cityu personal statement requirements

Frequently Asked Questions

Can non-local students study part-time.

The study mode of non-local students is subject to the conditions and requirements set by the Hong Kong Immigration Department when their study visa/entry permit is granted. Please refer to the   official website of Immigration Department   for details of the relevant eligibility criteria and policy. Currently, the vast majority of study visas/entry permits granted are based on the condition of full-time study, which requires the student to take 12-18 credit units per semester. They must maintain the required credit load for their approved study mode throughout the programme unless or until they obtain prior approval from the University for otherwise. Many students take 15 credit units in each semester so that they can graduate within one year. Some students take the course CS6520 Project (6 credit units) which spans through Semester B to the Summer Term.

Will the University provide housing?

Students enrolled in a self-financed programme, including MSCS, are not eligible for University hostels that are subsidized by the Hong Kong Government. Off-campus affordable housing can be found in various residential neighborhoods close to the University, which is conveniently located right next to a major transportation hub. Visit the   Student Residence Office's website   for assistance and more information on searching for off-campus accommodation.

What are my prospects of getting a job in Hong Kong after graduation?

The MSCS programme strikes a careful balance between theory and practice. It significantly enhances the skills of its graduates. In fact, almost all past MSCS students who chose to stay in Hong Kong after graduation either found local employment opportunities or progressed for further research studies.

Application Period

The application period for each intake usually begins in September until the published deadline and the course commencement is August/September. There is only one intake cohort each year.

Application Materials

Applicants are required to provide a scanned copy of the following official documents for processing at the application stage. Original documents should be presented for verification upon request by the University at the later time. NOTE that provision of any false or misleading information or failure to supply the full documentation for verification will lead to disqualification of the admission application and any offer/enrolment made will be rescinded. All fees paid will not be refunded.

• For Current Students: Official enrolment certificate
• For Current Students and Graduates: Official certificate in terms of Overall Average Mark issued by the university
• For Current Students and Graduates: Official academic transcript issued by university registry office, including overall average mark/CGPA, with explanation on grading system.
• For Current Students and Graduates: Applicants whose entrance qualification is obtained from an institution where the medium of instruction is NOT English should also fulfil the English Proficiency Requirements (EPR): IELTS (≥6.5) / CET6 (≥450) issued by the Examination Centre with stamp / TOEFL (≥79) with “ETS Security Guard” printed on the top right corner of the report. If your qualification is obtained in France/Holland/Italy/Germany/Sweden/Switzerland, etc. and the medium of instruction is English, please provide a proof from the institution. If you cannot provide a proof, you have to fulfill the EPR requirements as listed in item (4) above. If your qualification is obtained in Australia/Canada/India/UK/USA, etc. and the medium of instruction is English, then the EPR is waived. These English tests are NOT acceptable for our programmes: TOEFL iBT home edition, IELTS indicator, Duolingo, GMAT and GRE.
• For Graduates: Degree Award Certificate and Graduation Certificate in English and, if applicable, in Chinese with photo.
• For Mainland Graduates: Online Verification Report of Higher Education Degree Certificate (中國高等教育學位在線驗證報告) issued by the Center for Student Services and Development, Ministry of Education, P.R. China (CSSD) (教育部學生服務與素質發展中心).
• Student visa / entry permit
• Visa under the Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates (IANG Visa)
• Dependant visa / entry permit who were 18 years old or above when they were issued with such visa / entry permit by the Immigration Department of the HKSAR
• To avoid unnecessary problems, make sure that your personal information (name, gender and birth date) in the application form is identical with that shown in your identity document (e.g. for mainland applicants, the format of name is CHEN Daiwen instead of CHEN Dai Wen).
• Email inquiries must be made by the applicant oneself using the email addresses stated in the applications. We will not respond to any other party's inquiry about individual applications.
• The corresponding address in the application should be the applicant's address.
• Personal statement and CV are required.
• You are required to upload the updated supporting documents to facilitate quick and easy access by department for consideration. Supplementary document(s) can be uploaded after submitting the application. You may login to your application account to upload the document(s). The uploaded files are preferably in pdf format and fitted in A4 size clear and with high enough resolution for viewing. For details, please visit our Admissions webpages: https://www.cs.cityu.edu.hk/academic-programmes/msc-computer-science/aims https://www.cityu.edu.hk/pg/taught-postgraduate-programmes/apply-now

