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HongKongPhDFellowshipScheme|ResearchGrantsCouncil

Enquiry

For enquiries about the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme, please
contactusbyemailatHKPF@ugc.edu.hk.Youmayalsogetinstant
answerstothemostfrequentlyaskedquestionsbelow.

As regards admission and application requirements for PhD studies,

pleaserefertoindividualuniversitiesforinformation.

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FrequentlyAskedQuestions
GeneralInformation

ApplicationProcess
MakingChangestoSubmittedInformation
ApplicationFeeandProgrammeInformation
ApplicationDeadlines
SelectionProcessandAwardofFellowships
FurtherEnquiries

GeneralInformation
Q1.WhatisHongKongPhDFellowshipScheme?
Established in 2009 by the Research Grants Council (RGC), the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship
Scheme(HKPFS)aimsatattractingthebestandbrighteststudentsintheworldtopursuetheirPhD
programmesinHongKong'suniversities.
Q2.WhatistheamountofawardundertheHongKongPhDFellowship?
TheFellowshipprovideseachawardeewithanannualstipendofHK$240,000(approximatelyUS$
30,000)andaconferenceandresearchrelatedtravelallowanceofHK$10,000(approximatelyUS$
1,300)peryearforaperiodofuptothreeyears.Morethan230PhDFellowshipswillbeawardedin
the2017/18academicyear.
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Q3.WhichuniversitiesaresupportedbytheHongKongPhDFellowshipScheme?
The HKPFS supports the awardees to pursue their PhD studies at the following eight University
GrantsCommittee(UGC)fundeduniversitiesinHongKong:
CityUniversityofHongKong
HongKongBaptistUniversity
LingnanUniversity
TheChineseUniversityofHongKong
TheEducationUniversityofHongKong
TheHongKongPolytechnicUniversity
TheHongKongUniversityofScienceandTechnology
TheUniversityofHongKong
Q4.AmIeligibleforHongKongPhDFellowship?
ThosewhoareseekingadmissionasnewfulltimePhDstudentsinUGCfundeduniversitiesofHong
Kong,irrespectiveoftheircountryoforigin,priorworkexperienceandethnicbackground,shouldbe
eligible to apply. Applicants should demonstrate outstanding qualities of academic performance,
researchability/potential,communicationandinterpersonalskills,andleadershipabilities.

Q5.IamnotsurewhetherIameligibletoapplyforthePhDprogrammesinHongKong.How
canIobtainsuchinformation?
UGCfundeduniversitiesdeterminetheeligibilityrequirementsoftheirrespectivePhDprogrammes.
Interestedpartiesshouldconsultindividualuniversitiesoneligibility.
Q6.IamcurrentlyaPhDstudent.AmIeligibletoapplyfortheFellowship?
YouareeligibletoapplyfortheFellowshipifyouapplyforanotherPhDprogrammesasanewfull
timePhDstudent.However,itisuptotheSelectionPaneltodecidewhetherthepreviousPhDstudy
experienceshouldbediscountedsoastoensurealevelplayfieldforthosewhodonothaveanyPhD
background.
Q7.Ihavedifficultiesinobtainingtranscripts/certificates/testresultsbytheapplication
deadlineoftheuniversityIselected.AmIstilleligible?
Weencouragestudentswithexcellentacademicperformanceandgoodpotentialinresearchworkto
apply for the HKPFS. Universities may give conditional offer to candidates who demonstrate
outstandingabilityandpotentialintheirareasofstudies.SincethecandidatesoftheHKPFSareto
benominatedbyuniversities,applicantsshouldconsulttheuniversitiesatwhichtheyintendtopursue
their PhD studies directly in respect of their eligibility for admission to the PhD programmes
concerned.
Q8.DoIneedtoattainarequiredscorefromIELTS/TOEFL/GMAT/GREbeforeapplyingfor
theHongKongPhDFellowship?
For applicants from nonEnglish speaking universities, unless they provide proof that English is the
languageofinstructionforallcourses,theyarerequiredtoattachscoreresultsofTOEFLorIELTSin
theirPhDapplicationstotheuniversitiesconcerned.Thisrequirementisexemptediftheirproposed
PhD studies/programmes are specifically in nonEnglish medium, e.g. in Chinese language. Please
note that since the UGCfunded universities determine the admission requirements of their PhD
programmes, whether applicants need to submit results of any other specific tests is subject to the
requirements of individual universities. In general, good results obtained from an open examination
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widely recognised by international academic institutions will be very useful for universities and
SelectionPanelsoftheSchemetoassessone'sintellectualandlanguagecompetency.

