STEM Internship Scheme


Technology Start-up Support Scheme for Universities

Objective

Launched in 2020, the STEM14 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 university full‑time STEM programmes funded by the University Grants Committee ("UGC") to enrol in short-term internships. The Chief Executive announced in the 2022 Policy Address that the Scheme would be expanded to offer local I&T-related internship opportunities to students studying STEM programmes at Greater Bay Area campuses established by designated local universities, as well as in other local and non-local universities. The relevant measures will be implemented in 2023-24. Further details will be announced later.

Eligibility

Key Features

Application

Individual universities are responsible for administering the Scheme and prescribing their respective application procedures and arrangements. It is at the discretion of individual universities to decide whether an internship place is I&T-related and meaningful, based on 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 students and employers are welcomed to approach the respective universities.

Frequently Asked Questions

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There are currently eight participating universities, namely City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Baptist University, Lingnan University, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Education University, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and the University of Hong Kong.

Each participating university is responsible for administering the Scheme, and prescribing its application procedure and arrangement. Interested students and employers may approach respective universities directly 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 intern 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 three months 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

Others

Videos of Case Sharing by Student Interns

Advertorials

30 Sep 2020 Headline Daily
30 Sep 2020
Headline Daily
29 Sep 2020 HKET
29 Sep 2020
HKET
25 Sep 2020 SCMP
25 Sep 2020
SCMP
18 Sep 2020 Ming Pao
18 Sep 2020
Ming Pao
30 Jul 2020 HKET
30 Jul 2020
HKET
29 Jul 2020 SCMP
29 Jul 2020
SCMP
28 Jul 2020 Headline Daily
28 Jul 2020
Headline Daily
21 Jul 2020 Ming Pao
21 Jul 2020
Ming Pao

Enquiry

Interested students and employers may contact the following universities -

University Contact
City University of Hong Kong Career and Leadership Centre
Tel: (852) 3442 5594
Email: stem.internship@cityu.edu.hk
Hong Kong Baptist University Miss Penny Lo
Career Centre
Tel: (852) 3411 5278
Email: pennylo@hkbu.edu.hk
Lingnan University

Office of Student Affairs – Career Advising Services
Tel: (852) 2616 7406 / (852) 2616 7446
Email: career@LN.edu.hk

The Chinese University of Hong Kong Career Planning and Development Centre
Tel: (852) 3943 7202
Email: cpdc@cuhk.edu.hk
The Education University of Hong Kong Career Development Service
Tel: (852) 2948 6246
Email: careerservice@eduhk.hk
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Careers and Placement Section, Student Affairs Office
Tel: (852) 3400 2446
Email: stem.cps@polyu.edu.hk
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Career Center
Tel: (852) 2358 6688
Email: itcstem@ust.hk
The University of Hong Kong The Centre of Development and Resources for Students
Tel: (852) 3917 2317
Email: stem@cedars.hku.hk