FAQ – Questions about academic advising
Q1.1 What advisers are there at the University to help me with studies?
Q1.2 How can I find my Faculty Academic Adviser (FAA) in SIS?
Q1.3 How should I contact my FAA and what should I do if he/she does not respond?
Q1.4 Can I change my FAA?
Q1.5 What is Temporary Academic Advisers (TAA)? How can I get one?
Q1.6 How can I find the student advisers in my Faculty?
Q1.7 How can the Academic Advising and Scholarships Office help me with studies?
Q1.1 What advisers are there at the University to help me with studies?
There are six types of Academic Advisers under the University-wide Academic Advising System who can help you with studies:
1. Faculty Academic Advisers (FAA – teachers at your home Faculty);
2. Faculty Temporary Academic Adviser (TAA – teachers who specialize on helping students to explore major/minor options);
3. Faculty Student Advisers;
4. Residential Student Advisers;
5. Academic Advisers in the Academic Advising and Scholarships Office (AASO); and
6. Administrative staff from Faculty / Department offices.
For details, please refer to the video here.
Q1.2 How can I find my Faculty Academic Adviser (FAA) in SIS?
You can check who your FAA is via the web link of https://ugaa.hku.hk/viewugadvisers.php. For enquiries and support, please call us at 39170128.
Q1.3 How should I contact my FAA and what should I do if he/she does not respond?
You could email your FAA first to make an appointment with him/her. His/her contacts are at https://ugaa.hku.hk/viewugadvisers.php (Portal login required). Sometimes, FAAs reserve “consultation hours” for advisees, please check with them. If your FAA is too busy to get back to you, please try emailing him/her for a few times more and approach your Faculty Office/Department for help if needed.
Q1.4 Can I change my FAA?
Under normal circumstances, FAA cannot be changed once assigned. However, if you have some very special reasons or concerns, please liaise with your home Faculty Office on this.
Q1.5 What is Temporary Academic Advisers (TAA)? How can I get one?
TAA is a teacher from Faculty, usually the Programme Director or co-ordinator of a particular programme, to help you explore major/minor options and answer enquiries for a particular discipline. You can go to “Self Services” in SIS, and then click “Request Temporary Adviser” to request for one. Your advising relationship with TAA lasts for 90 days. TAAs are available for all major/minor programmes that are open to non-home Faculty students.
Q1.6 How can I find the student advisers in my Faculty?
You can find the information of the student advisers in your Faculty website, or in SIS under “Find Your Adviser” on the right hand-side if a student adviser has been assigned to you. See here for more information. You can also contact your Faculty Office for further support on peer advising, especially for those Faculties which do not have student advisers yet.
Q1.7 How can the Academic Advising and Scholarships Office help me with studies?
Academic Advisers at AASO supplement the role of FAA through advising students on university regulations, general university requirements, development of study plans, major minor selection, cross faculties learning opportunities and academic progress. For first year students in particular, AASO helps them make a smooth transition to the University and develop study plans to achieve their academic goals. We provide one-on-one advising service. Please make an appointment with us at https://booking.aas.hku.hk/ .
