Answer: If you hold a visa under the Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates (IANG), please ensure that your visa covers the entire academic year of study and that you can balance your studies and work during the study period. If, due to any personal factors during the period, the visa expires, renewal fails, or the visa becomes invalid, the University will not re-apply for a student visa on your behalf.

Answer: If you wish to apply to come to Hong Kong to study, the applicant must nominate a local guarantor. The local guarantor can be the institution that admits the applicant or an individual. If the guarantor is an individual, they should meet the following conditions: aged 18 or above; a genuine Hong Kong resident; familiar with the applicant; and financially capable of bearing the applicant's living expenses and providing accommodation.

In addition, if the applicant is under 18, their father or mother must authorise the guarantor or a relative or friend in Hong Kong to act as the applicant's guardian in Hong Kong, and submit a consent letter signed by both the parent(s) and the Hong Kong guardian.

Answer: The University will provide students with visa application guidelines and sponsorship, assisting students in submitting their visa applications to the Hong Kong Immigration Department, with the aim of enabling students without valid visas to come to Hong Kong lawfully for study. However, please note that the student visa application is the student's own responsibility. Students must ensure that all submitted documents are complete and that the information provided is true, accurate and correct. If a visa is refused by the Immigration Department due to personal factors, the student shall bear the relevant responsibility and consequences themselves. In addition, when handling visa applications on behalf of applicants, the University will not consider any purposes of the applicant other than coming to Hong Kong for study, nor will it undertake that applicants holding existing visas can seamlessly transition between their existing visas and student visas. If an applicant requests the University to handle a student visa earlier, later, or again for personal purposes, this Office will not accept such requests.

Answer: The University advises students to start their student visa application immediately after receiving an offer. The University is not responsible for any admission problems caused by visa delays. In addition, if the applicant fails to submit the basic required supporting documents before the deadline, this Office will treat the applicant as having given up the offer and will not continue to process the visa application. In this case, all fees paid and all documents provided by the applicant will not be refunded or returned.

Answer: No. Applicants must hold a valid student visa / entry permit before they can attend University classes.

Answer: If the student visa application is refused by the Hong Kong Immigration Department due to personal issues (such as refusal / failure to submit supplementary documents before the deadline, inability to answer the Immigration Department's questions, submission of false information, etc.), the University will cancel the applicant's admission offer and the fees paid will not be refunded.

Answer: After receiving all required documents, the Immigration Department generally takes six weeks to process applications for visas / entry permits for studying in Hong Kong. If all required documents and information are not received, the Immigration Department will not be able to start processing the application. Unless there is a special need, applicants should not enquire with the Immigration Department about the progress of their application, so as to avoid delaying the processing time. All applications are processed and approved by the Immigration Department. Approval of applications is entirely at the discretion of the Director of Immigration in accordance with the policies of the Hong Kong SAR Government at the time. Even if an application meets all the eligibility criteria, the Director of Immigration retains the absolute discretion to refuse individual applications.

Answer: If the applicant's student visa is approved, this Office will immediately notify the student by email.

Answer: When applying for a student visa, applicants may decide for themselves whether they need to obtain a new travel document. This Office recommends that applicants obtain a new travel document first to avoid disruption to their studies.

Answer: No. The University will not provide visa sponsorship for students' dependants coming to Hong Kong. Relevant applications must be submitted directly by the student or dependant to the Hong Kong Immigration Department.

The Hong Kong Immigration Department has not set a definite specified amount for this issue.

However, according to the University's "Notes on New Student Admission", it is recommended that applicants provide a deposit certificate showing an amount of at least twice the total tuition fee of the first academic year, to demonstrate that you have sufficient financial ability to study and live in Hong Kong.

If a sufficient amount cannot be provided in the deposit certificate, the Hong Kong Immigration Department may also require the applicant to further provide financial proof documents to demonstrate the ability to cover the expenses of the entire study period in Hong Kong.

The Exit-Entry Permit for Travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macau (EEP) is an optional document:

• If you hold an EEP that covers the entire duration of study during the student visa application period, please submit a copy of the permit in the system.
• If you do not hold an EEP during the student visa application period, you do not need to submit a copy of the permit during the student visa application. However, you need to apply to the relevant Mainland authorities as soon as possible for the permit and the corresponding endorsement to ensure that you can come to Hong Kong smoothly for study.

