How to Apply to Engineering at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University: Entry by Scheme, a Common Year 1 and Selection of Your Major Afterwards, for Hong Kong Local, Non-local (Including Mainland Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

At The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), undergraduate engineering degrees are offered by the Faculty of Engineering. They are four-year, government-funded, full-time programmes taught in English (except Chinese-related subjects and specially approved programmes). This guide follows PolyU’s own pages for September 2027 entry and is written for Hong Kong local applicants (HKDSE through JUPAS, other qualifications through Non-JUPAS), non-local applicants (international curricula and Canadian high schools, including students in China), Mainland Gaokao applicants and transfer students.

Civil engineering, building engineering and similar programmes belong to PolyU’s Faculty of Construction and Environment, so they are not covered here. Computer science is offered by the Faculty of Computer and Mathematical Sciences and has its own guide on this site.

1. What the Faculty offers

The Faculty’s pages list nine entry codes (programme codes beginning with JS) covering 16 awards:

• Bachelor’s Degree Scheme in Engineering (JS3005): a Faculty-level entry set up from 2025/26, with one application leading to 16 majors: Aeronautical Engineering, Air Transport Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Sports Science and Technology, Electrical Engineering, Transportation Systems Engineering, Electronic Systems and Internet-of-Things, Artificial Intelligence and Information Engineering, Information Security, Product Innovation with Marketing, Smart Manufacturing, Engineering Management with Data Analytics, Aviation Operations and Systems, Intelligent Supply Chain, Intelligent Robotics Engineering and Mechanical Engineering. It requires 120–124 credits plus training credits.
• BEng (Hons) Scheme in Aviation Engineering (JS3140): Aeronautical Engineering and Air Transport Engineering; 120 credits plus 10 training credits.
• BSc (Hons) in Biomedical Engineering (JS3150): from Year 2 there are two streams, Biomedical Engineering and Biomedical Engineering with Prosthetics and Orthotics.
• BSc (Hons) in Sports Science and Technology (JS3160): at least 120 credits plus 5 Industrial Centre training credits and 4 Work-Integrated Education training credits.
• BEng (Hons) Scheme in Electrical Engineering (JS3170): Electrical Engineering and Transportation Systems Engineering.
• BEng (Hons)/BSc (Hons) Scheme in Information and Artificial Intelligence Engineering (JS3180): Electronic Systems and Internet-of-Things (BEng), Artificial Intelligence and Information Engineering (BSc) and Information Security (BSc).
• BEng (Hons) Scheme in Product Innovation and Smart Manufacturing (JS3236): Product Innovation with Marketing and Smart Manufacturing; 120 credits plus 10 training credits.
• BSc (Hons) Scheme in Intelligent Supply Chain and Engineering Management (JS3237): Intelligent Supply Chain, Engineering Management with Data Analytics, and Aviation Operations and Systems; 120 credits plus 7 training credits.
• BEng (Hons) Scheme in Mechanical Engineering (JS3741): Intelligent Robotics Engineering and Mechanical Engineering.

PolyU’s pages are not always consistent about names. For example, the Gaokao page lists one major under the mechanical engineering scheme as “Product Analysis and Engineering Design”, while the other pages say “Intelligent Robotics Engineering”. Rely on the page you apply from and on the online application system.

2. How selection works: Common Year 1, then your major

• Common Year 1: PolyU states that all admitted undergraduates follow their Faculty’s Common Year 1 Curriculum in the first year.
• From 2025/26, after Year 1 students can apply to move to another programme within the Faculty. Those who want to change take part in a competitive ranking assessment based on entrance qualification score, Year 1 GPA and interview performance.
• Engineering scheme (JS3005): near the end of Year 1, students choose their preferred scheme or programme within the Faculty through that ranking assessment, and must meet the relevant programme’s requirements. The GPA cut-off and the number of places for each scheme are not published.
• Aviation Engineering (JS3140): students normally pick one of the two awards from Year 2. The Gaokao page says there is no quota for either and no further selection.
• Biomedical Engineering (JS3150): two streams start in Year 2 and students can apply for the one that suits them; how places are allocated is not published.
• Electrical Engineering (JS3170): before the end of Semester 2 of Year 1, the Department assesses students’ preferences, results and interview performance to decide which degree they enter.
• Information and AI Engineering (JS3180): the Gaokao page says students may take any major without further assessment; the international student page says students study together in the first year and then complete their preferred programme, normally within three years.
• Product Innovation and Smart Manufacturing (JS3236): students choose after Year 1 and the common subjects of Semester 1 of Year 2, no later than the end of that semester; the Gaokao page says they can choose either without an examination.
• Intelligent Supply Chain and Engineering Management (JS3237): students choose after Year 1 and the common Year 2 subjects, no later than the end of Semester 2 of Year 2; the Gaokao page says they can choose any of the three without an examination.
• Mechanical Engineering (JS3741): the first two years are common, the last two are in the chosen degree. There is no quota for either degree and students can choose freely.
• Secondary Majors: some programmes offer Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics (AIDA) or Innovation and Entrepreneurship (IE) as an optional Secondary Major. A cumulative GPA of 2.7 or above is needed to be considered, extra selection criteria may apply, places are limited, and students must apply to their Department and be approved no later than the start of Year 2.

