FAQs for Students

1. Open a web browser and go to https://canvas.ust.hk.
2. Select the correct account type and log in with your full primary email address in the format account@connect.ust.hk (not just your account name) along with your password.
   

   

If you have trouble logging in, please contact the ITSO Helpdesk via email at cchelp@ust.hk or call 2358-6200.

Canvas is designed to work on most devices and requires minimal specifications. For detailed information, please visit: Browser and computer requirements for Canvas

Canvas supports the latest two versions of all major browsers. We strongly recommend keeping your browser up to date. View the full list of supported browsers here: Supported browsers for Canvas

After logging in, you will land on your Dashboard. The Dashboard provides an overview of activities across all your courses and helps you keep track of upcoming tasks.
The Dashboard includes four main elements:

1. Global Navigation - Found on the left side of every page, Global Navigation gives quick access to your Courses, Groups, Calendar, SFQ, and Inbox. You can expand or collapse this menu using the arrow at the bottom. Learn more about Global Navigation »
   
2. Dashboard Course Cards - Each favourite course shows as a card with up to four tabs displaying Announcements, Assignments, Discussions, and Files. Visibility of these tabs mirrors your course navigation settings. Notifications for new items appear on the Discussions and Announcements tabs.
   Learn more about the Dashboard »
3. Sidebar - Shows what needs your attention across all courses, including To-Do lists, upcoming events, grades, and SFQ requests.
   
4. Help - Access guides and support resources for Canvas from anywhere within the platform.

To view your courses, click the Courses icon in the Global Navigation menu on the left. Select the course from the dropdown list. If your course is not shown there, select All Courses to see the complete list. Learn more about viewing courses »

If you are enrolled in many courses, you can customise which courses appear in your Courses menu and on your Dashboard by "starring" your favourite courses. Only starred courses appear on your Dashboard. If no courses are starred, the list shows up to 20 courses alphabetically by default. Learn more about customizing your Course list »

Yes! You can access Canvas through your mobile device’s web browser or the official Canvas app by Instructure.

• Search for "canvas.ust.hk" in the app to find the HKUST Canvas site.
• Log in with your HKUST ITSC account.

Note: Some features may not be fully available on the app depending on your device.
Learn more about using Canvas on mobile devices »

Several reasons might explain why a course does not appear:

• Dashboard Course Limit: The Dashboard shows up to 20 active, published courses by default. Check Courses > All Courses for your full list. Star your favourite courses to make them appear on the Dashboard and remember to update after each term.

• Enrollment Confirmed: If a course appears under All Courses, you have been successfully enrolled.

• Course Not Published: Unpublished courses appear dimmed with a No under the Published column. Instructors choose when to publish. Contact instructors or check the class schedule on SIS for details.

• Processing Time: Enrollment data syncs from HKUST SIS daily. Wait up to 24 hours after enrolling/dropping a course for it to reflect in Canvas.

• Waitlist Status: Students on waitlists gain access only after official enrollment.

• Missing Course After Waiting: If your course is missing 24 hours after enrollment, email canvas@ust.hk with course code and section for help.

Not all HKUST courses use Canvas; it’s up to the instructor. Unpublished courses appear dimmed and inaccessible. Check with your instructor or consult SIS for official course information. Also, ensure your browser and apps are up to date.

The Canvas Calendar only shows Canvas course assignments and events. The official timetable is available through the Student Information System (SIS).

Yes, you can customize notifications for each category, choosing from: Right Away, Daily, Weekly, or Never. You can set preferences globally which apply to all your courses, or per course.

• We recommend setting Announcements to Notify Immediately to stay updated on important messages.
• Mobile app push notification settings override browser settings. Some preferences may not be supported in the app.

Learn more and adjust your notifications here: Default notification preferences | How to change
Also available for: Android | iOS

After the course end date, the online content including the discussion forum will become read-only. You will be able to view the content that the instructor has published but you will not be able to participate in any way. Some instructors may choose to unpublish some or all online materials before the end of the course. So talk to the instructor or TA to find out more.

Try these steps:

• Update your browser to the latest version.
• Clear your browser’s cache and cookies.
• Restart your browser.
• If using bookmarks, navigate to pages from the main Canvas site instead of directly.

Learn how to clear your browser cache here: Clearing cache and cookies

Modules are used by your instructor to organize course materials like files, pages, videos, assessments, discussions, and more. Think of the Modules tab as the course’s table of contents. Depending on your instructor, modules may be organized by weeks, lectures, or topics. Learn more about Modules »

Find the assignment you want to submit, usually located within Modules or Assignments. You might also find a link in the Syllabus or your To Do list. Open the assignment, then click the Start Assignment button in the top right menu.  Learn more about submitting assignments »

Yes! After uploading your first file, click + Add Another File just below the upload area to add more files.

In Canvas, it depends if your instructor allows resubmission to the assignment. If resubmissions are allowed, all submitted files will be kept by Canvas and are available to the instructor. As a student, you can only view the most recently submitted file. Having said that, if you happen to re-submit by mistake, you need to inform your instructor; otherwise, she/he might grade only your last submission.

