Direct Entry Student FAQ

• Example of Study Pattern for 4Y Direct Entry Students

All credit transfer applications must be submitted no later than one month after the commencement of the first semester of study following admission to HKUST. Late application will not be considered. For direct entry students who are admitted with a higher diploma or an associate degree, the students have to fill the GR-20 form (Application for Credit Transfer form for student on entry) and submit to the department for endorsement. The ARR will inform the student the outcome of the credit transfer application in mid September.

Depending on the number of credit transfer finally approved, a direct entry student may be expected to complete the study in less than three years.

All transfer credits are omitted from the calculation of TGA, CGA and GGA. In computing the GGA, courses taken by students in their first year of study are normally given half weight. However, it is not applicable to local direct entry student with senior year entry.

At the beginning of each semester, the Department will inform the ARR to pre-register all the core/required courses specified in your recommended study patterns. Dropping these courses in the specified semester will require approval of the COMP UG Coordinator.

Direct-entry students may be allowed to take FYP/FYT in year 3, if they want to follow the 2-2.5 years study plan. The department will confirm the students in late March if they want to do so. Then, cssystem will be informed a list so that those eligible students can access the FYP/FYT system.

• Select an FYP project via the online FYP management system at the end of the Spring semester of the first year of study. COMP 4981 will be pre-registered for you in the summer semester of the first year of study, and it will also be pre-registered in the following fall and Spring semester.
• Student may seek approval of enrolling Final year thesis (COMP 4981H) from faculty advisors.

Direct-entry students may be promoted to Year 4 status after the completion of 1.5 years of study, in order to get higher priority for course registration. The promotion requirements are as follows:

• You need to have accumulated at least 90 credits (including the transfer credits), and
• You are taking the FYP/FYT course (COMP 4981 / COMP 4981H).

The Department will send an email to inform all qualified students. Please let us know by the specified deadline if you don't want to be promoted.

• Those direct entry students with senior year entry should take
  • 3 modules in the Winter semester of year-3 study
• The three modules are:
  • USTM16 Linux Systems Administration
  • USTM17 Linux Network Administration
  • USTM18 Managing & Maintaining a Windows Server Environment