| Hong Kong PhD Fellowship |
The Hong Kong PhD Fellowship (HKPF) Scheme was established by the Hong Kong Research Grants Council (RGC) in 2009. The HKPF aims at attracting the best and brightest students across the world to pursue their research degree programmes in Hong Kong. For the academic year 2012-13, about 135 PhD Fellowships will be awarded to all institutions and application will start in September 2011.
To discourage plagiarism, the RGC requests institutions to conduct plagiarism checking on all nominated applications before submitting their nominations to the RGC. Applicants should make sure that their application materials do not contain any plagiarised materials, in particular the research plan, research proposal and vision statements which are expected to be an original piece of work written by the applicant.
Eligibility
New applicants to full-time PhD programmes in government-funded institutions in Hong Kong, irrespective of their country of origin and ethnic background, are eligible to apply. Applicants should demonstrate outstanding academic performance, research ability/potential, communication and interpersonal skills, and leadership abilities.
The Fellowships
The HKPF provides each awardee with a monthly studentship of HK$20,000 and a conference and research related travel allowance of HK$10,000 per year for a period up to three years. For HKPF awardees who are admitted to a 4-year PhD programme in 2012-13, the University will provide a monthly stipend and travel allowance at the same level as the HKPF for their fourth year of study. For further details, please visit http://www.rgc.edu.hk/hkphd.
Application
Applicants will need to submit one initial application to the RGC (only with basic information such as their names, the two chosen programmes / institutions, place of birth, etc.) through RGC's on-line system, and each of the applications will be allocated a reference number. The deadline for submitting an initial application to RGC is December 1, 2011. For RGC's on-line initial application, please visit http://www.rgc.edu.hk/hkphd.
Applicants who have chosen HKU in their initial applications have to submit an on-line application form and upload soft copies of supporting documents via the on-line application system of HKU to apply for admission. They are required to indicate that they are applying for the HKPF in the on-line application form and quote the reference number assigned to them by the RGC. The deadline for submitting an application to HKU is also December 1, 2011.
Applicants who have applied for the HKPF will be automatically considered for the award of University Postgraduate Fellowships (UPF) mentioned in the following session. Nevertheless, applicants who have successfully been selected for the award of HKPF will not concurrently be awarded the UPF and Postgraduate Studentships offered by the University. The HKPF Scheme does not cover the Joint PhD programmes.
| University Postgraduate Fellowships |
The University Postgraduate Fellowships (UPF) Scheme aims to attract top students worldwide and is available for selected new full-time PhD candidates with excellent academic performances. The fellowship is at a value of HK$70,000 on top of the Postgraduate Studentships. Applicants in their final year of study may also apply for the UPF. The deadline for application is December 1, 2011. There is no separate on-line application form for UPF. Applicants who have applied for the Hong Kong PhD Fellowships will be automatically considered for the award of UPF. They are required to submit a short essay on-line on why they should be awarded the UPF.
| Postgraduate Studentships |
The purpose of Postgraduate Studentships (PGS) is to provide selected students with financial assistance in the form of a scholarship to study full-time for the degrees of MPhil or PhD during the prescribed periods of study.
Full-time MPhil and PhD students who hold a first degree at second class honours first division (or equivalent) or above are normally considered eligible for receiving Postgraduate Studentships during the normative study period. The University's Board of Graduate Studies, which has sole and absolute discretion in granting the award of the Postgraduate Studentship, may also take into consideration the candidates' results in Master's degrees. Studentships are tenable on an annual basis and are renewable upon satisfactory academic progress having been made and the availability of funding. A Postgraduate Studentship holder may be required to undertake, under supervision, duties that carry educational benefits for the holder, as prescribed by the Head of the Department, Unit, Centre, School or Institute in which the holder is registered. The amount of such work shall not exceed 100 hours in any full twelve-month period (or pro rata if the period is less than twelve months). The undertaking of this work forms a part of the Studentship contract covered by the value of the Studentship, and no other payment for these hours of work may be made to a Studentship holder.
