CityU-EE Students

FAQ

	Requirements for joining student exchange programme
	Which country, when to join and for how long
	Credit Transfer
	Finance and accommodation
	Mainland Students

Departmental Guidelines

The following guidelines will be reviewed regularly to take into consideration any changes in circumstances and experience.

1.	All outbound exchange students should prepare a course plan prior to their exchange. They should select courses from the host institution which are relevant to their programme. The form should be signed by the Student Exchange Programme Advisor / Programme Leader. Upon the completion of their exchange, credit transfer can be made to the approved courses in the course plan, when an equivalent of a pass or higher grade is obtained with an official transcript from the host institution.

2.	All outbound EE exchange students are required to enroll into courses at the host institution with an equivalent of 12 to 18 CUs as defined in CityU.

3.	In order to claim credit transfer from EE programmes, outbound students must complete courses which have 70% of their syllabus similar to the corresponding non-OOD and non-English courses in CityU.

4.	Permission should be sought from the Student Exchange Programme Advisor / Programme Leader when any course changes are made.

5.	Outbound students are reminded to fulfill any other additional requirements as stipulated by their scholarship and entry visa.

Undergraduate Students

The International and Non-local Students Office (INSO), a unit of the Student Development Services, provides pre-departure orientation training, as well as on-going assistance and support to outbound exchange students throughout the exchange programmes. Subject to availability of funding, eligible CityU students will also receive funding support from the Student Exchange Fund. You can obtain the following information from the INSO website:

Who Can Apply	Funding Support	Selection Criteria
How to Apply	Enquiries	Things to Note
Closing Dates	Useful Links	Consulate General in Hong Kong
FAQ

Departmental deadline: For Semester A and Semester B exchange studies: January 2007

Results will be announced within 3 weeks after the deadline.

Research Students

Postgraduate research students wishing to benefit from the exchange programme should note these steps:

1.	Check the application deadlines of the partner institution. For University of Washington, please check the deadlines given at the 'Exchange Programme at UW'
2.	Check whether you fulfil the English requirement of the partner institution.
3.	Check the courses available and consult supervisor on the research activities you will be engaged in throughout the exchange programme.
4.	Complete Study Leave Application (Form SGS06) – please specify 'Joining Exchange Programme' in Section B – 'Nature of Study' apart from other relevant information required.
5.	Complete Application Form for Research Activities Funds (Form SGS14).
6.	Seek supervisor's recommendation.
7.	Submit the completed forms to Ms Lucia Mak (Tel: 2788 7772; Email: eelucia@cityu.edu.hk) at least eight weeks before the application deadline specified by the partner institution. Approval from Head of Department will be sought within one week upon receiving applications.
8.	Upon approval of Head of Department, complete the application form of the partner institution and return it to Ms Lucia Mak at least two weeks before the application deadline set by the partner institution.
9.	Upon approval of the partner institution, submit SGS06 and SGS14 to SGS.
10.	Arrange student visa and other travelling documents.

Credit Transfer

Exchange students may apply for credit transfer for courses they took in the partner institutions subject to the following conditions:

1.	At least half of the credit units required for the award must be earned by the courses taken at CityU.
2.	Credit transfer granted will only count towards a University award but will not count in the calculation of a student's GPA, except where special arrangements have been made.
3.	Application should be made immediately in the semester following the exchange programme.
4.	Applications for credit transfer should be made by the students to the Academic Regulations and Records Office for approval.
**	Students are advised to consult Student Exchange Coordinators or Programme Advisors on the possibility of credit transfer before enrolling in the courses offered by the partner institutions. Some of the outbound exchange students were granted credit transfer for certain courses. The table below serves as a reference for students.

