HKPFS Stipend & Benefits 2027/28
What HKPFS actually pays — HK$344,400 a year plus HK$14,400 for travel — what it covers, and what students consistently misunderstand about the money.
ScholarshipUnion Editorial
5 min read
Updated Oct 6, 2026
What HKPFS Provides
The stipend and travel allowance are provided by RGC for up to three years (the RGC quotes HK$344,400, about US$44,150, and HK$14,400, about US$1,840); any tuition waiver comes from your university, not RGC. Duration matters: RGC funding runs for up to three years. What happens in Year 4 depends on your university.
Tuition Waiver: The Part Many Students Miss
The HKPFS is not just a monthly stipend. RGC does not pay tuition, but most universities waive it for their HKPFS awardees. HKU, CUHK, HKUST, PolyU and HKBU state a tuition waiver for the normative study period. EdUHK states a tuition waiver for Year 4 of a 4-year PhD only. Check the rule at your own university. For non-local students this is especially significant — the 2027/28 tuition fee for UGC-funded PhD places at HKU, CUHK and HKBU is HK$49,500 a year.
If you're a Hong Kong local, your tuition is already waived by the HKSAR Government's tuition waiver for local research postgraduate students (in place since 2018/19), so you won't receive a duplicate university tuition waiver — you'd already be covered. The stipend and travel allowance still apply.
How HKPFS Compares to the Regular Studentship
PhD students who are not HKPFS awardees typically receive the standard postgraduate studentship. Here's the difference, using the 2026/27 studentship rate at HKU and HKUST (HK$19,135 a month, or HK$229,620 a year):
| Component | HKPFS award | Standard studentship |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly stipend | HK$28,700 | HK$19,135 |
| Annual stipend | HK$344,400 | HK$229,620 |
| Travel allowance | HK$14,400/year | None |
| Tuition waiver | At most universities | Varies by university |
| Duration (RGC) | Up to 3 years | Per university policy |
HKPFS pays about 50% more per year than the standard studentship. Over a 3-year PhD, the gap adds up to roughly HK$344,340 in stipend alone — before accounting for tuition and the travel allowance. Studentship rates differ slightly between universities (for example HKBU pays HK$19,310 a month in 2026/27).
University Top-Up Awards
Several universities add their own awards on top of what RGC provides. These vary significantly:
HKU (University of Hong Kong)
Every HKPFS awardee at HKU also receives the HKU Presidential PhD Scholarship: a cash award of HK$40,000 in Year 1 and HK$20,000 per year for the rest of the normative study period, a waiver of composition fees (HK$49,500 a year) and a guaranteed hall place in Year 1, with the possibility of renewal.
CUHK (Chinese University of Hong Kong)
CUHK continues the HKPFS-level stipend and travel allowance into Year 4 for 4-year PhD programmes, covering the gap left when RGC funding ends at 3 years. CUHK also gives awardees a lodging award of HK$40,000 in the first year and HK$20,000 in each later year of the normative study period.
Other universities
HKUST gives awardees its RedBird PhD Award (HK$40,000 in Year 1, then HK$20,000 a year), funds the stipend and travel allowance for 4 years, and guarantees housing in Year 1. PolyU adds a cash award of HK$40,000 in Year 1 and HK$20,000 a year after that, a tuition waiver and a guaranteed hall place for 2 years. HKBU adds an Elite Scholar Award of HK$40,000 a year for the first three years, a HK$25,000 Research Support Fund and guaranteed shared accommodation for two years. Lingnan and EdUHK fund a fourth year of stipend for 4-year PhDs. We could not confirm CityU’s package, so ask its graduate school directly.
Year 4 Funding: The Question Everyone Has
RGC funding covers up to three years. Most Hong Kong PhD programmes are actually 3–4 years in practice. The gap between when RGC funding ends and when students finish is real.
Universities bridge this gap differently. HKU, CUHK, HKUST, PolyU, HKBU, Lingnan and EdUHK all say they continue the HKPFS-level stipend for the whole normative study period, so Year 4 of a 4-year PhD is covered, usually subject to progress. We could not confirm CityU’s policy. Ask your target university specifically what Year 4 looks like for HKPFS students before you commit.
Year 4 funding comes from your university, not RGC. It covers only the normative study period, and it is usually tied to satisfactory progress. If you need longer than the normative period, extra funding is not guaranteed. Get this in writing when you accept your offer.
Cost of Living Reality
Hong Kong is an expensive city. Here are rough estimates of what PhD students spend, based on student accounts rather than official figures:
| Expense | On-campus housing | Off-campus housing |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation | HK$2,000–2,500/month | HK$7,000–15,000/month |
| Food (canteen meals) | HK$30–45/meal; about HK$2,500–4,000/month | |
| Transport (Octopus card) | HK$500–1,000/month | |
| Phone & internet | HK$200–400/month | |
| Estimated monthly total | about HK$6,000–8,000 | about HK$12,000–22,000 |
With on-campus housing (highly subsidised at all eight universities), most HKPFS students have significant money left from their HK$28,700 monthly stipend. With off-campus housing, the margins get tighter — especially in Kowloon or on Hong Kong Island.
Apply for on-campus accommodation as early as possible after receiving your admission offer. It's significantly subsidised, and the financial math of your PhD changes completely depending on whether you secure it. Demand far exceeds supply at most universities.
Part-Time Work
The Immigration Department currently lists a temporary exemption from the usual employment restrictions for non-local students on full-time local programmes at undergraduate level or above. Eligible students can take up work in Hong Kong while their limit of stay or “No Objection Letter” is valid, instead of the standard 20-hours-a-week on-campus limit. The exemption is temporary. Teaching assistant roles, research assistant positions and external part-time work are all possible — subject to your supervisor's and university's policies. Confirm the current arrangement with your university or the Immigration Department before you rely on it.
Tax on the Fellowship
Hong Kong generally does not tax scholarship and fellowship income. However, the tax treatment depends on the specific nature of payments and individual circumstances. Verify with your university's student finance office when you arrive — don't rely on assumptions.