ApplicationProcess
Q9.WhatisaninitialapplicationforHongKongPhDFellowshipScheme?
AninitialapplicationisthefirststepinmakinganapplicationundertheHKPFS.Theinitialapplication
mustbesubmittedthroughtheHongKongPhDFellowshipSchemeElectronicSystem.Thesystem
willassignanHKPFSReferenceNumberwhichanapplicantneedstoquoteintheirapplicationfor
admissiontotheirselecteduniversities.
Q10.AmIrequiredtosubmitapplicationstomyselecteduniversitiesdirectlyafter
successfulsubmissionofmyInitialApplicationForm?
Yes.PleaseensurethatyouhaveattainedanHKPFSReferenceNumberassignedforyourinitial
application,andquotetheReferenceNumberwhenapplyingtoyourproposeduniversities.

Q11.IfIhaveforgottentopresentthereferencenumberassignedbytheHKPFS,willmy
applicationstillbeconsideredasanapplicationforHKPFS?
If no HKPFS Reference Number is presented to a university in an application for PhD programme
admission, the university will process the relevant application as a regular one without giving any
considerationundertheHKPFS.
Q12.IforgottoreadtheExplanatoryNotestoApplicantsbeforefillingouttheInitial
Application.Willitaffectmyapplication?
TheResearchGrantsCouncil(RGC)ofHongKongmaystopprocessingyourapplicationifitdoes
notcomplywithanyoftherequirementsassetoutintheExplanatoryNotes.
Q13.CanIsubmitmorethanoneinitialapplicationfortheHongKongPhDFellowship?
In order to ensure consistency and fairness to all applicants, each applicant can only submit ONE
initialapplicationthroughtheHongKongPhDFellowshipSchemeElectronicSystem.
Q14.MayIprintoutthetemplateoftheinitialapplicationandfillitoutmanuallyfor
submissiontotheRGC?
No.AllinitialapplicationsshouldbemadeonlinethroughtheHongKongPhDFellowshipScheme
ElectronicSystem.

MakingChangestoSubmittedInformation
Q15.Afterthesubmissionoftheinitialapplication,Iwouldliketomakechangesto
university/programmechoices.WhatshouldIdo?
Ifanapplicantwishestochangehis/herchoiceofuniversities(ies)/programme(s)forPhDstudiesin
theinitialapplication,he/shewillneedtologinusingtheHKPFSReferenceNumberandpassword.
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Q16.HowmanyuniversitiesandPhDprogrammesIcanchooseforanapplicationunder
HongKongPhDFellowshipScheme?
You may choose up to two programmes in total in one or two universities with priority indicated in
yourapplication.

ApplicationFeeandProgrammeInformation
Q17.DoIneedtopayanyfeesformakinganapplicationunderHKPFS?
The RGC does not charge any application fee for the HKPFS. However, universities may charge
applicationorotherprocessingfees.
Q18.IfIhaveprobleminpayingapplicationfeetomychosenuniversity,whatshouldIdo?
TheResearchGrantsCouncil(RGC)doesNOThaveanyinvolvementinthepaymentofapplication
fee for PhD admission which is solely the business between applicants and the respective
universities.Furthermore,theRGCisnotliableforanyinformationorserviceswhichmayappearon
anywebsiteslinkedtothewebpageoftheHongKongPhDFellowshipScheme.Shouldapplicants
encounter problems arising from application fee payment, or have any enquiry regarding particular
universities,theyshouldcontacttherelevantuniversitiesdirectly.

Q19.WherecanIgettheinformationaboutPhDprogrammesandadmissionrequirements
oftheuniversities?
FordetailsonPhDprogrammesandadmissionrequirementsofindividualuniversities,pleasereferto
thefollowingwebsites:
CityUniversityofHongKonghttp://www.cityu.edu.hk/sgs/hkphd
HongKongBaptistUniversityhttp://gs.hkbu.edu.hk
LingnanUniversityhttp://www.ln.edu.hk/reg/info/phd
TheChineseUniversityofHongKong
https://www.gs.cuhk.edu.hk/page/HongKongPhDFellowshipScheme
TheEducationUniversityofHongKonghttps://www.eduhk.hk/gradsch
TheHongKongPolytechnicUniversityhttp://www.polyu.edu.hk/ro/hkphdfellowship
TheHongKongUniversityofScienceandTechnologyhttp://pg.ust.hk/hkpfs
TheUniversityofHongKonghttp://www.gradsch.hku.hk/gradsch/prospective
students/scholarshipfundingandfees#1

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ApplicationDeadlines
Q20.IsthereadefinitetimeframeforsubmissionofmyInitialApplication?
ApplicantsmustsubmittheirinitialapplicationsthroughtheHongKongPhDFellowshipScheme
ElectronicSystembeforethedeadlineon1December2016at12:00noonHongKongTime.

