My Eye-Opening Experience at The University of Hong Kong! August 20, 2026

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The courses were all at reasonable difficulty. The statistics courses can sometimes be very proof heavy, so keep that in mind if you want to take one there. The comparative literature courses are interesting and teaching style is very lecture forward. The language classes are long, but you learn a lot. The classes felt similar but also different compared to my home institution. I enjoyed learning at a higher education institution that wasn't in my home country. If you are an avid advocate, then finding resources is usually very feasible. However, there may be times that you don't get a response back or an unsatisfactory response.

On-site administration of your program

The on-site administration of my program was extremely helpful when I needed assistance from them. Wait times in person can take some time, but you will most likely get the answers you need.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived in JC2 during my exchange, and honestly it's not that great. There was construction from the new fitness center, so I woke up to construction every morning. Additionally, the dorm rooms and bathrooms may not be that clean. It depends on what dorm and floor you are on. However, the cleaning staff on my floor were kind, and moving in and out was not too bad. The dorm buildings have security in the lobby. The AC you need to pay for.

The canteens on campus offered accessible, reasonably priced, good food. Nothing mind blowing, but good for students. Lots of variety.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The most integrated I felt with the local culture was during holidays, and when I was interacting with my peers. I would say that not that many local students often made friends with exchange students, but that's not to say that there weren't any. I made about 2-3 local friends.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I got sick at one point during my exchange, and I would say drugstore medicine, rest, and water helped me get better in about a week. At HKU, they do have a university medical center that I believe you can go to for free? However, you do need to make an appointment in advance. I believe that my home institution's insurance has a global aspect to it, so if needed I could've gone to a doctor outside of the school. From my understanding, healthcare in Hong Kong is a lot cheaper out of pocket compared to the United States.

Hong Kong is a safe place. I could walk around at night at like 1 AM and feel pretty safe. However, near JC2 there was a boar, so be careful.

I got to understand what it is like to study abroad in another country and made a lot of friends. I also got to participate in school funded events. I learned a lot about Hong Kong culture and ate a lot of delicious food.

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

Dorm housing makes it easier to live on a student's budget. If you go to the school canteen all the time, then it is very reasonable to live on a student's budget. Transportation is reasonable as well. The biggest variable that might change how easily one would be able to live on a student's budget is how often and where a student would go out to eat. During exchange, if I was eating out with friends, we didn't go to super expensive places to eat.

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

Classes are taught in English at HKU. However, since I took Mandarin and Cantonese at HKU, I practiced speaking those languages a lot.

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• Dorm

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• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

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• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

• Interesting courses
• Exploring Hong Kong
• Food

• Dorm experiences

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