The basic stipend amount is presently (for the 2011-12 academic year) HK$13,600 per month. A higher rate may be paid, at the discretion of the department in which the Studentship holder is registered. In return, the Studentship holder may be required to work additional hours, up to a maximum of a further 150 hours per annum. The annual value of the Studentships will be determined by the University from time to time. There are at present 4 levels of stipend, ranging from HK$13,600 to HK$15,910 per month.
The work undertaken in this capacity will be relevant to the holder's research training, beneficial to his/her studies and subject to the concurrence of the supervisor(s). The holder will not otherwise undertake any employment either within or outside the University during tenure of the Studentship. The nature of the duties will normally be
(a) assistance with research;
(b) assistance with scheduled laboratory, studio and fieldwork classes and with tutorials;
(c) assistance with the preparation of materials for scheduled classes;
(d) assistance with marking practical notebooks and answers from exercise classes;
(e) assistance with invigilation of University degree examinations.
Further details of the Postgraduate Studentship regulations are available on the website: http://www.hku.hk/gradsch/web/regulations/reg-pgs-amended.pdf.
| Conference and Travel Grants |
MPhil and PhD students may apply for conference and/or travel grants for presenting papers/posters in overseas academic conferences or participating in other overseas educational activities.
| Scholarships for all MPhil and PhD students in the University |
The University administers a number of scholarships which are awarded to postgraduate students for outstanding academic achievements. Applications for postgraduate scholarships will be invited from eligible students at various times throughout the year. They include:
- Doris Zimmern HKU-Cambridge Hughes Hall Scholarships
- Dr Lo Kwee Seong Education Foundation
- HKSAR Government Scholarships
- Li Po Chun Postgraduate Scholarship
- Starr Hall Well of Ismael Scholarships
- Swire Graduate Studentships
- Swire Scholarships
- Swire Travel Grants
- Tanfik Ail Memorial Scholarships
Details on the above scholarships can be found at the Graduate School Handbook > Awards and Financial Assistance (Appendix IX)
(http://www.hku.hk/gradsch/web/resources/handbooks/index.htm).
| Scholarships for MPhil and PhD students in the Medical Faculty |
- The Hong Kong Cancer Fund Scholarship in Psycho-Oncology
- The Hui Pun Hing Scholarships for Postgraduate Research at the University of Hong Kong
- Mary Sun Medical Scholarships
- Serena Yang Postgraduate Scholarship in Nursing Studies
- Wong Ching Yee Medical Postgraduate Scholarships
- YS and Christabel Lung Postgraduate Scholarship
- Joseph Shuk-Cho Lung Memorial Scholarships
Details on the above scholarships can be found at the Graduate School Handbook > Awards and Financial Assistance (Appendix IX)
(http://www.hku.hk/gradsch/web/resources/handbooks/index.htm).
| Government Grants and Loans |
Students admitted to a UGC-funded full-time curriculum who need financial assistance for their studies at the University may apply to the means-tested loans and grants scheme administered by the Student Financial Assistance Agency. To qualify for assistance, a student must have the right of abode in Hong Kong or have resided in Hong Kong continuously for three years prior to admission to the University. (Note that students staying in Hong Kong holding student visas do not count as being 'continuously resident'.) The value of their Postgraduate Studentships will be counted as their income. To apply for assistance, students should:
(a) obtain an application form from the Centre of Development and Resources for Students (CEDARS), or the Student Financial Assistance Agency, 11/F & 12/F, Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices, 303 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Kowloon (http://www.sfaa.gov.hk/eng/schemes/tsfs.htm); and
(b) submit the completed form to CEDARS within one month following the commencement of the course.
A non-means tested loan scheme is also available for application by both full-time and part-time students who meet the residency requirements. Application forms are also obtainable at CEDARS.
| University Financial Assistance |
University funds are in general used to supplement government grants and loans. A limited number of means-tested bursaries and loans are available to local full-time students who are in financial need. However, these are of very limited value, and should not be seen as an alternative to Government support. The value of students' Postgraduate Studentships will also be counted in the assessment of their needs. Applications are invited in early September each year. Students facing urgent financial hardship may however apply for emergency assistance any time during the year.
For enquiries, please contact the Centre of Development and Resources for Students (CEDARS; http://cedars.hku.hk/cedars/finances.aspx).