1. Will I need to attend an interview with the experiential learning (EL) partner?
Not all applicants will have to be interviewed before participating in an EL project. Interviews will be arranged at the request of the EL partners. Applicants will be informed if interviews are required.
2. Can I receive financial support for my participation in EL activities?
Most EL projects for UG students will be subsidized by the EL fund from the Gallant Ho Experiential Learning Centre and students will be required to contribute part of the total expenses only. For other sources of financial support, please refer to https://el.edu.hku.hk/financial-support/.
3. What will happen if my selected project is oversubscribed?
Applications will normally be considered on a first-come-first-served basis. PGDE students will be asked to indicate 3 preferred projects at the application stage, and will be assigned with a project according to their priority of choices. Students will be contacted individually for other arrangement if all 3 preferred projects are oversubscribed. Students are reminded that quotas are set by the NGOs/organisations and that we may not be able to provide additional places should a course or project be oversubscribed.
4. Can I apply for an EL project about English language education if I am a non-English major student?
Most EL projects are open to students of all majors unless specified. Students are advised to read the project details carefully to find out more about eligibility, project duration and other important information before making an application.
For the PGDE full-time EL programme, the intake of students follows the stated pre-requisite strictly. Students applying for a project without the stated pre-requisite will be rejected directly by the community partner. Therefore, it is essential to read the project details carefully before indicating your first three choices.
However, in the UG programmes, we have had experience of having Chinese major students teaching English in Vietnam and Cambodia who had shown to be excellent members of the project teams. Therefore, we encourage ALL students to apply the UG EL programmes regardless of the project focus. In these programmes, the student teachers’ interest, passion and commitment to a project are our primary consideration.
5. Will I be covered by the University’s insurance while participating in EL activities?
Group travel insurance will be provided for all HKU students going on overseas trips. More details of the insurance can be obtained from: http://intraweb.hku.hk/reserved_2/finance/student/insurance.html?v=1462778007999
6. Will the Faculty help with my visa application if I am participating in an overseas EL project?
Students are expected to take care of their own visa applications and other necessary pre-departure preparation. They can seek advice from the Faculty office if they encounter any problems with their preparation.
7. Can I extend my overseas trip after completion of an overseas EL?
Students are allowed to extend their overseas trip after the EL project period with prior approval obtained from the project coordinator (as long as it does not involve missing timetabled classes or commitments at HKU). Students who decide to travel before or after the EL period are responsible for obtaining their own travel insurance beyond the EL period.
8. If I am doing a PGDE EL project during the timetabled block, can I continue the work on a voluntary basis after I return to class for my coursework?
Yes, certainly. Students are most welcome to continue with the EL as volunteers after the timetabled period. One of the Faculty’s aims in setting up these EL projects is to serve the community by establishing a sustainable service or relationship with the partner organisation.
9. Can I propose my own EL project? Who should I talk to if I have an idea about a project I’d like to do on my own?
For UG students, self-nominated initiative can be considered under BBED6803 – Serving to Learn: Co-Constructing the Community through Student Leadership. Students are welcomed to work in teams to propose their own project and please approach the EL team for advice.
If PGDE students are already working on their own EL projects, they may be considered as fulfilling the EL requirements with their own work or project. Students are advised to send the proposed project details to eledu@hku.hk if they would like to nominate their own project. However, the decision of the EL office over whether the proposed project is feasible or not is FINAL.