Assessment Criteria

We cannot evaluate the eligibility of any application until it is fully received through our application system for holistic assessment. Assessment is done holistically on all submitted information. No “entrance score” can be provided. Interview will be arranged on a case-by-case basis.

Applicants are expected to have university-level knowledge and skillsets in computer programming. Some prior knowledge about computer network and web application development is preferable. For details of the course syllabi, please visit our webpage.

Application Status

Admission offers are mostly made in the months of  November to June. The selection process is normally completed by the end of May for non-local applicants, or by the end of June for local applicants. Late announcement of application results may be due to:

• a very large number of applications and enquiries received during the admission period
• late application materials submitted after the application deadline
• examination results relevant to the evaluation still pending
• marginal cases for which selection decision will depend on enrolment situation and the need to fill vacancies nearer the start of term

Decisions on applications are made on a rolling basis. Owing to a large number of applications, an application may take 6 to 10 weeks to process. Applicants who did not receive the decision beyond 10 weeks may consider their cases put on the waiting list. You may check the updated application result via your online application account as we will update the system once your application status is changed.

Study Period and Class Schedule

The normal period of completing the programme is one year (full-time) or two years (part-time), while the actual period may vary depending on the student's study plan and progress. The required credit load for full-time study is 12-18 credit units per semester. For part-time study, students may determine their own credit load as long as it does not exceed 11 credit units per semester.

The Postgraduate Diploma in Computer Science (PGDCS) is an intermediate award which a student may obtain after the completion of 24 credit units (including all core courses and at least 3 credit units of elective courses in Group I) with satisfactory results if the student decides not to continue with the Master of Science in Computer Science (MSCS) programme.

The University class hours for full-time students are set as follows:

Monday to Friday: 9:00 am - 6:00 pm. Many courses will be arranged in the evenings which normally start at 7:00 pm. Classes with a duration of more than 3 hours may start earlier at 6:30 pm or extend to 10:50 pm, if applicable.

Admission Requirements

Dear prospective student, we are delighted that you are interested in the CityU and look forward to sharing our mission and educational programs with you. We encourage every prospective student to learn as much as possible about CityU. Once you know all about us, we are confident that you will choose the academic excellence and supportive environment we have created. Our goal throughout the admissions process is to support and guide you so that you can focus on what’s important: choose the best educational programme for you. Please feel welcome to contact the Admissions Office for more information. Department of Admission

Certificates, Diplomas & Bachelor Degrees

• Completed CUCN Application Form
• Passport Copy (valid for at least 2 years from the day of program commencement)
• 2 photos (passport size)
• High School Leaving Certificates -10th& 12th Level (in English Language)      
• High School Transcripts – 10th& 12th Level (min 50% GPA)  (in English Language)    
• English Language Certificate. The minimum requirements are 5.0 in IELTS or equivalent (IGCSE: D, TOEFL IBT: 70, Password Test: 5, Anglia Examinations: Intermediate, Michigan Language Assessment- Proficiency of Michigan : ECCE(52), Cambridge GCE AS Level English Language :C, University of Cambridge Exams : PET-Preliminary English Test)

Master Degrees

• Completed CUCN
• Application Form
• Passport Copy (valid at least 2 years from the day of program commencement)
• Bachelor Degree (in English Language)
• Bachelor Transcripts (in English Language)/ second class English Language Certificate. The minimum requirements are 6 in IELTS or equivalent
• Personal Statement in English Language 2-3 paragraphs
• Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• 2 Reference Letters
• 19 Stasinou Street, 2404 Engkomi, CY
• [email protected]
• +357 22 332333

Useful Information

Social media.

