The Hong Kong Polytechnic University — Frequently Asked Questions (Campus & Admissions): Campus, admissions, services, and alumni

Module: 00 Overview · Sub-file: FAQ Campus & Admissions (faq-campus-and-admissions) Continuing from Frequently Asked Questions (Basics), this section covers practical, day-to-day questions on campus character, notable alumni, postgraduate programmes, halls of residence, scholarships, medium of instruction, accessibility services, Work-Integrated Education (WIE), and sustainability. Each answer is cited inline; full sources appear under "Sources" at the end.

PolyU undergraduates must complete at least one semester of Work-Integrated Education before they can graduate — not an elective, but a hard requirement baked into the curriculum structure. Starting from that rule, this section walks through the nuts and bolts of what it's actually like to study at PolyU.

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# Q16. What defines the PolyU campus?

PolyU's main campus sits in Hung Hom, Kowloon, covering approximately 9.46–10.23 hectares^※. Its signature features include:

• Red-brick complex: Over 20 interconnected red-brick buildings, designed from about 1972 under the lead of James Kinoshita at Palmer & Turner, described by ZOLIMA CITYMAG as 「香港被低估的現代地標」(“Hong Kong’s most underrated modern landmark.”)
• Jockey Club Innovation Tower: Designed by the late Zaha Hadid and completed in 2014^※, it houses the School of Design and ranks among Hong Kong's architectural icons.
• Pao Yue-kong Library: Holds more than 9.38 million^※ items and offers 3,900 study seats.
• The campus sits next to the Hung Hom Cross-Harbour Tunnel portal, making it exceptionally well connected.

See also ../05-campus/.

# Q17. Which notable alumni has PolyU produced?

Notable alumni span a broad range of fields:

• Government and politics: Li Qiang (李強), Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China (Central University of Finance and Economics / PolyU); Leung Chun-ying (梁振英), former Chief Executive of Hong Kong (Hong Kong Polytechnic).
• Film: Wong Kar-wai (王家衞) (director, studied design at Hong Kong Polytechnic); Raman Hui (許誠毅) (DreamWorks animation director for the Shrek franchise); Donnie Yen (甄子丹) (martial-arts star).
• Fashion: Vivienne Tam (譚燕玉) (Higher Diploma in Design, 1978).
• Space engineering: Professor Yung Kai-leung (容啟亮) (Chair Professor of Precision Engineering at PolyU, developer of instruments for the Chang'e and Tianwen missions — also a PolyU alumnus).

A fuller alumni listing appears under ../06-people/.

# Q18. Does PolyU offer taught postgraduate and PhD programmes?

Yes. The PolyU Graduate School provides taught postgraduate programmes as well as research postgraduate programmes (MPhil / PhD) across all seven faculties and three schools. Official figures put the postgraduate population at over 12,000^※. The Graduate School was established in 2020^※ to centrally coordinate postgraduate education.

# Q19. How do PolyU halls work? What is the "four-year two-stay" arrangement?

PolyU runs two university-managed hall complexes:

• Hung Hom Halls: Completed in 2002, accommodating roughly 3,000 students^※ across nine blocks (including two residential colleges).
• Homantin Halls: Completed in 2012, providing about 1,650 places^※.

PolyU is also planning new halls in Kowloon Tong (around 1,680 places, expected in 2028). Once completed, the University hopes to realise a 「四年兩宿」(“four-year two-stay”) model — meaning undergraduates would have a realistic chance of securing a hall place twice during their four-year degree. See ../10-colleges/.

# Q20. What examinations are required for PolyU undergraduate admission?

• Local students apply through the Joint University Programmes Admissions System (JUPAS)^※ using results from the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE). The annual tuition fee for local undergraduates is HK$44,500^※.
• Non-local students may apply through the Non-JUPAS route or directly to individual faculties. The annual tuition fee for non-local undergraduates is HK$175,000^※.
• PolyU also offers a range of scholarship schemes, including the Emerging Global Leaders Scholarship, which provides a full-tuition award for outstanding international students. For more on admissions and scholarships, see ../02-admissions/.

# Q21. What major university scholarships does PolyU offer?

PolyU administers several categories of scholarship:

For details of tuition fees, scholarships, and government grants and loans, see ../02-admissions/tuition-and-scholarships.md.

# Q22. Does PolyU provide services for students with disabilities or special learning needs?

Yes. PolyU operates the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD):

• Arranges extended examination time, permission to record lectures, and priority seating for students with print or physical disabilities or mental-health challenges.
• Provides oral interpretation, sign-language interpretation, and related services.
• The Counselling and Wellness Section offers psychological counselling, stress-management, and resilience-building workshops.
• Lifts and barrier-free access routes cover major blocks across campus (see ../05-campus/transport-facilities.md).

# Q23. What is the medium of instruction at PolyU?

• The overwhelming majority of PolyU programmes use English as the medium of instruction, consistent with other UGC-funded institutions in Hong Kong.
• Chinese and bilingual programmes: Some humanities, social-science, and China-studies courses are delivered mainly in Putonghua or Cantonese, though English remains the norm for academic writing.
• Putonghua support: The Language Learning Centre provides Putonghua courses to help students who are not from a Cantonese-speaking background adapt.
• Non-local students who need English-language support can also make use of English writing tutorials offered by the faculties.