Partner Institution	Year	Courses granted credit transfer
Partner Institution	Year	Courses taken at Partner Institution	CityU Courses
Brock University, Ontario, Canada	SemA, 2006/7	COSC 3P01 Introduction to Computer Networking	EE3015 Computer Networks
Carnegie Mellon U, US	Sem B, 2005/06	ECE 18345 Intro to Telecom Networks	EE3311 Networking II
		ECE 18396 Signals and Systems	EE3112 Signal Analysis
		ECO 73100 Principles of Economics	ELT9999 Out-of-Discipline
		STA 36225 Intro to Prob & Stat I	EE3313 Queueing System & Teletraffic Engineering
	Sem A, 2006/07	ECE 18410 Physical Sensors	EE3115 Semiconductor Materials & Devices
		ECE 18491 Digital Signal Processing	EE4015 Digital Signal Processing in Communication
		ECE 18496 Bioimaging	EE4206 Digital Image Processing
Clarkson University, USA	Sem B, 2005/06	EE321 Systems and Signal Processing	EE3118 Linear System & Signal Analysis
		EE341 Microelectronics	EE3115 Semiconductor Materials & Devices
		EE450 Control Sytems	EE3114 Systems and Control
Concordia University, Canada	Sem B, 2002/03	COEN 313 Digital Systems Design II	EE4204 (IT4204) Digital System Design with VHDL
		COEN 445 Comm Protocol & Network Security	EE4215 (IT4703) Security Technology
		COMP 451 Database Design	CS3463 (IT3701) Multimedia Database
McGill University, Canada	Sem B, 2004/05	COMP 304 Object-Oriented Design	CS3362 O-O Modeling and Design
		ECSE 423 Fundamentals of Photonics	EE4035 Optical Communications
		ECSE 528 Telecom Network Architecture	EE3320 Internet Tech & Protocols
Nanjing U, Jiangsu, PRC	Sem A, 2003/04	南向對象的軟件工程學	CS3362 O-O Modeling and Design
		通訊原理	EE3008 Principles of Communications
		數字圖像處理	EE4206 (IT4304) Digital Image Processing
		電子商務系統開發與維護	Group III Elective of IE programme
NanYang Technological U, Singapore	Sem B, 2005/06	E311 Control Engineering	EE3114 Systems and Control
		E312 Principles of Communication	EE3008 Principles of Communications
		E314 Microprocessor	EE3120 (IT3901) Microprocessor &Assembly Language Programming
		E316 Analogue Electronic	EE3110 Analogue Electronic Circuits
		E317 Electromagnetics	EE2104 Introduction to Electromagnetics and EE3109 Applied Electromagnetics
The U of New South Wales, Australia	Sem B, 2003/04	ELEC 4413 Control of Discrete-time Systems	EE4045 Computer Controlled System
		MATH 3411 Information, Codes and Ciphers	EE4212 (IT4403) Information and Coding
		TELE 4353 Mobile and Satellite Communication Systems	EE4036 Wireless Communications
Tsinghua U, Beijing, PRC	Sem B, 2005/06	00740123 Java & Object-oriented Programming	EE3206 Java Programming & Applications
		320230272 Database	CS3462 Introduction to Database Systems
Tsinghua U, Beijing, PRC	Sem A, 2006/07	00740123 Java & Object-Oriented Programming	EE3206 Java Programming & Application

Advisors

Student Exchange Coordinator
Prof Keith Q T Zhang (Tel: 2784 4215; Email: eekzhang@cityu.edu.hk)

Deputy Student Exchange Coordinator
Dr Wallace K S Tang (Tel: 2788 7783; Email: eekstang@cityu.edu.hk)

Programme Advisors (courses to take, credit transfer, etc.)
BEngCE students: Dr K L Chan (Tel: 2788 7133; Email: itklchan@cityu.edu.hk)
BEngECE students: Dr K F Tsang (Tel: 2788 7806; Email: ee330015@cityu.edu.hk)
BEngIE students: Dr K T Ko (Tel: 2788 7802; Email: eektko@cityu.edu.hk)

General Support
Ms Stephanie Wan (Tel: 2788 7105; Email: eeswan@cityu.edu.hk)
Mrs Tammy Wong (Tel: 2788 7651; Email: eetammy@cityu.edu.hk)

Funding Support


	Government and other external sources

	Faculty of Science and Engineering

	Department of Electronic Engineering
	-	Application Form

Frequently Asked Questions

Requirements for joining student exchange programme

What are the requirements for the student exchange?

To be eligible for exchange studies, you must (i) be a full-time undergraduate student of a UGC-funded bachelor's degree; (ii) have a Cumulative Grade Point Average of 2.5 or above in the last semester/term of study; and (iii) have completed at least one year of study in the bachelor's degree programme at CityU before commencing the exchange programme.

I understand that I have to fulfill the English language requirement. What is that all about?

Students who wish to participate in exchange programmes using English as the medium of instruction and assessment must meet one of the following requirements BEFORE commencing the exchange studies.


