How to Apply to Physics at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University: The BSc (Hons) in Physics with a Secondary Major in Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics or Innovation and Entrepreneurship (JS3030), Completed in Four Years, With Admission Routes and Requirements for Local, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Students

At The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), physics is taught in the Department of Physics and Materials (PM) of the Faculty of Science, and the degree is the BSc (Hons) in Physics with a Secondary Major in Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics (AIDA) or in Innovation and Entrepreneurship (IE), programme code JS3030. Physics is not offered on its own; it is always paired with one of the two secondary majors. Here is what you need to know for September 2027 entry, based on PolyU’s official information, for Hong Kong local students, students with international curricula or overseas qualifications, students from China and transfer students.

1. Which programmes you can apply to

• JS3030: BSc (Hons) in Physics with a Secondary Major in AIDA / IE: full-time, government-funded, four years; PolyU lists an intake of 25 and 134 credits to graduate, with Prof. B. Zhang as programme leader. Students follow a common curriculum in Year One and choose AIDA or IE in Year Two, graduating with either the BSc (Hons) in Physics with a Secondary Major in Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics or the BSc (Hons) in Physics with a Secondary Major in Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
• Credit structure: PolyU lists General University Requirements of 27 credits plus the physics Discipline Specific Requirements and the secondary-major requirements, for 134 credits in total. AIDA route: physics core 62 credits and electives 21; AIDA core 18 and electives 6. IE route: physics core 68 credits and electives 6; IE core 21 and electives 12.
• Features: PolyU says the AIDA route combines physics with AI and includes an AI laboratory tailored to the curriculum, and the IE route includes an extended internship at major technology enterprises or start-ups. Both stress laboratory teaching and offer internships and exchange through industry and overseas university partners. Internship hosts listed include the Mitacs Globalink Research Internship (Canada), Polytechnique Montreal (Canada), China Merchants Bank (China) and several companies in Hong Kong; exchange partners listed include the University of Sydney, McGill University, INSA Lyon, the Technical University of Munich, the National University of Singapore and the University of Birmingham.
• Bachelor’s Degree Scheme in Science (JS3008): the Faculty of Science also runs a scheme in which all students take a common Year One and choose their major near its end through a ranking assessment based on entrance qualification score, Year One GPA and interview performance. The five choices listed include Applied Biology with Biotechnology, Chemical Technology, Food Safety and Technology, Human Nutrition and Health, and the physics degree with an AIDA or IE secondary major above. That page asks for at least 120 credits, but its entrance year is shown as September 2025, so check the 2027 intake and details with PolyU.
• Where PolyU’s numbers differ: the JS3030 programme page gives an intake of 25, while the Faculty of Science’s scheme page (entrance year shown as 2025) gives a combined 152 for JS3008, JS3011, JS3030 and JS3255, with JS3030 at about 23. Check the latest figure with the admissions office.
• A listed programme not treated here as a 2027 option: the Department of Physics and Materials website still has a page for the BSc (Hons) in Engineering Physics (JS3985), but its entrance year is shown as September 2021 and it does not appear in the Faculty of Science programme list or the Gaokao entrance requirements summary; ask PolyU whether it recruits for 2027.
• Accreditation by a physics body (such as the IOP): not given on the pages used for this guide; check the website.
• Admission test and interview: the JS3030 pages do not describe an admission test or interview; the JS3008 ranking assessment includes interview performance.

2. Prerequisites and subject choices

• HKDSE: meet PolyU’s general requirements: Level 3 in Chinese and English, Level 2 in Mathematics, “Attained” in Citizenship and Social Development, and Level 3 in two electives; the programme page says that among the electives preference is given to a single physics subject or combined science with a physics component.
• International curricula and overseas qualifications: the programme page says applicants with good results in Mathematics and Physics are preferred; PolyU’s preferred-subjects page says good results in Mathematics and/or Physics for JS3030, and good results in science subjects (Biology, Chemistry and/or Physics) for the Science scheme. The pages do not give specific physics or mathematics courses, levels or minimum grades; check PolyU and the admissions office.
• Students from China: science stream only; see the Gaokao section below.

