Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme 2027/28 (Graduate Scholarship)

Established by the Research Grants Council (RGC) of Hong Kong in 2009, the Hong Kong Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS) aims to attract the best and brightest students in the world to pursue their PhD studies in Hong Kong’s universities.

Hong Kong’s education system fosters lifelong learning and independent research, leading to a motivated, highly skilled and entrepreneurial workforce. Hong Kong welcomes an international workforce.

Universities in Hong Kong offer special strengths amidst a wide choice of disciplines, developing the city into a regional and international hub for higher education and talent development.

To be considered for the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme, you must:

• Demonstrate outstanding qualities of academic performance, research ability/potential, communication and interpersonal skills, and leadership abilities.

• Be seeking admission as new full time PhD students in any of the eight partner HKPFS universities, irrespective of their country of origin, prior work experience and ethnic background.

• Have a bachelor’s degree from a recognized university

• Meet the university requirements for the PhD program

• Applicants should demonstrate outstanding qualities of academic performance, research ability / potential, communication and interpersonal skills, and leadership abilities.

• The Fellowship provides an annual stipend of HK$344,800 (approximately US$44,150) and a conference and research-related travel allowance of HK$14,400 (approximately US$1,840) per year for each awardee for a period up to three years.

• 400 PhD Fellowships will be awarded in the 2027/28 academic year. For awardees who need more than three years to complete the PhD degree, additional support may be provided by the chosen universities. 

To apply, candidates must be ready to submit the following documents;

• Application Form 

• Academic transcripts 

• Research results: Published thesis, award certificates, etc. to prove their academic achievements and research capabilities.

• A Study Plan or Research Proposal 

• Recommendation Letters 

• Photocopy of Passport Photo Page

Eight research degree-awarding universities take part in the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme:

• 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

To apply for the 2027 Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme, interested and qualified applicants should;

• 1

  Click on the button below to visit the HKPFS website.

• 2

  Eligible candidates should first make an Initial Application online through the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme Electronic System (HKPFSES) to obtain an HKPFS Reference Number by 1 December 2026 at Hong Kong Time 12:00:00 before submitting applications for PhD admission to their desired universities.

• 3

  Applicants may choose up to two programmes/departments at one or two universities for PhD study under HKPFS 2027/28. They should comply with the admission requirements of their selected universities and programmes.

• 4

  As the deadlines for applications to some of the universities may immediately follow that of the Initial Application, candidates should submit initial applications as early as possible to ensure that they have sufficient time to submit applications to universities.