The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Accounting Exchange Program began in the 2012-2013 academic year. This program provides University of Iowa Accounting students (with at least one semester completed toward the Accounting major) the ability to integrate a unique international experience with their academic program. CUHK is a highly regarded university offering established exchange programs with more than 200 universities in 28 countries. The campus location offers beautiful views of Tolo Harbour and nearby mountain ranges. Students who participate in this program will receive a quality accounting education and a memorable global experience.

Academic Program

Students can choose a combination of courses across different disciplines to fulfill their academic needs, provided that they fulfill the prerequisites of the respective course(s) and courses are not full. English is the language of instruction, so no Chinese language is necessary. Review course offerings by following the directions provided on the CUHK website.

Some courses offered by CUHK have already been pre-approved to count towards UI requirements. See the Tippie Course Equivalencies Database, and search for the program under the country of China (not Hong Kong).

The credit received from CUHK will be treated as transfer credit. Make an appointment with the UI Study Abroad advisor for more information on credit transfer.

Cultural Activities

The Office of Academic Links organizes a variety of cultural activities for exchange students throughout the semester. Students will attend orientation and have access to organized excursions to explore Hong Kong’s mountains, villages, and markets. There may also be community service and English tutoring opportunities. Students will also be able to join intramural sports and student organizations.

Program Dates

Note: This program is not running during the 2023 calendar year.

Fall Semester is typically from late August through mid-December.

Spring Semester is typically from early January through early May.

For More Information

Steps to Studying Abroad

1. Before initiating an application with CUHK, students must complete a Discover Study Abroad session at the University of Iowa. 
2. After completing the Discover Abroad session, students must call the Study Abroad office at 319-335-0353 to be assigned to the appropriate study abroad advisor.
3. Once assigned, students must meet with their study abroad advisor to receive program application instructions.

  

Study Abroad
1111 University Capitol Centre
Iowa City, IA 52242

Phone: 319-335-0353
Email: :study-abroad@uiowa.edu

Chinese University of Hong Kong

Founded in 1963, the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) is a comprehensive research university which strives to combine tradition with modernity and serve as a bridge between China and the West. CUHK teachers and students hail from all corners of the world. There are over 20,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students, with around 3,000 coming from regions outside Hong Kong. The Tippie College of Business chose CUHK over a number of other universities in Hong Kong due to its strong curriculum and academic focus.

Hong Kong

Hong Kong is one of the world's largest and most metropolitan cities. About seven million people live on the collection of islands and mainland branch of this financial capital. Once a British territory, Hong Kong was returned to China in 1997. China now classifies Hong Kong as a special administrative region (SAR). The city was allowed to retain its currency, legal system, and political system, making it a drastically different place than the rest of mainland China. The Cantonese dialect is the most widely spoken language, but English and Mandarin Chinese are also quite common.

US Department of State Country Information

The US Department of State provides safety and security information for every country of the world to help you assess for yourself the risks of travel. Each country information page contains a Travel Advisory, Alerts, and other important details specific to that country that could affect you.

Pay close attention to the entry and exit requirements, local laws and customs, health conditions, and other details to help decide whether traveling to any given country is right for you. Non-US citizen travelers may also wish to seek guidance from the embassy of their country of citizenship. The UI International Travel Policy for Students addresses restrictions on student travel to high-risk locations and engagement in high-risk activities abroad.

Living Arrangements

Exchange students will live with 1 to 2 roommates in on-campus hostels. Amenities include modestly furnished bedrooms, air-conditioning, laundry facilities, a shared kitchen with basic facilities, shared bathrooms on each floor, and common rooms with televisions and high-speed internet.

The furnished bedroom includes: a bed, desk and chair, closet, and a bookshelf

Passport

If you do not have a passport, it is important that you apply for one as soon as possible to ensure you receive it before the program begins. US citizens can find more information about how to apply for a passport on the US Department of State’s website.

Important notice for students without a valid passport or whose passport will expire within the next 12 months:

US citizens can find more information about how to renew a passport on the US Department of State’s website.

Students with a valid passport should check the expiration date. Passports must be valid for at least 6 months AFTER the anticipated return to the US from studying abroad. If your passport is not valid for at least 6 months after your anticipated date of return to the US, you must renew your passport before applying for the visa you will need to enter your host country.

Expedited processing service is available for US passports (although this still takes several weeks and is at an additional cost). UI Study Abroad encourages students to ask the passport agency at the time of application whether expedited service is recommended.

Non-US Citizens

Students who are not US citizens should contact their consulate for more information if they need to get a new passport or renew their passport.

Travel Arrangments

Students are advised NOT to purchase airline tickets until they receive acceptance confirmation from both UI and CUHK. If you have questions and/or concerns about this, please contact the study abroad advisor at 319-335-0353.

Students are expected to find their own flights to Hong Kong, though Study Abroad can assist by providing advice on airfare. Students are expected to make their own arrangements to get to CUHK once they arrive in Hong Kong. CUHK will provide arrival instructions and arrival information in the acceptance packet provided to students.

Local Transportation

Students living in Hong Kong will have easy access to the Hong Kong Subway System, but students can easily take a bus to a subway station or a cheap taxi into town. The Hong Kong subway system is very user friendly, with everything in English, and is modeled after the Tube in London (instead of an Oyster card like you have in London, you'll get an Octopus card in HK).

For more information on local transportation options and some very helpful, must-read information before you go, please look at Hong Kong's Wikitravel page.