Local students (HKDSE) and other local applicants

• JUPAS: local students with the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) apply through JUPAS. PolyU’s general requirement is Level 3 in Chinese Language and English Language, Level 2 in Mathematics, “Attained” in Citizenship and Social Development, and Level 3 in two elective subjects (M1/M2 included); each programme adds its own requirements and subject weightings, described below.
• Non-JUPAS Year 1: local students with qualifications other than the HKDSE use this route. For local students entering in 2027/28 the tuition fee is HK$49,500 a year (two instalments), with an initial fee of HK$5,000 on accepting the offer that is later counted towards first-semester tuition.
• Non-JUPAS Senior Year: PolyU says senior-year and top-up places are meant for Associate Degree / Higher Diploma holders; applicants with other qualifications will normally not be considered, and Associate Degree / Higher Diploma holders who are already studying for or hold a degree are considered case by case.
• Status: holders of a Hong Kong permanent identity card are treated as local and apply through Non-JUPAS, not the international or mainland routes.

International curricula, Canadian high schools and other overseas qualifications (non-local applicants)

• Who counts as non-local: applicants who need a student visa to study in Hong Kong, hold a dependant visa / entry permit issued at age 18 or above, or hold a visa under the Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates (IANG). Visitor or tourist visa holders must obtain a student visa before they can register. If your status changes after you apply, an offer may be revoked and you are considered again under the other scheme.
• A-Level and IB: Grade B or above in 3 GCE A-Level / International A-Level subjects; or the IB Diploma. PolyU says successful applicants have typically had an IB score of 32 or higher out of 45 in recent years, and applicants with a predicted IB score of 30 or above may be invited to an interview.
• Actual admission scores (university-wide, not by programme): PolyU publishes the middle 50% (25th to 75th percentile) of admission scores for 2026 entry as 144 to 168 UCAS Tariff points for three A-Level subjects and 33 to 38 for the IB (including points for TOK and the EE). PolyU says the figures are for reference only and should not be used to predict your chance of admission.
• US high school and AP, either of: a high school diploma with an overall average of 80% or above, plus SAT 1190 or above out of 1600 or ACT 24 or above (one sitting), plus Grade 3 or above in 2 AP subjects; or a diploma with an overall average of 80% or above plus 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 school: a provincial high school diploma (such as BC) with an overall average of 80% or above in the best five Grade 12 courses; the Ontario OSSD with an average of 80% or above in six Grade 12 (4U/4M) courses; the Quebec DEC with an average of 80% or above. A Grade 12 English course at 80% or above meets the English requirement.
• Other countries: the “General Entrance Requirements” page lists requirements country by country; qualifications not listed are considered case by case, generally for applicants who finished high school with excellent results and strong English. Qualifications earned through online schools or online courses are not treated as equivalent to regular high school courses.
• English (non-local applicants, unless a programme says otherwise): IELTS Academic overall 6.0 in one sitting; TOEFL iBT total 80 for tests taken before 21 January 2026 and total 4.5 out of 6.0 for tests taken on or after that date; results must be within 2 years before the start of study. TOEFL Home Edition, IELTS Online, IELTS Indicator and IELTS One Skill Retake are not accepted. Also accepted: SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 590, ACT 23 in both English and Reading (one sitting), AP English Language or Literature 4, IB English grade 4 (HL/SL), A-Level/AS English E, GCSE/IGCSE English C or 4, and others. PolyU states that studying at an English-medium school does not waive the requirement; you must meet one of the listed options.
• Timeline (dates on PolyU’s international application page): applications open 23 September 2026; early round closes 17 November 2026; main round closes 11 February 2027; extended round closes 14 May 2027 (the FAQ says late applications after the main round are accepted until 14 May 2027, subject to places).
• How to apply: one application per applicant with up to two programme choices; choices cannot be changed after submission; all choices are considered at the same time, so you may receive several offers but can accept only one at a time. Upload certificates and transcripts, with official English translations if they are not in English or Chinese. If results are not out yet you may apply and send them by mid-August; IB and A-Level applicants should ask their school for predicted grades through the “Academic Referee” section. A recommendation letter and personal statement are optional for most programmes, with no set format.
• Interviews: PolyU says interviews are generally not mandatory; departments notify shortlisted applicants individually by email.
• Application fee: the application fee for international applicants is not given on the pages used for this guide; check the online application system (the Gaokao fee is below).
• Results: offers and conditional offers are sent by email and SMS and can be checked online. On when to assume you were unsuccessful, PolyU gives two versions: the application procedures page says mid-July and the FAQ says late July.
• Visa and verification: after you accept an offer and pay the initial fee, PolyU helps with the student visa; submit the visa package within one month of the first payment. Finally, original official transcripts and score reports must be sent to PolyU directly (or electronically by the issuing body); discrepancies may lead to the offer being cancelled.