According to the Registration of Persons Ordinance, except for persons who are exempted or not required to register, all Hong Kong residents aged 11 or above (including persons permitted to stay in Hong Kong for more than 180 days) must register for an identity card.

Please apply for a Hong Kong Identity Card through online appointment within 30 days after arrival in Hong Kong. For details, please visit: https://www.gov.hk/tc/residents/immigration/idcard/hkic/bookregidcard.htm

Answer: Generally speaking, the University only accepts programme applications from applicants whose visas are valid until 31 December of the admission year, and applicants must present proof of visa renewal at registration (if admitted). If a student's visa status or "local / non-local student" status changes, they must promptly notify their department and the Registry, and follow the instructions to complete the relevant procedures and pay the fee differences:

If visa status changes from local to non-local: Please notify the Admissions Office (before admission registration) / department or Registry (after admission registration) at least three months before the visa is due to expire. The University will arrange a student visa application for the student according to the actual situation. The student must also pay the relevant fees as instructed, including but not limited to application fees, tuition fees, deposit differences and visa fees.

If visa status changes from non-local to local: Please notify the Admissions Office (before admission registration) / department or Registry (after admission registration) within three working days after becoming a local student, and submit the relevant proof. The University will review the student's request to change status and handle it according to the circumstances, such as reissuing the admission letter or refunding the relevant tuition fees. However, please note that the University reserves all rights to reissue admission letters and make refunds. If the student fails to notify the University immediately, or the date of status change is some time after admission, the University may not refund the tuition fees for that semester.

Please note that the University will not handle visa applications for students at all times. The University will review students' requests to change status. If it is found that a student has no evidence of a change of status, or is about to change status, or even notifies the department / Registry only after the status change, the student may face disqualification / suspension / withdrawal from studies, and the fees paid will not be refunded.

Answer: The University will handle and determine students' local / non-local student status based on the policy in effect at that time. In case of dispute, the University has the final decision and admission rights.

Answer: In this case, the student is still a local student. However, because they cannot present the relevant proof of study in Hong Kong, they cannot apply for the "Non-means-tested Subsidy Scheme for Students of Self-financing Bachelor's Degree Programmes in Hong Kong" [NMTSS]. However, the student can still pay the corresponding tuition fees as a local student and apply for other relevant services available to local students.

Answer: Persons permitted to come to Hong Kong to study may, if necessary, apply for an extension of stay within four weeks before the expiry of their limit of stay in order to continue studying in Hong Kong. The application will only be considered if the applicant still meets the eligibility criteria for coming to Hong Kong to study. If the application is approved, the applicant's extension of stay is usually granted on a yearly basis or according to the duration of their programme (if applicable). You may submit the application in person or through an authorised representative with a letter of authorisation.

When applying, the following are generally required: (i) a completed Form ID91 (https://www.immd.gov.hk/hkt/forms/forms/id91.html); (ii) the applicant's travel document; (iii) the applicant's Hong Kong Identity Card; and (iv) proof from the current institution confirming that the student continues to study and needs an extension of stay, which must show the remaining duration of study and the expected graduation date.

If the institution or the student terminates the student's study of the approved programme before its completion for any reason, the student must complete the relevant withdrawal procedures, and the Hong Kong Immigration Department will also cancel the student's current valid student visa. The student must leave Hong Kong within four weeks after the termination of studies. Failure to leave within the specified time limit constitutes a breach of the conditions of stay under the Immigration Ordinance.

Answer: Student visa holders who undertake internships, part-time and full-time work during their studies must strictly comply with the Hong Kong Immigration Department's regulations and the University's relevant rules. (For details, please refer to: https://www.immd.gov.hk/hkt/faq/imm-policy-study.html)

Please note that the "no objection" arrangement for taking up employment stipulated by the Director of Immigration applies only if the applicant holds a valid Hong Kong student stay permit and is studying the relevant programme at Hong Kong Shue Yan University.

If the applicant subsequently transfers to another institution and / or transfers to another programme, the "no objection" arrangement described in this letter will no longer apply. Unless the Hong Kong Immigration Department issues you a new No Objection Letter, you will be in breach of your conditions of stay if you continue to take up any employment.