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The University of Hong Kong

The information in this page is provided by the institution.  Should there be any discrepancies between information listed here and on the institutions' websites, the latter shall prevail.  Please contact the respective institution directly if you have any enquiries.


The University of Hong Kong takes a holistic approach to education, as it believes that learning about life is just as important for students as academic learning. The University provides services and facilities to ensure that students have a comfortable, intriguing, and rewarding campus experience, and enjoy an overall sense of well-being.

The main facilities and services offered at the University of Hong Kong are listed below.

The University of Hong Kong Libraries

The University of Hong Kong Libraries is an essential part of the educational facilities provided to you by the University. The Libraries lends itself to the three pillars of the University's vision for Teaching and Learning, Research, and Knowledge Exchange through its outstanding resources, people-centred services as well as its innovative and collaborative approaches.

The Libraries consists of the Main Library and six branch libraries, namely the Dental LibraryFung Ping Shan LibraryLui Che Woo Law LibraryMusic LibraryTin Ka Ping Education Library, and the Yu Chun Keung Medical Library. Of scholarly interest is Special Collections which houses a unique collection of Hong Kong materials, rare books, pamphlets, and microforms.

Access

With your Student Registration Card (SRC), you can access the Libraries during opening hours. The Main Library’s Overnight Open Area located at the Library Corner and the Yu Chun Keung Medical Library’s 24-hour Study Room provide 24-hour access* to study space.

*The arrangement is subject to change depending on circumstances.

The library homepage and Mobile@HKUL app provide resources for you to access our electronic resources and services anywhere, anytime.

You are also eligible to apply for a JULAC reader card, which will enable you to access other UGC-funded libraries and use their collections in-house. Application for the JULAC reader card can be made online.

Facilities

The Libraries offers a conducive environment for study, research, and knowledge exchange. HKU Campus Wi-Fi services are available throughout the Libraries connecting patrons to the HKU network and to a number of printers in the Libraries. Scanners are also available, and payment for the peripheral usage can easily be made by using uPrint.

The Libraries has steadfastly been meeting the ever-changing needs of the digital world. To engage our patrons with the next level of digital technology, the Libraries created the new Ingenium to complement Level 3, the learning common style facility. Located on the 2/F of the Main Library, the Ingenium is an interdisciplinary space for the University community to be inspired by and to interact with some of the latest technologies including audiovisual production stations, virtual reality, 3D scanning and printing.

Think Tank is located on the G/F of the Main Library. After entering the Ground Floor Ancillary Entrance/Exit and just past the gates, patrons will initially enter the Social Space and Leisure Study Space. As patrons venture pass the Leisure Study space, the Think Tank emerges. The Think Tank is comprised of the Quiet Study Space and the Deep Quiet Study Space, the Special Collections Joseph Needham Room, and the Seminar Room.

The Libraries also provides a great variety of spaces suitable for different learning styles, including reflective self-study as well as collaborative study. For more convenience, book a study space before visiting the Libraries.

Resources

The Libraries provides a wide range of information resources, including a comprehensive collection of books, journals, audio-visual materials and a rapidly expanding collection of article databases, e-books, e-journals, e-news. You can access them via FIND@HKUL. Many of these electronic resources are available on the web by authenticated access on and off campus.You are also entitled to request resources that are not available at the Libraries from other local and overseas institutions through Interlibrary Loan service.

Borrowing

Undergraduates are entitled to borrow books for up to 60 days. You can check your borrowing privileges for other Library materials here.

The Library’s Inter-branch Delivery service provides the convenience of requesting library material be delivered to the Main Library or any of the three branch libraries, namely Dental Library, Lui Che Woo Law Library and Yu Chun Keung Medical Library. Returning of library material can also be done at the Main Library or any of the three branch libraries or one of three 24/7 Automated Book Returns located at the Main Library, the Lui Che Woo Law Library and the Yu Chun Keung Medical Library.

Library material can be renewed and requested online at Find@HKUL. You can also view and manage your Library account online at MyAccount@HKUL via the website or using the Mobile@HKUL app.