3. Accreditation, structure and work experience

• Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE): PolyU’s pages say the BEng (Hons) in Aeronautical Engineering, Air Transport Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Transportation Systems Engineering, Electronic Systems and Internet-of-Things, Product Innovation with Marketing, Smart Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering, and the BSc (Hons) in Biomedical Engineering and Information Security, have full HKIE accreditation. The BSc (Hons) in Artificial Intelligence and Information Engineering has provisional accreditation, and accreditation for Intelligent Robotics Engineering will be sought once the first cohort graduates. PolyU’s programme pages do not mention HKIE accreditation for Sports Science and Technology, Intelligent Supply Chain, Engineering Management with Data Analytics or Aviation Operations and Systems. The Intelligent Supply Chain and Engineering Management scheme page says accreditation has been sought from the Chartered Management Institute, with students automatically receiving a second professional qualification on completion. Check each programme page.
• Washington Accord: the Product Innovation and Smart Manufacturing page says its programmes are also recognised by other Washington Accord signatories, and says the Accord currently has 20 signatories including the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia and New Zealand. The other programme pages do not say this.
• Training and placements: requirements differ by programme and the credits are listed above. The mechanical engineering scheme says students must complete industrial training and Work-Integrated Education and may also take summer placements with local or overseas companies. The Electronic Systems and Internet-of-Things degree requires two weeks of full-time employment as Work-Integrated Education.
• Other recognition: the Biomedical Engineering with Prosthetics and Orthotics stream is accredited by the International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics (ISPO), and its graduates are eligible to sit the certification examination of the Hong Kong Society of Certified Prosthetist-Orthotists.

4. Prerequisites: subjects and English

• JUPAS: the pages say there is no compulsory subject, but each programme has “preferred subjects with the highest weighting”. For the mechanical engineering scheme these include English Language, Mathematics (with M1/M2), Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Combined Science, Design and Applied Technology and Information and Communication Technology; see PolyU’s JUPAS requirements page for each scheme’s full list.
• International curricula and Non-JUPAS: the “preferred subjects” page lists no preferred subjects for the Engineering scheme (JS3005); Aviation Engineering prefers English, Mathematics, Physics or other STEM subjects such as Chemistry, Computer Science and Electronics; Biomedical Engineering and Sports Science and Technology prefer science subjects (Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and/or Physics); Information and AI Engineering prefers Mathematics; Mechanical Engineering prefers Physics and/or Mathematics; Electrical Engineering, Product Innovation and Smart Manufacturing, and Intelligent Supply Chain and Engineering Management list none.
• Gaokao: see section 7; most engineering schemes ask for the science stream.
• AP and IB credit: applicants with good A-level or IB results can normally be given credit transfer from 12 credits (6 for Cluster Area Requirements subjects and up to 6 for language and communication electives) up to 25% of the award requirement. PolyU does not say which engineering core courses (for example calculus or physics) this can replace.
• Online courses: PolyU does not recognise online courses as equivalent to face-to-face classes at regular high schools.

5. Hong Kong local applicants

HKDSE applicants through JUPAS:

