The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Student Services

Academic Advising at PolyU

To empower students to fulfil the academic requirements and plan for their study, academic advising is an important measure for undergraduate students. Academic advising at PolyU aims to help students make informed and intelligent academic decisions/choices about their studies that suit their intellectual, professional and personal goals.  Each student will be assigned to an Academic Advisor in their School or Department. Students should meet their Academic Advisors to make plans to complete their major and General University Requirements (GUR) subjects, and develop plans for university study. To learn more about academic advising, please contact your School or Department.

The Office of Undergraduate Studies (OUS) coordinates academic advising activities at PolyU. It is also responsible for GUR information giving for students and staff.

Academic Support Services

Sophisticated learning resources and tailor-made activities help students to further develop their all-roundedness, achieve academic excellence and gain professional competencies. These include:

• Chinese language training
• English language training
• General education
• Industrial practical experience

Careers and Placement Services

To support PolyU's mission to nurture all-round global citizens for Hong Kong and beyond, as well as to provide a link between employers and students to facilitate your career planning and optimise your career development, the Student Affairs Office offers comprehensive career guidance, resources and services to you throughout your university’s journey:

• "INSPIRE" Mentorship Programme that enhances your holistic education experience and facilitates your personal, academic and professional development through a robust network of role models and prominent leaders of the PolyU community
• Career training workshops that help you identify career interests and priorities, prepare for the real-life working environment, and advance your employability skills
• One-to-one career advising sessions that walk you through your career doubts and optimise your career development
• Online career resources that help you keep abreast of trends and updates in the employment market
• Local, mainland and international Work-Integrated Education (WIE) internship opportunities to facilitate your application of knowledge at workplace and cultivate your global visions and competencies
• Recruitment talks, career fairs, industrial events and alumni sharing that expand your opportunity structure and enhance your navigation competencies
• PolyU Job Board and Joint Institutions Job Information System (JIJIS) that are job search platforms for part-time/graduate job and internship opportunities across sectors and locations

For further information, please visit the Student Affairs Office’s website at https://www.polyu.edu.hk/sao/careers-and-placement-section/plan-for-your-careers.

Health Care Services

Services available to full-time students include medical consultations, emergency care, minor operative treatments, immunisation, certification on health examinations, nursing care and subsidised primary dental care etc. The UHS Traditional Chinese Medicine clinic offers general Chinese medicine clinical consultations, acupuncture, bone-setting and one-stop-shop herbal medicine dispensing service to full-time students.

• University Health Services

Scholarships and Financial Assistance

Scholarships and prizes are available. Applicants who have attained outstanding public examination results or have non-academic achievements at the international level will have the chance to be awarded entry scholarships upon admission.

Moreover, eligible students can apply for financial assistance administrated by the Government of the HKSAR and PolyU.

For details, please visit our webpages at JUPAS - Financial Assistance and Scholarships

Student Activities and Services

Student Affairs Office (SAO) is committed to offering a wide range of co-curricular activities that aim to enhance students’ holistic development and nurture all-round graduates. The following are some examples:

• Exercise is Medicine on Campus Programme
• External Activities and Competitions
• Extra-Curricular Enrichment for Lifelong Learners (EXCELL) Programme
• Global Student Ambassador Programme
• Inclusion Awareness Campaign
• PolyU’s Got Talent
• SHINE Leadership Programme
• Global Cultural Marathon
• Collaborative initiatives with affiliated student organisations
• Sports Skill Training
• Student Athletes Development Programme
• Student Integration and Cultural Exchange Activities
• Wellness-in-Action Programme

> SAO

Student Counselling

Student Counselling is a self-discovery journey. Having conversation with counsellors allows you a genuine space to approach, to process and to work through your concerns from different angles and perspectives.  Our passionate counsellors will walk along side with you to identify your strengths, resources and potentials for personal growth and actualisation. Counselling is a free service and all information provided is kept in strict confidence.

Click here for more details.

Services for Students with Special Educational Needs

PolyU provides a wide range of services and facilities for students with disability/special educational needs. Once admitted, students with disability/special educational needs are advised to contact the Student Resources and Support Section (SRSS) of Student Affairs Office (2766 6800) or their academic departments to discuss their needs so that tailor-made services can be arranged.

Click here for more information.

Student Facilities

Campus Facilities

PolyU has a range of facilities aimed at making campus life convenient and pleasurable.

• Catering outlets
• Communal facilities
• IT facilities
• Student lockers
• Bank, bookshop and convenience store

Cultural Facilities

The Jockey Club Auditorium and Chiang Chen Studio Theatre are the cultural hubs for our students and staff. We organise a wide variety of programmes each year, including the Artist-in-Residence programme, music, theatre, visual arts, dance, film and video, literary arts, talks, workshops and many others.

> The Culture Promotion and Events Office

Library

As the learning hub of the University, the Pao Yue-kong Library offers a dynamic learning environment with a multitude of resources and spaces for students in all disciplines at PolyU. With a collection exceeding 6.26 million items, students can access a wide variety of books, course readings, as well as journals, videos and audio resources in both print and digital formats for university and self-learning. Borrowing and returning of Library books, audio-visual materials, digital equipment, and notebooks can be done via self-check stations and kiosks. Students can make use of the facilities at the Library’s i-Space and Studios to learn and create knowledge, and bring emerging technologies to their disciplinary work. To foster a learning community for academic excellence, the new 6/F, an extension of the Library building, provides modern learning spaces and facilities for group learning and individual study.

