Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme – 2027/2028

The Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme is administered by the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong. It supports outstanding international applicants seeking admission as new full-time PhD students at eight participating universities in Hong Kong.

Applicants from ASEAN countries are eligible regardless of nationality, previous employment or ethnic background.

Participating universities

• City University of Hong Kong.
• Hong Kong Baptist University.
• Lingnan University.
• The Chinese University of Hong Kong.
• The Education University of Hong Kong.
• The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
• The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
• The University of Hong Kong.

Eligibility and selection

Applicants must seek admission as new full-time PhD students and demonstrate:

• Academic excellence.
• Research ability and potential.
• Communication and interpersonal skills.
• Leadership ability.

Applicants may select up to two PhD programmes at one or two participating universities.

Financial support

The latest published fellowship rate provides:

• Annual stipend: HKD 344,400.
• Annual conference and research-related travel allowance: HKD 14,400.
• Funding for up to three years.
• Possible additional institutional support for programmes requiring more than three years.

Application period

1 September–1 December 2026.

Application deadline

1 December 2026, 12:00 noon Hong Kong Time

Applicants must first submit an initial application through the Research Grants Council system and obtain an HKPFS reference number. A separate PhD admission application must then be submitted to the selected university.

Official information

• Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme overview and eligibility
• HKPFS 2027/2028 initial application and deadline
• Participating universities

Important Application Information

The Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme requires two applications: an initial fellowship application to the Research Grants Council and a separate admission application to the selected university.