Full-time full fee paying registered HKUST Research Postgraduate (RPg) students are eligible for student accommodation offered by the University, with exceptionals listed HERE.

The admission exercise is conducted ONCE per residential year ONLY. Students who wish to be considered, including those who are currently taking leave/plan to take leave from study, are required to submit their applications during the application period regardless of their current registration status. Application details may vary from different categories of student types, please pay attention to the announcement sent to your HKUST email account.

If both your hall application and study leave are successful, you are responsible for informing the Student Housing and Residential Life Office (SHRLO) (pghousing@ust.hk) immediately. Otherwise, penalty charges may arise.

As a full-time full fee paying registered HKUST RPg are eligible for student accommodation offered by the University, you can apply for hall in the coming Term/Residential Year.

However, the guaranteed residence is given to RPgs in their first 2 years of RPg careers in HKUST regardless of the number of nights they stay in the hall. The period aforementioned is counted starting from the term you have admitted according to ARO’s record. The study period of the MPhil program which is a research-based program is still counted in guaranteed residence regardless of the number of nights you stay, and even if you never applied for hall during your study period of the MPhil program. So, your application made for your first year of study under a PhD program will fall into the category of NON-guaranteed residence.

Guaranteed residence is given to RPgs in their first 2 years of RPg careers in HKUST regardless of the application status and the number of nights they stay in the hall. The period aforementioned is counted starting from the term you have admitted according to ARO’s record. In other words, you only have one year of guaranteed residence left.

Guaranteed residence is given to RPgs in their first 2 years of RPg careers in HKUST regardless of the reason for not claiming the priority and the number of nights they stay in the hall. The period aforementioned is counted starting from the term you have admitted according to ARO’s record. There is NO extension of guaranteed residence provided to RPgs who conduct research outside Hong Kong/internship/exchange.

ONLY full-time full fee paying registered HKUST RPg are eligible for student accommodation offered by the University. Therefore, you are not eligible for student housing and are required to check out by a specific deadline.

A significant increase in 2026-27 PG Application with Priority Housing is anticipated. Based on the current number of bedspaces, the projected bedspace shortage rate is 16.6%. The demand from PG applicants, both with and without Priority Housing, will substantially exceed the supply.  

Since the Postgraduate students with guaranteed residence will be prioritized for housing, it is UNLIKEY for applicants without guaranteed residence to be assigned a bedspace in Residential Year 2026–27, even they remain eligible to apply. 

If you and your friend(s) would like to live in an apartment, you can opt for hall/room swapping, a newly established system for RPGs. You may find more details in PG Room Swapping FAQ.

Please note that requests for roommate preference via email will not be accepted. 

The bedspaces are randomly assigned in case demand is greater than supply. It’s unlikely to arrange for the change. Please understand that there is NO GUARANTEE of specified student hall/ room type/ roommate assignment.

Normally, other than official two-way swapping, single way room transfer will not be considered unless you have very special circumstances such as medical or mental needs with recent supporting proofs issued by local professional practitioners in Hong Kong.  

Alternatively, you may consider changing your room through the hall/room swapping exercise. For details, please refer to PG Room Swapping FAQ.

Rooms for married couples are available in GGT. Applicants who would like to apply for couple room MUST indicate this room type as their 1st preference in their hall application form and submit the marriage certificate to the hall system within the application period. Otherwise, their application for couple room will NOT be considered.

Allocation of couple rooms is subject to proof verification and room availability. In case the demand is greater than the supply, applicants will be allocated to other room types and added to the waitlist for couple rooms. They will receive notification once couple rooms become available.

If you intend to check out earlier than the last day of the assigned residential period, you are required to submit an Early Hall Withdrawal Request to obtain approval from SHRLO.

If you are only leaving the hall for a short period of time and tend to return within the assigned residential period, you should not submit a withdrawal request. 

Please be reminded that you will NOT be considered for any on-campus accommodation after your early check-out in the same Residential Year. The decision is irrevocable. Therefore, we suggest residents assess their housing needs before sending us to request early withdrawal.

If you wish to leave the hall before the end of your assigned residential period, please submit the PG Hall Early Withdrawal Request at >>HERE<< and wait for SHRLO's confirmation.

Theoretically, no. You may only select one of the available hall fee cut-off dates displayed in the withdrawal form. The latest check-out date is usually the next calendar date of hall fee cut-off date. However, you are allowed to check-out anytime before the designated check-out date.

Available withdrawal dates will be removed from the form once the corresponding hall charges have been billed. Hall charges are normally billed in early of each month. If a date is not shown in the form, it is no longer available for selection.

You are recommended to submit your request as early as possible, as available withdrawal dates may be removed after hall charges have been billed.

Yes. After receiving SHRLO's confirmation, you may check out before the deadline. However, hall fees will be charged according to the approved cut-off date.

A fixed penalty of HK$100 per person per night plus hall charges incurred on a daily basis will be levied on those who fail to complete the check-out procedures by the given deadline.

Each resident can only submit Early Hall Withdrawal Request once in each Residential Year. Requests to change an approved withdrawal date will be considered on a case-by-case basis and are subject to the availability of withdrawal dates at that time. Please contact SHRLO as soon as possible if you need to make changes.

Before submitting an early withdrawal request, please carefully consider your housing needs.

If your early withdrawal request is approved and you have check-out from the hall, you will not be eligible for any on-campus accommodation for the remaining of the same Residential Year. The decision is final and cannot be reversed.

Therefore, you are strongly advised to ensure that you have secured alternative accommodation and fully considered your housing arrangements before submitting an early withdrawal request.

We understand that there is a lag time of the release date of Postgraduate Studentship (“PGS”). As the residential period commenced in the middle of August, the 1st instalment of the hall charge for new RPgs will cover both August and September so that most of the RPgs can settle the hall charge by using their PGS automatically. Likewise, it applies to the new RPgs in the Spring Term. The 1st instalment of the hall charge will cover both January and February.

If you are unable to check in to the hall within 14 days from the commencement date of the hall offer period, you should email the Student Housing and Residential Life Office at pghousing@ust.hk IMMEDIATELY to provide the exact date of your late check-in. If we do not hear from you about late check-in, your hall offer will become null and void but you are still responsible for the hall fee incurred.