> Pao Yue-kong Library 

Sports Facilities

To promote healthy and active lifestyles through exercise, PolyU offers a wide variety of sports facilities at Shaw Sports Complex, Fong Shu Chuen Hall, Kwong On Jubilee Sports Centre and Block X Sports Centre. Michael Clinton Swimming Pool (50-meter outdoor), and 25-meter indoor Swimming Pool at Block X are also available on campus. Besides, all PolyU students are welcome to use the off-campus sports facilities at the Joint Sports Centre located in Kowloon Tong.

Click here for more information.

Student Halls

There are two Student Halls of Residence at PolyU, namely Hung Hom Halls and Homantin Halls. They are home to over 4,600 students from diverse cultures, backgrounds and disciplines. It is a living and learning environment that creates a perfect platform for intercultural exchange, and offers abundant opportunities for students’ personal development through a wide range of residential educational programmes and activities. Both Hung Hom Halls and Homantin Halls are fully equipped with sports, leisure and catering facilities. All rooms are air-conditioned and include refrigerators and Internet access. Toilet and shower facilities are shared between adjacent rooms or among rooms in the same suite.

CURI Residential College and STARS Residential College are located at Homantin Halls. With the theme of “Achieving Academic and Research excellence through Inquiry-based Learning”, CURI Residential College was established in 2021, while STARS Residential College, emphasising the provision of diverse opportunities for facilitating residents’ talent and holistic development, was established in 2022. Other individual halls have their own themes. Please visit the hall website below for details.

> Student Halls of Residence

Other Facilities / Projects

Campus Expansion at Ho Man Tin Slope

The Campus Expansion at Ho Man Tin Slope will provide more than 1,200 hostel places and over 10,000m² net floor area of academic space. Upon obtaining funding approval from the Government for both the hostel and academic portions of the project, the foundation works commenced in October 2020 and the project is targeted for completion by 2026.

Library Extension and Revitalisation Project

With the aim of transforming the Library into a modern learning hub, the project involves the construction of an additional floor (i.e. 6/F) to create 2,080 m² net operational floor area of library space, as well as revitalising existing floors in the library building. Following the commencement of site works in July 2020, the new extension on 6/F has been completed with Occupation Permit obtained in June 2022. Majority of the revitalization works on G/F to 5/F have also been completed and the remaining works are being carried out in phases with the overall completion by end of 2023. 

Student Hostel at Tat Hong Avenue, Kowloon Tong

The Government has granted a site at Tat Hong Avenue, Kowloon Tong to PolyU for providing 1,680 hotel places for students along with supporting infrastructure and amenities. Site work is planned to commence by end of 2022 and the project is targeted for completion by early 2028. 

Redevelopment of Blocks VA and VS

To cater for the additional student intake to meet Hong Kong’s long-term healthcare manpower needs, the University plans to redevelop the site currently occupied by the Michael Clinton Swimming Pool, Shaw Sports Complex, Shaw Amenity Complex and Fong Shu Chuen Hall, to provide an additional 27,000 m² net operational floor area of academic space, while redeveloping around 8,320 m² net operational floor area of space for existing facilities. A welcoming vehicular entrance will also be built connecting the PolyU campus to Chatham Road South. Subject to funding approval by the Government in the second quarter of 2024, the project is targeted for completion in phases by the third quarter of 2030.

P Wing Extension

To meet the increasing needs of healthcare manpower training, the University is planning an extension on the existing roof of the P Wing, together with a number of renovation works in the existing premises. The project will provide around 460 m² net operational floor area of additional academic space for healthcare-related departments. Subject to funding approval by the Government in the second quarter of 2023, the project is targeted for completion by the third quarter of 2025.

Industrial Centre Extension and Revitalization

The project involves an addition of two storeys on the existing roof of Blocks U and W, filling up existing “internal courtyard” at Block W (generating around 5,400 m² net operational floor area), as well as the renovation and spatial re-organization of the existing accommodations in these two blocks with total affected floor area of about 17,200 m². The additional and renovated spaces would mainly be used as university research facilities, research and teaching laboratories as well as offices in support of Research & Development / collaboration activities of the University. Subject to the funding approval by the Government by the third quarter of 2025, the project is aimed for completion in phases, with overall completion targeted by end of 2029.

Redevelopment of House of Innovation

The project primarily involves redeveloping the existing House of Innovation to generate around 2,125m² net operational floor area of additional academic space, including research and teaching laboratories, classrooms, study spaces and amenity facilities, with a view to better support the strategic development of the University and to foster interdisciplinary research and development. Subject to the approval on the Technical Feasibility Statement and assuming timely availability of project funding approval from the Government by the first quarter of 2025, the project is targeted for completion by end of 2027.

Enhancement to Main Entrances at Core A and Core P

To celebrate the 85th anniversary of the university, the main entrance at Core A has been enhanced by reconfiguring and enlarging the forecourt with new design elements. A new canopy at Core P has also been constructed to echo with the new face of main entrance at Core A.