1. General Leave of Absence (For internship, medical reasons, or other reasons except exchange/visiting study)
- Students should complete the online form ‘SF416 - Leave of Absence’ via the Science Online Application Submission System (OASS).
- Required Supporting Documents:
- Students are required to submit all relevant documents to support their leave application:
- Internship: An official Employment Contract clearly indicating the employment period and relevant terms
- Medical reasons: A Medical Certificate(s) or Medical Report(s), issued by registered medical practitioner(s), indicating the recommended leave period
- Other reasons: Documents verifying your reason of leave, such as:
- Certificate of Military Service with a calendar showing the discharge date (for leave due to military service)
- Bank Statement(s) of the account(s) for tuition fee payment (for financial difficulty)
- Detailed study plan during your leave period (for financial difficulty and other personal reasons)
- Applications without valid supporting documents will not be considered. Should extra time is needed for the collection of any of these supporting documents, you should inform the Faculty when you make the application.
- Students are required to submit all relevant documents to support their leave application:
- Submission Deadlines:
- All full semester or full-year leave of absence applications must be submitted before the start of the relevant semester. Late submission may result in a composition fee being charged for that semester.
- Semester 1 or Full-Year: Before the first day of teaching in Semester 1
- Semester 2: Before the first day of teaching in Semester 2
- For leave of absence due to internship, applications made after the start of the internship will not be considered.
- Retrospective leave of absence applications are not accepted. The start date of your leave will be considered as the date on which your application, together with all valid supporting documents, is submitted.
- All full semester or full-year leave of absence applications must be submitted before the start of the relevant semester. Late submission may result in a composition fee being charged for that semester.
2. Exchange/Visiting Study Leave
- Students who go for exchange study/visiting study should submit leave of absence application via the Faculty’s Online Credit Transfer Application System (OCTAS).
- Submission Deadlines:
- Semester 1 or Full-Year: Submit by early August.
- Semester 2: Submit by mid-December.
3. Application Results & Additional Information
- Students will receive written notification of the result of their leave of absence application via email. The estimated processing time is approximately 3 to 4 weeks from the date your application and all valid supporting documents are submitted. Please check your HKU email account regularly to ensure your application is completed and that you have received approval from the Faculty.
- The period of semester long leave of absence is excluded from the counting of normative study period except for semester long/year long outgoing exchange study. The period of leave of absence (excluding the leave for compulsory military service) is to be counted within the maximum period of registration. The maximum period of registration is 6 years for 4-year curriculum.
4. Enquiries
- Should you have any questions, please contact the Faculty Office at sci.ug.enquiry@hku.hk.
The Faculty stresses the importance of the academic performance of students. Students who do not perform satisfactorily may be recommended for discontinuation of their studies.
| BSc | BSc&MRes |
|---|---|
| Sc5(h) Candidates shall be recommended for discontinuation of their studies if they have: | BM6(d) Candidates shall be recommended for discontinuation of their BSc and MRes studies if they have: |
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BM6(e) Candidates shall be recommended for discontinuation of their MRes studies only if they have fulfilled the requirements in BM5(c) for the completion of the BSc degree, but failed to fulfil the requirements in BM5(d) for the completion of the MRes degree within the prescribed maximum period of registration. |
| BSc&LLB | BSc(ActuarSc) (admitted to 2024-25 or before) |
|---|---|
| ScL14 Candidates shall be recommended for discontinuation of their studies if they have: | AS5(g) Candidates shall be recommended for discontinuation of their studies if they have: |
|
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| BASc(AppliedAI) (admitted to 2024-25 or before) | |
|---|---|
| AAI10 Unless otherwise permitted by the Board of the Faculty, candidates shall be recommended for discontinuation of their studies if they have: | |
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G11 Unsatisfactory performance or progress:
A student whose performance at examinations or in coursework or in such class tests as may be held from time to time is unsatisfactory, or in the case of a higher degree student whose progress is unsatisfactory, may be required by the Senate (a) to discontinue his studies.
Students who are recommended for discontinuation of their studies will be interviewed by the Faculty Review Committee on Student Performance and Discontinuation before their cases are considered by the University’s Committee on Discontinuation. The Faculty Review Committee on Student Performance and Discontinuation normally meets in January/February and July every year. Students who cannot attend the Faculty Review Committee on Student Performance and Discontinuation meeting will be referred to the University’s Committee on Discontinuation automatically. The decision made by the Committee on Discontinuation is final and is not subject to appeal. Students who have any concerns and questions about their academic performance may contact the Administrative Manager of the Faculty Office.