An Introduction to CUHKSZ: Things Every Exchange Student Should Know

Studying at Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen was one of the most unique university experiences I’ve had. The university is modern, well-developed, international, and surprisingly convenient once you understand how everything works. That said, when most exchange students first arrive, the campus can feel very confusing. The terminology is different, the shuttle buses seem complicated at first, and even understanding where your class is located can become an adventure during your first week. So here’s a practical introduction to CUHKSZ, written from the perspective of an exchange student who has actually lived there.

Understanding Basic CUHKSZ Terminology

One of the first things you need to understand is this: At CUHKSZ, "College" and "School" means two different things. College refers to student dormitories. School refers to academic buildings, generally referring to the academic area where classes are held.

Upper Campus vs Lower Campus

The university is broadly divided into Upper Campus and Lower Campus. Upper Campus is where most of the residential colleges are located.

Notable colleges include:

• Muse College

• Diligentia College

• Harmonia College

• Minerva College

• Ling College

Lower Campus is where the following are located:

• Academic buildings

• Libraries

• Student services

• Sports hall

• Shaw College

Most exchange students are likely to stay at one of the above mentioned colleges.

The Shuttle Bus is Essential

The distance between upper and lower campus is not really walkable. That’s why the campus shuttle bus system is extremely important. Honestly, one thing I loved about CUHKSZ was the shuttle buses are incredibly frequent. Compared to NTU, the campus is smaller, yet the buses feel even more frequent, usually arriving every 2 minutes or so.

Understanding the Shuttle Bus Lines

There are 5 key shuttle services

• Line 1

• Line 2

• Line 3

• Line 4

• Line 407

Line 1 - Most commonly used route

• College

• Sports Hall

• Teaching D

• Teaching Complex

• Liwen Hall

Line 3 - Similar to Line 1, but:

• Only operates during peak hours

• Terminates at Teaching D

Line 4 - Similar to Line 1, but stops by one more stop between College and Sports Hall:

• Music College

Line 2 - The only line that takes the left route after Sports Hall

• College

• Sports Hall

• Shaw College

• University Library

Line 407 - This is a special out-of-campus feeder bus

• College

• Teaching Complex

• Dayun Zhongxin Station 大运中心地铁站 (And where the mall next to the school is)

• Longgang Cocopark

• Dayun Station 大运地铁站

Take note this is a paid service (around 1 - 2 RMB), and timings are fixed according to the schedule boards. It's useful for students heading to the city, as it reduces the need to take Line 1 to Teaching Complex, before walking to Dayun Zhongxin station, and changing lines at Dayun station.

Dormitory Life

Most dormitories are:

• 4-person rooms

• allocated by university

• students from the same home university stay together

• but students from different universities within the same country may end up in different colleges

There are generally 2 room layouts:

1. Traditional bunk-bed style with study tables beside

2. Loft-bed style with study tables underneath

Personally, the dorms were quite comfortable and functional.

Food and Canteen

CUHKSZ has a lot of food options.

Every college has its own canteen, and lower campus has several additional ones - One at Shaw, two at Student Services, and one at Liwen Hall.

My Personal Recommendations

1. Student Services Centre (2nd Floor)

One of my favourite, with a fried rice stall selling large portions for around 15 RMB.

2. Shaw Canteen

There's a wanton stall (take note, its not wanton noodle, just wanton), which is very affordable and even voted best store in CUHKSZ last year.

3. Muse Canteen

Widely regarded among students as the best canteen overall.

Understanding the Academic Buildings

This part confuses almost everyone initially. The lower campus academic area is split into:

• Teaching Buildings

• Teaching Complex

Teaching Buildings

• Teaching A

• Teaching B

• Teaching C

• Teaching D

These are individual buildings lined up together

Teaching Complex

• One large building

• Split into wings A, B, C, D

This is where the confusion happens.

If your schedule states TC 202, it's referring to Teaching C Room 202.

If your schedule states TxC 202, it's referring to Teaching Complex C Room 202.

Notice the small "x".

Another confusion comes at Teaching B, C, D, where there buildings are shaped like a V. And the V kinds of overlaps with each other from level 3 onwards. What this means is, there are 2 elevators up at each building, but 1 elevator leads to level 3 of this building, the other elevator leads to level 3 of another building. Which means, if you're in Teaching C, if you take the wrong elevator, you may end up at Level 3, of the next building. I know it's confusing, but it's not that bad.

Teaching D: The Most Important Spot on Campus

If there's one place that feels like the "student hub", it'll be Teaching D. It's basement contains:

• FamilyMart (the only convenience store at Lower Campus)

• Printing Shop (Take note, you don't have to print here, there is printers everywhere)

• Study Cafe

• Bank Office

• Eyewear Shop

• Hair Salon

• University Gift Shop

Libraries

The university has 2 main libraries at the Lower Campus. The New Library is accessible via Line 2, and is modern, large and one of the most popular study spots. There are even monitor stations students can use for work. The Old Library is located near the Sports Hall, and is smaller, quieter, and more relaxed.

Campus Amenities

The campus is genuinely self-sufficient. You'll find convenience stores, hair salons, cafes, gyms, study areas, and sports facilities across BOTH upper and lower campus.

Starbucks and McDonald's

Starbucks is located at Teaching D Level 1, while McDonald's is located at both Diligentia and Student Services Centre. Take note the Student Services outlet only opens during peak meal hours.

Sports Facilities

Sports Hall

Left building contains:

• Gym

• Badminton Courts

• Basketball Courts

• Indoor Swimming pool (Apparently you'll need swimming caps.)

The university also allows equipment borrowing, which is very convenient for exchange students.

Right building contains:

• Dance room

• Martial arts room

• Table Tennis hall

• Football field

• Running track

At night, exchange students often organize frisbee games in the sheltered area on Level 1 as well.

Upper Campus Sports Areas

Upper campus also has:

• Tennis Courts

• Basketball Courts

• Gyms (Minerva College)

Courts can be found around Muse, Harmonia and Diligentia.

Laundry

Laundry is straightforward, at least for Muse. Laundry area is on the rooftop accessible by stairs. Washing cost 3.6 RMB, while drying cost 2.7 RMB, though there is option for 40mins, 50mins and even 60mins drying. The washing machines also already includes detergent so you don't have to use your own. There's also a commercial laundry shop at Minerva for delicate clothing.

Important Campus Gates

Important to know especially for food delivery and ride-hailing.

Main gates include:

• East Gate 东门 （Closest to 大运中心地铁站 and Mall）

• New South Gate （Main Entrance of the School）

• Old South Gate

• North Gate （Upper Campus，Next to the Main Road）

• Harmonia Gate（Common for 外卖）

Most gates also have food delivery lockers, so don't worry. It's just a matter of how far the place is from you.

Final Thoughts

What stood out most to me about CUHKSZ was how modern, international, and efficient the university felt. And over time, the campus starts feeling less like a confusing maze and more like a small city you slowly learn to navigate comfortably. Once you understand how CUHKSZ works, it becomes an incredibly enjoyable place to study and live.

What other things would you like to know about CUHKSZ? Feel free to reach out to me anytime.