- Get Prepared for September
- Get High Grade Point Average (GPA) (Study Skills)
- Get Support
1. Get Prepared for September
Familiarising Yourself with Your Programme
A good understanding of your programme enrolled at HKCC or SPEED can definitely help you adapt to the studying environment more efficiently.
Knowing Your Award / Programme Leader
You can find your Scheme/Programme Leader, Assistant Scheme/Programme Leader and programme counselling team members to discuss your learning difficulties at any time. Please refer to the website of your Academic Division for the list of Scheme/Programme Leaders and Assistant Scheme/Programme Leaders.
Reading Your Timetable
The timetable at the College is different from that at the secondary school. It varies with your subjects and classes. You can log in to my.HKCC Student Portal (for HKCC students) or my.SPEED Student Portal (for SPEED students) to get your timetable of the semester.
Join Various Student Development Activities
CPCE Student Affairs Office (CSAO) is committed to providing quality student services and developmental activities that support students' whole-person development.
Scholarships and Support Funds
CPCE offers a wide portfolio of scholarships and prizes to students in recognition of their outstanding academic and non-academic achievements. In addition to scholarships, sponsorships and support funds are also available for students to encourage and subsidise their participation in local and overseas activities. You will be informed of the application details via email from time to time.
For more information about the scholarships offered by HKCC and SPEED, please visit:
Campus Facilities
2. Get High Grade Point Average (GPA) (Study Skills)
Important Dates
There are many important dates you cannot miss.
- Term Start Date
- Subject Registration Period
- Add/Drop Period
- School Holidays
- Examination
- Assessment Result Announcement Date
Registration Details
- Subject Registration
- Conducted online
- Get details from notices sent through email and read the student handbook
- Add/Drop of Subjects
- Do it through the add/drop facility online during the add/drop period as specified in the Academic Calendar
- New students are not allowed to do add/drop in semester one
- Withdrawal of Subjects
- You are not allowed to drop subjects after the add/drop period, unless with the approval of the respective Academic Divisions
- You can download the form from my.HKCC / my.SPEED.
Develop Academic Interest
In our studies as in our lives, there are always times when we are required to study or do things we feel we are not interested in. While knowing your interest is important, remember that interest is not something that is unchangeable. In fact, it can often be developed. If we spend time to try to learn more about the subject and to understand why there are people who spent time to develop this subject in the first place, we will gradually come to like it more. So, don’t give up easily by saying that you are not interested. Read more, ask your friends, classmates and lecturers. As you know more, your interest will often grow too.
Acquire Good Study Skills
Academic Divisions will keep organising different workshops that are useful to you. Also, you can attend workshops on study skills organised by CSAO. Watch out for the relevant information from email announcements, CSAO website, or my.HKCC / my.SPEED Student Portals.
Learn from Graduates
Graduates’ feedback is valuable. You can learn from the experiences of graduates by reading their sharing:
Manage Your Time
Effective time management can do well for your study and it starts with good planning.
Form Effective Teams
- Finding your group mates…
Team up with group mates of similar expectations. Closer expectations on time and effort devoted to projects help to avoid future disappointment.
- Having a good start…
Get to know more about your group mates at the beginning. A friendly atmosphere helps to facilitate room for future cooperation.
- Dividing tasks wisely…
Find out each other’s strengths and preferences. Suitable division of work according to the abilities and interests of each group mate can create synergy.
- Boosting positive communication…
A climate of positive communication can help to energise the group. Keep communicating clearly, positively and sincerely in the group. It is the most effective way to communicate with your group mates.
- Handling disagreements…
Respect different opinions. Be open to listen and explore different ideas. Also, check with silent members on what is in their minds. This can help enrich group discussions.
- Setting ground rules explicitly…
Set up ground rules for the group. Attendance and punctuality to the group meetings, completion of tasks according to the agreed work schedule are significant to achieve quality work.
- Keep checking the progress…
Discuss on the way to keep communication beyond group meetings. It can be by email, phone calls or internet to check the progress of each other before the next meeting. This can help solve problems in an early stage.
- Correcting irresponsibility…
Talk about your expectations and difficulties you are experiencing if there are group mates behaving irresponsibly. A high tolerance for irresponsible behavior may distress you. Speak up when the issue is important to you.
- Seek help early…
Instead of living with frustration too long, consider seeking help from others. Lecturers and student counselling officers can help you handle difficulties on projects or group relationship.
- Commitment to yourself…
Be a diligent group mate. You are the one benefiting the most from the valuable experience. The more effort you devote, the better result you will get.
Download Past Papers
You can download past papers through CPCE Library
Avoiding ‘7’ Traps of Getting Failed
- Trap 1: I think tertiary education is a “honeymoon” period
Tertiary education allows students a lot more freedom in how they manage their time and studies than secondary education. This is to enable students to develop their initiative and learn to be independent. However, some students abuse this freedom and lack self-discipline. They spend little or even no efforts on their studies. When it is time for tests, exams or deadlines for assignment submission, they find it too late to catch up.
- Trap 2: I found the subject contents too difficult to understand
In tertiary education, you are expected to do a lot of reading. It is normal that you find some topics that are not easy to understand at first sight. Try to form study groups with peers or ask your lecturers whenever queries popped up. One common reason why some students find the subject difficult is because of their weak English. Thus, try not just to study the subject matter but also to put consistent efforts on improving your English.
- Trap 3: I only studied notes and memorised the points
You may still get a fail grade if you only study the lecture notes provided. Although lecture notes are very useful, more detailed information is found in the textbooks and other references which will help better understand the subject and make sense of it. The teaching plan distributed in the first lesson will provide you with information on the required readings.
- Trap 4: I never ask even if I don’t understand
All of your subject lecturers have arranged consultation hours for you in each week. You can always knock on their doors or make an appointment in advance and ask your lecturers any questions concerning the subject.
- Trap 5: I study day and night before exams
During a semester, you should keep up your study and not just before the exam. Assignments and other exercises are critical for you to evaluate how much you understand about a topic. Your hard work in the assignments and continuous study will relieve your burden a lot before the exam.
- Trap 6: I have Instagram on while I study
Try to stop all the distracting items around you, including Instagram, Facebook, computer games….
- Trap 7: I think I don't need to attend all classes
If you are late for lessons or skipping classes, you will miss lots of learning opportunities. It is much more effective to learn in class than to study the same subject matter by your own. Also, if your attendance rate is too low, you may not be allowed to take examinations (please refer to your Student Handbook for college regulations.)
3. Get Support
Via Websites and Student Portals
You can get information from programme details, facilities to college life via the CPCE, HKCC and SPEED websites and my.HKCC and my.SPEED Student Portals.
Via our Enquiry Hotline and Emails
Should you have any inquiries on academic matters, please contact the CPCE Academic Registry (CAR):
Via the Student Handbook
For rules and regulations in relation to your study, please refer to the Student Handbook accessible at my.HKCC / my.SPEED.
Via your Academic Advisor
Each full-time student will be assigned an Academic Advisor. You are encouraged to consult your Academic Advisor for matters concerning your studies.
Via our Student Counselling Services
Full-time students can make appointments with our Student Affairs and Counselling Officers by phone at 6773 9700 (24 hours) or via the online booking system. You can visit the website of Student Counselling Services for more details.
