Academic calendar
Semester One 2026/27 runs Aug 31, 2026 – Jan 5, 2027. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- Semester One 2026/27Relevant now
- Semester Two 2026/27
- Summer Term 2026/27
- Semester One 2027/28
- Semester Two 2027/28
- Summer Term 2027/28
Campus language
Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.
Showing 19 of 19 terms
B
- Boyu Hall
- One of the specific residential halls within the Hung Hom complex.
C
- Chur
- A term used to describe a lifestyle or task that is extremely demanding, busy, or exhausting.
- Communal
- The Communal Dining Hall located in the Communal Building, offering a variety of local food options.
D
- Dem beat
- A rhythmic performance involving chanting and clapping, unique to Hong Kong student culture and orientation.
F
- FMO
- Facilities Management Office, which handles campus maintenance and room bookings.
G
- GPA God
- A mythical figure students 'worship' (often through social media or small shrines) to pray for high grades.
H
- HKPUSU
- The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Student Union, the main representative body for students.
- Homantin Hall
- The Student Halls of Residence located in Ho Man Tin, typically housing senior or postgraduate students.
- Hung Hom Hall
- The Student Halls of Residence located in Hung Hom, the primary residential complex for undergraduates.
I
- ITS
- Information Technology Services, the department providing Wi-Fi, email, and technical support.
K
- Kai Ho Hall
- A specific residential hall within the Hung Hom complex known for its student activities.
L
- Lawn Cafe
- An outdoor/semi-outdoor dining area near the central lawn area of the campus.
- Lib Cafe
- The coffee shop located within the Pao Yue-kong Library, popular for study breaks.
O
- O-camp
- Orientation Camp, a multi-day social event for freshmen to integrate into their departments or halls.
R
- Re-u
- Short for 'reunion,' referring to social gatherings held by O-camp groups after the orientation period ends.
S
- SAO
- Student Affairs Office, responsible for student welfare, activities, and hall administration.
- SHTM
- School of Hotel and Tourism Management, one of the university's most prominent faculties.
V
- VA Canteen
- The student canteen located in the Shaw Amenities Building (Block VA).
Z
- Z Canteen
- The canteen located in Block Z, often quieter than the central dining areas.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- Add/Drop
- The two-week period at the start of each semester when students can modify their course schedules.
- Block Z
- The Phase 8 development building, located across the footbridge from the main campus.
- communal_staff_restaurant_ju_yin_house
- Communal Staff Restaurant (Ju Yin House)
- communal_student_canteen
- Communal Student Canteen
- eStudent
- The primary web portal for subject registration, checking grades, and managing personal academic records.
- h_caf_american_diner
- H Café (American Diner)
- homantin_hall_canteen
- Homantin Hall Canteen
- hung_hom_hall_canteen_the_forest
- Hung Hom Hall Canteen (The Forest)
- JCIT
- Jockey Club Innovation Tower, the iconic Zaha Hadid-designed building housing the School of Design.
- M-core
- Li Ka Shing Tower (Block M), a central administrative and academic hub.
- Moodle
- The Learning Management System (LMS) used by professors to distribute course materials and collect assignments.
- PolyU Card
- The official student identity card used for building access, library services, and hall entry.
- Subject Registration
- The competitive process of enrolling in classes, often referred to as a 'war' due to high demand for popular electives.
- The Red Brick
- A general nickname for the campus buildings, referring to the university's signature red-brick architectural style.
- V-core
- The core section of the Innovation Tower (Block V).
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- Semester One 2026/27 runs Aug 31, 2026 – Jan 5, 2027.
- How much campus context is included?
- 19 approved campus terms and 15 local details are included in full.
- Are all approved campus terms included?
- Yes. The complete approved glossary is available in the scrollable, searchable campus-language section.
- Where does this guide come from?
- Calendar dates, campus terms, and local details come from DormWay's approved campus reference library.