Scholarship, Funding and Fees

In order to attract top candidates from around the world to pursue full-time PhD studies at HKU, application to HKU Presidential PhD Scholar Programme (‘The Programme’) for the admission year 2023-24 has commenced on September 1, 2022.  The Programme offers the most prestigious scholarship package, namely, the HKU Presidential PhD Scholarship (HKU-PS), to selected outstanding full-time PhD students admitted to The University of Hong Kong. 

The HKU Presidential PhD Scholars will also receive strong academic and training support from the University, e.g. individualised advisory service, training in teaching and opportunities to interact with leading scholars.  A group of distinguished Faculty members will also give advice, provide additional mentorship and training opportunities, and oversee the academic career paths. 

Scholarship Package for 2023-24 admission

Each HKU Presidential PhD Scholar will receive a HKU-PS package of up to around HK$420,900 (US$53,960) in the first year, and up to around HK$400,900 (US$51,390) in each of the subsequent years during the normative study period. The package includes:

(a) Cash Award to support research and living expenses: 
          HK$40,000 in Year 1; HK$20,000 per year in the remaining normative study period
(b) Waiver of composition fees for the whole normative study period (i.e. HK$42,100 per year)
(c) Postgraduate Scholarship of HK$27,100 per month
(d) Conference and Research-related Travel Allowance of HK$13,600 per year
(e) Financial support to selected outstanding students for an additional year of study beyond the normative study period to reward their outstanding research output and progress
(f) A guaranteed hall place in Year 1, with possibility of renewal

Eligibility and Selection

The HKU Presidential PhD Scholars shall be the brightest candidates who are passionate about research applying for the full-time PhD programmes at HKU.  Applications for the HKU-PS Programme should be submitted following the instruction on https://www.gradsch.hku.hk/gradsch/rola/online-application-for-mphil-phd-admission.

PhD applicants with very strong qualifications in academic and/or research achievements will be considered for the HKU-PS Programme, with consultation from Faculties. After successful screening for the first batch of candidates who submitted the applications before Dec 1, 2022, further selection will be conducted in batches by August 2023. Candidates will be selected by a panel of professors representing different disciplines.  Shortlisted candidates will then be invited to attend an interview. 

The Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPF), established by the Hong Kong Research Grants Council (RGC) in 2009, aims at attracting the best and brightest students across the world to pursue their research degree programmes in Hong Kong. Around 300 PhD Fellowships are awarded by the RGC each academic year. 

 

Eligibility

New applicants to full-time PhD programmes in government-funded institutions in Hong Kong, irrespective of their country of origin and ethnic background, are eligible to apply. Applicants should demonstrate outstanding academic performance, research ability/potential, communication and interpersonal skills, and leadership abilities.

The Fellowships

The HKPF provides each awardee with both a monthly scholarship and a conference and research related travel allowance per year for a period up to three years. In 2023-24, the scholarship is worth HK$27,100 and the conference and research related travel allowance HK$13,600.  For HKPF awardees who are admitted to a 4-year PhD programme, the University of Hong Kong (HKU) will provide a monthly scholarship and travel allowance at the same level as the HKPF for their fourth year of study. 

For the 2023-24 exercise, all HKPF holders will be awarded the HKU Presidential PhD Scholarship. Each HKPF holder will be provided the following by HKU on top of what they will receive from the RGC:

•  Cash Award to support research and living expenses:
         HK$40,000 in Year 1; HK$20,000 per year in the remaining normative study period
•  Waiver of composition fees for the whole normative study period (i.e. HK$42,100 per year)
•  a guaranteed hall place in Year 1, with possibility of renewal in Year 2

 

Application

Application for HKPF normally starts on September 1 and ends in early December every year.  Applicants can check the exact application dates on the RGC website. 

Applicants need to submit one initial on-line application (only with basic information such as their names and place of birth) through the RGC system to obtain a reference number. For the 2023-24 exercise, the deadline  for submitting an initial application to RGC is December 1, 2022 at Hong Kong Time noon (GMT +8 hours). 
Please click here for RGC on-line initial application.

Applicants who have chosen HKU in their initial applications should submit an on-line application form and upload soft copies of supporting documents  via the HKU application system to complete the application to HKU. They are required to indicate that they are applying for the HKPF and quote the reference number assigned to them by the RGC. They should also make sure that their application materials do not contain any plagiarised materials, particularly the research proposal & research experience and vision statements, which are expected to be an original piece of work written by the applicant.  The deadline for submitting an application to HKU is December 1, 2022. Please click here to HKU Online Application System.

[Note to applicants of the Joint Programmes between HKU and King's College London/The University of Toronto:

The RGC has announced that UGC-funded full-time Dual/Joint PhD Programmes having at least two years of normative study period spent in local universities would be included in the HKPF Scheme with effect from the 2019/20 intake. However, the RGC would only provide monthly fellowship as well as conference and research-related travel allowance to HKPF awardees enrolled in the Dual/Joint PhD programmes during their study period spent in Hong Kong.] 

Please click here for further details of the HK PhD Fellowship Scheme.

 

Full-time MPhil and PhD students who hold a first degree with second-class honours first division (or equivalent) or above are normally considered eligible to receive a Postgraduate Scholarship during the normative study period. Candidates' results in Master's degrees may also be considered. The basic level of scholarship is HK$18,030 per month (w.e.f. September 1, 2020).

A PGS holder whose PhD probationary candidature has been confirmed will receive a higher PGS rate with effect from the following calendar month after his/her probation is fully confirmed. For example:  probation confirmed within November 1 – 30, 2020 --> higher PGS  rate is applicable w.e.f. December 1, 2020. The higher PGS rate is HK$18,520 per month (w.e.f. September 1, 2020).

The University Grants Committee (UGC) provides a non-means-tested ‘Tuition Waiver Scheme’ (‘The Scheme’) for all current and new local students enrolled in full-time UGC-funded Research Postgraduate (RPg) programmes of any disciplines in local institutions, to cover their composition fees with effect from July 1, 2018.  Eligible students do not need to apply for the Scheme.

For more information, please refer to the UGC website.

The University administers a number of scholarships that are awarded to postgraduate students for outstanding academic achievements. Here are some examples available to current students.

Full-time MPhil and PhD students are eligible to apply for conference and/or travel support for presenting papers/posters in overseas academic conferences or participating in other overseas educational activities.

For further information on conference and travel support, please refer to the Research Services homepage at http://www.rss.hku.hk/fund/conference-students (conference support) and http://www.rss.hku.hk/fund/travel-students (travel support).  

Full-time non-local research postgraduate students who register on July 1, 2019 and thereafter are guaranteed a hall place in their first year of study.

Recipients of Hong Kong PhD Fellowship (HKPF) and HKU Presidential PhD Scholarship (HKU-PS) are guaranteed a hall place in Year 1, with possibility of renewal in Year 2.