HK$344,400 Hong Kong PhD Fellowship

Organization: Research Grants Council of Hong Kong

Type: Fellowship

Location: Global

Deadline: December 1, 2026

Funding: Fully Funded

The Research Grants Council of Hong Kong funds 400 places a year for people starting a full time PhD at one of the city's eight publicly funded universities. Awardees receive an annual stipend of HK$344,400, roughly US$44,150, plus HK$14,400 a year towards conference and research travel, for up to three years. Applying takes two steps: a free initial application to the Council, then a full admission application to each university you picked, which charge their own admission fees. **What you get:** - Annual stipend of HK$344,400 (approximately US$44,150) for a period of up to three years - Conference and research related travel allowance of HK$14,400 (approximately US$1,840) per year - A place on a full time PhD programme at one of eight Hong Kong universities - One of 400 fellowships being awarded for the 2027/28 academic year - Additional support may be provided by your chosen university if you need more than three years to finish **What you'll do:** - Submit one initial application through the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme Electronic System and receive an HKPFS reference number - Choose up to two PhD programmes in total, at one or two of the eight participating universities, with your priority marked - Submit a full admission application to each chosen university, quoting your HKPFS reference number - Sit an interview where the university requires one, then be nominated by that university to compete for the award - Have your application reviewed by one of two selection panels, either Sciences, Medicine, Engineering and Technology, or Humanities, Social Sciences and Business Studies - Register with your university between July and September 2027 and begin the PhD **Key dates:** - Initial applications opened 1 September 2026 at 12:00 noon Hong Kong Time - Initial application to the Research Grants Council closes 1 December 2026 at 12:00 noon Hong Kong Time - Full applications to all eight universities close 1 December 2026 at 11:59pm Hong Kong Time - Results announced by May 2027 - Registration with the university normally July to September 2027, deferrable to 31 January 2028 with the Council's approval **More information:** - The Guidance Note for Applicants carries the full rules, including a requirement to disclose any AI tools used in preparing the application - Programme lists, admission requirements and contacts for all eight universities are on the scheme's Participating Universities page - Enquiries about the scheme go to HKPF@ugc.edu.hk; enquiries about admission go to the universities directly

Research Grants Council of Hong KongFellowship

HK$344,400 Hong Kong PhD Fellowship

Dec 01, 2026 12:00:00 Asia/Hong_Kong

Opportunity type

Fellowship

Funding

Fully Funded

Location

Global

Deadline

Dec 01, 2026 12:00:00 Asia/Hong_Kong

About this opportunity

What you get:

Annual stipend of HK$344,400 (approximately US$44,150) for a period of up to three years
Conference and research related travel allowance of HK$14,400 (approximately US$1,840) per year
A place on a full time PhD programme at one of eight Hong Kong universities
One of 400 fellowships being awarded for the 2027/28 academic year
Additional support may be provided by your chosen university if you need more than three years to finish

What you'll do:

Submit one initial application through the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme Electronic System and receive an HKPFS reference number
Choose up to two PhD programmes in total, at one or two of the eight participating universities, with your priority marked
Submit a full admission application to each chosen university, quoting your HKPFS reference number
Sit an interview where the university requires one, then be nominated by that university to compete for the award
Have your application reviewed by one of two selection panels, either Sciences, Medicine, Engineering and Technology, or Humanities, Social Sciences and Business Studies
Register with your university between July and September 2027 and begin the PhD

Key dates:

Initial applications opened 1 September 2026 at 12:00 noon Hong Kong Time
Initial application to the Research Grants Council closes 1 December 2026 at 12:00 noon Hong Kong Time
Full applications to all eight universities close 1 December 2026 at 11:59pm Hong Kong Time
Results announced by May 2027
Registration with the university normally July to September 2027, deferrable to 31 January 2028 with the Council's approval

More information:

The Guidance Note for Applicants carries the full rules, including a requirement to disclose any AI tools used in preparing the application
Programme lists, admission requirements and contacts for all eight universities are on the scheme's Participating Universities page
Enquiries about the scheme go to HKPF@ugc.edu.hk; enquiries about admission go to the universities directly

Who can apply

Seeking admission as a new full time PhD student at 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, or The University of Hong Kong
Open irrespective of country of origin, prior work experience and ethnic background
No age limit is stated anywhere on the scheme's pages or in its Guidance Note, both of which were read in full
Only one initial application per person; submitting more than one disqualifies every application you have made
An initial application that is not followed by a full application to a university is void and goes no further
You must separately meet the admission requirements of each university and programme you choose
Applicants from non English speaking universities normally attach TOEFL or IELTS results to their university application, unless English was the language of instruction or the PhD is in a non English medium
The HKPFS reference number must be quoted in every university application, or the university processes it as a regular application with no fellowship consideration

AI Verification

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Cross-checked 21 of 22 key facts

Confirmed Our best read Not stated

Good to know

+HK$344,400 a year, roughly US$44,000, for up to three years, plus HK$14,400 a year for conference and research travel.
+400 fellowships are awarded, which is a large number for an award of this size.
+Open worldwide with no age limit and no nationality restriction.
+Applying to the fellowship scheme itself costs nothing.
+You can name two programme choices across eight Hong Kong universities.

Worth checking yourself

!It closes at 12:00 noon Hong Kong time on 1 December, not at the end of the day.
!There is a second, compulsory step and it costs money. After the scheme application you must also apply to the universities themselves, and an application that is not followed by one is void. Those applications charge between HK$300 and HK$780 each, so two choices means roughly US$77 to US$200 before anyone considers you.
!The two steps close at different times on the same day: noon for the scheme, 23:59 for the universities.
!This is for starting a new full-time PhD in Hong Kong. It is not funding for a degree you are already doing.

Sources checked

CEcerg1.ugc.edu.hkApplyCEcerg1.ugc.edu.hkApplyCEcerg1.ugc.edu.hkApplyCEcerg1.ugc.edu.hkApplyCEcerg1.ugc.edu.hkApplyCEcerg1.ugc.edu.hkApplyCEcerg1.ugc.edu.hkApplyCEcerg1.ugc.edu.hkApplyCEcerg1.ugc.edu.hkApplyCEcerg1.ugc.edu.hkApplyCEcerg1.ugc.edu.hkApplyUGugc.edu.hkOfficialUGugc.edu.hkOfficialGSgs.hkbu.edu.hkOfficialGSgs.hkbu.edu.hkOfficialISiss.hkbu.edu.hkOfficialLNln.edu.hkOfficialLNln.edu.hkOfficialLNln.edu.hkOfficialGSgs.cuhk.edu.hkOfficialGSgs.cuhk.edu.hkOfficialGSgs.cuhk.edu.hkOfficialGSgs.eduhk.hkOfficialGSgs.eduhk.hkOfficialGSgs.eduhk.hkOfficialPOpolyu.edu.hkOfficialPOpolyu.edu.hkOfficialPOpolyu.edu.hkOfficialPOpolyu.edu.hkOfficialGRgradsch.hku.hkOfficialGRgradsch.hku.hkOfficialGRgradsch.hku.hkOfficialFYfytgs.hkust.edu.hkOfficial

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