Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme 2026/27 | Up to 400 Fully Funded Scholarships

Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme 2026/27 | Up to 400 Fully Funded Scholarships

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

Fields of Study

• Sciences
• Medicine
• Engineering and Technology
• Humanities
• Social Sciences
• Business Studies

Eligibility

Candidates who are seeking admission as new full time PhD students in the following eight universities, irrespective of their country of origin, prior work experience and ethnic background, should be eligible to apply.

• 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

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

Overview of the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme 2026/27

• Type: PhD scholarship/Fellowship
• Country to study: Hong Kong
• No. of PhD Fellowships: 400
• Participating Universities: 8
• Duration: 3 years
• Eligible Countries: All
• Benefits: Annual stipend of HK$340,800, Conference and research-related travel allowance, etc
• Deadline: 1st December, 2025

Eligibility Requirements for the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme 2026/27

• Candidates can be from any nationality.
• Candidate must be a full-time new PhD student
• If you don’t want to submit an IELTS report, then you must be able to prove that you have completed your previous education at an English-medium institute.
• Candidates whose previous education was not conducted in English must provide proof of English proficiency.
• The candidate must choose from the given list of 8 universities.

The Fellowship Award:

• Annual stipend of HK$340,800 (approximately US$43,690)
• Conference and research-related travel allowance of HK$14,200 (approximately US$1,820)
• No prior work experience is required.
• If you require more than 3 years to complete the fellowship, additional support may be provided by the University.

Course Start Date

Universities in Hong Kong normally start their academic year in September.

Application Procedures for the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme 2026/27

Candidates should first make an Initial Application online through the Hong Kong Ph.D. Fellowship Scheme Electronic System (HKPFSES) to obtain an HKPFS Reference Number by 1st December 2025 at Hong Kong Time 12:00:00 before submitting applications for Ph.D. admission to their desired universities.

Applicants may choose up to two programs/departments at one or two universities for Ph.D.

Step 1: Submit the Initial Application to the Research Grants Council (by December 1st, 2025)

• Guidance Note for completing the Initial Application (in PDF format)
• HKPFS Electronic System – Initial Application

Step 2: Submit Full Applications to Proposed Universities

• After completing an initial application, applicants should submit full applications for their selected Ph.D. programs to the proposed universities, quoting their HKPFS Reference Number.

Apply Here for Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme 2026/27