What is the HKPFS?
The Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme, administered by the Research Grants Council (RGC) of Hong Kong, is one of Asia's most prestigious and generous PhD funding programs. Launched in 2009, it awards 400 fellowships every 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 covers your full tuition for the entire normative study period and gives you HK$340,800 per year — about HK$28,400 per month — plus a HK$14,200 annual travel and conference allowance. That's roughly 48% more than the standard postgraduate studentship that non-HKPFS PhD students receive.
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 programs have January–March deadlines. HKPFS typically closes around December 1 — meaning you're essentially starting in September and submitting by the time most other cycles are just opening. The 2027/28 cycle is expected to open around 1 September 2026 and close around 1 December 2026, but the exact dates are to be confirmed — the RGC has not yet published the official 2027/28 schedule, so always verify on the official site before you plan.
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
Any student, from any country, seeking to enroll in a new full-time PhD program at one of the eight participating HK universities. There are no nationality restrictions, no age limits, and no requirement for a master's degree (some programs accept exceptional bachelor's degree holders directly). Local Hong Kong students are equally eligible.
The one hard rule: you must be a new entrant. Students already enrolled in a PhD program cannot apply.
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:
Quick Snapshot: Key Facts
The 8 Participating Universities
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)
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.