Library Orientation

Mastering the necessary research skills is crucial to your learning process. Library essentials for Undergraduate Students is a self-paced online course aiming to familiarise first-year students with the information resources and the library facilities and services in support of their learning and research. Enrollment of the course begins in mid-August. Upon completion, students are able to win a free certificate. In your academic journey, honesty is the foundation of your pursuit of knowledge. You are therefore strongly encouraged to join the online course Information Literacy Training: Academic Honesty, through which you will learn how to cite properly and avoid plagiarism in order to acknowledge the work of others. Synchronous library workshops and hours are also offered to complement students’ self-learning. Registration is available online.

Library Regulations

Please be reminded that your Student Registration Card (SRC) is vital for you to gain access to the Libraries and Library Services. The Library Regulations governs the use of the Libraries.

Contacts

Information Technology Services (ITS)

Information Technology Services (ITS) provides comprehensive IT services with a state-of-the-art IT environment to support teaching, learning, research and administration of the University. Its facilities include an advanced campus network, powerful central servers, high-performance computing (HPC) clusters, and modern learning environment, and its services include portal services, learning management and lecture capture services, centrally coordinated software, and web-based administrative applications.

A resilient 10-Gigabit Ethernet network backbone connects over 55,000 network access points which links together all the computer servers, workstations and PCs in the main and remote campuses. Over 6,000 WiFi access points are installed around the campus to provide wireless network coverage in centrally-administered classrooms, libraries, learning commons, amenities centres, offices and open areas. Through the single sign-on "HKU Portal" platform, students can easily access all the University online services. Web-based teaching and learning is supported by the learning management system Moodle, lecture capture system Panopto and other online teaching solutions. ITS also provides expertise and support in high performance computing (HPC) to facilitate compute-intensive research activities of the University. A 2,320-core HPC system (theoretical peak power of 103.4 Tera-FLOPS) and another new 780 Tera-FLOPS HPC system that equipped with the latest technologies including fast multi-core processors, Nvidia Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) and Lustre parallel file-system will be added in early 2021 for supporting compute-intensive and accelerated computing. An Artificial Intelligence (AI) platform (total 6.5 Peta-FLOPS Deep Learning Performance) will be put into production by phases for supporting AI, Machine Learning and Deep Learning researches.

Please visit its.hku.hk for more information.

Learning Commons

ITS, through the Learning Environment Services (LES) Team, looks after the central learning environment of the University, comprising classrooms, lecture theatres and Learning Commons.

The Learning Commons is a campus hub equipped with modern learning facilities that encourages and facilitates individual and group study.

The Chi Wah Learning Commons (CWLC), the most exemplary one, located at the podium levels of the University’s Centennial Campus. It is offering a comfortable learning environment with the following facilities:

  • Study rooms or group working rooms equipped with audio-visual (AV) facilities
  • Quiet study areas
  • All-in-one desktop PCs and Macintosh in open area
  • Printing, copying and scanning machines
  • WiFi network connectivity
  • Digital Literacy Laboratory (DLL) with powerful iMacs and well equipped production studios together with technical support for multimedia production

To know more about available facilities, please refer to the website here.

Out-of-classroom and Non-credit Bearing Learning

Centre of Development and Resources for Students (CEDARS) provides non-credit bearing and out-of-classroom classroom learning opportunities to achieve, amongst others, the HKU educational aims of fostering students’ ability in intercultural understanding, enhancing your awareness and commitment to global citizenship, and preparing you to be leaders and advocates for improvement of the human condition.

Main themes of these programmes include:

  • Intercultural, social and career competency
  • Arts, culture and general education
  • Mental health and psychological wellbeing
  • Leadership and life skill in novel situations
  • Community and service learning

Highlighted Co-curricular Programmes under Intercultural, Social and Career Competency

Highlighted Co-curricular Programmes under Arts, Culture and General Education

Please check out the CEDARS-GE website, social media channels, and the enrolment dates in the new semesters.

Website: cedars.hku.hk/ge/
Facebook: facebook.com/hkucedars.ge/
Instagram: instagram.com/hkucedars.ge
YouTube Channel: youtube.com/hkucedarsge
Enquiries: +852 3917 5044 / gened@hku.hk
Address: Room MB240, 2/F, Main Building

Highlighted Co-curricular Programmes under Mental Health, Social Adjustment and Disability Confidence

Highlighted Co-curricular Programmes under Leadership and Life Skill in Novel Situations

Highlighted Co-curricular Programmes under Community and Service Learning

Website: cedars.hku.hk/co-curriculum
Facebook page: facebook.com/hkucedars
Instagram: instagram.com/hku.cedars
YouTube Channel: youtube.com/hkucedars-official

Careers Services

The Careers and Placement Section of CEDARS nurtures students to become global talent with enduring capabilities to create possibilities and embrace opportunities. The team is passionate in supporting HKU students to unleash their potential in a modern workplace, to explore different career configurations and to upskill continually through diverse career-driven learning experiences. There are also seamless collaborations with employers and community partners to identify and groom future-ready graduates who bring positive impacts on different organisations in Hong Kong and beyond.