Students from China (Gaokao)

• How it works: PolyU admits current-year Gaokao candidates through its own scheme, with a separate application and timetable. Applying does not affect your applications to mainland universities, and you do not list PolyU on your mainland preference form. Students from all 31 mainland provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions can apply, and there are no fixed provincial quotas. Repeat candidates applying with this year’s Gaokao follow the same process, and nominated (recommended-admission) students must still sit this year’s Gaokao and submit the score.
• Admission standard: PolyU asks for excellent current-year Gaokao results, including a good English score, and sets no provincial cut-off scores in advance; past provincial cut-offs are not published.
• Gaokao requirements for the physics routes: in PolyU’s Gaokao entrance requirements summary, JS3030 accepts the science stream only (applicants without an arts/science split must have studied physics) and considers applicants who list it as a second choice; the Bachelor’s Degree Scheme in Science (JS3008) also accepts the science stream only (applicants without a split must have studied biology, chemistry or physics) and considers second choices. Minimum Gaokao scores in physics or mathematics are not given on the pages used for this guide; ask the admissions office.
• Timeline: online applications open 23 September 2026; the deadline is 13 June 2027, and you can change your choices in the system before then; in late June you enter your Gaokao scores in the system yourself (applications are void if scores are not entered on time or are entered wrongly); offers go out by email and SMS from late June to 7 July, and accepting requires an initial fee of HK$20,000; if you have heard nothing by mid-July you may assume you were unsuccessful; the new academic year starts on 30 August.
• Application fee: HK$600, non-refundable, payable by Alipay, WeChat Pay, VISA, MasterCard or UnionPay.
• 3D Admission Scheme: for current Grade 12 students with excellent results in high school, mock examinations (school-level or above) and academic proficiency tests. Deadlines are 11 February 2027 (early round) and 14 May 2027 (main round); applicants who apply on time, pay the application fee and enter the relevant scores take part automatically, and PolyU invites eligible students to interview. Early-round students who pass may be admitted on favourable terms; main-round students who pass may receive bonus points. After the interview you cannot change your programme choices or you are treated as withdrawing from the scheme. PolyU also runs the STARS scheme for non-academic talents (sports, arts and culture, leadership, STEM).
• Mainland students not sitting the 2027 Gaokao: PolyU states that students on the mainland curriculum who do not take the 2027 Gaokao will generally not be considered; those with other international qualifications are considered further only with excellent results or potential, and apply under the international route above (enquiries: polyu.njee@polyu.edu.hk).
• Chinese high school transcripts, school-leaving materials and verification bodies: the Gaokao pages used for this guide do not list these separately; ask the admissions office (polyu.njee@polyu.edu.hk).

Fees and scholarships (non-local students)

