FAQ - For JUPAS Students

From 2025 entry onwards, the HKUST School of Engineering changes from a solely school-based admission framework to a dual track admission framework.  Under the new dual track framework, you can enter the School of Engineering through either school-based admission or department-based admission.  There are altogether 8 application choices for you to choose from –
 

If you already have a clear interest in a specific engineering discipline, and do not plan to explore other disciplines, you should apply directly to one of the 7 choices under department-based admission (please refer to the choices in the table under Q.1 above).  This would enable you to start taking courses required by your major program early and thus offer you greater flexibility in mapping out your study pathway for the 4 years of study.  With such flexibility, you can also adjust your pathway to make room for other endeavours that you plan for, such as exchange.  On the other hand, if you are not sure about your academic aspirations and would like to understand various engineering disciplines in greater depth before committing yourself to a major department or program, then you should apply for school-based admission. As a student admitted through school-based admission, you will join the School of Engineering instead of an engineering department upon entry.  You will select your preferred engineering department (or a joint-school/interdisciplinary program) through the major selection exercise no later than the end of Year 1.  During your time in the School, we not only have professional advising staff to support you, but also professors serving as your academic advisors to guide you in exploring your academic interests and potentials.  You will also be assigned to peer mentors who are senior engineering students themselves.  These peer mentors will share their experience with you to help you make your choice. There will also be a specially designed introductory course to enable students to make an informed choice about your engineering major.  As students entering through School-based admission will have an Extended Major in AI, the first year is also a time to learn the basics of AI and how it is applied in different engineering disciplines. In a nutshell, neither of the admission track is better than the other one – it all depends on what you look for.

You can drop the Extended Major in AI anytime throughout your 4 years of study with us if you are determined that you don’t like it.  However, you may understand that AI is all around us nowadays.  It is definitely something good for students to learn.  Our Extended Major in AI is not intended to train specialists in AI.  Rather, we want to equip our graduates with knowledge in AI by integrating AI into the engineering curriculum.  Graduates with AI knowledge can apply it to their major engineering domain and enjoy a competitive edge over their peers.

Sure, students admitted through department-based admission will be able to apply for opting in the Extended Major in AI at the end of Year 1, except those admitted to the Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE), the BEng in Computer Engineering (CPEG) Program, as well as the BSc in Data Science and Technology (DSCT) Program which is jointly offered by our School with the School of Science. The CSE Department, CPEG Program and DSCT Program do not offer the option of Extended Major in AI to their students due to the close proximity of the programs.

Don’t worry.  We ensure that departments will reserve a quota for the school-based admission students, and will not use it up for department-based admission.  However, as far as the Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) and the BEng in Computer Engineering (CPEG) Program are concerned, the quota reserved for school-based admission students will be limited.  If you are seriously interested in CSE or CPEG, you are recommended to apply directly to CSE or CPEG through department-based admission.  The situation with the BEng in Microelectronics and Integrated Circuits (MEIC) Program is similar.  Owing to limited quota, students keenly interested in MEIC should apply to the Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering (ECE) through department-based admission.

Students must first fulfill the minimum admission requirements.  For calculating the admission score, we require three subjects (English, Math, & one Science elective), with each having a weighting of 2.  Students may use ICT in lieu of the Science elective, with ICT having a weighting of 1.  Other than these 3 required subjects, the admission score includes any two other subjects: if M1 / M2 is used, it has a weighting of 1.5, all else weighting of 1. Students will also be given bonus points up to 5% if they have taken the 6th subject.

Apart from academic performance, student achievements and participation in activities (especially science or engineering related) recorded in Other Experiences and Achievements in Competitions / Activities (OEA) and Student Learning Profile (SLP) will also be considered.  In general, bonus of not exceeding 5% will be given based on non-academic performance such as OEA / SLP; Admission is largely based on academic results. 

The minimum admission requirements reflect our expectation of students’ balanced development in different subjects.  However, we also fully understand that sometimes students are unable to perform at their usual standards during exams, as a result of which their HKDSE scores cannot fully reflect their abilities.   In view of this, HKUST has exercised flexibility in considering students for admission.  In 2024, HKDSE students who performed well overall, especially in STEM subjects, but just missed the minimum entrance requirements of 3-3-2 (Chinese-English-Mathematics) by 1 level in 1 of these core subjects have been considered for flexible admissions arrangements.

Details of the admission arrangements for 2025 intake will be announced around June 2025.

You can check out your HKDSE score through the HKUST JUPAS Score Calculator and take reference from 2024 JUPAS Admissions Scores.

The School takes the best scores that students attained, applying the different weightings for science subject and ICT.  In the end, the School will count the best scores and subject combination in calculating the admission scores.

We require one Science elective.  If students take more than one Science subject, the best Science subject is counted as the first Science subject with a weighting of 2.  The second Science elective can be counted as one of the two other best subjects with a weighting of 1.  On the other hand, M1 / M2, if used as one of the two other subjects, has a weighting of 1.5.  Hence, students with stronger Math background will have some advantages.

Yes, students can sit for HKDSE again and reapply with their new results. Such cases are considered on a case-by-case basis. For those who do not choose to retake the exam but enroll in sub-degree programs (e.g. Associate Degree / Higher Diploma), they can seek admission to HKUST directly.  Students who will have completed only the first year of study in a local sub-degree (associate degree or higher diploma) program can apply for Year 1 entry to Engineering with an Extended Major in Artificial Intelligence through school-based admission, or through department-based admission to an engineering department or the Computer Engineering Program.

Those who will have completed the entire sub-degree program can apply for admission to specific programs directly. Places have been reserved for articulation by sub-degree program graduates.  Entry is normally to senior year.  Alternatively, if they wish to explore other engineering disciplines that are different from the sub-degree programs that they have completed, they can also apply for admission to Engineering with an Extended Major in Artificial Intelligence for year 1 entry through school-based admission and follow a new engineering discipline after major selection.

It depends on which qualifications you wish to use for applying for admission.  If you apply with HKDSE through JUPAS, we would look at your HKDSE results.  On the other hand, if you wish to apply to us with your Associate Degree / Higher Diploma program, you should apply to us through the Direct Entry route by submitting the application directly to HKUST.  In the case of applying with Associate Degree / Higher Diploma qualification (no matter whether you are in Year 1 or Year 2 of the program), Chinese Language is not required.  Please also read Q.10 above.

To be fair, each student can only compete in one admission route.  You can apply either through JUPAS or Direct Entry.

Quota for 2025 will be announced in due course.  For your quick reference, our quota for 2024 intake was 684, among which 152 was planned for Engineering with an Extended Major in Artificial Intelligence.

From 2020 onwards, non-local students (i.e. students who need a student visa to study in Hong Kong or apply for a dependent visa for the first time after reaching the age of 18) can no longer participate in the JUPAS exercise.  Instead, they must apply directly to universities.  For enquiries regarding your status in Hong Kong, please contact the Education Bureau of the Hong Kong SAR Government.

Personal Statement helps us to understand you better.  It is a free writing of student's idea, but if you are interested in our School, you may elaborate more on the reason why you like engineering or science, achievement in recognized competitions, service performance, etc.

If you are applying with HKDSE results that were obtained in or before 2021, we encourage you to detail your education background and learning experiences after taking the HKDSE examination. This will help us evaluate your profile and consider your admission more effectively.