The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has achieved a significant milestone in its pursuit of academic excellence and global talent attraction. Since the inception of the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS) in 2009, HKUST has welcomed over 1,000 fellowship recipients from more than 50 countries and regions, accounting for over a quarter of all HKPFS awardees to date. This achievement positions HKUST as the leading destination for HKPFS recipients among Hong Kong's University Grants Committee (UGC)-funded universities, reinforcing its status as a global magnet for top-tier research talent.
In the 2026/27 academic year, which commenced this 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 influx of elite scholars not only underscores HKUST's world-class research capabilities but also highlights its pivotal role in supporting Hong Kong's development into an international hub for high-caliber talent, post-secondary education, innovation, and technology.
Since the first intake of doctoral students in the 2010/11 academic year, HKUST has consistently attracted the highest number of HKPFS awardees among Hong Kong universities for 14 of those academic years. Following the HKSAR Government's announcement in the 2025-26 Budget to increase the annual scheme quota to 400, HKUST has welcomed more than 100 recipients in both the 2025/26 and 2026/27 academic years. Each recipient is granted three years of financial support provided by the Research Grants Council (RGC), which includes an annual stipend and research-related allowance worth around HK$358,800 per year.
Prof. Nancy Ip, President of HKUST, expressed deep encouragement at these achievements, stating, "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." She added, "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 support provided under the HKPFS, HKUST offers a comprehensive package to its recipients, including a full tuition waiver for four years, research and academic development funding, and guaranteed first-year accommodation. This enables students to fully dedicate themselves to research and expand their international academic networks. 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 exchange activities. Additionally, the "HKUST RedBird PhD Award" grants recipients a HK$40,000 recruitment award in their first year, followed by an annual HK$20,000 Academic Excellence Award in subsequent years, subject to satisfactory academic performance.
The research domains of HKPFS recipients at HKUST span frontier areas, including artificial intelligence and future computing and electronics, biomedical sciences and translational medicine, materials science and future energy, innovation for business management and fintech, as well as sustainability and green technology. Throughout their PhD journey, they engage in cutting-edge research while strengthening their research capabilities and teaching skills through scholarly publications, teaching assignments, and international academic exchanges. Prof. Bert Shi, Dean of HKUST Fok Ying Tung Graduate School, noted, "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... 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." Upon graduation, HKUST doctoral graduates enjoy exceptional career prospects, with many joining world-renowned universities and research institutes, while others embark on entrepreneurial paths, transforming their research into innovative solutions that benefit society.
Established by the RGC in 2009, the HKPFS aims to attract outstanding students worldwide who possess exceptional academic achievements and strong research potential to pursue research postgraduate studies at UGC-funded universities in Hong Kong. Recipients are selected through a highly competitive process based on academic performance, research capability and potential, communication skills, and leadership abilities. For the 2026/27 academic year, the scheme offers 400 fellowships. HKUST's leading role in this scheme not only reflects its research excellence but also its commitment to nurturing the next generation of innovators and scholars, contributing significantly to Hong Kong's ambition to become a global hub for high-caliber talent.
