Application & Visa

Application for Student Exchange Programmes

Application Procedures

Step 1
You are advised to talk with your study abroad advisor and/or academic advisor of your home institution before applying for the Student Exchange Programmes.

Step 2
Once you are nominated by your home institution to join the Student Exchange Programmes, you will be invited to complete an online application by email (your username and password will be provided in the email). Please read carefully the user guide and follow the steps to complete your application.

Step 3
In the Online Application System, you should indicate the list of courses that you intend to study at Lingnan: Please refer to Academic Studies for course details

Step 4
Once you have completed your online application, you should print a copy and seek endorsement from your home institution (in Part K). The duly endorsed application form and a Student Visa Application Form (please refer to section below for Visa Application procedures) should be sent to us via your home institution by international courier before application deadline.

Step 5
Upon successful application¹, you will receive an electronic copy of letter of acceptance via the Online Application System.

 Note:
¹Selection Mechanism for Incoming Exchange Programme

• All applicants should apply to their home institutions and follow the selection process of their corresponding institutions.
• Exchange Coordinator of Partner Institutions will endorse in Part K of the Exchange Application Form for all successful applicants and nominate the successful applicants to OGE, Lingnan University.
• OGE receives nominations from Partner Institutions only.
• OGE checks if the nominees meet minimum admission requirements of the programme.
• Acceptance of eligible nominees will be approved by Associate Vice-President (Academic Quality Assurance and Internationalisation) of Lingnan University.

Student Visa for Education in Hong Kong

Before coming to Hong Kong, you must obtain a student visa from the Immigration Department of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region if

• you wish to enter Hong Kong for education; and
• you do not have the right of abode or right to land in Hong Kong

You should ensure that you are eligible to apply for a student visa to study in Hong Kong. Lingnan is not responsible for obtaining visas for non-local students, but will render all necessary support to admitted students.

Application Procedures

Step 1
You should complete the Student Visa Application Form ID995A in BLOCK (CAPITAL) LETTERS with

• your photograph affixed on it;
• photocopies of your travel document²,containing your personal particulars, its issuance and expiry dates and details of any re-entry visa held (if applicable); and
• evidence of your financial standing³

You are advised to complete the Student Visa Application Form with due care. Your application process may be lengthened if there are any follow-up questions from us / the Immigration Department regarding your application. The completed Student Visa Application Form should be returned to us TOGETHER with your Exchange Application Form. Do NOT submit your visa application directly to the Hong Kong Immigration Department as it will slow down the process.

Notes:
²Your travel document e.g. passport should be valid for at least six months beyond the intended stay in Hong Kong. 
³If you do not make any income, please provide us a proof your parents’ financial standing (e.g. recent bank statements/savings accounts passbooks) and a financial supporting letter stating that your parents can support your expenses during your stay in Hong Kong.

For details, you may refer to the checklist of the Application Guidelines from the Immigration Department:
Page 12 for English version and Page 10 for Chinese version.

Step 2
As your sponsor, Lingnan will complete ID995B of your Student Visa Application Form, and submit the whole set of documents to the Hong Kong Immigration Department on your behalf. It takes approximately 4-6 weeks for the Immigration Department to process visa applications, upon all required documents are submitted.

Step 3
Upon your successful visa application, Lingnan will collect your Notification Slip for Entry Visa/Permit and send it to you by email.

Step 4
When you receive your Notification Slip for Entry Visa/Permit, please save it in soft copy on a mobile device or bring the Notification Slip for Entry Visa/Permit which is printed on a piece of A4 white paper. You should show your Notification Slip for Entry Visa/Permit to the on-duty Immigration officer when you enter Hong Kong so that you enter Hong Kong with a student status. Otherwise, the officer may grant you a tourist visa only which will not allow you to commence your studies in Hong Kong. 

Visa Application Fees

You will need to pay  the non-refundable fee for student visa application charged by the Immigration Department (HK$230)
You should settle the above payment via the Online Application System upon acceptance.

Conditions for a Person holding Student Visa Status

It is clearly stipulated by the Immigration Department that any person entering Hong Kong as a student shall be subject to the following conditions of stay that:

(a) he/she shall become a student only at a specified school, university or other educational institution and undertake such course of study as may be approved by the Director of Immigration; and

(b) he/she shall not (i) take any employment, whether paid or unpaid; or (ii) establish or join in any business.

All general enquiries can be made to the Immigration Department Telephone Enquiry Number at (852)2824-6111 or use fax-line (852)2877-7711 or through e-mail at enquiry@immd.gov.hk.

For details, please visit the Hong Kong Immigration Department.