normally the information on the grading system is presented on the back page of the academic transcripts;
certificates of professional qualifications, if applicable;
official report of English proficiency test results, if applicable;
documents that are not in English should be accompanied by a formal certified translation in English issued by the awarding institutions or authorities concerned.

*If the award GPA/average mark is not available on the transcripts, please provide the official certification indicating the award GPA/ average mark issued by the university's registry. For mainland qualifications, official certification indicating the average mark is required.

b) English Proficiency Test Result (if applicable)

Official IELTS/TOEFL/CET-6 test results, or other public examinations results, if applicable.
For TOEFL results, applicants are required to arrange with Educational Testing Service (ETS) to send the score report directly to CityUHK. The TOEFL institution code for CityUHK is 3401.
TOEFL and IELTS scores are considered valid for two years. Applicants are required to provide their English test results obtained within the two years preceding the starting date of the University's application period.
'TOEFL iBT Home Edition', ‘TOEFL MyBest Score’, ‘IELTS Indicator’, ‘IELTS One Skill Retake’ and ‘IELTS Online’ are not acceptable.

4. It is the applicant's responsibility to provide complete, true, accurate and valid information to facilitate the evaluation of the application by the relevant academic unit. Incomplete submission may delay the processing of the application.

5. Selection decisions will mainly be based on the qualifications set out in your application. Additional information/documents provided to CityUHK after the start of the selection process may or may not be considered, subject to the discretion of the relevant academic unit.

6. Provision of any false or misleading information as identified by CityUHK before or after the admission offer is made, failure to fulfill the programme entrance and English proficiency requirements, or failure to complete the qualification checking or verification procedures as required by the University will lead to disqualification of the admission application and any offer or enrolment made will be rescinded. All fees paid will not be refunded.

7. In accordance with the Crimes Ordinance (Cap. 200 of the laws of Hong Kong), a person committing the offence of forgery is liable, upon conviction on indictment, to imprisonment. If fraudulent documents are identified, the University reserves the right to refer such cases to the law enforcement agencies in Hong Kong for investigation and handling.

8. After Offer Acceptance (to be uploaded/arranged by applicants)

Successful applicants will be required to submit the following documents for qualification checking:

For academic qualifications obtained in mainland China, please upload the Online Verification Report of China Higher Education Student's Academic Transcript (OVRT) (中國高等學校學生成績驗證報告) issued by the CSSD within one month after your offer acceptance^#.

For academic qualifications obtained in non-mainland China and overseas, please request an official electronic transcript (e-transcript) to be sent via a designated secure system^ from the awarding institution to the Master's Programmes (Admissions) of the Chow Yei Ching School of Graduate Studies of CityUHK via tpadmit@cityu.edu.hk within one month after your offer acceptance^#. If the secured system is not available from the institution, please request an e-transcript sent directly as an email attachment from the awarding institution. An original official transcript sent directly in an envelope sealed and stamped by the awarding institution to us at the following address will be considered only if the aforementioned e-transcripts are NOT available from the institution:
Master’s Programmes (Admissions)
Chow Yei Ching School of Graduate Studies
4/F, Fong Yun-wah Building
City University of Hong Kong
Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon
Hong Kong

^For example, “ACVP”, “Digitary”, “Gradintel”, “my eQuals”, “MyCreds”, “National State Clearing House” and “Parchment Inc.”, etc. [including an official electronic Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR) of UK qualifications or Diploma Supplement of European qualifications]
China’s applicants with academic qualifications obtained in non-mainland China and overseas, are required to upload on to their application account the Overseas Credentials Evaluation Report (國/境外學歷學位認證書) issued by the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE) (中國留學服務中心).
For academic qualifications awarded by CityUHK, normally the academic transcript with degree award will be retrieved by CityUHK.

^#Applicants who are currently in the final year of their study are required to arrange for the submission of the above required documents in the way as specified for qualification checking within one month after conditions met/on or before the day of enrolment at CityUHK (whichever is earlier).
Presentation of the original certificate(s) of qualifications (e.g. degree award certificate, public examination report, PCLL CEB letter) to complete the qualification checking on the day of enrolment. For mainland qualifications, the OVRD issued by the CSSD is required instead of the original degree award certificate.
If TOEFL report is submitted to fulfill the English proficiency requirement, please arrange with ETS to send the score report directly to the University. The TOEFL institution code for CityUHK is 3401.

