Lingnan University, Hong Kong

About the Program

St. Mary’s students have the opportunity to study abroad at Lingnan University, a small, residential university with a distinctive and unique mission of providing liberal arts education to students in Hong Kong. It aspires to be an internationally recognized liberal arts university with Hong Kong characteristics, bringing together the best liberal arts traditions from both the East and the West.

True to its identity as a liberal arts institution, Lingnan is characterized by a small student body, a residential campus, close faculty-student relationship and an emphasis on exchange and extra-curricular learning experiences.

Location

Lingnan University is located in the Tuen Mun District on the western coast of Hong Kong. Tuen Mun, or Castle Peak, was one of the earliest settlements in Hong Kong. Today it is primarily residential and offers a range of cultural and entertainment facilities. Every year, during the Tuen Ng Festival, Castle Peak Bay hosts the dragon boat races.

Academics

As the only liberal arts university in Hong Kong, Lingnan is committed to a whole-person approach to education which enables students to think, judge, care and ultimately, act responsibly in the changing circumstances of Hong Kong, the region, and the world.

Lingnan offers a liberal arts curriculum with courses in Chinese, Contemporary English Studies, Cultural Studies, History, Philosophy, and Social Sciences. All incoming students at Lingnan must enroll for in a minimum of 12 credits in compliance with Hong Kong’s immigration laws. The normal study load of full-time students should be in the range of 15 to 18 semester credits.

Apart from language courses and courses in the Chinese and Translation Departments, all courses are taught in English.

Housing & Meals

SMCM students will live in on-campus residence halls, called hostels. Hostel life is regarded as an essential part of education at Lingnan with 85% of undergraduate students living on campus.

There are six student hostels, all of which are air-conditioned and each room accommodates 2 students. The University will provide basic bedding items, such as linens, pillows, and blankets. Bathrooms are shared by all students on a floor and each hostel offers a common lounge, a pantry on each floor, a game room, a multi-purpose room, a committee room, a television room, and a laundry area.

The University does not operate any meal plan, mandatory or optional. Students dine where they want on or off campus.. There is one canteen and a full-service Chinese restaurant on campus. Additionally, there are many good restaurants in Tuen Mun Town Centre where you can sample dim sum and other local favorites like fish ball noodles, wonton, and congee.

Student Life

Lingnan offers more than 70 student clubs, societies, and organizations to keep students busy and engaged in the campus community. A variety of sports, cultural, social, recreational, and academic activities are open to all students. Hostel activities are mainly organized by the Student Hostel Associations. The Student Services Centre is also active in organizing a wide range of co-curricular and extra-curricular programmes.

Lingnan also has an indoor sports complex that houses a wide range of sports facilities: a gymnasium, squash courts, table-tennis room, and a physical fitness room. Students can access this facility for an hourly fee.

At Lingnan, community service is an integral part of campus life. They emphasize diversity in both teaching and learning, and use “Education for Service” as the guiding motto. Students are given many chances to engage in various service projects and community work.

Important Links

• Lingnan University Office of International Programs
• Lingnan University Fact Sheet
• Course Offerings at Lingnan
• Pre-Arrival Information
• Student Handbook
• Lonely Planet – Hong Kong

Transfer Credit Policy

How credits taken abroad will transfer back to SMCM.

Academic and Judicial Policies

The academic and judicial requirements for any student considering studying abroad.

Financial Aid and Scholarships

How financial aid will apply towards your study abroad program and what scholarships are available.

Payments and Services

Payment processes for semester-long, short-term, and non-SMCM study abroad programs.