Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

A Great Place to Travel Past Review

By (The University of Texas at Austin) - abroad from 01/05/2018 to 05/12/2018 with

Chinese University of Hong Kong: Hong Kong - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained more courage myself while exploring Hong Kong. I think the city is big enough that you can do a lot by yourself.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The biggest issue was having only one laundry room for the entire building; otherwise, the dorms were the typical dorms. I would like to warn everyone that each unit has A/C, but you have to pay for it. I lived at Lee Woo Sing and thankfully our dorm gave us free credits each month (plus I believe we were the only dorm that had heaters and a mini fridge in each room).

* Food:

The canteens are what you expect for being dorm food, but Hong Kong itself has plenty of good food places from cheap to expensive.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

CUHK is a great place if you plan to travel. Local students don't really interact unless you can speak cantonese.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I actually didn't use my healthcare in Hong Kong, but I did in South Korea, so the healthcare will follow you to other countries.

* Safety:

Overall I feel Hong Kong is very safe. Obviously there is no such things as a city with no crime, but I hadn't had any trouble while studying abroad.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? No

I think I would prefer a program where there was a foreign language component so I could meet more exchange students easily, but I also feel that because CUHK has such a big amount of exchange students, the locals really dont bother to get to know them and perhaps in another exchange, I would be able to become friends with others more.

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

It just depends on where you eat and how much you eat.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Direct Enrollment/Exchange

* Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? Exchange

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? 0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Freedom to explore
* What could be improved?
  • Local and Exchange student interaction
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? People advised to take Cantonese courses, but the teachers there are too nice to be able to reinforce the language and you only have it about once a week .

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.
The Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

CCSS 1006: Politics and Governance in Contemporary China
Course Department: Centre for China Studies
Instructor: Tim Summers
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Dr. Summers is from the UK and I was happy to see how nice his powerpoints were. Dr. Summers is a very open professor and encourages participation in his classes. This class is set for students to better understand the Chinese political structure and is a great introduction for it. When I took the class, grades were: 20% attendance and participation, 40% quizzes and 40% final essay. I ended up getting a B- due to the open prompt, but I would still take this course again!
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

The Rise of China in the Global Context I: Diplomacy, Trade, and Soft Power
Course Department: Global Studies
Instructor: Toru Horiuchi
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Toru can be a little dry, but he has his own set of humor and does his best to encourage participation. He is a nice guy and I would recommend talking to him! Grades were based on: 30% take-home mid-term exam (which was an essay), 50% research paper (final paper), and 20% tutorial debate and participation. I ended up with an A- in the class, even with my final paper being late, and I had no issues with my group members for the debate.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

DSME 2030: Operations Management
Course Department: Decision Sciences & Managerial Economics
Instructor: Gao Xiangyu
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Professor is a bit boring and communication can be a bit hard, but he is willing to help students. Grades are based on: 10% class participation, 20% HW, 30% midterm, 40% final test. I ended up with a B, but could have gotten a B+ if I hadn't forgotten about doing one of the HW papers.
Credit Transfer Issues: