Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme Guide 2027/28
The HKPFS 2027/28 funds 400 new PhD students at Hong Kong's eight UGC-funded universities with a HK$344,400 annual stipend plus a travel allowance. The initial application closes at 12:00 noon HKT on 1 December 2026.
ScholarshipUnion Editorial
5 min read
Updated Oct 6, 2026
What is the HKPFS?
The Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme, established and administered by the Research Grants Council (RGC) of Hong Kong, is one of Asia's most prestigious and generous PhD funding programmes. Launched in 2009, it will award 400 fellowships for the 2027/28 academic year to outstanding students from anywhere in the world who want to pursue a full-time PhD at one of Hong Kong's eight University Grants Committee-funded universities.
The fellowship pays an annual stipend of HK$344,400 (about HK$28,700 a month, roughly US$44,150 a year) plus a HK$14,400 annual conference and research-related travel allowance, for up to three years. That stipend is about 50% more than the standard postgraduate studentship that non-HKPFS PhD students receive. Most universities add a tuition waiver and their own top-ups, and several fund a fourth year; the details differ by university.
HKPFS is not like applying to a department in the US or UK. Hong Kong PhD admissions are advisor-driven. If you don't have a specific professor who wants to take you as a student, your chances of being nominated to RGC are near zero — regardless of how good your application looks on paper. Find your supervisor first.
Why Students Struggle With This Application
The HKPFS catches a lot of applicants off guard, and for a few consistent reasons.
First, the deadline is shockingly early. Most international PhD programmes have January–March deadlines. HKPFS closes on 1 December — so you're essentially starting in September and submitting by the time most other cycles are just opening. For the 2027/28 cycle, the HKPFS Electronic System opened on 1 September 2026 at 12:00 noon HKT and the initial application closes on 1 December 2026 at 12:00 noon HKT. University applications for HKPFS candidates close the same day, at 11:59pm HKT.
Second, the application is two separate processes. You file an initial application with RGC to get a Reference Number, and you separately apply to the university. Miss the Reference Number step, or forget to quote it in your university application, and the university processes you as a regular (non-HKPFS) applicant with no recourse.
Third, the selection criteria look straightforward — academic excellence, research potential, communication skills, leadership — but what actually matters in your written materials is how specifically you demonstrate each one. Broad claims don't work here.
Who This Fellowship Is For
Full rules →Any student, from any country, seeking to enrol in a new full-time PhD programme at one of the eight participating Hong Kong universities. There are no nationality restrictions, no age limits, and no requirement for a master's degree (some programmes accept exceptional bachelor's degree holders directly). Local Hong Kong students are equally eligible.
The one hard rule: you must be applying as a new full-time PhD student. A current PhD student can apply for a different PhD programme as a new student, but the Selection Panel may discount the earlier PhD study.
The Four Selection Criteria
Every part of your application — your personal statement, research proposal, recommendation letters and interview — will be evaluated against these four criteria:
Your academic record, class standing and demonstrated intellectual ability. The primary consideration.
Research output, proposal quality, critical thinking and your capacity to produce original work.
Ability to explain your research to non-specialists. Clarity in written and verbal expression.
Evidence of leadership in academic, professional or community settings. Societal responsibility.
Quick Snapshot: Key Facts
Timeline for the 2027/28 Cycle
Full timeline →- 11 September 2026, 12:00 noon HKTHKPFSES opens
The RGC's online system starts accepting initial applications.
- 21 December 2026, 12:00 noon HKTRGC initial application deadline
Submit through HKPFSES and get your HKPFS Reference Number. Late initial applications are not considered.
- 31 December 2026, 11:59pm HKTUniversity application deadline
Apply to your one or two universities, quoting the Reference Number.
- 4January–April 2027Interviews and nominations
Universities interview shortlisted applicants and send nominations to RGC. These months are the usual pattern, not official dates.
- 5By May 2027RGC results
The RGC announces HKPFS 2027/28 results by May 2027.
- 2027/28 academic yearPhD starts
Awardees normally register with their university between July and September 2027. With RGC approval, registration can be deferred to 31 January 2028 at the latest.
The 8 Participating Universities
Compare →All eight universities funded by Hong Kong's University Grants Committee participate in HKPFS. They vary significantly in strengths, culture, and how proactively they help HKPFS applicants:
- HKU — University of Hong Kong (Pok Fu Lam)
- CUHK — Chinese University of Hong Kong (Sha Tin)
- HKUST — Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Clear Water Bay)
- PolyU — Hong Kong Polytechnic University (Hung Hom)
- CityU — City University of Hong Kong (Kowloon Tong)
- HKBU — Hong Kong Baptist University (Kowloon Tong)
- Lingnan University (Tuen Mun)
- EdUHK — Education University of Hong Kong (Tai Po)
HKUST publishes some of the most detailed application guidance of any participating university. If you're in science, engineering or business, their HKPFS tips page is worth reading regardless of which university you choose.
What This Guide Covers
Each page in this guide tackles a specific part of the HKPFS process — drawing on both the official requirements and what applicants consistently ask about, get confused by, or wish someone had told them earlier. Read in order, or jump to what you need.
Nationality, enrolment status, degree requirements, GPA expectations, and what actually disqualifies you.
HK$28,700/month stipend, tuition waiver, travel allowance, housing realities and Year 4 funding.
RGC initial application, the Reference Number, university application, deadlines and documents needed.
What to include, what kills proposals, the jargon problem, and how to write for an interdisciplinary panel.
Why supervisor relationships drive nominations, how to contact professors, and what good outreach looks like.
Strengths, culture and guidance resources at each of the eight participating Hong Kong universities.
What university interviews look like, common questions, what panels actually observe, and how to prepare.
Twelve specific mistakes that eliminate or weaken HKPFS applications — including ones that aren't obvious.
The questions that come up again and again from applicants — answered directly and without filler.
Official source: the HKPFS website of the Research Grants Council.