PLEASE NOTE: for official information, specific details, and updated deadlines and instructions, please check the organization’s website and current application forms; if you have problems or questions, please contact us.

Deadline:

December 1, 2013 – at Hong Kong Time 12:00:00 (GMT +8 hours)

Description:

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 institutions.

What the Fellowship provides:

The Fellowship provides a monthly stipend of HK$20,000 (approximately US$2,600) and a conference and research related travel allowance of HK$10,000 (approximately US$1,300) per year to each awardee for a period of three years. About 135 PhD Fellowships will be awarded in each academic year*. For awardees who need more than three years to complete their PhD studies, additional support may be provided by the chosen institutions. For details, please contact the institutions concerned directly.

*Institutions in Hong Kong normally start their academic year in September.

Eligibility and Restrictions:

Candidates who are seeking admission as new full time PhD students in the following eight institutions, irrespective of their country of origin 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 Hong Kong Institute of Education
• 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.

Application Procedure:

How to Apply:

Eligible candidates should make an initial application online (linked below) through the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS) Electronic System to obtain a HKPFS reference number by 1 December 2013 at Hong Kong Time 12:00:00 (GMT +8 hours) before submitting applications for PhD admission to their chosen institutions.

Applicants may choose up to two programmes/departments at one or two institutions for PhD study under HKPFS 2011/12. They should therefore comply with the admission requirements of their selected institutions and programmes.
As the deadlines for applications to some of the institutions immediately follow that of the initial application, candidates should submit initial applications as early as possible to ensure that they have sufficient time to submit applications to institutions.

• READ FIRST: Explanatory Notes for completing Initial Application (download PDF)
• INITIAL ONLINE APPLICATION: https://cerg1.ugc.edu.hk/hkpfs/InitApplication2013.jsp

Application Deadlines:

After completing an initial online application (above), applicants should submit applications for PhD admission in 2011/12 to their chosen institutions with their HKPFS reference number before their respective deadline. As regards programme information, requirements for PhD admission, application methods, regulations and policy of individual institutions, please refer to the institutions and PhD programmes section for information.

Selection Criteria

While candidates’ academic excellence is the primary consideration, the Selection Panels will take into account factors as follows:

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

Selection Panel
Shortlisted applications, subject to their areas of studies, will be reviewed by one of the following two Selection Panels comprising experts in the relevant board areas:

• Sciences, medicine, engineering and technology
• Humanities, social sciences and business studies

Further Information:

Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS) Informational Leaflet (download PDF)
Living and Studying in Hong Kong
Frequently Asked Questions