Objective

Launched in 2020, the STEM ²⁵ Internship Scheme (the "Scheme") aims to encourage STEM students to gain innovation and technology ("I&T")-related work experience during their studies and to foster their interest in pursuing a career in I&T after graduation, so as to enlarge the local I&T talent pool. Under the Scheme, allowance will be provided for undergraduates and postgraduates taking full‑time STEM-related programmes in universities funded by the University Grants Committee ("UGC") to enrol in short-term internships.

As an additional measure to attract I&T talents, the Scheme is being expanded in phases to cover undergraduates and postgraduates studying STEM-related programmes in the Greater Bay Area ("GBA") campuses established by designated local universities and the internship opportunities offered by the five government-funded research and development centres ("R&D Centres") and the Hong Kong Productivity Council ("HKPC") to undergraduates and postgraduates studying STEM programmes in local and non-local universities. The expansion aims to encourage STEM students of other places to gain first-hand experience and understanding of the local I&T ecosystem and boost their confidence in pursuing a career in I&T in Hong Kong.

Eligibility ²⁶

Participating Institutions : Tertiary institutions in Hong Kong funded by the UGC, including the campuses they established in the GBA, the five government-funded R&D Centres and HKPC are eligible to participate in the Scheme. A full list of the participating institutions and their contacts is available under "Enquiry" below. Individual participating institutions may supplement further requirements and make specific arrangements to suit their own circumstances.

Students : Both local ²⁷ and non-local undergraduates and postgraduates majoring in full-time eligible STEM-related programmes offered by the participating universities, including their GBA campuses, are eligible. Non-local students ²⁸ are allowed to enrol in internships in Hong Kong only, subject to the conditions of stay of their visa/entry permit issued by the Immigration Department. For the Scheme operated by R&D Centres and HKPC, undergraduates and postgraduates majoring in full-time eligible STEM programmes in local ²⁹ or non-local ³⁰ universities will be eligible. Student interns receiving the allowance under the Scheme cannot concurrently benefit from other internship subsidies provided by the Hong Kong SAR Government (the "HKSAR Government").

Employers : All companies/organisations are welcomed to offer I&T-related internship places for, and recruit interns benefited from the Scheme, subject to the arrangements of individual universities. Participating employers are expected to provide proper supervision for the student interns.

Participating employers may pay the student interns an honorarium on top of the allowance under the Scheme with reference to their internal policies, industry benchmarks or market rates ³¹ . Companies/organisations should not receive other subsidies from the HKSAR Government for engaging any student interns under the Scheme.

Key Features

Internship Placements : Internship places can be newly created or belong to existing in-house internship programmes of the companies/organisations. They have to meet the following requirements –

local or non-local full-time placements ²⁸ lasting at least 28 calendar days; and

offer meaningful I&T-related work (internship places arranged by universities will be subject to the vetting of the respective universities).

The Scheme has adopted a broad definition of I&T under which an internship place will be regarded as I&T-related as long as its actual work contains I&T elements (e.g. technology-related intellectual property work, digital marketing, data analysis for the manufacturing industry, etc.). Participating employers, R&D Centres and HKPC may pay an honorarium during the internship period on top of the allowance under the Scheme. They have full discretion in determining the honorarium level (without affecting the allowance received by the student interns under the Scheme) with reference to their internal policies, industry benchmarks or market rates ³¹ .

Allowance and Funding : The student interns will receive the allowance subject to the arrangements of individual participating institutions. The allowance for each student intern under the Scheme is HK$11,190 per month ³² with effect from 1 April 2023, with a cap as prescribed by individual participating institutions, but not more than 90 days in each academic year. ITC will disburse the funding to the participating institutions on a reimbursement basis.

Application

Individual participating institutions are responsible for administering the Scheme and prescribing their respective application procedures and arrangements. Interested students are welcomed to approach the respective participating institutions.

It is at the discretion of individual universities to decide whether an internship place offered by a company/organisation is I&T-related and meaningful, taking into account the feedbacks of past student interns, and to set a ceiling on the number of student interns under the Scheme in each company/organisation to enrich student experiences. Interested employers are welcomed to approach the respective universities.

