Arrange for Accommodation

Guaranteed university accommodation will be given in the first 2 years of your full-time research postgraduate studies at HKUST. The Student Housing and Residential Life Office (SHRLO) manages on-campus student residence and provides assistance in finding off-campus accommodation. Learn more

If you receive the hall offers, please check-in on or after the date specified in the offer email. Learn more

Arrange for Insurance

For Non-Local Students

1. Compulsory Medical Insurance
As a full-time degree-seeking non-local postgraduate student, you are required to join the Compulsory Medical Insurance Scheme for Non-Local Students. The medical insurance fee will be paid at the same time as the tuition fee.

2. Travel Insurance (optional)
You are suggested to purchase travel insurance to cover any accidents during your trip to Hong Kong and before the program registration with HKUST.

For Local Students

1. Medical Insurance (optional)
You can opt for extra protection and resources to cover medical services other than that provided by the campus clinic by joining the University’s Optional Hospital & Surgical Benefits Plan.  

University-level Activities at a Glance

English Language Proficiency Assessment (ELPA) Speaking Test:

• 23-27 August 2021 via Online

Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) Briefing:

• 19 August 2021 (Thursday) via Zoom

Welcome Reception for New Research Postgraduate Students:

• 3pm-4:30pm on 30 August 2021 (Monday)
• Face-to-Face Session at LT-A or Online Session via Zoom
• Details

Check out Your Registration Schedule

Students will be notified by the Academic Registry for online program registration from early August 2021. Please note that program registration will only be allowed when all the required official documents for offer confirmation are verified.  For non-local students, student visa/ entry permit or appropriate visa for study must be obtained. Please allow sufficient time for processing your visa application. Check out the email notification and follow the instructions to complete the program registration.

Activate ITSC Network Account

Activate your ITSC network account to receive important emails from the University:

• Check out the Invitation email for Program Registration and click the link to “Activate your ITSC Network Account”
• Check your Student ID number on the Online Admission System.
• Use your Student ID number and HKID card number/ date of birth to activate.
• Add "@ust.hk" as approved sender in your email to ensure you can receive the emails from the university.

Enroll in Professional Development Courses

All MPhil and PhD students are required to take two Professional Development Courses (PDCs) as part of their program requirements. The PDCs aim to equip students with a comprehensive set of essential transferable skills to enhance their personal growth and career development.

University-level Professional Development Course

The University-level PDC, PDEV 6770 Professional Development for Research Postgraduate Students, is composed of a series of different workshops and modules that must be attended before completion of RPg studies.

Discipline-specific Professional Development Course

To further prepare RPg students to excel in their future career, discipline-specific PDCs were introduced to equip students with the knowledge and skills required for the development and advancement of their professional career inside and outside academia.

• Refer to the Postgraduate Program Catalog for the PDC requirement of your program.

Attend Training for Graduate Training Assistants

At HKUST, we consider education in Teaching and Learning an integral part of postgraduate studies. As such, all full-time research postgraduate students will be trained about teaching techniques and take up teaching-related tasks as Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) under the supervision of the faculty in their departments during the course of study.

PDEV 6800 Introduction to Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, a graduation required course, is offered to enhance your teaching effectiveness and professionalism. To welcome you to our GTA community and help you understand more about the course arrangement, we invite you to attend the new GTA Briefing Session*.

Attend new GTA Briefing Session

• Date: 19 August 2021 (Thursday)
• Time: To be confirmed
• Venue: Online via Zoom

*An email will be sent to you a week before the briefing session for registration.  All full-time research postgraduate students are expected to attend the event.

Enquiries: taprog@ust.hk

Register for Spoken English Test ELPA

All new full-time MPhil and PhD students are required to take the English Language Proficiency Assessment (ELPA), a spoken English test administered by the Center for Language Education (CLE) of the University, before the start of your first term of study at HKUST. Students who are native English speakers may apply for exemption from taking the test.

• Online ELPA Speaking Test will be held on 23-27 August 2021.
• Registration for the test will be announced in due course. (Please ensure that you have activated your ITSC network account in order to register online later.)

Students whose spoken English test score is below the threshold score are required to take LANG 5000 Foundation in Listening and Speaking for Postgraduate Students until they pass the course by attaining at least Level 4 in the ELPA Speaking Test before graduation. Students who obtained a score below Level 4 in the ELPA Speaking Test would not be allowed to serve as Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) until they have passed LANG 5000.

More details: https://cle.ust.hk/tests/elpa/postgraduates/

Request for Deferral of Admission

Talk with your supervisor/Department/Program Office and seek the approval from them if you wish to apply for the deferral of admission.  Usually the deferred admission are valid for not more than two consecutive regular terms or one year.