Q21.AreapplicationdeadlinesfortheeightuniversitiesthesameasthatfortheInitial
Application?
No.Asapplicationdeadlinesforsomeoftheuniversitiesmayimmediatelyfollowthatfortheinitial
applications,candidatesshouldsubmitinitialapplicationsasearlyaspossibletoensurethattheyhave
sufficienttimetosubmitfullapplicationstouniversities.Deadlinesforsubmittingfullapplicationvia
chosenuniversitiesarelistedasfollows:
CityUniversityofHongKong:6December2016
HongKongBaptistUniversity:1December2016(11:59p.m.HongKongTime)
LingnanUniversity:2December2016
TheChineseUniversityofHongKong:1December2016(5:00p.m.HongKongTime)
TheEducationUniversityofHongKong:1December2016
TheHongKongPolytechnicUniversity:1December2016
TheHongKongUniversityofScienceandTechnology:4December2016
TheUniversityofHongKong:1December2016

SelectionProcessandAwardofFellowships
Q22.HowaretheHongKongPhDFellowshipawardeesselected?
Individual universities may conduct interviews with applicants where necessary. Shortlisted
applications,subjecttotheirareasofstudies,willbereviewedbyoneofthetwoSelectionPanelswith
experts in the relevant broad areas one for Science, Medicine, Engineering and Technology and
anotheroneforHumanities,SocialScienceandBusinessStudies.
Q23.Whataretheselectioncriteria?
Q24.WhenwilltheresultoftheHKPFSbeannounced?
Q25.IfIamnotawardedthefellowship,doesitmeanthatmyapplicationforPhDadmission
withtheuniversitieswillalsobeturneddown?
Q26.WhenshouldIregisterwiththeuniversities?
Q27.HowcanIapplyforastudentvisa/anentrypermit?
Please refer to the Guidebook for Entry for Study in Hong Kong issued by the Immigration
Department,

The

Government

of

the

Hong

Kong

Special

Administrative

Region,

athttp://www.immd.gov.hk/eng/services/visas/study.html for detailed requirements for application for

studentvisa/entrypermit.

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FurtherEnquiries
Q28.WhatcanIdoifIhavemorequestions?
ForenquiriesabouttheHKPFS,pleaseaddressyourquestionstoHKPF@ugc.edu.hk.Forenquiries
aboutthePhDprogrammesandadmissionrequirements,pleasecontacttherespectiveuniversities
forinformation:

CityUniversityofHongKong
ChowYeiChingSchoolofGraduateStudies,

Tel:(852)34429076

4/F.,FongYunWahBuilding,

Fax:(852)34420332

CityUniversityofHongKong,

Email:sgfellow@cityu.edu.hk

Kowloon,HongKong

HongKongBaptistUniversity

GraduateSchool,

Tel:(852)34115127

AAB904,Level9,AcademicandAdministrationBuilding,

Fax:(852)34115133

BaptistUniversityRoadCampus

Email:gs@hkbu.edu.hk

HongKongBaptistUniversity,
KowloonTong,HongKong

LingnanUniversity

Registry,

Tel:(852)26168750

LingnanUniversity,

Fax:(852)25725178or

8CastlePeakRoad,TuenMun,

(852)24639104

HongKong

Email:rpgadm@LN.edu.hk

TheChineseUniversityofHongKong

GraduateSchool,

Tel:(852)39438976or

7thFloor,YasumotoInternationalAcademicPark,

(852)39438977

TheChineseUniversityofHongKong,

Faxnumber:(852)26035779

Shatin,N.T.,HongKong

Email:gradschool@cuhk.edu.hk

TheEducationUniversityofHongKong

GraduateSchool,B4G/F02,

Tel:(852)29487283or

TheEducationUniversityofHongKong

(852)29486611

10LoPingRoad,TaiPo,

Fax:(852)29486619

NewTerritories,HongKong

Email:rpg@eduhk.hk

TheHongKongPolytechnicUniversity

ResearchOffice,

Tel:(852)34003635

RoomZ404,4/F,BlockZ,

Fax:(852)23557651

TheHongKongPolytechnicUniversity,

Email:roro@polyu.edu.hk

HungHom,Kowloon,HongKong

TheHongKongUniversityofScienceandTechnology
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PostgraduateOutreachandAdmissionsTeam(PGOA)

Tel:(852)26231120

OfficeofPostgraduatestudies,

Fax:(852)35210049

Room6418,Lift2526,AcademicBuilding

Email:hkpfs@ust.hk

TheHongKongUniversityofScienceandTechnology
ClearWaterBay,Kowloon,HongKong

TheUniversityofHongKong

GraduateSchool,

Tel:(852)28573470

RoomP403,GraduateHouse,

Fax:(852)28573543

TheUniversityofHongKong,

Email:gradsch@hku.hk

Pokfulam,HongKong

CopyrightResearchGrantsCouncil,UniversityGrantsCommittee.Allrightsreserved.

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