Undergraduate Admissions

Come and join us.

Professional · Creative · For the World

Admission to Undergraduate Programmes 2025 Entry

We welcome applications from local and non-local/international students, regardless of whether you are studying in Hong Kong or overseas.

JUPAS (HKDSE)

NON-JUPAS (DIRECT APPLICATION)

SENIOR-YEAR ADMISSIONS

INTERNATIONAL ADMISSIONS

MAINLAND ADMISSIONS

EXCHANGE ADMISSIONS

VISITING ADMISSIONS

STUDENT ATHLETES ADMISSION SCHEME

Helping You to Discover and Innovate.

Our unique Discovery-enriched Curriculum (DEC) encourages every student at CityUHK to learn, communicate and share new knowledge for the benefit of society. The DEC gives students an opportunity to make an original discovery while studying at CityUHK and inspires a passion for knowledge and innovation.

Gateway Education

Gateway Education (GE) exposes students to a huge variety of disciplines, increasing the value and breadth of the total undergraduate experience. We offer around 260 GE courses, which focus on arts and humanities, studies of societies, social and business organisations, as well as science and technology. The state-of- the-art facilities in the HK$4-million Gateway Education Laboratory (GE Lab) help students to develop innovative ideas as part of their GE courses. The facilities include 3D printers, 3D scanners, a scanning electron microscope, and a digital Show-and-Tell Studio.

Discovery-enriched Curriculum Labs

The three new Discovery-enriched Curriculum (DEC) Labs have transformed traditional lecture halls into highly re-configurable learning spaces that facilitate more interactive blended-learning and "flip classroom" teaching. These new reconfigurable learning-spaces are equipped with chairs that are easy to re-arrange, walls that double as multi-media display surfaces, flat-panel TVs, wireless computing devices and motion capturing sensors, representing close to $4 million in investment. In this engaging learning environment, students are able to actively work in teams and closely interact with each other in solving programming and other computing-related problems.

Innovation Commons

Innovation Commons, which helps to commercialise students' innovative ideas, was jointly set up by the Office of Education Development and Gateway Education, the Library, the School of Law, and the Knowledge Transfer Office. By integrating interdepartmental and interdisciplinary expertise, Innovation Commons serves as an exchange platform for students, offering information and consultation services about entrepreneurship and innovation, and about competitions for business plans and government-funded venture programmes.

Graduate Outcomes

After graduation, our undergraduate students can discover and innovate, think critically, act professionally, learn continually and communicate effectively in a variety of leadership roles throughout society, joining over 150,000 CityUHK alumni already contributing their expertise to the development of Hong Kong and beyond.

Resources for International and Mainland Students

CityUHK is a vibrant and multicultural institution welcoming students from more than 80 countries and regions around the world. Learn more about your options with CityUHK. 

Joint Bachelor's Degree Programmes

CityUHK offers a variety of joint bachelor's degree programmes through partnerships established with world-renowned universities.  The joint degree programmes provide students with an international undergraduate educational experience.  Students spend two years at CityUHK and two years at the partner university.  On completion of the curriculum requirements, students earn two bachelor's degrees: one from CityUHK, and the other from the partner university, normally within four years.

Our Unique Features

Go global experience.

We encourage students to connect with the world through overseas exchanges, internships, service learning, summer programmes, learning abroad programmes, joint degrees, and at our vibrant multicultural campus life.  The aim is to enhance their global knowledge, international perspectives, multicultural competency and career opportunities.

Student Residences

The intellectual, social and emotional development of undergraduates and postgraduates is enhanced at our 11 halls of residence.

CityUHK is one of the best universities in Hong Kong for sports. We have made history by becoming the first and only institution to win the Grand Slam in local inter-collegiate competitions for an unprecedented ninth time. We train over 400 athletes for 16 different sports events every year, and our athletes compete with the best all over the region in areas.

