Why are you asking alumni to give? Doesn’t HKUST receive donations from corporations and tycoons?
Donations from the community are usually non-regular and sometimes just a one-off. This type of donation is often designated for capital projects, such as new buildings or laboratories, or specific projects. While donations from individual alumnus may be small compared with those from tycoons, collectively they can make a big difference.
Where is my donation going?
Your donation will go directly to the Alumni Endowment Fund (AEF) projects. The principal of the endowment fund is maintained in perpetuity, and only the income from investment of the principal is expended.
HKUST charges tuition, and the HKSAR Government provides subsidies. Aren't those enough?
All universities in Hong Kong charge less than the full cost of running the institutions. Tuition fees can only cover a small fraction of the cost of educating a student. HKUST cannot reach the pinnacle of its ambitions by relying solely on grants and subsidies from the government. To become not just great but a world class university, we require additional funding sources that give us the flexibility to support initiatives of the highest priority.
I'm only in the early stages of my career and can only afford to donate a small amount. Is this of use?
Yes! If each alumnus donates $50 a month, with 100,000 alumni, that would amount to a total of $60 million per year. Every contribution, no matter how small, makes a difference! Your donation will have a significant cumulative and long-term impact on our goals at HKUST and demonstrates your trust in our institution.
Is my contribution tax-deductible?
A donation of HK$100 or above to HKUST is tax-deductible in Hong Kong. For one-time gifts, a donation receipt will be issued within two months of the funds being received by the University. For monthly gifts, a donation receipt will be issued on a fiscal year basis (typically in April each year).
When will my credit card be charged?
Your credit card will be charged immediately for one-time gifts after you have completed online payment transaction. For monthly gifts, our finance office will charge your credit card on a monthly basis.
Can I donate with foreign currency?
For foreign currencies, please transfer the donation amount (RMB, EUR, USD, etc) to Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited with the following details:
Bank Address : Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited, Hong Kong
Bank of China Tower
1 Garden Road, Central, HK
Account no.: 012-896-9-200200-0
Bank Account Name : The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
SWIFT Code: BKCHHKHHXXX
Please email the bank-in slip to give2ust@ust.hk, or fax it to (852) 3743 0939, with your full name, contact number & donation reference number.
For donors who would like to support HKUST with their United States-based assets and enjoy tax-deductions, they can contribute through our non-profit partner Give2Asia. Please download and complete the Give2Asia form.
Why didn’t I receive an e-mail confirmation after I made a donation?
Please check your Junk / Spam e-mail folder just in case the confirmation e-mail was filtered into one of these folders. It is also recommended that you include our e-mails in your “safe” list. Please email give2ust@ust.hk for any enquiries.
How will my personal information be used?
The personal data collected (i.e. name, contact details, and other relevant information) will be used by the University for promotion of our events and news. In any circumstances, the University will not transfer the personal data to a third party for direct marketing purposes.