Frequently Asked Questions

There are currently eight participating universities, namely City University of Hong Kong ("CityU"), Hong Kong Baptist University ("HKBU"), Lingnan University ("LU"), the Chinese University of Hong Kong ("CUHK"), the Hong Kong Education University ("EdUHK"), the Hong Kong Polytechnic University ("PolyU"), the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology ("HKUST") and the University of Hong Kong ("HKU").

The five government-funded R&D Centres refer to –

(a) Automotive Platforms and Application Systems R&D Centre ("APAS");

(b) Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute ("ASTRI"), designated as the R&D Centre for Information and Communications Technologies;

(c) Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel ("HKRITA");

(d) Logistics and Supply Chain MultiTech R&D Centre ("LSCM"); and

(e) Nano and Advanced Materials Institute ("NAMI").

The five R&D Centres and the Hong Kong Productivity Council ("HKPC") joined the Scheme as participating institutions as from 12 June 2023.

Each participating institution is responsible for administering the Scheme and prescribing its application procedures and arrangements. Interested students may approach respective participating institutions and interested employers may approach the respective participating universities for details.

Yes. Starting from April 2021, both local and non-local students who are legally employable in Hong Kong and meet the eligibility requirements are welcomed to join the Scheme. Non-local students are allowed to enrol in internships in Hong Kong only, subject to the conditions of stay of their visa/entry permit issued by the Immigration Department.

Final year students who have fulfilled all the course/credit requirements are eligible, so long as the internship commences before the expiry of student status and they meet the requirements of the individual universities. Non-local students should be subject to the conditions of stay of their visa/entry permit issued by the Immigration Department.

Only full-time internship is eligible under the Scheme. However, subject to the arrangement of individual universities and agreement of the participating employer, student interns may take unpaid study leaves insofar that the full-time employment requirement is met.

On the premise that the requirements of their university have been met, students may undertake internships under the Scheme during gap semester/year with a cap as prescribed by their university but not more than 90 days in each academic year.

Yes. As individual universities have prescribed their respective arrangements for application and allowance disbursement, the participating employer should ensure that it meets any requirements as set by the respective universities of the student interns. Such arrangements may include setting a ceiling on the number of student interns in each company/organisation and deciding whether an internship place is I&T‑related and meaningful based on the feedbacks of past student interns.

You may visit the following websites for more information on the relevant requirements under: -

the Minimum Wages Ordinance (Cap. 608):
https://www.labour.gov.hk/eng/erb/smw_esi_wes.htm

Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF):
https://www.mpfa.org.hk/en/mpf-system/mandatory-contributions/employees

City University of Hong Kong Career and Leadership Centre
Tel: (852) 3442 2251
Email: [email protected] Hong Kong Baptist University Miss Penny LO
Career Centre
Tel: (852) 3411 5278
Email: [email protected] Lingnan University Office of Student Affairs – Career Advising Services
Tel: (852) 2616 7406 / (852) 2616 7446
Email: [email protected] The Chinese University of Hong Kong Career Planning and Development Centre
Tel: (852) 3943 7202
Email: [email protected] The Education University of Hong Kong Career Development Service
Tel: (852) 2948 6246
Email: [email protected] The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Careers and Placement Section, Student Affairs Office
Tel: (852) 3400 2446
Email: [email protected] The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Career Center
Tel: (852) 2358 6688
Email: [email protected] The University of Hong Kong The Centre of Development and Resources for Students
Tel: (852) 3917 2317
Email: [email protected] Automotive Platforms and Application Systems R&D Centre Ms Anna LI
Tel: (852) 2788 6089
Email: [email protected] Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute Talent Acquisition Team
Tel: (852) 3406 2707
Email: [email protected] Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel Mr Hino CHANG
Human Resources Section
Tel: (852) 2627 8160
Email: [email protected] Logistics and Supply Chain MultiTech R&D Centre Ms Koey YONG
Tel: (852) 3973 6274

Mr Chris CHAN
Tel: (852) 3973 6286

Email: [email protected] Nano and Advanced Materials Institute Mr Andy WONG
Human Resources Unit
Tel: (852) 3511 3486
Email: [email protected] Hong Kong Productivity Council