• 升學 Personal Statement (Jupas SLP、Non-Jupas、Postgraduate)

📨 Personal Statement 點寫？

Personal Statement 係你用嚟說服Professor 收你嘅文，理應由你自己諗，覺得得有適合嘅內容就寫落去，最緊要係夠 Personal。 就長度而言，最重要係能夠清晰地講述你自己就可以，並無硬性規定； 但若果需要建議嘅話， 600 - 1000 字係合適嘅長度，你可以按需要加減。 建議使用英文填寫。 如果你申請中文/中文教育之類科目，可以 Bilingual 咁寫。

• 香港大學 -  https://admissions.hku.hk/node/888 You should upload a personal statement of no more than 1,000 words detailing your interest in applying to the University, the programme(s), etc. You will only be able to submit one personal statement regardless of the number of your programme choice(s). However, if you have indicated interest in our HKU-UCL Dual Degree Programme in Law, a separate personal statement is required.  
• 香港中文大學   https://admission.cuhk.edu.hk/application/overseas-other-qualifications-non-local-international-team/faq/ Do I need to submit a personal statement? Is it one statement for each programme choice? You have to submit one personal statement with no more than 2 A4 pages telling us why you choose the programme(s) in your application.  

The personal statement is all about YOU. We expect to find in your personal statement your strengths, passion, interests, future goals, or any information you feel will interest the selection panel. Your personal statement is not restricted in format, content, length, etc.

香港城市大學 https://www.cityu.edu.hk/admo/faq Do all programmes require applicants to submit Applicant Statements? What should be covered in an Applicant Statement?

HKU / CUHK / HKUST / CityU 會提供位置俾你上傳 Personal Statement ， 而其他學校唔要求。 PolyU 需要 PS 嘅科目列表 除以上四間大學外，請喺 Other documents 度上傳（非強制）。

• CityU 表示你必須要填寫 Applicant statement 並於繳交報名時完成，但過後你亦可用 PDF 格式上傳到 Other documents，可以被視為有效。
• 如果您喺同一間學校報多過一科，而學校只容許你提交一份嘅，我地鼓勵按照你嘅 first choice 嚟交。
• 您可使用同一篇 Statement 交到唔同嘅學科/學系，但如果提及學校/課程嘅，請確保您使用官方嘅學校/課程名稱，並請確保你交嘅果間大學係你篇 statement 裡面提嘅大學。建議內容要提及學校及課程，讓 admission 知道你冇交錯。
• 過往有同學無寫仍然收到 Offer。
• 如果你打算寫嘅可以參考以下嘅指引，但如果你決定用其他方法、想後補或者唔想寫嘅，請按自己意思做便可。我地唔會評論話「寫左一定好過唔寫」。
• 即使你報讀嘅學系冇要求，但有可能 Referee 會想睇你嘅 Personal Statement 以決定是否推薦你，所以寫定冇壞。
• ⚠️ 請勿於 @nonjupas 群內詢問 Personal Statement 係咪一定要交 / 可否後補，亦唔好pm admin詢問。
• 亦唔好問「我之前無寫，見到報讀嘅科目派左 Interview，應唔應該補」或者「收到 Interview 應唔應該補」。
• PolyU 嘅大部分科目並唔要求申請人交 Personal Statement / Ref letter。 引述官網FAQ： You NEED NOT submit more documents than required as non-required documents will not be considered by departments. Please check the “Additional Documents Required” section of e-prospectus for the details.

寫文巴 @ugfn1000 有 Personal Statement consultation 服務，以下建議係 2023 年 consult得出嘅要點： (  2024 年版 ) 

睇咗咁多篇personal statement之後，發現8成同學有個通病，就係唔夠personal。記住只有記描抒嘅文章先係personal，論說文一定唔personal。 ❎因為我有好強嘅communication skills所以我適合讀XXX →唔敍事邊個知你有幾強嘅communication skills? ❎我讀咗某某HD/AD，我學識咗XXXX →你交表有寫你讀緊咩，而你啲同學個個都學識咗果樣嘢，點解要收你唔收第二個 ✅我參加咗某某嘅課外活動，每年得15個位，我學識咗XXX ✅我屋企係開XX舖頭嘅，我F6果年暑假去幫手，發現XXX，所以我想讀XXX ✅我去過做義工，某個活動我好深刻，果時得我一個負責XXX