Turnitin is integrated with Canvas Assignments. Once your instructor sets it up, submit your assignment through Canvas like any other assignment. You may be able to submit multiple files. If allowed, you can view the similarity report by clicking Submission Details on the right side of your assignment page. The similarity score will appear as a percentage icon.

To do well on quizzes, understand how to navigate, manage time, and avoid technical problems.

Before the Quiz:

• Learn to navigate questions, use the question list, and flag questions to revisit during the quiz.
• Use a reliable device and stable internet; avoid mobile apps if possible.
• Use recommended browsers (Chrome, Firefox), keep them updated, avoid private/incognito mode, and close extra tabs/windows.
• Read quiz instructions carefully (time limits, attempts, answer visibility).
• Note quiz due and lock dates.

During the Quiz:

• Keep an eye on the timer.
• Use the question navigator and flag questions for review.
• Avoid multiple browser tabs or windows.
• Submit your quiz properly; leaving the page doesn’t submit it!
• Review answers if allowed.

Additional Tips:

• Canvas records your quiz activity.
• Use reliable technology.
• Contact your instructor or TA immediately if problems occur.
• Understand quiz rules as they may differ between quizzes.

 More details: How to Take a Quiz in Canvas

You can upload and embed supported media files directly into any location in Canvas that is using the Rich Content Editor. Canvas supports files up to 500 MB; larger files can be hosted externally (e.g., YouTube) and embedded. Learn more about uploading media files »

You can view a summary of your grades for all courses from the View Grades section on the Dashboard sidebar. Within individual courses, use the Grades link in the course’s left menu. Read more about viewing grades »

You can access your groups from:

• The right sidebar on the course Home page under Course Groups
• The Groups tab under People in the course navigation
• The Groups drop-down menu in the main Canvas navigation, showing all groups you belong to

Learn more about Canvas groups »

Inside your course, click People in the left menu. Then click View User Groups or the Groups tab. Find the desired group and click JOIN. Learn more about joining groups »

No, only one member needs to submit on behalf of the group. Check with your instructor for any specific submission instructions. Learn more about group assignment submission >>

Use Conversations (Inbox) to communicate with instructors, group members, or fellow students in courses you’re enrolled in. Conversations are like emails but don’t have cc or spell-check features. Access this by clicking Inbox at the top right of Canvas. Learn how to send messages »

To receive instant email notifications for messages, set the Conversations notification preference to ASAP.

Notification preferences info >> | How to change settings >>
Set preferences specifically for Android | iOS

If you encounter sign-in issues with Collaborations using your HKUST Office 365 account, please follow the steps to reset the token.

If you are unable to sign in or connect your Google Drive when using Collaborations or submitting Google Docs in Canvas, please reset your token by follow steps in Troubleshooting Google Drive Issues in Canvas (HKUST).

Canvas has a detailed student guide which you can access here.

You can also always search for an answer about a Canvas feature from the Help link in the top right corner, Search the Canvas Guides. This link will take you to Canvas Guides where you can search Canvas documentation for information about features inside of Canvas.

If you are experiencing problems that have not been addressed by the above-mentioned channels of help or if you have any user account related enquiries, please feel free to contact our Helpdesk at 📧 canvas@ust.hk or call our hotline ☎ 2358-8036 from 09:00 - 12:45 and 14:00 - 17:30, Mon - Fri.

Must be "Fair Dealing"

The Copyright Ordinance of Hong Kong allows instructors and students at non-profit education institutions like HKUST to use copyright works up to a "reasonable amount" for education purposes on the condition that such usage is considered fair dealing as provided in Section 41A of the Copyright Ordinance. The Fair Dealing tab of this guide provides more information.

Uploading content

When uploading the "reasonable amount" for the purposes of instruction onto an intranet (like Canvas) you must fulfil the following requirements.

1. Acknowledge the source of the material properly;
2. Adopt access controls, such as logins and passwords and disseminate material on a need-to-know basis (i.e. only accessible to a specific group of staff or students for a limited time); and
3. Ensure that the maximum uploading period of the material does not exceed a consecutive period of 12 months.

E-Reserve or Coursepack

1. Maybe there is no need for copying or uploading. Consider having the Library make links to material that the university has already purchased via library subscriptions. Or, you might want to need to license the material you wish to assign via a course pack.
2. Read the E-Reserve & Coursepack tab for details.

Questions?

Please contact HKUST's representative on the Joint University Librarians Advisory Committee (JULAC) Copyright Committee, Ms Victoria F. Caplan (Extn. 6756; lbcaplan@ust.hk) if you have further questions.

For more copyright related information, please refer to https://libguides.hkust.edu.hk/friendly.php?s=copyright

By using the HKUST Learning Management System, Canvas, provided by Instructure Inc., users are agreeing to be bound by the terms and conditions. (see https://ilearn.ust.hk/canvas/canvas-user-agreement/index.html).

By using Canvas, your use of Canvas is also governed by Instructure’s Terms of Use (see https://www.instructure.com/policies/terms-of-use) and you are also consenting to the collection and use of information by Instructure according to their Privacy Policy (see https://www.instructure.com/privacy-security).