Eligibility

The Chinese University of Hong Kong Exchange program is open to UI students who fulfill the following requirements:

 
• Clear interest and commitment: Students must demonstrate a clear academic or personal interest in the program’s subject matter, and a commitment to engage responsibly in coursework abroad.
• Preparedness and Maturity: Students must demonstrate preparedness to take on the heightened responsibilities associated with international study and travel. Students must demonstrate a commitment to behave responsibly abroad while respecting cultural differences. Students are expected to obey both local laws and program directives conveyed to participants before and during the program. The University of Iowa Code of Student Life applies to all program participants while abroad.
• Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA: Students must have at minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA to participate in this program.
• Good academic and disciplinary standing: Students must be in good academic and disciplinary standing at the University of Iowa. Students placed on either academic or disciplinary probation for any period of time overlapping with the study abroad program dates are ineligible to study abroad on a University of Iowa program. Academic and disciplinary history will also be considered when determining whether a student is prepared to represent the University of Iowa as part of this program.
• Completion of one semester of Accounting major: Applicants must have completed one semester of the UI Accounting major.
• Sophomore, junior, or senior standing required: Students must have sophomore, junior, or senior standing at the time the program begins. First year students cannot participate in this program.
• Acceptance by host institution: Students must be accepted by the host institution as a temporary visiting student. Acceptance by the host institution is typically automatic for students that have been nominated by their study abroad advisor, but the final acceptance decision is made by the international student office and the sponsoring departments at the host institution based on their own internal requirements.
• No language requirement: Students do not need to have any foreign language background, though interest in learning some Chinese is essential.

Costs

Cost sheets outline the total estimated costs associated with participating in this program and can be used for financial aid purposes. It includes fees charged on students’ U-Bill, as well as out-of-pocket expenses. Actual out-of-pocket expenses will vary from individual to individual. Quoted estimates are conservatively high, yet realistic.

The cost sheet includes the Study Abroad Administrative Fee and Mandatory Iowa Regents University International Travel Insurance. Please see the respective websites for further details. If the fee is inclusive of UI tuition, it is calculated by Current Tuition. Please contact your study abroad advisor with questions regarding this cost sheet – call 319-335-0353 to schedule an appointment.

Cost Sheet for CUHK Exchange, Fall 2017 - Tippie College of Business Studies

Scholarships & Financial Aid

For more information about receiving financial aid while studying abroad, please review the following:UI Financial Aid Information

You can find more information about options for funding your study abroad experience including scholarships on Undergraduate Scholarships for Study Abroad.

How to Apply

Note: This program is not running during the 2023 calendar year.

Interested students should make an appointment with the Study Abroad advisor for the CUHK exchange to determine whether this program is a good fit and to discuss the application process. Call 319-335-0353 to schedule an appointment. Students must also meet with Prof. Kevin Den Adel to determine if the program is appropriate for their plan of study.

Note: The purpose of this student exchange is to facilitate an educational experience in an unfamiliar environment for participating students. To that end, students are not eligible to return to their home country to study through this exchange program.

The application process consists of three steps:

• Step One: After meeting with the appropriate Study Abroad advisor and Prof. Den Adel, students must request nomination to CUHK by submitting an online application to UI Study Abroad. Please note that the non-refundable $50 application fee will be charged to your U-Bill as part of this online application.
 
• Step Two: The UI Study Abroad application is reviewed. If the student meets the requirements for the program and there are sufficient spaces available in the exchange, the Study Abroad advisor nominates them to study at CUHK.
 
• Step Three: Once nominated, the student completes the exchange student online application for CUHK. The application is reviewed by CUHK, where the final acceptance decision is made.

Application Deadline

Applications for the Spring Session are due on September 8.

Applications for the Fall/Academic Year Session are due on March 7.

Acceptance and Confirmation Materials

Coming Soon.

Health & Safety Planning

In addition to submitting their Confirmation of Participation form, students should review the following:

Prepare for Departure

Iowa Regents CISI Health Insurance Information

Students are also encouraged to complete the Health Preparation Guide for International Travel form with their medical practitioner. This document is intended to help you plan for your medical needs abroad. Please DO NOT turn this form in to UI Study Abroad.

Visa

Any students who will need to apply for a Hong Kong visa will need to wait until receiving their official admission letter from CUHK before they can begin applying for a visa. UI Study Abroad staff can provide some assistance and advising on the Hong Kong visa application process, but ultimately the individual traveler (the student) is the person who is responsible for providing correct information on the visa application and securing the visa and all other required documentation prior to travel.

Orientation

In order to prepare for your time abroad, you are required by the University of Iowa to complete two orientations. These may be in addition to orientations provided by the host university. See below for more information.

Online Education Abroad Pre-Departure Orientation

You are required to complete the International Programs online “Education Abroad Pre-Departure Orientation” course distributed through ICON prior to departure. This orientation is mandatory for all students going abroad under the auspices of the University of Iowa. It covers many practical matters about living overseas, such as health and safety, communication, money, goals and much more. You will be enrolled in this course by International Programs and an email will be sent to you once enrolled. If you have any questions, you can email safety-abroad@uiowa.edu

Program-Specific Orientation

This orientation will be facilitated by your UI Study Abroad advisor and will cover content specific to your program and host country. It could be conducted in a group setting or one-on-one depending on your type of planned activity abroad. Your advisor will send you more information about this mandatory in-person session.

UI Accounting major Shelley Lowe participated in the CUHK Exchange Program during the Fall 2012 semester. Learn about Shelley's experience from her blog.