MPhil and PhD

Information for Applicants Information for Current Research Postgraduate (RPG) Students Funding Opportunities for RPG Students

Scholarships

(a) Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS)

With effect from 1 July 2024, applicants for the PhD programme, however, are encouraged to apply through the Online Application System of the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship (HKPF) Scheme to compete for an annual stipend of HK$337,200 (approximately US$43,230) and a conference and research-related travel allowance of HK$14,000 (approximately US$1,790) per year for each awardee for a period up to three years.

 

Please see the following link for more information. https://cerg1.ugc.edu.hk/hkpfs/index.html

 

For the 2025/26 exercise, all HKPFS holders will be awarded the HKU Presidential PhD Scholarship. On top of the HKPF package, each awardee will receive:

 

  1. Cash Award to support research and living expenses:
    . HK$40,000 in Year 1; HK$20,000 per year in the remaining normative study period
  2. Waiver of composition fees for the whole normative study period (i.e. HK$44,500, HK$47,000 and HK$49,500 per year for 2025/26, 2026/27 and 2027/28 respectively)
  3. Financial support to selected outstanding students for an additional year of study beyond the normative study period to reward their outstanding research output and progress
  4. A guaranteed hall place in Year 1, with possibility of renewal

 

(b) HKU Presidential PhD Scholar Programme (HKU-PS)

All applicants applying for the full-time PhD programme will be considered for the HKU-PS Programme. In view of the intense competition, applicants applying for the HKU-PS Programme during the Main Round (1 September – 1 December) are strongly encouraged to apply also for the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme.

 

Scholarship Package for 2026/27 Admission

Each HKU Presidential PhD Scholar will receive a package of up to around HK$439,500 (US$56,350) in the first year, and up to around HK$422,000 (US$54,110) in each of the subsequent years during the normative study period. The package includes:

 

  1. Cash Award to support research and living expenses
    . HK$40,000 in Year 1; HK$20,000 per year in the remaining normative study period
  2. Waiver of composition fees for the whole normative study period (i.e. HK$44,500, HK$47,000 and HK$49,500 per year for 2025/26, 2026/27 and 2027/28 respectively)
  3. Postgraduate Scholarship of HK$28,400 per month
  4. Conference and Research-related Travel Allowance of HK$14,200 per year
  5. Financial support to selected outstanding students for an additional year of study beyond the normative study period to reward their outstanding research output and progress
  6. A guaranteed hall place in Year 1, with possibility of renewal

 

Please see HKU Presidential PhD Scholar Programme for more details.

 

(c) HKU’s Postgraduate Scholarship (PGS)

Successful full-time applicants will normally receive a postgraduate scholarship (PGS) of HK$19,135 per month (w.e.f. 1 September 2025). After confirmation of probationary period, the level of PGS received by PhD students will receive a higher PGS rate (HK$19,655, w.e.f. 1 September 2025) in the following calendar month.

 

Summary table

PhD MPhil
HKPFS Yes
HKU-PS Yes
HKU’s PGS Yes Yes

Conference and Travel Support

University Level

For information on (a) the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS) and (b) the HKU Presidential PhD Scholar Programme (HKU-PS) and please visit the respective webpages for the details regarding the application procedures:

 

(a) Conference/Travel Support for Awardees of the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS)
http://www.rss.hku.hk/fund/conference-travel-hkpf

 

(b) Conference/Travel Support for Awardees of the HKU Presidential PhD Scholar Programme (HKU-PS)
http://www.rss.hku.hk/fund/conference-travel-hku-ps

 

Full-time PhD and MPhil students, except awardees of HKPFS and HKU-PS, are eligible to apply for financial support from the University Research Committee for attending conference and international training/research activities.

PhD:　　2 conference trips OR 1 conference trip + 1 study trip

MPhil:     1 conference trip OR 1 study trip

 

For information on the (c) Conference Support for Research Postgraduate Students and (d) Travel Support for Research Postgraduate Students for International Academic Training/ Research Activities, please visit the respective websites for the details regarding the application procedures:

 

(c) Conference Support for Research Postgraduate Students
http://www.rss.hku.hk/fund/conference-students

 

(d) Travel Support for Research Postgraduate Students for International Academic Training/Research Activities
http://www.rss.hku.hk/fund/travel-students

 

Financial support per application is capped at HK$13,500.  For conference support, the applicant must be presenting a paper or a poster that he/she has (co-) authored at the conference, and must be the only person applying to the University Research Committee (whether under these regulations or under the regulations governing teaching staff conference support) for conference support in respect of this presentation.

 

(e) Other financial support and awards

Please click the following link for further information:
https://gradsch.hku.hk/prospective_students/fees_scholarships_and_financial_support/financial_support_and_awards

School Level

If the aforementioned funds are unavailable, students may then seek research funding at School level:
(a) Departmental Research Postgraduate Committee (DRPC) Discretionary Fund; and
(b) Research Mobility Fund for RPG Students in Sociolinguistics (as Sociolinguistics Symposium 23 Fund [SS23 Fund] hereafter).

 

The award of DRPC Discretionary Fund or SS23 Fund should not be used in conjunction with funding from any other internal or external sources.

 

Submission and enquiry of funding at School level:
Ms. Anny Hui of the School Office
Office: Room 735, School Office of English, Run Run Shaw Tower, HKU

Email: annyhsw@hku.hk

Phone: 3917 2749