The Research Grants Council (RGC) of Hong Kong invites applications for the prestigious Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS) 2026/27. Established in 2009, the scheme attracts the brightest students from around the world to pursue cutting-edge doctoral studies at Hong Kong’s leading universities.

Over the past 16 rounds, the Fellowship has brought more than 3,800 talented scholars from over 100 countries and regions to Hong Kong. Fellows benefit from internationally recognized PhD programs in fields ranging from the humanities, business, and social sciences to engineering, medicine, physical sciences, and emerging areas such as AI, robotics, clean energy, fintech, and nanoscience.

Hong Kong universities consistently rank among the world’s top 100 and Asia’s top 20, offering world-class facilities, a global faculty, and a vibrant multicultural environment. With English as the medium of instruction, Hong Kong provides an ideal setting for academic excellence and international collaboration at the heart of the dynamic Greater Bay Area.

The Fellowship offers a competitive annual stipend and conference/research-related travel allowance for up to three years.

Key Details

Number of Fellowships: 400

Start of the Application: September 1, 2025 (12:00 noon Hong Kong Time)

Application Deadline: December 1, 2025 (12:00 noon Hong Kong Time)

Application Result: May 2026

Duration of the Fellowship: 3 years

Participating Universities

Applicants can follow their studies at one of the following 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

Note: Please verify the details of each university on its official website.

Field of Study

Applicants can study in the following areas:

• Humanities
• Business
• Social sciences
• Engineering and Technology
• Medical sciences
• Sciences

Fields of study at the University of City: 

Sciences, Medicine, Engineering, and Technology

• Advanced Design and Systems Engineering
• Architecture and Civil Engineering
• Biomedical Engineering
• Biomedical Sciences
• Chemistry
• Computer Science
• Data Science
• Electrical Engineering
• Energy and Environment
• Infectious Diseases and Public Health
• Materials Science and Engineering
• Mathematics
• Mechanical Engineering
• Neuroscience
• Physics
• Veterinary Clinical Sciences

Humanities, Social Sciences, and Business Studies

• Accountancy
• Public and International Affairs
• Chinese and History
• Creative Media
• Economics and Finance
• English
• Information Systems
• Law
• Linguistics and Translation
• Management
• Management Sciences
• Marketing
• Media and Communication
• Social and Behavioural Sciences

Fields of study by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology:

Science:

Chemistry (including Scientific Computation), Life Science (including Scientific Computation), Mathematics, Nano Science and Technology, Physics (including Scientific Computation).

Engineering and Technology:

Bioengineering (including Scientific Computation and Energy Technology), Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (with concentrations in Energy Technology and Nanotechnology), Civil Engineering (with concentrations in Energy Technology, Nanotechnology, and Scientific Computation), Computer Science and Engineering (with concentrations in Energy Technology and Scientific Computation), Electronic and Computer Engineering (with concentrations in Energy Technology, Nanotechnology, and Scientific Computation), Industrial Engineering and Decision Analytics, Integrative Systems and Design, Mechanical Engineering (with concentrations in Energy Technology, Nanotechnology, and Scientific Computation).

Business and Management:

Accounting, Economics, Finance, Information Systems, Management, Marketing, Operations Management.

Humanities and Social Science:

Humanities, Social Science, Environmental Studies (including Atmospheric Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering, Environmental Science, Policy and Management, and Marine Environmental Science), and Public Policy.

Interdisciplinary and Cross-Disciplinary Programs:

Advanced Materials, Artificial Intelligence, Bioscience and Biomedical Engineering, Computational Media and Arts, Data Science and Analytics, Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, Financial Technology, Innovation, Policy and Entrepreneurship, Intelligent Transportation, Internet of Things, Microelectronics, Robotics and Autonomous Systems, Smart Manufacturing, Sustainable Energy and Environment, Urban Governance and Design.

The Hong Kong Ph.D. Fellowship Benefits

The HKPF offers a fully funded fellowship that includes the following:

• Annual stipend of HK$340,800 (US$43,690)
• Travel cost of research and conference is around HK$14,200 (USD 1,820) per year
• Applicants applying for a PhD that requires a duration of more than 3 years will receive additional support from the university.

Universities offer more support:

City University Entrance scholarship:

• Applicants at this university will receive (around HK$28,400 (~US$3,617) monthly stipends
• A conference and research-related travel allowance of HK$14,200 (~US$1,809) per year for a maximum of three years.

Hong Kong Baptist University:

• Elite Scholar Award: HK$40,000 in the 1st year (approx. US$5,100)
• Stipend: HK$28,400 (approx. US$3,650) monthly/ HK$340,800 (approx. US$43,8000) annually for 4 years
• Tuition Waiver/ Scholarship: HK$47,000 (approx. US$6,000) annually for 4 years
• Conference and Research-related Travel Allowance: HK$14,200 (equal to US$1,820) each year for a total of 3 years, and the University’s provision of HK$20,000 (equal to US$2,550) for the student’s 4-year study period
• Accommodation: Shared-room accommodation will be provided to students in their first year of study, subject to availability.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants should meet the following criteria:

• Be from any country in the world. No citizenship restrictions
• Seeking to be a new full-time PhD student in one of the eight participating universities in Hong Kong
• No restriction on prior work experience or ethnic background
• Meet the admission requirements of the selected university, which usually include the following:
  • Having a degree by research, a taught master’s degree, or a bachelor’s degree with first-class honours
  • Advance English language proficiency

What Criteria will you use to select?

Applicants with the following criteria are considered:

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

Application

Applicants interested in applying to this program should submit an initial online application through the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme Electronic System to obtain a reference number.

After receiving the reference number, applicants can submit their complete applications to the universities listed above. Applicants can select up to two programs at one or two universities.

Apply Now

If you have any questions about the Hong Kong fellowship, please email hkpf@ugc.edu.hk. For information on requirements and admission, please don’t hesitate to contact the university or visit the Research Grants Center website.

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