Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS) 2027/28

Written by Keagan HendricksStaff Writer (Unisa Alumnus)

Reviewed & verified by Naledi KhumaloSenior Admissions and Bursaries EditorVerified

The Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS) is run by the Research Grants Council (RGC) of Hong Kong. It pays a living stipend and a travel allowance to new full-time PhD students at eight publicly funded Hong Kong universities, and it is open to applicants of any nationality. The RGC will award 400 fellowships for the 2027/28 academic year. The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) lists the scheme on its International Scholarships portal, but DHET does not run it and adds no money of its own.

Applications opened on 1 September 2026 at noon Hong Kong time. The initial application closes on 1 December 2026 at 12:00 noon Hong Kong time, which is 06:00 in South Africa. The RGC says late initial applications will not be considered.

What the fellowship pays each year

If a PhD runs past three years, the RGC says the chosen university may provide further support, and fellows must ask that university directly. The RGC’s pages do not say that the fellowship covers tuition fees. The Hong Kong government’s tuition waiver for research postgraduates applies to local students, so a South African applicant should confirm the fee position with the university before accepting a place. DHET’s listing also warns that any cost not covered by the fellowship or the university is the student’s own responsibility.

The eight participating universities

• 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
• The University of Hong Kong

Each university sets its own PhD admission rules, programme list and fees. The RGC links to every university’s HKPFS page from its participating universities page.

Who the RGC wants

Anyone seeking admission as a new full-time PhD student at one of the eight universities may apply, whatever their country of origin, work experience or ethnic background. Selection looks at academic excellence first, then research ability and potential, communication and interpersonal skills, and leadership. Shortlisted files go to one of two panels: Sciences, Medicine, Engineering and Technology, or Humanities, Social Sciences and Business Studies. Universities often interview candidates as well.

Current PhD students may apply for a new PhD programme, but the RGC says the panel may decide to discount their earlier PhD work so that first-time doctoral candidates are not at a disadvantage. Applicants from non-English-speaking universities need TOEFL or IELTS scores unless they can prove that English was the language of instruction for all their courses. A South African graduate taught in English should ask the chosen university what proof of that it accepts.

Two applications, one reference number

1. Submit one initial application on the HKPFS Electronic System. It asks for personal particulars, your choice of up to two programmes (at one or two universities, in order of priority), a declaration and how you heard of the scheme. The form must be completed in English and times out after 30 minutes of inactivity. On submission the system emails you an HKPFS Reference Number and password.
2. Apply for PhD admission directly to your chosen university or universities, quoting that reference number. For the 2027/28 round all eight universities list 1 December 2026 at 11:59pm Hong Kong time as their HKPFS deadline. A university that receives no reference number treats the file as an ordinary PhD application.

Only one initial application is allowed. If the RGC finds more than one, it disqualifies all of them, even when a university has already nominated the applicant. You can change your programme choices by logging back in until the noon deadline on 1 December, but not afterwards. The RGC charges no application fee, though universities may charge their own. Referee details are not needed at the initial stage, but universities ask for them in the full application. Read the RGC’s Guidance Note for Applicants first: it also requires you to disclose any use of AI tools in preparing the application.

Nomination, results and registration

Universities nominate their preferred candidates to the RGC, which makes the awards. Results for 2027/28 will be announced by May 2027, and the RGC notifies successful applicants by email and letter. Awardees normally register with their university between July and September 2027; the RGC may approve a deferral to 31 January 2028 at the latest for well-justified reasons. A fellowship is tied to the university named in the offer letter and ends if the fellow leaves that university. An applicant who misses out on the fellowship may still be admitted by the university and offered a regular postgraduate studentship.

South African students weighing doctoral funding at home can compare this with the DSI-NRF postgraduate scholarship and the wider list of postgraduate bursaries. For study in the United Kingdom, see the Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships.

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