Stay tuned to their daily email and website for the career news, workshops and events.

Website: cedars.hku.hk/cp
Enquiries: +852 3917 2317 / careers@hku.hk
Address: 3/F, Meng Wah Complex

Counselling and Person Enrichment

The Counselling and Person Enrichment Section of CEDARS (CEDARS-CoPE) is committed to empowering students to develop their social capability and emotional resilience, to capitalise on their character strengths, and to live a fulfilling and psychologically healthy life so that they are able to achieve personal success, overcome life challenges and contribute to the community by demonstrating integrity, sensitivity, and leadership.

To help students live a successful and well-balanced university life, CEDARS-CoPE offers the following services and programmes:

  • "Psychometer":
    Take the psychological tests on university adjustment, learning styles, time management, social life and mental health to gain a better self-understanding and identify ways to achieve university success.  Immediate feedback and recommendation are available.  All online assessments are free-of-charge.
  • “Weather The Storm”:
    This resourceful online psychological self-help platform renders insights and tips for you to better understand, embrace and regulate every emotional weather no matter what life hands you. Selected psychoeducational videos, self-help tools and support resources are available for you to practise self-care.
  • Professional Counselling Service:
    Seek early consultation on any personal issues (e.g. adjustment, study-related matters, relationships, mental health, life goals), from professional Clinical Psychologists and Counsellors, take steps to overcome personal blocks and recognise your strengths for self-enhancement. This service is confidential and free-of-charge.  To consult a counsellor, please call +852 3917 8388, email cedars-cope@hku.hk or visit CEDARS-CoPE at Room 301-323, 3/F, Main Building.  You will receive an immediate 15-20 minute screening assessment conducted by the Duty Counsellor between 10 am and 5 pm (except the lunch hour: 1 pm to 2 pm) on Monday to Friday. Afterwards, a full counselling appointment will be scheduled for you within 2 weeks.
  • Support for students with Disabilities and Special Educational Needs (SEN):
    The SEN Support Team provides one-stop, comprehensive and personalised service to students with disabilities or special educational needs (SEN). Contact and register at CEDARS – SEN Support at +852 3917 8388 or cedars-SEN@hku.hk.
  • Inclusion Funds for Learning Activities and Projects:
    • “First-in-the-Family Education Fund”(for full-time local undergraduate students with financial needs only)
    • “K.B. Chen and Henry Chan Inclusive Education Fund” (for students with a proven disability or special educational needs)

Website: cedars.hku.hk/cope
Enquiries: +852 3917 8388 / cedars-cope@hku.hk
Facebook: facebook.com/hkucedars.cope/
Instagram: Instagram.com/hkucedars.cope
Address: Room 301-323, 3/F, Main Building

Student Activities

In HKU, there are over 130 student organisations and each with distinctive objectives and functions that cater to the diverse interest of the student population.  Serving from Undergraduates to Postgraduates, we have various categories of student bodies in service: Faculty and Academic Societies, Hall Students’ Associations, Sports Club, Cultural Clubs, Independent Clubs and Postgraduate Student Association (PGSA).

List of student associations, clubs and societies: here.

Student Amenities

There are two amenities centres on the Main Campus and another one on the medical campus, all under the direct management of the CEDARS - Campus Life Section. They provide facilities for relaxation, study and recreational activities for student societies. The restaurants and cafeterias on both campuses offer meals at a reasonable price and provide comfortable space for students to socialise and mingle.

Residential Halls, Colleges and Accommodation

Halls of Residence are more than just a place to sleep – they form part of a long tradition at the University and are as important to your overall education as your studies.  Hall life provides students with the chance to interact with people from different backgrounds under one roof.

HKU has 17 Residential Halls and Residential Colleges where undergraduates can experience this important part of university life. Each hall and college has its own history and culture, and as students make new friends and develop a sense of belonging, hall / college becomes a home away from home.

