Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme 2027-28 | 400 Fully Funded Fellowships

Overview

The Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme for 2027-28 is a fully funded program created by the Research Grants Council (RGC) to attract outstanding doctoral students from around the world to universities in Hong Kong. The scheme has run since 2009 and offers 400 fellowships. It is open to applicants of any nationality, and no prior work experience is required. Candidates are chosen for academic excellence, a record of achievement, research ability, communication skills and leadership potential.

Fellowships cover sciences, medicine, engineering and technology, humanities, social sciences and business studies. Participating universities are 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 and The University of Hong Kong.

What you get

Fellows receive an annual stipend of HK$344,400 (approximately US$44,150) for up to three years, plus a travel allowance of HK$14,400 (approximately US$1,840) a year for conferences and research-related relocation. If the PhD extends beyond three years, the university provides additional support.

Who can apply

Candidates must be new full-time PhD students and must choose from the eight participating universities. Applicants whose university education was not in English must provide an English proficiency certificate. Someone who is not a new PhD student can apply only if they gain admission to a new full-time PhD program.

How to apply

The fellowship and the university admission are applied for separately, and the fellowship application comes first. Candidates complete an initial application in the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme Electronic System (HKPFSES) and receive a reference number once it is submitted. They then apply to up to two universities and two programs in order of priority, and must state the reference number on each university form. Without that number, the application is treated as a regular admission and is not considered for the fellowship.

Each university has its own submission deadline, so the initial application should be completed early enough to get the reference number in time.

Key dates

The fellowship deadline is 1 December 2026 (11:59 pm Hong Kong Time).