# Q24. Are there undergraduate research opportunities at PolyU?

Yes. PolyU runs several undergraduate research initiatives:

• URIS (Undergraduate Research and Innovation Scheme): Provides funding and supervision so that undergraduates can carry out independent research projects during the summer or semester, including opportunities to take part in space-mission research.
• Capstone Project: In some engineering and science programmes, the final-year project takes the form of independent research.
• Design Graduate Show: The School of Design presents students' creative output through an annual degree show.
• SHTM research internships: PhD students in the School of Hotel and Tourism Management have opportunities to join internationally leading research projects.

# Q25. Is Work-Integrated Education (WIE) compulsory at PolyU?

Yes. Work-Integrated Education (WIE) is a mandatory, core component of PolyU's undergraduate curriculum:

• WIE formats include internships, company-based projects, Service Learning, and industry field visits.
• The vast majority of PolyU undergraduate programmes require students to complete at least one semester, or an equivalent number of hours, of WIE.
• Approved WIE placements span Hong Kong, the Greater Bay Area, and overseas, with each academic department maintaining its own list of eligible organisations.
• Completion of WIE is a graduation requirement — and a direct embodiment of PolyU's motto, 「學以致用」(‘To learn and to apply, for the benefit of mankind’), built into the curriculum structure.

See the PolyU WIE policy page and individual programme requirements for further details.

# Q26. What international ranking highlights does PolyU have?

PolyU's international rankings have risen steadily in recent years:

• QS World University Rankings: Ranked 54th in 2026 (a record high), according to a PolyU press release (19 June 2025)^※.
• Times Higher Education (THE): Ranked 80th in 2026, according to a PolyU press release (9 October 2025)^※.
• Standout subject rankings: Optometry (world No. 1), Hospitality and Tourism Management (world No. 1), Textile Science (world top 3), among others (per ShanghaiRanking ARWU subject rankings^※).
• QS subject rankings: Five subjects entered the global top 20 in 2024 (per Malay Mail / PolyU contributor piece^※).

# Q27. How does PolyU approach sustainability?

PolyU runs a green campus programme:

• Committed to achieving campus carbon neutrality by 2045 (with interim targets in 2028 and 2033).
• According to Pulse@PolyU^※, over HK$10 million has been approved for seven carbon-neutrality projects.
• All new infrastructure must meet BEAM Plus Gold green-building certification.
• A Carbon Neutrality Committee oversees the roadmap.
• In relation to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), PolyU's academic research and outreach also align with multiple SDGs.

# Q28. Does PolyU have its own teaching hotel?

Yes. Hotel ICON is PolyU's purpose-built teaching hotel, located at 17 Austin Road West in Tsim Sha Tsui. It opened in September 2011^※. With the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) as its academic backbone, the hotel places professional trainees in front-line service roles, giving SHTM students a real-world commercial training environment. The hotel has won numerous international awards and is widely seen as a successful model of deep integration between a university and the hospitality industry. See the Hotel ICON official website^※.

# Q29. What is PolyU's relationship with other Hong Kong universities?

PolyU is one of Hong Kong's eight UGC-funded universities (the "big eight"), alongside HKU, CUHK, HKUST, CityU, HKBU, Lingnan University, and EdUHK:

• Inter-university student activities: The USFHK sports league is the most important inter-university student platform among the eight.
• Resource sharing: Joint sports facilities and inter-library loan agreements.
• JUPAS system: The unified application platform for local students creates competition on entry score thresholds and specialist programme preferences.
• Co-opetition: The eight institutions compete in rankings, funding, and non-local student recruitment, while also collaborating on joint research programmes.

# Q30. What form do PolyU orientation camps (O-Camp) take?

Each year from August to September, PolyU's academic departments and student organisations run orientation camps (O-Camp), led by senior students (colloquially "O-Camp organisers"). They introduce new students to the campus, their department, and their peer group through icebreaker games, departmental briefings, campus tours, and social activities. Some departments also run a Mentorship Scheme in which senior students are paired with newcomers to offer course-selection and day-to-day advice. The Student Affairs Office (SAO) separately organises official orientation activities (such as "Freshmen Week") that run in parallel with student-initiated O-Camps. For the history and associated debates surrounding orientation camps and student society culture, see Module 22 (../22-orientation-ocamp/).

# Q31. How strong are PolyU's sports teams?

PolyU student athletes compete in the University Sports Federation of Hong Kong (USFHK) league, vying for honours against the other seven universities. PolyU has traditionally been competitive in badminton, table tennis, and taekwondo, and also fields teams in athletics, swimming, basketball, football, and other sports. Home facilities include the Shaw Sports Complex and the outdoor sports pitch. Students may also receive additional admissions consideration for sporting achievements through the Sportsman Admission Scheme. For historical results and team details, see Module 23 (../23-athletics-rivalry/).

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