It is the applicant's responsibility to provide all required documents (including but not limited to the original certificate, official certification, the originals of passport(s) with respect to overseas qualification(s), if applicable), in any forms as requested by the University for verification purposes before any enrolment at CityUHK.

CityUHK reserves the right to require applicants to rearrange submission of official certification of qualifications (e.g. transcript or degree award certificate, etc.) in a specified format if deemed necessary. Please refer to the "Notes for Applicants on Acceptance of Offer" attached to the offer letter for details.

Application Acknowledgement and Results

An acknowledgement message will be displayed online immediately after you have successfully settled the application fee online. An acknowledgement email will also be issued upon receipt of your application.

Depending on the programme you apply for, applications may be reviewed on a rolling basis during the application period or in batches after the application deadline.

You can check your application result online. If your application is successful, you will receive an email notification informing you to check your application account, download the offer package via your application account and complete the necessary procedures to accept the offer. No hard copy of documents will be issued to applicants.

For more details, please refer to the Flow Chart for Accepting Offers of Master's Programmes.

Qualification Checking and Enrolment

1. Successful applicants will be invited for in-person enrolment in August for admission in Semester A.

2. Qualification checking for successful applicants are required to be completed by the specified deadline after offer acceptance or on the day of enrolment. Applicants will not be allowed to enrol unless the qualification check is completed.

3. Successful applicants should present themselves in person at our enrolment counter before the semester starts to complete the enrolment procedures. If you fail to complete the enrolment procedures by the specified date, you will be considered as having given up the admission place, and all fees paid will not be refunded.

Information for Non-local Students

Persons holding the following documents issued by the Immigration Department (IMMD) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) are classified as non-local students:

student visa / entry permit;
visa / entry permit under the Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates (IANG);
dependant visa / entry permit for applicants who were aged 18 years old or above when they were issued with such visa / entry permit by the IMMD

Due to immigration restrictions, nationals from Afghanistan, Cuba, Laos, North Korea (DPRK), Nepal and Vietnam may not be able to obtain a student visa to study in Hong Kong. For details, please refer to the IMMD.

Persons holding any of the following documents issued by the IMMD are classified as local students:

Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card
Documents issued by the IMMD certifying the right of abode / right to land in Hong Kong
One-way permit for entry to Hong Kong
Dependant visa / entry permit for applicants who were aged below18 years old when they were issued with such visa / entry permit by the IMMD
Full-time employment visa / work permit (for part-time study)
Visa / entry permit for Quality Migrant Admission Scheme
Visa / entry permit for Capital Investment Entrant Scheme
Visa / Entry permit for Admission Scheme for the Second Generation of Chinese Hong Kong Permanent Residents
Visa label for unconditional stay

Student Visa / Entry Permit

Persons who do not have the right of abode or right to land and wish to enter Hong Kong for the purpose of education are required by law to obtain a valid student visa / entry permit issued by IMMD before arriving at Hong Kong. It is the applicant's responsibility to obtain a valid student visa / entry permit before arrival, and to comply with the terms and conditions of the visa / entry permit. If you are unable to produce a valid student visa / entry permit which corresponds to the programme and semester you will be approved to start with your study, you will not be allowed to enrol in the programme. If you are holding or have applied for a student visa / entry permit but subsequently decide to take up another programme, you may need to apply for a new student visa/entry permit. CityUHK graduates holding an extended student visa / entry permit of the previous programme should apply for another student visa / entry permit for enrolment in the newly admitted programme. Please consult our Global Engagement Office (GEO) for advice on your actions required for obtaining an appropriate student visa / entry permit.

Successful applicants from overseas countries or territories should direct their applications for a visa to the Chinese Embassy or Consulate General in their place of residence or to the IMMD. As part of the application, applicants are required to nominate a Hong Kong resident aged 18 or above to act as a sponsor. Those who have difficulty in nominating a sponsor may write to CityUHK to act in this capacity. Successful applicants from the mainland should submit their application for student visa/entry permit via CityUHK which will be required to act as the sponsor for their study. For information on visa / entry permit application, please consult our G EO. If you need advice on visa requirements, please consult the IMMD.

In accordance with the regulations of the IMMD, students holding a student visa / entry permit to study in Hong Kong are allowed to undertake part-time paid employment during their stay in Hong Kong under stipulated conditions.

Personal Accident and Medical Insurance / Travel Insurance

It is mandatory for non-local students to have suitable and adequate insurance throughout their entire study period at CityUHK. Your insurance policy should include but not limited to coverages for travel, personal accident, medical expenses (accident and non-accident), hospitalisation and emergency evacuation / repatriation. You are also strongly advised to take out insurance policies that will cover strikes, riots, civil commotion, and diseases, including but not limited to epidemic and pandemic diseases. For further information, please consult our GEO.

