[Meg-san]

I just found out the other day that I've been accepted to study at CUHK as an exchange student for the summer, and I have a couple of questions for people who have studied there:

1) What are the dorms like? (I think summer students are staying at the i-house) How far are they from the classrooms?

2) How far is CUHK from the main shopping/downtown areas?

3) What's the selection/cost of food like on campus?

4) Are there any banks on campus or am I going to have to travel far to get to my money?

5) How are the local students in regards to international students? Are they fairly open/friendly or do the two groups tend to keep to themselves? (Are there even local students on campus in the summer?)

[Mrazz]

Hey Meg-san!

I just found out im going to CUHK myself! I got a call from my uni today

Gonna be awesome!! heh

I found a document from a girl who visited CUHK 2005, she might have some answers for ya!
Im enclosing the file

See ya
Peter
(sweden)

[Meg-san]

Are you going in the summer?

[EddieC]

Meg-san & Mrazz>>>

Glad to hear you guys will be coming to CUHK this summer. I'm a second year student at CUHK so hopefully I'll be able to help you with some of your questions

1) The dorms are usually 2 students in a room, although some residences will offer single rooms but at higher rates. If your going to be living at i-house, then my understanding of it is that its a suite that you'll share with other students. I've never lived there myself, but those are from what i've heard from friends. Here's a link that might be of more help:
http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/osa/ihouse/ver2/index2.htm

The CUHK campus is the biggest one in all of Hong Kong but there are buses which can bring you around campus and they are pretty frequent. I-house is alocated near the edges of the campus but its still possible to get to central campus in around 15 minutes or so. I've seen students actually biking the whole way, so if you like biking and plan to own one, then it'll be good exercise as well.

2) CUHK is the only university with its own railway station named after it. Assuming that you want to get to Central, then it'll take you around 30 minutes of travelling from our "University Station" to Central. But if you want to go shopping then there's a huge shopping complex located in Shatin Station which is two stops away from university Station. The transportation in Hong kong is totally awesome, and there's shopping centres everywhere so you won't need to worry about having to travel too far. I recommend that you buy what we call a "Octopus Card" , this is bascially an electronic card which you can use to pay for all kinds of things and will work for virtually all forms of public transporation in Hong Kong(except taxis, you'll need to pay cash for those).

3) Off the top of my head, I can count at least 11 different restaurants and Canteens located within CUHK. They all offer different varieties of food with a bigger concentration on Chinese food. The prices are also generally cheaper then outside becuase we're university students, so I think the university tries to get the canteens to have lower prices. In Hong Kong, you can eat practiclaly anywhere, and the food is pretty cheap too.

4)There are 2 bank branches in CUHK. One is Hang Seng bank located Fulton Building in Central Campus. THe other one is a branch for the Bank of East Asia which is lcoated in Chung Chi College and just opened recently.

5) Local students can choose to take summer courses so there will definitely be some in your classes. I've been noticing an increase in international students over the summer too. Alot of our students may have just come back from exchange and are very enthusiastic and friednly towards international students so you don't need to worry about that. Some may be shy at the beginning, so you'll just need to approach them and start talking to them. But once you get to know them, then i'm sure they'll make you feel right at home.

Hope this helps. You guys made a great choice in choosing CUHK and Hong Kong

[Mrazz]

Yep im leaving for the summer! Registration 27/6 right!? It's gonna be great, cant wait.. but I have a dissertation to finish before I leave tho!

Have u chosen courses yet?

Hey Eddie thx for the info! I got the impression that the campus is located up in the hills?!

Peter

[Meg-san]

Yup I already sent in the online application and picked my 2 courses

But wait you haven't picked your courses yet? I thought you had to submit the online application and pick your courses for the summer by April 1st?

EddieC thanks for all the great tips! Do you happen to know if there are any HSBC banks nearby? I was planning on opening an account with them here and then just access my money when I get over there.

I heard there's a pretty good shortcut by cutting through lots of buildings to get from i-house to the train station? Do you know the route at all? Someone tried to explain it to me but I was totally lost.

[EddieC]

Mrazz>>>

Yeah you are right about CUHK being located up in the hills. The campus actually spans across one side of the hill from top to bottom. Its about a 15-20 walk from the bottom of the hill(also where the train station is located) to the top (where New Asia College is located).

Meg-san>>>

I think the closest HSBC branch is located in Shatin Station. But there are also ATM machines where you can draw money from inside the campus.

As for the shortcut from I-House to the train station, I'm not sure about that myself. What route have you been told? I might be able to help if i knew it.

[Meg-san]

"From the top of campus to the train station the route you can take is 4th to 1st floor in the yellow building then take the steep stairs to the building left of the OAL offices, then its the 7th floor elevator down to the 1st, followed by walking on the road til the train station comes into sight"

[Mrazz]

Sure I picked courses before the 1th of April, no worries Im waiting for confirmation from the Chinese University tho!

[Meg-san]

Ohh alright-what courses did you apply for?