如果你需要人proofread，可以講埋自己報邊間咩科，俾 @ugfn1000 望望，睇睇大路嘢啱唔啱。

只提供寫法指導及一般意見，如果需要太深入意見或落筆評改Grammar，需要酌情收費

Personal Statement常見問題： 問：我啲活動完全唔關事，所以唔知寫咩好。 答：活動唔需要關你果科事，只需要關你性格事。例如你aim finance但活動係去家庭服務中心做義工，你可以寫你因為服務小朋友同老人家而變得十分細心，有利你讀啲要對數字嘅科目。

問：我返啲工同果科冇關，係咪skip咗佢唔寫好啲？ 答：寫part time唔係寫job duties為主，因為都會同人撞，unless你嘅工作係兒子/女兒。寫part time應該集中喺返工某日最深刻嘅經歷，例如有客打爛嘢你點處理等等，所以無關科系嘅工依然可以寫。

問：我中學嘅活動、比賽可唔可以寫？ 答：絕對可以，有幾多人ad/hd有活動啫，唔寫冇嘢寫啦，但小學、幼稚園果啲就真係唔好寫了。

問：我冇參加活動，又冇返part time，你又叫我咪寫讀書學到咩，咁我寫咩好？ 答：寫你成世人最深刻嘅經歷同體會，例如有日你放學返屋企，執紙皮個婆婆突然扭親腰，你叫佢放低啲紙皮去睇跌打仲要陪佢去，佢都唔肯放低啲紙皮，你最後如何解決呢件事。

如果有其他PS相關問題隨時pm我 @ugfn1000 寫好想比我望下都可以pm。只限一般問題，深入意見需酌情收費。

註：可以用嚟參考，唔好抄，唔好拎嚟改，請由頭開始寫起。

As an aspiring computer scientist, I am keen to pursue a degree in Computer Science from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. The university’s strong reputation as one of the top institutions to study this field is both inspiring and humbling.

To prepare for this academic journey, I have proactively acquired relevant knowledge, including coding skills, and dedicated time to self-study in areas like mathematics and computer science concepts. In addition, I plan to delve into Computer Science topics like Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) and machine learning, broadening my skills beyond the curriculum.

Participating in extracurricular activities has played a crucial role in my personal development. While my experiences with 3D printing and robotics workshops were valuable, it was working on a drone that sparked my interest in applying scientific principles to develop useful products. This experience ignited a passion for creating applications or even organizing drone performances in the future.

Throughout my academic career, I have developed a passion for understanding how technology operates and works on multiple levels. My studies have provided me with enough knowledge to begin work on coding projects as well as experience working in both Mac OS X and Windows environment. In addition, I have gained exposure with multiple programming languages such as Python, C++, Java, etc. which have helped me build the confidence necessary to continue advancing in the field. 

My goal is to continue enriching my technical skills while also exploring new theories in computer science through research and projects. Participating in various related extracurricular activities, competitions,and hackatons has enabled me to gain further insight into problem-solving approach’s within the discipline, allowing me to experiment more effectively with innovative solutions. 

Upon graduation, I envision myself working as a Software Engineer, engaging in projects, securing internships, and expanding my horizons internationally within five years.

I believe the courses offered by HKUST will help develop my existing strengths and provide the flexibility needed for personal growth within this subject area whereas its practical applications equipped with modern technological resources will allow for independent initiatives leading towards research opportunities that capture my interests deeply. If admitted to your program, I would channel a significant portion of my time into academics, exploring potential collaborations with school projects or competitions to enhance both my academic and practical skills. I believe that pursuing this program is a great fit for me due to its prestige and outreach within Asia Pacific region providing an excellent pathway towards pursuing higher academic goals in future if desired as well. 

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