• Minimum requirements: Level 3 in Chinese Language, Level 3 in English Language, Level 2 in Mathematics, “Attained” in Citizenship and Social Development, and Level 3 in two electives. The Extended Modules of Mathematics count as a single subject.
• Timeline on PolyU’s JUPAS page: applications open on 7 October 2026; JUPAS applications close on 2 December 2026; the deadline to update programme choices is 26 May 2027; HKDSE results are released on 14 July 2027 (the page label reads “2026 HKDSE results”, with a 2027 date); Main Round offers are announced on 4 August 2027.
• Admission scores use “any best 5 subjects” with subject weighting. PolyU lists these 2026/27 average scores: Engineering scheme 242.2, Aviation Engineering 246.9, Biomedical Engineering 243.1, Sports Science and Technology 223.4, Electrical Engineering 254.8, Information and AI Engineering 236.4, Product Innovation and Smart Manufacturing 220.3, Intelligent Supply Chain and Engineering Management 215.0, Mechanical Engineering 237.5. These are averages of admitted students, not minimum scores.
• Places: the nine codes share a combined intake of around 371 (JUPAS and Non-JUPAS): JS3005 about 37, JS3140 about 49, JS3150 about 22, JS3160 about 18, JS3170 about 49, JS3180 about 56, JS3236 about 46, JS3237 about 43 and JS3741 about 51.
• Interview: shortlisted applicants may be invited. For JS3005 the interview is about 15–30 minutes, in English, individual or group, with the date to be confirmed.
• Tuition: HK$49,500 a year for local (Category I) students, paid in two instalments; the initial fee on accepting an offer is HK$5,000 and counts towards first-semester tuition.

Local applicants with non-HKDSE qualifications (Non-JUPAS Year 1), such as international curricula or an associate degree or higher diploma, who apply directly to PolyU:

• If you apply with HKDSE results you must use JUPAS. For schemes offered through JUPAS you can use only one route in an academic year; if you apply both ways, the direct application will not be considered.
• The timeline on PolyU’s page: applications open on 23 September 2026, the early round closes on 17 November 2026, the main round on 11 February 2027 and the extended round on 14 May 2027.
• For 2027/28, local students pay HK$49,500 a year and an initial fee of HK$5,000. PolyU notes that dependant-visa holders who were under 18 when first issued the visa and meet the residency requirement can have the subsidised fee; otherwise they pay the non-local rate.

6. Non-local applicants: international curricula (A-level, IB, AP) and Canadian high schools

• Who is non-local: people who need a student visa to study in Hong Kong, or who hold certain dependant visas or entry permits, or IANG visas. Holders of a Hong Kong permanent identity card should apply through Non-JUPAS.
• A-level minimum: grade B or above in 3 A-level (or international A-level) subjects.
• IB minimum: the IB Diploma. PolyU says successful applicants typically scored 32 or higher out of 45 in recent years, and candidates with a predicted score of 30 or above may be considered for interview.
• US curriculum and AP, either: a high school diploma with an overall average of 80% or above, SAT 1190 or above (or ACT 24 or above) in one sitting, and grade 3 or above in 2 AP subjects; or a diploma with 80% or above and grade 3 or above in 5 AP subjects. Precalculus, Calculus AB and Calculus BC count as one AP subject; Latin, English Language and Composition, AP Seminar and AP Research are excluded.
• Canadian high schools: a provincial diploma with an average of 80% or above in the best five Grade 12 courses; the Ontario OSSD with 80% or above in six Grade 12 (4U/4M) courses; the Quebec DEC with 80% or above. 80% in Grade 12 English meets the English requirement.
• Admission score range, whole university: for 2026 entry, the 25th to 75th percentile is 144 to 168 UCAS points for three A-levels and 33 to 38 for the IB (with TOK and EE points). This is a university-wide figure, not an engineering one, and PolyU says it should not be used to predict your chances in later years.
• Other qualifications: PolyU lists requirements for dozens of countries and regions; qualifications not listed are considered case by case, generally for applicants with excellent results and strong English. For non-local HKDSE holders, PolyU asks for a total of 25 or more in the best five subjects, with Level 3 in Chinese and English, Level 2 in Mathematics, Level 3 in two electives and “Attained” in Citizenship and Social Development.
• Interview and documents: for JS3005, suitable non-local applicants may also be invited to a 15–30 minute interview in English, individual or group, date to be confirmed. A transcript or certificate is required; Aviation Engineering (JS3140) asks for a transcript showing all subject grades and the latest cumulative GPA. A personal statement is optional for Biomedical Engineering and Sports Science and Technology. For most programmes a reference letter and personal statement are optional, and PolyU asks you not to send more than required.
• How to apply: each applicant submits one application with up to two programme choices, which cannot be changed after submission. Both choices are considered at the same time and you can accept only one offer at a time. You can apply before results are out as long as you provide them by mid-August; IB and A-level students should ask their school to send predicted results. Qualifications gained through online schools or courses are not considered.
• Timeline: applications open on 23 September 2026; the early round closes on 17 November 2026; the main round closes on 11 February 2027; the extended round closes on 14 May 2027 and is for international students only, subject to places. If you hear nothing, assume you were unsuccessful: the application notes say by mid-July and the FAQ says by late July, which do not agree.
• Application fee: it must be paid on submission and is non-refundable, but the page does not state the amount (not published; check the online application system). Applicants from the least-developed countries identified by the United Nations can apply for a fee waiver.

