HKU Presidential PhD Scholarship 2027/2028

About this scholarship

A scholarship for full-time PhD students at the University of Hong Kong, for the 2027/2028 admission. There is no separate scholarship form, and every full-time PhD application is considered.

Funding type

Covers: composition fees for the whole normal study period, which are HKD 49,500 a year, a postgraduate scholarship of HKD 28,700 a month, a cash award of HKD 40,000 in year 1 and HKD 20,000 a year after that, a conference and research travel allowance of HKD 14,400 a year, and a guaranteed hall place in year 1 that may be renewed. The page gives the package total as up to about HKD 445,800 in the first year and HKD 428,300 in each later year. Some outstanding students may get support for one extra year after the normal study period. The page does not mention flights or health insurance.

Tuition fees

Covered

Living costs

Covered

Travel

Partially covered

Insurance

Not specified

Eligibility requirements

Nationalities

All nationalities

Residence condition

No residence condition

A full-time PhD applicant to the University of Hong Kong. Every applicant is considered, with no separate form For a 3-year PhD: a bachelor's degree with honours and a research master's degree, or equivalent For a 4-year PhD: a bachelor's degree with honours and a taught master's degree, or a bachelor's degree with first class honours, or equivalent Selected candidates may be invited to an interview The page does not limit nationality

Minimum grade

Not stated

Work experience asked for

Not stated

Return condition

Return condition not stated

How to apply

With the admission application

Language requirements and exemptions

Language test required IELTS TOEFL iBT Waiver possible

Required if the language of teaching or examination at your university was not English: IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with no skill below 6 (7 overall for the Faculty of Arts), or TOEFL iBT, taken within 2 years. The TOEFL score is 85 for tests before 21 January 2026 and 4.5 on the new scale for tests from that date.

University admission details

Admission included in application?

Apply for the PhD in your chosen department through the university's online application system. Every full-time PhD applicant is considered for the scholarship. The main round for 2027/2028 admission runs from 1 September to 1 December 2026, 23:59 Hong Kong time. Two later rounds follow, 2 December 2026 to 30 April 2027 and 1 May to 31 August 2027, but they are only considered if places remain. The university advises applying in the main round, and some departments start reviewing before the deadline. The Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS) is a separate scheme, and its first step with the Research Grants Council (RGC) closes at 12:00 noon Hong Kong time on 1 December 2026. The university gives the Presidential PhD Scholarship to everyone who wins an HKPFS fellowship, so the two packages are almost the same. The RGC funds HKPFS and the university funds the Presidential scholarship. The university encourages main round applicants to apply for HKPFS too. The application fee is HKD 780 and waiver requests are not considered. The result comes about three to four months after the deadline.

Required documents

Supporting documents asked for in the online application form Two academic referees who agree to write for you IELTS or TOEFL result if the teaching language of your university was not English GMAT or GRE score for the Faculty of Business and Economics, taken within five years Proof that the application fee was paid Transcripts and certificates, a research proposal or a statement of research interest (with a note of any use of AI), and your passport or ID GRE Psychology Subject Test (at least 550) for Psychology applicants whose first degree is not in Psychology

Application steps

Choose the department and programme, and look for a possible supervisor if you wish. Create an account in the online application system, fill in the form and upload the documents. Ask two academic referees for their consent before you apply, and follow from the system whether their reports arrive. Pay the application fee and apply before 23:59 Hong Kong time on 1 December 2026.

Requirement checklist

Scholarship contacts

HKU Graduate School: [email protected]Copy

Universities and contacts