1.	A minimum TOEFL score of 213 (computer-based test), 550 (paper-based test) or 80 (internet-based test); or
2.	A minimum IELTS Band 6.5; or
3.	Grade C or above in one of the following subjects: - HKALE Use of English / English Literature - GCE A/AS Level English Language/English Literature/English Language and Literature (Grade B for subjects at GCSE level); or
4.	Grade C or above in an English course approved by Senate for fulfilling the University's language requirement

Apart from the University requirement, students also need to follow specific language requirement(s) set by the partner institutions, if any. Failure to do so will not only result in the withdrawal of the Student Exchange Fund sponsorship, but may also lead to the withdrawal of application. Students MUST plan well in advance and fulfill the University language requirement before the exchange programme commence.

Can I apply for student exchange if I haven’t met the English language requirement before the application deadline?

Yes, you can put in the application. However, you are advised to think about ways to fulfill the English language requirements. Failure to fulfill the language requirement will result in the withdrawal of the student exchange grant, and will also lend to a disqualification of application if it has been set by the partner institutions.

Is academic result a major selection criterion? What I mean is that does a student with a CGPA of 3.2 stand a higher chance than a student with a CGPA of 2.9?

Not necessarily. It depends on your performance during the selection interview.

Which country, when to join and for how long

1.	Which countries can I go?
	You may choose to go to the US, Canada, the UK, France, Turkey, the Mainland, Korea, Singapore, and Australia. For institutional level exchange programmes, please click http://www.cityu.edu.hk/sds/inso/e_cityu_se_list_institution.htm. For faculty/departmental level exchange programmes, please click http://www.cityu.edu.hk/sds/inso/e_cityu_se_list_faculty.htm.

2.	What is the difference between institutional level exchange programmes and departmental level exchange programes?
	Institutional level exchange programmes are based on exchange agreements signed between CityU and partner institution, e.g. CityU and McGill University. Departmental level exchange programmes are based on the exchange arrangements signed between EE and partner institution.

3.	I will be a final year student next year and would like to participate in the exchange programme. How can I handle my final-year project?
	In this case, you should talk to your final-year project supervisor. It may be possible that you start the project earlier, say in the summer term, and complete it when you return. Alternatively, you may undertake part of the project in the “exchange” university under the supervision of an academic staff member, with whom either your project supervisor or your department has some connections.

4.	How long is the exchange?
	It depends. Normally, it lasts for one semester. The Government's funding support will be provided for one semester only. However, there are also cases that students go on exchange for one full academic year.

Credit Transfer

1.	Can I get credit transfer for courses that I take in an overseas university?
	It depends very much on the level and relevancy of the courses you take in that university. To be sure, you should identify and discuss in detail with the Programme Advisors for Exchange Students.

Finance and accommodation

1.	Do I need to pay tuition to the partner institution?
	No, exchange students only need to pay tuition and any other study-related costs to their home institution.

2.	How much do I need to pay?
	It depends on your destination. The government supports and promotes student exchange programmes for local full-time UGC-funded bachelor students. The amount of funding support ranges from HK$9,000 to HK$20,000 per student for one semester. The Faculty of Science and Engineering and EE Department will also provide some funding support to successful applicants. The amount of sponsorship will be considered on the merit of each case.

3.	Although there are subsidies from the Government, the Faculty and the Department, what if I finally find myself not being able to afford the exchange? Is there any loan available to successful applicants? If yes, how to apply?
	Yes, the SDS has made available bursaries and loans for outgoing exchange students who have financial difficulties. If you are selected, SDS will inform you of the availability of such temporary loan and its application procedures. The loan amounts will be determined by destinations, the highest is HK$20,000 for students going to the US.

4.	Is it easy to find accommodation?
	Most overseas universities do not provide accommodations for exchange students. Exchange students are advised to depart early to look for accommodation. You may also approach their International Exchange offices for assistance.

Mainland Students

1.	I am a student from the Mainland. Can I join the student exchange programme?
	Yes, you may participate in the exchange programme. However, you are not eligible for the award of the student exchange fund provided by the Government. However, you can still apply for the Faculty’s and Department’s funding support.

2.	I am a Mainland student and would like to apply for exchange studies. However, I cannot download the Student Exchange Application from the Main Menu in the Academic Information Management System (AIMS) under CityU E-Portal? Why is that?
	There is another set of application form for non-local students. The relevant application form can be obtained from International and Non-local Students Office (INSO), Student Development Services, 6/F, Amenities Building (Tel: 2788 8090 / 2788 8229; Email: soinso@cityu.edu.hk).