The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has solidified its position as the leading destination for recipients of the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS), having enrolled more than 1,000 fellowship recipients since the scheme’s inception in 2009. This milestone, announced today, highlights the university’s success in attracting top-tier international research talent and its contribution to Hong Kong’s ambition of becoming a global hub for high-caliber manpower.
Since the Research Grants Council (RGC) launched the HKPFS 17 years ago, HKUST has welcomed over 1,000 fellowship recipients from more than 50 countries and regions. These elite students account for over a quarter of all HKPFS fellowships awarded to date, and HKUST has secured the highest number of awardees among Hong Kong’s University Grants Committee (UGC)-funded universities for 14 of those academic years. This track record underscores the university’s world-class research capabilities and its commitment to nurturing talent.
In the 2026/27 academic year, which began in September, HKUST has admitted over 100 new HKPFS recipients. Over the next three years, these doctoral students will receive a combined total of more than HK$112 million in fellowships and research allowances from the HKSAR Government. This follows the government’s decision in the 2025-26 Budget to increase the annual scheme quota to 400, enabling HKUST to welcome more than 100 recipients in both the 2025/26 and 2026/27 academic years. Each recipient receives three years of financial support from the RGC, including an annual stipend and research-related allowance worth around HK$358,800 per year.
Prof. Nancy Ip, President of HKUST, expressed her pride in the achievement: “For 35 years, HKUST has been driven by a commitment not only to advance knowledge, but to generate knowledge that creates meaningful impact. We believe transformative discoveries begin with curiosity, courage, and a willingness to explore the unknown. By fostering a vibrant environment for research, learning, and innovation, we empower our faculty and students to push boundaries and turn ideas into solutions that benefit society. Over the past 17 years, more than a thousand outstanding students from around the world have chosen HKUST for their postgraduate research journey, enriching our community with diverse perspectives and reflecting the global recognition of our research excellence. Looking ahead, we will continue to attract talent from across the globe, strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration, and support young scholars to tackle the world’s most pressing challenges through research and innovation for the benefit of Hong Kong, our nation, and the world.”
Beyond the HKPFS support, HKUST offers a comprehensive package to its fellowship recipients, including a full tuition waiver for four years, research and academic development funding, and guaranteed first-year accommodation. The university also provides a range of scholarships and support schemes for other full-time research postgraduate students, such as the Postgraduate Studentship, which offers annual support of over HK$220,000, and the Global Research Award, which supports overseas research and academic exchanges. Additionally, the “HKUST RedBird PhD Award” provides a HK$40,000 recruitment award in the first year, followed by an annual HK$20,000 Academic Excellence Award, subject to satisfactory performance.
The research areas of HKPFS recipients at HKUST span frontier fields, including artificial intelligence, future computing and electronics, biomedical sciences, translational medicine, materials science, future energy, innovation for business management, fintech, sustainability, and green technology. Throughout their doctoral journey, they engage in cutting-edge research, strengthen their skills through publications and teaching, and participate in international exchanges, preparing them for careers in academia, research institutions, the innovation and technology industry, or entrepreneurship.
Prof. Bert Shi, Dean of the HKUST Fok Ying Tung Graduate School, noted the diversity of the recipients: “HKUST’s diverse pool of HKPFS recipients comes from more than 50 countries and regions, bringing talent from around the world together with home-grown undergraduate and master’s graduates, some of whom discovered their passion for research early on through HKUST’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program, while others chose to pursue advanced studies here after being inspired by cutting-edge research projects led by HKUST faculty. Together, these young doctoral students from diverse cultural and academic backgrounds unite with seasoned faculty members to form a vibrant, international, and dynamic scholarly community.”
Established by the RGC in 2009, the HKPFS aims to attract outstanding students with exceptional academic achievements and research potential to pursue research postgraduate studies at UGC-funded universities in Hong Kong. For the 2026/27 academic year, the scheme offers 400 fellowships. HKUST’s achievement in surpassing 1,000 recipients not only reinforces its position as a global magnet for talent but also plays a crucial role in advancing Hong Kong’s development as an international center for post-secondary education, innovation, and technology.