Multiple Applications

If you wish to apply for more than one programme, please click on the ‘Apply for a New Programme’ button after logging into your application account.

If you have applied for more than one programme, all programme choices will receive due consideration. Please note that if you receive more than one admission offer from CityUHK, you can enrol in one programme only.

Simultaneous Registration

Unless otherwise approved by CityUHK, students are not permitted to enrol in more than one CityUHK programme or other government-funded programme/place.

Readmission

If a student is readmitted to the same programme after withdrawal, termination or exit with an intermediate award (but has not exceeded the maximum period of study), his/her previous period of study will be counted in the calculation of his/her maximum period of study. The student’s credit units and grades previously earned from the same programme are counted in the GPA calculation. The final decision on acceptance of credit units and grades rests with the respective academic unit.

Credit Transfer

Transferred credit units must have been earned no earlier than eight years before enrolment at CityUHK. Individual academic units may stipulate a more stringent requirement for transferred credit units, as deemed appropriate.

At least 70% of the credit unit required for an award of CityUHK must be earned by the successful completion of courses required by the programme concerned.

Current CityUHK Students (Programme Transfer)

In general, current CityUHK students who wish to change their programme of study to another programme of the same level may submit an application for programme transfer. A Programme Transfer Application Form is obtainable from the Chow Yei Ching School of Graduate Studies. For details, including the maximum period of study, please refer to the information on programme transfer.

Information for CityUHK Staff

For CityUHK staff seeking application for admission, standard admission procedures will apply.

Applicants with Physical or Other Disabilities

The admission of an applicant to CityUHK is based on academic criteria and other specified entrance requirements. If you have a physical or other disability, you are not required to declare this at the application stage. However, if you need assistance regarding your application (e.g. to attend an interview), you may discuss your needs with the programme offering academic unit so that special arrangement can be made if practicable.

Cost of Living

The actual cost of living varies depending on individual lifestyle choices. The average cost of living in Hong Kong (excluding tuition and accommodation fees) is estimated to be HKD50,000 (approx. USD6,400) per 2 semesters, including meals, transport, laundry and education expenses such as books and stationery. Students may also need to budget for overseas learning activities and emergency medical expenses, etc.

Student Accommodation

Except for students offered government-funded places on the Postgraduate Certificate in Law programme (PCLL), who are eligible to apply for student residence subject to lot drawing, all master's students should seek off-campus accommodation as early as possible before arriving in Hong Kong. More information on off-campus accommodation in the market is available here.

Cancellation of Programmes

CityUHK reserves the right to cancel any programmes; in this case, all fees paid by applicants will be refunded.

Personal Information Collection Statement

The information you provided in your application, including your HKID card/passport/travel document number, examination results and qualifications, will be used for the following purposes:

(a)	as a basis for various types of processing in relation to your application;
(b)	as a basis for the selection of applicants for admission to the programmes offered by the University and/or in collaboration with other institutions; for other opportunities relating to funding schemes/awards by the University or other parties; and for other relevant or related purposes;
(c)	to obtain, from the relevant examination authority, assessment body or academic institution in Hong Kong and elsewhere, information about your examination results, records of studies and/or professional qualifications if deemed appropriate;
(d)	to carry out checks on your applications, and any records of studies at the University and other institutions in Hong Kong and elsewhere if deemed appropriate;
(e)	to carry out checks on other information mentioned in your application (e.g. employment records, professional qualifications, etc.) with the relevant party/parties if deemed appropriate;
(f)	to transfer relevant data to i) the student record system of the University, ii) partner institutions under collaboration arrangements and/or other parties supporting financial schemes/awards, if applicable upon your successful enrolment at the University;
(g)	for statistical and research purposes (with personal identifiers removed); and
(h)	for direct marketing of the University's programme and activities (if deemed appropriate).

In accordance with the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance, you have the right of access to and the right of correction of the information contained in the application form, and the right to request a copy of such data during the admission exercise. If you wish to obtain more information, please write to the Chow Yei Ching School of Graduate Studies. You may be charged a fee for each request. Data on applicants other than those successfully enrolled will be destroyed at the end of the admission exercise.

Please refer to the University’s European Union and the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulations ("GDPR") Privacy Notice that may be applicable to you.

* The University reserves the right to update the above information at any time without notice.