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 the University 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

Please visit the Programme Information about the general entrance requirements, programme-specific entrance requirements and English proficiency requirements for different programmes.

 

Submission of Applications

Please refer to the Steps and Procedures or the Flow Chart when you submit your applications.

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.

 

Application, Tuition and Other Fees

Application Fees (non-refundable and non-transferable)

The online application fee for master's (taught postgraduate) 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 on Master's (Taught Postgraduate) Tuition Fee Arrangements 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 on here for details of other fees and charges relating to master's (taught postgraduate) studies (the fees are subject to change without notice).

 

Supporting Documents

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

2. For Applications (to upload 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 certificates and transcripts with overall GPA/average mark of academic qualifications*;
  • Official explanations on the grading system (e.g. A=4.0, A-=3.7, B+=3.3; OR A=90-100, B=70-89, etc.) Normally the information on the grading system is presented on the back page of the academic transcripts;
  • (For graduates with degrees obtained in mainland ChinaOnline Verification Report of Higher Education Degree Certificate (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;
  • 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 overall GPA/average mark is not available on the transcripts, please provide the official certification indicating the overall 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 CityU. The TOEFL institution code for CityU 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. 
  • Online Test e.g. 'TOEFL iBT Home Edition' or 'IELTS Indicator' is not acceptable.

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

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

5. Original documents (including CityU qualifications and public examination results) should be presented for verification upon request by CityU at a later time.

6. Provision of any false or misleading information as identified by CityU 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 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. After Offer Acceptance (to upload/arrange by applicants)

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

  • For academic qualifications obtained from non-local institutions including Macau and Taiwan (except mainland China), please request an official electronic transcript^ (not email attachment) to be sent via designated secure system from the degree award institutions to the Master's (Taught Postgraduate) Admissions of the Chow Yei Ching School of Graduate Studies of the City University of Hong Kong via tpadmit@cityu.edu.hk within one month after your offer acceptance#. If electronic transcript system is not available from the institution, please request an original official transcript (with all course records and examination results) to be sent directly to the Master's (Taught Postgraduate) Admissions of the Chow Yei Ching School of Graduate Studies of the City University of Hong Kong in an envelope sealed and stamped by the degree award institution within one month after your offer acceptance#.
    ^Official electronic Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR) of UK qualifications/official electronic Diploma Supplement of European qualifications are also deemed acceptable.
     
  • For academic qualifications obtained from local institutions in Hong Kong (except CityU), please arrange for the original final academic transcript (with all course records and examination results) to be sent directly to the Master's (Taught Postgraduate) Admissions of the Chow Yei Ching School of Graduate Studies of the City University of Hong Kong in a sealed and stamped envelope from the degree award institution within one month after your offer acceptance#. Submission sent directly by applicants will not be accepted.
     
  • For academic qualifications awarded by CityU, normally the academic transcript with degree award will be retrieved by CityU.

    #Applicants who are currently in the final year of their study are required to arrange 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 CityU (whichever is earlier).
     
  • Presentation of the original certificate(s) of qualifications (e.g. degree award certificate, public examination report) to complete the qualification checking on the day of enrolment. For mainland qualifications, the Online Verification Report of Higher Education Degree Certificate (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) 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 CityU is 3401.

CityU 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 (Taught Postgraduate) 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; or
  • visa / entry permit under the Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates (IANG); or
  • 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. CityU 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.

Students admitted 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 CityU to act in this capacity. Mainland students should submit their application for student visa/entry permit via CityU which will be required to act as the sponsor for their study. For information on visa / entry permit application, please consult our GEO. 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 CityU. 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 strike, riot, civil commotion, and the diseases including but not limited to the COVID-19. 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 CityU, you can enrol in one programme only.

 

Simultaneous Registration

Unless otherwise approved by CityU, students are not permitted to enrol in more than one CityU 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 CityU. 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 CityU must be earned by the successful completion of courses required by the programme concerned.

 

Current CityU Students (Programme Transfer)

In general, current CityU 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 CityU Staff

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

 

Applicants with Physical or Other Disabilities

The admission of an applicant to CityU 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 cost of living varies depending on individuals 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 (taught postgraduate) students should seek off-campus accommodation as early as possible before arriving in Hong Kong. More information about off-campus accommodation is available here

 

Cancellation of Programmes

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

 

Use of Application Information Collected

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 General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Privacy Notice that may be applicable to you.

 

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