• Tuition: for full-time government-funded bachelor’s programmes in 2027/28 the non-local tuition fee is HK$240,000 a year, payable in two instalments before each semester; a programme may specify otherwise.
• Initial fee: HK$20,000 when you accept an offer, non-refundable and non-transferable, and counted towards first-semester tuition (the Gaokao scholarship page says it is returned after enrolment while the international tuition page says it is converted into first-semester tuition; follow your offer notice).
• Yearly costs: PolyU’s international page estimates about HK$290,272 per academic year (tuition 240,000, university-managed accommodation 18,515, campus meals 53,040, personal expenses 18,717; the accommodation figure is the 2026/27 rate and the 2027/28 rate is to be announced). The Gaokao FAQ gives about HK$330,272 a year for a first-year student in halls. The two figures differ, so check PolyU. Non-local students are normally offered university-managed accommodation in the first year and arrange their own housing afterwards.
• Scholarships: PolyU’s undergraduate scholarships page and FAQ say outstanding applicants are considered automatically for entry scholarships with no separate application, while the “scholarships for international students” section of the Applied Biology with Biotechnology programme page says to fill in the scholarship section of the online application and that interviews are arranged; both statements appear, so follow the prompts in the system. That programme page lists, for non-local students, a Full Scholarship of HK$195,000 a year, a Full Tuition Waiver of HK$145,000 a year and a Half Tuition Waiver of HK$72,500 a year (it does not say whether these amounts apply to other programmes, so confirm with the admissions office), plus a one-off HK$50,000 Cultural Ambassador Scholarship for students from under-represented nationalities. Gaokao students have dedicated entry scholarships chosen by PolyU, normally lasting four years and renewable if the required GPA is met each year. In general the scholarships a student holds in one year should not exceed that year’s tuition plus HK$60,000.
• Financial assistance: non-local students cannot apply for financial assistance from the Hong Kong SAR Government or PolyU.

Transfer and credit transfer

• A-Level / IB credit: students with good A-Level or IB results are normally given credit from 12 credits (6 for Cluster Area Requirements subjects and up to 6 for Language and Communication electives) up to a maximum of 25% of the award requirement, depending on previous study and grades.
• From other institutions: applicants with previous bachelor’s, Associate Degree or Higher Diploma study have credit transfer considered case by case; credit from other institutions is normally capped at 25% of the credits required for the PolyU award and is valid for 8 years. You normally apply to your department after registration and before the end of the add/drop period of the first semester, with transcripts and syllabi; some advanced qualifications may be considered automatically, with reduced credit requirements stated on the offer.
• Entering a senior year directly: PolyU’s senior-year admission is for local Associate Degree / Higher Diploma graduates. Whether a non-local transfer student can enter a senior year directly is not given on the pages used for this guide; email polyu.intl@polyu.edu.hk (international) or polyu.njee@polyu.edu.hk (mainland applicants not sitting the Gaokao).
• For students already in a government-funded degree who want to repeat study at another institution, PolyU says repeating government-funded study across institutions is generally discouraged and only cases with very good reasons are considered exceptionally.

Application checklist

Local students: HKDSE applicants apply to JS3030 or JS3008 through JUPAS with Level 3 in two electives, physics (or combined science with physics) preferred; applicants with other qualifications use Non-JUPAS Year 1, tuition HK$49,500 a year.

International curricula and overseas qualifications: early round 17 November 2026, main round 11 February 2027, extended round 14 May 2027; A-Level three subjects at B, IB typically 32 or above; good Mathematics and Physics results preferred; English IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL 4.5 (80 on the old scale).

Students from China: apply on PolyU’s site from 23 September 2026 to 13 June 2027, application fee HK$600; JS3030 takes the science stream only, and applicants without an arts/science split must have studied physics; enter Gaokao scores yourself in late June.

Transfer students: credit transfer up to 25%; email the admissions office first if you hope to enter a senior year directly.

Sources: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, BSc (Hons) in Physics with a Secondary Major in AIDA / IE (JS3030); JS3030 entrance requirement; JS3030 programme structure; Bachelor’s Degree Scheme in Science (JS3008); Faculty of Science undergraduate admission; Engineering Physics page; International / other qualifications; General entrance requirements; English language requirements; Preferred subjects; Admission figures for GCE and IB; Application procedures; Credit transfer; Tuition fees; Other fees and expenses; FAQ; Chinese Mainland Gaokao applicants (Chinese); Gaokao entrance requirements summary (Chinese); Gaokao application procedures (Chinese); 3D Admission Scheme (Chinese); Gaokao scholarships (Chinese); Gaokao FAQ (Chinese); JUPAS general entrance requirements; Non-JUPAS Year 1; Non-JUPAS tuition fees; Non-JUPAS Senior Year; Undergraduate scholarships. Information is for September 2027 entry. Check PolyU for the latest details.