The University is a community designed for scholarship - for learning, teaching and research. In a community of scholars, academic integrity and honesty are critical values.

Exams, homework, papers and other kinds of assessments are essential to the learning process. Honesty and integrity are central to academic work. Because of this, you are committed as a student to an Academic Honor Code.

Plagiarism, cheating and any academic dishonesty is strictly prohibited.  For more information about what constitutes academic misconduct and the sanctions, please refer to https://registry.hkust.edu.hk/resource-library/academic-integrity.

Academic Regulations (ARs) are approved by the University Senate to govern the progress of undergraduate students through programs of study leading to degrees awarded by the Senate.  For details, please check Academic Regulations Governing Undergraduate Studies.  More information about Undergraduate Studies at HKUST can be found here.  Below are some topics that are of interest to students.

Click here for details about course grading.

Students who consider that a mistake has been made in the process of calculating or determining a grade for a course may apply for a review of the grade. They should first discuss the matter with the course instructor as soon as the course grades are released. Where a clerical or administrative error has been made, the department/unit responsible for the course will report the revised grade to the Academic Registry (ARO).

If the student’s concern remains unresolved after this informal discussion, the student may submit a request for a grade review to the Head of the course-offering department/unit in writing within two weeks from the day on which grades are released:

• Stating the grounds for the request for review
• Describing the relevant facts
• Providing supporting evidence

If a review is granted, the Head will arrange for the review within three weeks after the release of the grade.

Requests for review of course grades should normally be resolved at the department/unit level. Students who wish to appeal against the decision of the department/unit must do so in writing to the Dean of the School within two weeks of receiving the decision stating the grounds for the appeal.

Upon receipt of the written appeal, the Dean will determine whether or not a further review of the grade should be granted and how the review will be conducted. The Dean’s decision is final.

A normal credit load per term is our recommended credit load per term. However, to give you the flexibility of managing your own study plans, you have the option to have credit overloads, provided you meet the following conditions.

• Registered BBA and BSc students:
  (a) Students are required to follow their suggested pathway in their first term of undergraduate studies.
  (b) All students are allowed to take up to 18 credits per regular term. For those on academic probation, students will follow the restrictive study pattern.
  (c) Students with CGA of 3.300 or above could apply and enroll up to 21 credits per regular term, subject to school/department approval.
• Exchange-out students:
  For those of you who have returned from or will be participating in the exchange program, please follow the same guidelines as above.

For Incoming Exchange Students:

If you are an incoming exchange student, you can only enroll in up to 17 credits. This is because incoming exchange students normally take up many activities such as travelling during the term, and may find the extra challenge of an overloaded schedule too time-consuming.

Credit overloading policy is reviewed from time to time, students are strongly advised to refer to the School web for the most updated information.

Requests to add a course or to withdraw from a course after the add/drop period will normally not be accepted, except under extenuating circumstances beyond your control that make it impossible for you to complete the course, i.e., applications due to grade concerns will be rejected without discussion. The final decision regarding any requests for late addition or withdrawal rests solely with the School.

If you would like to request to add or drop courses after the add/drop period, you must submit a written request with full justification via the online system. For applications based on medical reasons, a valid supporting document issued by a Hong Kong medical professional within the past month must be presented. Further note that applications made after the commencement of the final examination period will not be accepted.

The request must first be reviewed and endorsed by the course instructor, followed by further reviewed by the Head of the department, and ultimately by the Dean of the School or the Dean’s delegate. The application result will be sent via University email by the Academic Registry.

If official approval is not granted, you must continue attending classes, completing course work and sitting for examination for the course in request. Once approval is granted, you will be able to add or withdraw from your course. In the case of successful withdrawal, a “W” grade will be recorded, indicating withdrawal without penalty.

Students whose cumulative grade average (CGA) falls below 1.5 at the end of any regular term, excluding the first point of CGA calculation after entry, will be put on Academic Probation. Students on Academic Probation are not permitted to register in courses without approval, and they must reduce their credit loads and seek academic counseling from the academic advisors / counselor in the department. If necessary, they should also see a counselor from the Student Affairs Office.

• The Department may decide on a student's reduced study load according to the following:
  • Students who have failed 0-4 credits in a term must not take more than 17 credits in the following term
  • Students who have failed 5-8 credits in a term must not take more than 15 credits in the following term
  • Students who have failed 9-12 credits in a term must not take more than 12 credits in the following term

Students will remain on Academic Probation until their CGA rises to 1.5 or above

• The Department may decide on a student's reduced study load according to the following:
  • Students who have failed 0-4 credits in a term must not take more than 17 credits in the following term
  • Students who have failed 5-8 credits in a term must not take more than 15 credits in the following term
  • Students who have failed 9-12 credits in a term must not take more than 12 credits in the following term

You must pass the required courses specified for your program of study. Students who have failed twice in required course(s) will be dismissed, unless the Department recommends, with the Business School’s approval, alternative actions based on individual exceptional circumstances.

Students who have been on Academic Probation at the end of three consecutive regular terms or students who have twice failed a course that is a requirement for their graduation are subject to academic dismissal.  The Dean may recommend to the Executive Vice-President & Provost that a student is dismissed from the University. In making this recommendation the Dean should consider:

• Whether the student can present credible evidence of extenuating circumstances for on-going poor academic performance
• Whether the student has a reasonable chance of successfully completing the requirements for an award
• Whether maintaining the student’s registration is consistent with the University’s responsibility for making the best use of its resources

The Executive Vice-President & Provost’s decision is final.

Dean's List: Undergraduate students will be placed on the Dean’s List at the end of the regular Fall and Spring Terms when in that term: (i) their TGA is at least 3.7 calculated from at least 12 credits registered, (ii) they have not failed any course, and (iii) they have not committed any confirmed act of academic dishonesty. The Dean of Business and Management will inform you in writing if you are placed on the Dean’s List, and this achievement will be recorded on your transcript.

Academic Achievement Medal: The Academic Achievement Medal is awarded to outstanding graduates in the year of their graduation. To be considered as a recipient of the award, students must have:

• Failed no course during their studies at HKUST; and
• Achieved a final CGA of at least 3.9, with at least 60 HKUST credits included in the calculation.

Students may be awarded only one Academic Achievement Medal.

In exceptional circumstances, students may be granted Leave from Study with the approval of the relevant Dean, the Dean’s designate or the Director of AIS. Leave from Study cumulating to more than one academic year will not normally be granted.

• Study Leave for Visiting Program
  • With effect from 2026-27, and as decided by the SBM Committee on Undergraduate Programs, study leave will not be granted for the purpose of joining visiting programs. In accordance with School policy, students are not permitted to apply for visiting programs under the study leave arrangement, and any such applications will neither be supported nor considered.
• Credit Transfer on Study Leave
  • With effect from 2026-27, credit transfer will not be allowed for students who are on study leave.

Various forms can be downloaded from the Academic Registry (ARO).