Dear Postgraduate Studentship (PGS) Holders,

PGS holders may take up employment or remunerative engagements per the terms provided in the Code of Practice (Research Postgraduate Studies).

The value of the employment as benefiting student’s pursuit of current studies and/or future career will be the main considerations with the premise that the work should be of great relevance to the student’s research or studies. .

Approval of the Executive Committee of the Graduate Council (GCExCo) prior to (1) PGS holders’ part-time on-campus employment that exceeds the ceiling of 50 hours (or 100 hours - if the engagement concerned is requested by the students’ Graduate Division) per academic year and (2) PGS students’ remunerative engagements, is required.

It has come to the attention of the Graduate School that some postgraduate students failed to obtain prior approval of the GCExCo.

In order to regulate the problems as well as raise awareness of the rule and to stress the importance for PGS holders taking up part-time on campus employment beyond the permissible limits or remunerative engagements seek prior approval from GCExCo, the GCExCo has resolved to introduce new measures in order to effectively deter and eliminate such unregulated engagements. The thus amended code of practice will take effect from 2023-24:

4.10 Employment

According to the University Regulations, all full-time students are not allowed to take up any full-time employment, paid or unpaid, during term time. Moreover, PGS holders are not allowed to take up full-time or part-time employment. However, there are still chances of employment during their studies:

(a) Taking up of part-time on-campus employment by PGS holders – PGS holders may take up part-time engagements of up to 50 hours per academic year. If the engagement concerned was requested by the students’ Graduate Division, the ceiling would be relaxed to a total of 100 hours per academic year. The approval authority rests with the Head of the Graduate Division. However, applications that exceed the ceiling should be submitted to GCExCo for prior approval. Students who fail to obtain the said prior approval will be punishable by a fine that is equivalent to 50% of the pay for the first 50 hours in excess of the ceiling and to 80% of the pay for the subsequent segment. Repeated violators during the normative study period will in addition be sent to the Graduate School Disciplinary Committee by the GCExCo for possible disciplinary actions in accordance with prevailing guidelines and procedures. The fine will be deducted from the student’s PGS or collected from the student in whichever way the University deems fit.

(b) Taking up of remunerative engagements (full-time or part-time) by PGS holders – PGS holders may take up research or studies related remunerative engagements within their normative study period. Students are required to seek prior endorsement from their thesis Supervisor and Head of the Graduate Division, and approval of GCExCo before taking up the engagement. Subject to the approval of GCExCo, the students will need to take in-residence leave and relinquish or deduct the PGS during the period concerned. Students who repeatedly fail to obtain the said prior approval during the normative study period will be sent to the Graduate School Disciplinary Committee by the GCExCo for possible disciplinary actions in accordance with prevailing guidelines and procedures.

(c) Taking up of full-time employment by full-time students – students who are approaching the end of the normative study period may take up a full-time employment if the student concerned already completed all programme requirements and submitted the thesis for examination, subject to the endorsement of the Supervisor and Head of the Graduate Division, and approval of GCExCo.

Non-local students should also refer to the previous section on student visa.

(Paragraphs underlined denote the newly added sections to the code.)

Students should take heed of and observe the above policy under Clause 4.10 of the Code of Practice (Research Postgraduate Studies) and seek prior approval through the Graduate Division from GCExCo as appropriate.

With best regards,

Graduate School