7. Mainland Chinese applicants taking the Gaokao

• How admission works: PolyU recruits current-year Gaokao students through its own scheme, with separate application steps and dates, and it does not affect your applications to Mainland universities. Students from all 31 provinces and municipalities can apply, with no fixed quota per province. Repeat students use this year’s Gaokao scores and follow the same steps.
• Entrance standard: PolyU asks for excellent Gaokao results including a good English score. It does not publish provincial cut-off scores or a minimum English mark.
• Science or arts: the Engineering scheme (JS3005), Aviation Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Information and AI Engineering and Mechanical Engineering ask for the science stream; applicants from provinces without the split must have studied physics, chemistry or biology (for Aviation Engineering, chemistry or physics). Biomedical Engineering and Sports Science and Technology ask for the science stream and, without the split, at least two of biology, chemistry and physics. Product Innovation and Smart Manufacturing and Intelligent Supply Chain and Engineering Management accept both arts and science; the first requires fundamental mathematics and physics after entry, and the second expects applicants to have a solid mathematical foundation.
• Second choices: Biomedical Engineering (JS3150) and Sports Science and Technology (JS3160) do not consider applicants who list them as a second choice; the other seven engineering codes do.
• Timeline: applications open on 23 September 2026 and close on 13 June 2027. After results come out in late June you must enter your Gaokao scores yourself by the set date; applications with scores that are late or wrong become void. Offers go out by email and SMS between late June and 7 July, and accepting requires an HK$20,000 initial fee and a student visa application. If you have heard nothing by mid-July you can treat the application as unsuccessful. The 2027/28 academic year starts on 30 August 2027.
• 3D Admission Scheme: for final-year high school students with excellent school, mock-exam (school level or above) and academic proficiency test results. The early round closes on 11 February 2027 and the main round on 14 May 2027. If you submit your application, pay the fee and enter the relevant scores before the deadline, you take part automatically and PolyU invites eligible students to interview. Those who pass the early interview may be admitted on preferential terms; those who pass the main-round interview may receive bonus points.
• Application fee: HK$600, non-refundable.
• Scholarships: for 2027/28, PolyU offers entrance scholarships to current-year Gaokao applicants with outstanding results or who rank high among applicants to a programme; no separate application is needed, they usually run for four years and need a minimum GPA each year to continue. Non-academic scholarships also exist. The Mechanical Engineering scheme says the Department has its own scholarships for outstanding Mainland students, and the Product Innovation and Smart Manufacturing and Intelligent Supply Chain and Engineering Management pages say Mainland students who do not get a university scholarship can still receive a departmental one; see each programme page for terms.
• Mainland students not taking the 2027 Gaokao: PolyU’s FAQ says students on the Mainland high school curriculum who do not take the 2027 Gaokao will generally not be considered; those with other international qualifications are considered further only with strong results or the potential for them. They apply as in section 6, and the enquiry address is polyu.njee@polyu.edu.hk.
• Transcripts, school-level exam materials and interviews: PolyU does not publish engineering-specific requirements for Chinese high school transcripts or the provincial proficiency exam; check the Gaokao application page and each programme page. Interviews under the 3D scheme are by invitation.

8. Fees and scholarships

• Non-local tuition (2027/28): HK$240,000 a year, paid in two instalments before each semester. PolyU’s tuition pages do not mention a separate engineering tuition rate or a Faculty surcharge.
• Initial fee: non-local students pay HK$20,000 on accepting an offer; it is non-refundable and non-transferable, counts towards first-semester tuition, and scholarship recipients also pay it.
• Annual cost estimate: about HK$290,272 for non-local students, including tuition, university accommodation of HK$18,515 (2026/27 rate; 2027/28 to be announced), meals of HK$53,040 and personal expenses of HK$18,717. Non-local undergraduates are normally offered university-managed accommodation in the first year; from the second year they arrange their own.
• Scholarships: outstanding applicants are automatically considered for entrance scholarships, with no separate application. Total university-administered scholarships in a year normally cannot exceed that year’s tuition plus HK$60,000. PolyU’s undergraduate scholarships page also lists an “Entry Scholarship for Local Students with HKDSE Qualification (Faculty of Engineering)”, likewise considered automatically with no application; the amount is not published there.
• Financial aid: non-local students cannot apply for HKSAR Government or PolyU financial assistance, but they may work on campus for up to 20 hours a week.

