$.5m in subsidies: Polytechnic University goes all out in wooing DSE top scorers

Yu Wing Chan and Eunice Lam

Polytechnic University is offering subsidies of HK$500,000 to every new student with the highest level 5** in six subjects in the Diploma of Secondary Education exams, says registrar Edward Shen.

PolyU has set aside HK$39 million in scholarships for eligible local and nonlocal freshmen in the academic year starting in September.

Students with level 5** in five subjects can get a full ride for their four-year undergrad program as well as a HK$50,000 subsidy yearly or HK$200,000 throughout university.

Those who demonstrate exceptional talent in sports, arts and culture, community service and leadership, science, technology, engineering or mathematics can get scholarships of up to HK$100,000 under PolyU's special talents admission and recognition scheme.

In the current school year, 57 undergrads have been granted talent scholarships, the university said, stressing these are funded entirely through donations.

"These scholarships are important. First, to recognize students' achievements, and second to offer them support upon admission in fields such as innovation, entrepreneurship, artificial intelligence and data science," Shen said.

He added PolyU will launch around 20 new courses next school year, including two bachelor-level programs on food technology and smart cities as well as 17 post-graduate programs.

The University of Hong Kong, separately, will grant scholarships of up to HK$70,000 to each student in its applied artificial intelligence undergraduate program, which only has 15 places.

Students are required to score at least 18 points in the DSE exams, including a level four in English, maths and maths extended module one or two.

"It is a four-year interdisciplinary program offered by the science, social sciences, architecture and engineering faculties," said assistant professor Han Kai.

"We aim to give students a foundation in statistics, mathematics and computer programming," Han said. Students can focus on either AI integrated in technology, business and finance, medicine, smart cities or neurocognitive science.

HKU lecturer Wat Kam-pui said the program encourages students to apply both critical and logical thinking. "We consider the big picture and don't just approach AI from one perspective," he said.

Third-year Indonesian student Jose Christian Abraham said the program is very rewarding.

"Everything I've learned was really helpful. I currently work at QualiFly as a co-technology lead and I was referred by a professor to the program," Abraham said. Students who wish to study HKU's four science degree programs will have a chance to be granted a "science entrance scholarship" between HK$10,000 and HK$70,000 if they attain two level 5** marks among biology, chemistry, physics, maths and maths extended module one or two.

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