Amazing Time in an Amazing City Past Review

By (Sociology., Wellesley College) - abroad from 01/21/2013 to 05/03/2013 with

University of Hong Kong / HKU: Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
At HKU, I got to have a very different educational experience, meet a lot of great people, and grow to love the city of Hong Kong.

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I didn't find classes at HKU to be as rigorous as those at Wellesley, but I enjoyed having a wide variety of topics to choose from.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The orientation was a good way to meet other exchange students and the OIS department held various events throughout the semester. Generally, however, the administration/registrar can be difficult to work with so I would recommend speaking directly with professors and working with them to navigate any academic issues you may come across.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived in a dorm with mostly foreign exchange students which was fun, but that means I missed out on living with locals in residence halls. Rooms are tiny in Hong Kong cause of lack of space, but overall it was sufficient and had good transportation access.

* Food:

Food in HK is amazing. You can eat any kind of cuisine at reasonable prices in the city, and the dining hall food on campus is pretty good too.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Because I didn't live in a residence hall, I missed out in interacting with locals in that context. However, it's easy to explore the city and get integrated into local Hong Kong culture.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I didn't experience any health problems so I didn't use HKU's health services.

* Safety:

Hong Kong is extremely safe as laws are fairly strict. The only advice would be to go out with people you know, especially if you're going to a new area, but generally

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

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)

Cost of living is dependent on what kind of purchases you make. It's easy maintain a budget because there are lots of inexpensive food choices and transportation is cheap, but you can also spend a lot of money by eating out at nice places and going shopping.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

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

Select all that apply

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

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Central location in Hong Kong
  • Many classes offered
  • Lots of great people
* What could be improved?
  • Flexibility when registering
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? There are three main groups at HKU, and in Hong Kong in general: locals, mainland Chinese, and international students/expats. These three groups don't always interact, but it's pretty easy to meet people during class cause literally every class has some sort of group project.

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 Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.