Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme

Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme 2025/2026

The Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme, established by the Research Grants Council (RGC) of the HKSAR government, aims to attract the best and brightest students in the world to pursue their PhD programmes in Hong Kong’s institutions.

The College of Computing now invites applications for admission to PhD programmes at City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) through the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme in 2025/26.

About The Fellowship

The Fellowship provides the following for each awardee per year for a maximum of THREE YEARS:

A monthly stipend of HK$28,100 (approximately US$3,600).
A conference and research-related travel allowance of HK$14,000 (approximately US$1,790).

Additional Scholarships from CityUHK:

Full stipend for the 4th year of study (HK$337,200).
University student hall accommodation fee for the 1st year (HK$51,000).
Student's tuition fee for the 1st year of study (HK$44,496).
Other fundings for research related activities and to attend international academic conferences.

How to Apply to CityUHK?

Applicants are required to submit online applications to both Research Grants Council (RGC) and CityUHK.

Step 1:

RGC’s Application Deadline: 1 December 2024 (by 12 noon Hong Kong Time or GMT +8 hours)

Submit an initial application and obtain an RGC reference number by registering at RGC’s Online Application System at https://cerg1.ugc.edu.hk/hkpfs/InitApplication.jsp.

Step 2:

CityUHK’s Application Deadline: 1 December 2024 (by 23:59 Hong Kong Time or GMT +8 hours)

Submit a full application including supporting documents to CityUHK’s Online Application System at https://www.cityu.edu.hk/pg/hong-kong-phd-fellowship-scheme (quoting the RGC reference number).

CityUHK's Entrance Requirements:

Applicants seeking admission to PhD studies at CityUHK should satisfy the following minimum entrance requirements:

Hold a higher degree by research (or equivalent qualification) from a recognised university; or
Hold a Master's degree (or equivalent qualification) from a recognised university; or
Hold a Bachelor's degree with first class honours (or equivalent qualification) from a recognised university.

English Proficiency Requirements:

Applicants from an institution where the language of teaching is not English should satisfy the following minimum English proficiency requirements:

A minimum TOEFL* score of 79 in one single internet-based test; or
A minimum overall band score of 6.5 in IELTS*.

(Please note that individual Departments in the College may adopt a higher standard.)

* TOEFL and IELTS scores are considered valid for two years from the test date and must be valid at the time of submission of application to CityUHK.

Cost of Living and Finance

Each fellowship recipient will receive a monthly stipend of HK$28,100 (approximately US$3,600).

The tuition fee for full-time PhD students per annum is approximately HK$44,496 (US$5,705) in the 2024/25 academic year. (The tuition fee for the first year of study will be covered by an entrance scholarship offered by CityUHK.)

Rough estimate of the yearly cost (2 semesters) of studying PhD at CityUHK (2024/25):

Expenses	University Student Hall Accommodation Amount¹	Off-campus Accommodation
Tuition fee²	HKD$44,496	HKD$44,496
Living costs (meals, transport, laundry, and education expenses for books, stationery, etc.)³	HKD$50,000	HKD$50,000
Accommodation	HKD$36,000⁴	HKD$50,000-60,000⁵
Total cost per academic year	HKD$130,496 (~US$16,730)	HKD$144,496-154,496 (~US$18,525-19,807)

Applications for residence places are subject to availability of residence places and other criteria specified by the University.
Tuition fee for 2024/25. The tuition fee is subject to an annual review and is normally adjusted in September every year.
Actual costs will vary depending on individual lifestyle choices. Students may also need to budget emergency medical expenses, etc.
Residence fee for a double room at the Student Residence on campus. All fees are subject to annual review. Room rates will vary depends on room types, please refer to https://www.cityu.edu.hk/sro/StudentHousing/PGHalls/HallAdmission/FeePay.htm for details.
Estimated costs for private renting. Students may refer to https://www.cityu.edu.hk/sro/StudentHousing/oca.htm for some off-campus accommodation options.