9. Transfer students

• Non-local transfers: if you have studied a bachelor’s degree, associate degree or higher diploma elsewhere, you can apply as a non-local applicant for Year 1, with credit transfer assessed case by case. Credits transferred from other institutions normally cannot exceed 25% of the credits required for the PolyU award, and credits are valid for eight years. Requests are normally made to your department with transcripts and syllabi after registration, before the end of the add/drop period of your first semester. PolyU does not publish engineering-specific calculus, physics or chemistry sequence requirements.
• Local associate degree and higher diploma holders: they can use Non-JUPAS Senior Year admission. PolyU says senior-year and top-up places are meant for associate degree and higher diploma holders; applicants with other qualifications will normally not be considered, and those already studying for or holding a degree are considered case by case. The Faculty lists senior-year programmes in Aviation Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electronic Systems and Internet-of-Things, Transportation Systems Engineering, Artificial Intelligence and Information Engineering, Information Security, Product Innovation with Marketing, Smart Manufacturing, Engineering Management with Data Analytics, Intelligent Supply Chain, Aviation Operations and Systems (a top-up degree), Intelligent Robotics Engineering and Mechanical Engineering. The timeline shown is: applications open on 23 September 2026, early round on 17 November, main round on 11 February 2027 and extended round on 14 May 2027.
• Whether non-local transfer students can enter a senior year directly is not published; email polyu.intl@polyu.edu.hk to ask.

Checklist

Hong Kong HKDSE students:

• Apply through JUPAS by 2 December 2026; you cannot use JUPAS and a direct application in the same year
• Level 3 Chinese and English, Level 2 Mathematics, Level 3 in two electives, “Attained” in Citizenship and Social Development
• Check the subject weighting and 2026/27 average scores on the JUPAS requirements page

International-curriculum students (including students in China) and Canadian high-school students:

• Early round closes on 17 November 2026 and main round on 11 February 2027; international students can also use the 14 May extended round
• Three A-levels at B or above, or the IB Diploma; university-wide middle range 144 to 168 UCAS points (A-level) and 33 to 38 (IB)
• IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL 4.5 (80 on the older scale); 80% in Canadian Grade 12 English waives it

Mainland Gaokao students:

• Apply on PolyU’s website from 23 September 2026 to 13 June 2027; most engineering schemes ask for the science stream, and Biomedical Engineering and Sports Science and Technology ignore second choices
• Enter your scores yourself in late June and expect offers by about 7 July

Transfer students:

• Non-local students apply for Year 1 and request credit transfer after enrolment, up to 25%; local associate degree and higher diploma holders use Senior Year admission

English requirements for non-local applicants (all applicants must meet one of them)

• IELTS Academic 6.0 overall, in one sitting;
• TOEFL iBT: 80 for tests before 21 January 2026, or 4.5 (out of 6) for tests on or after that date, in one sitting;
• IELTS and TOEFL results must be within two years of the start of study; TOEFL iBT Home Edition, IELTS Online, IELTS Indicator and IELTS One Skill Retake are not accepted;
• Also accepted: SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 590, ACT English and Reading 23 each (one sitting), AP English Language or Literature 4, IB English A or English Literature 4 (HL/SL), A-level/AS English E, IGCSE English C/4, and others;
• Studying at an English-medium school does not waive the requirement. These are university-wide requirements; programme-specific rules take precedence.

Sources: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Faculty of Engineering undergraduate programmes; FENG JUPAS applicants; FENG international students; FENG Mainland Gaokao applicants; FENG Non-JUPAS senior year; Bachelor’s Degree Scheme in Engineering (JS3005); Aviation Engineering (JS3140); Biomedical Engineering (JS3150); Sports Science and Technology (JS3160); Electrical Engineering (JS3170); Information and Artificial Intelligence Engineering (JS3180); Product Innovation and Smart Manufacturing (JS3236); Intelligent Supply Chain and Engineering Management (JS3237); Mechanical Engineering (JS3741); Engineering scheme, Gaokao page; JUPAS general entrance requirements; JUPAS scheme requirements; JUPAS application procedures; JUPAS tuition fees; Non-JUPAS Year 1 application procedures; Non-JUPAS Year 1 tuition fees; Senior year entrance requirements; Senior year application procedures; International / other qualifications; General entrance requirements; English language requirements; Preferred subjects; Additional documents and interviews; GCE and IB admission figures; Application procedures; Credit transfer; Tuition fees; Other fees; FAQs; Mainland Gaokao applicants; Gaokao entrance requirements summary; Gaokao application procedures; 3D Admission Scheme; Gaokao scholarships; Gaokao FAQs; Undergraduate scholarships