The latest Jockey Club Student Village IV (in Wong Chuk Hang) is scheduled to be completed in the second quarter of 2023. The Village comprises four student residences, distributed in two 17-floor towers, to provide a total of 1,238 single rooms for undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Experiential Learning (Gallant Ho Experiential Learning Centre)

Experiential learning is a distinctive element of HKU's undergraduate curriculum.  It takes learning outside the traditional boundary of the classroom.  Students have to identify problems, communicate and negotiate with others to find solutions and make decisions in real-life settings.  In this process, they make sense of the theoretical knowledge that they are studying and see things in a different light.  The Gallant Ho Experiential Learning Centre (GHELC) supports and funds experiential learning opportunities for undergraduate students from all Faculties.  Both academic staff and students may organize educationally meaningful experiential learning opportunities and apply for funding from the Centre.  For details, please go to ghelc.hku.hk.

Health Care (UHS)

The University Health Service (UHS) provides quality primary care and health education on campus to enhance the physical and psychological health of the University community.  The clinical services that the UHS provides include medical consultation, nursing care, vaccination, physiotherapy service and dental service.  Additional information on the UHS can be found at: uhs.hku.hk.

Sports and Recreation (Centre for Sports and Exercise)

The University has well-equipped indoor and outdoor sports and fitness facilities. An extensive range of sports, recreation, and health and fitness programmes are offered by the Centre for Sports and Exercise (CSE). Students have many opportunities to represent the University to compete against other tertiary institutions in sports. CSE supports the U-teams through the provision of professional coaching, facilities and subsidies. A Top Athletes Direct Admission Scheme and Sports Scholarship Scheme allow talented local athletes to pursue studies while training and competing for the University of Hong Kong and Hong Kong national teams. HKU was the first campus in Asia to be recognised through the American College of Sports Medicine as a Gold Level Campus, demonstrating HKU’s commitment to actively engaging in and providing physical activity opportunities (education and programmes) to enhance students’ healthy and active lifestyles.

Academic Awards

The University administers a multitude of scholarships and prizes which are primarily merit-based. Further information can be found on the Academic Advising & Scholarships Office (AASO) website. For scholarships which accept open applications, calls will be made through bulk emails either by the AASO or the relevant Faculty/Department. The AASO will help publicise internal and external schemes on the AASO website (under “Apply for Scholarship”). Students are advised to visit the website periodically for the latest news, application procedures and backgrounds. Some scholarships are awarded based on nominations by Faculties/Departments, and so students do not need to apply.

Government Financial Assistance

Eligible students who need financial support to their university studies are encouraged to apply for the Tertiary Student Finance Scheme and the Non-means tested Loan Scheme administered by the Hong Kong Government’s Student Finance Office. Details and application procedures of various government schemes are available at wfsfaa.gov.hk/sfo/en/postsecondary. You may also refer to the useful notes on the Centre of Development and Resources for Students (CEDARS) website.

University Financial Assistance

University funds are in general used to supplement Government Grants and Loans. A limited number of bursaries and loans are available, primarily to local students who are in financial need, but they are of limited value and should not be seen as an alternative to Government support. Applications are invited in early September each year. Emergency assistance is also available throughout the year. For details, please visit here.

  • HKUFresh$3000:
    A $3000 subsidy will be provided to eligible students to cover their immediate expenses upon entry to the University. Students must be local full-time undergraduates newly admitted to HKU and who are in receipt of the HKSAR comprehensive social security assistance prior to entry to the University. For details, please visit here.

There are also other university financial assistance schemes throughout the year. Further details can be found on CEDARS website at cedars.hku.hk/cedars-financial-resources.

Educational Funds

In addition to the need-based funding resources, the Centre of Development and Resources for Students (CEDARS) administers a wide portfolio of educational and merit-based funds to support students to experience learning inside and outside classroom.

  • First-in-the-Family Education Fund
    It supports full-degree full-time local undergraduate students who are first generation university students admitted to HKU after 2008 to take part in different learning activities outside the classroom. Please visit fife.hku.hk for details.

More education funds are available to support individual students and projects:

  • K.B. Chen and Henry Chan Inclusive Education Fund
  • Law Sun Service Learning Fund
  • Yang Tuck Ming & Wong Fung Ying Service Learning Fund
  • Grants to Student Societies

For details, please visit cedars.hku.hk/financial.php.