Guidance Note

RESEARCH GRANTS COUNCIL
Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme 2022/23

Guidance Note for Applicants
Please ensure that you read this Guidance Note carefully before completing and
submitting your initial application. The Research Grants Council (RGC) may stop
processing your application if your application does not meet the requirements set out
in this Guidance Note.
SCHEME PROCESS
(a) The deadline for the submission of initial application for the HKPFS is
1 December 2021 at 12:00 noon Hong Kong time. Late submissions will not be
considered.
(b) Applicants should note that the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme
Electronic System (HKPFSES) will time out automatically after idling for 30
minutes. All unsubmitted entries will be lost upon system time-out.
(c) The initial application, excluding this Guidance Note, is composed of the
following sections:
A. Personal Particulars
B. Choice of University(ies) and Programme(s) for PhD Study
C. Authorization and Declaration
D. Source of Information
(d) In order to ensure consistency and fairness to all applicants, each

applicant should only submit one initial application through the HKPFSES at
https://cerg1.ugc.edu.hk/hkpfs/InitApplication.jsp. In the event that an applicant
is discovered to have submitted more than one initial application, all applications
submitted by the same applicant for the HKPFS may be disqualified even if the
applicant is nominated by an university to compete for the HKPFS award.
(e) The initial application form, except for the field requiring the input of
applicant’s Name in Chinese (if applicable), must be completed in English.
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(f) Upon submission of the initial application, an HKPFS Reference
Number will be automatically generated for each applicant. An email
confirmation stating the HKPFS Reference Number and details of the log-in
password will be sent to the email address specified by the applicant. Applicants
are strongly advised to save and/or print out the email confirmation for future
reference. The HKPFS Reference Number [PF21-xxxxx] must be quoted by the
applicant in all correspondence with the RGC and in all applications to the chosen
University Grants Committee (UGC)-funded universities as indicated in this
initial application. An applicant will need to log-in using the HKPFS Reference
Number and log-in password if he/she wishes to change the choice of
universities/department/programmes at a later stage.
(g) An applicant may make changes to choice(s) of

university/department/programme until the initial application deadline, i.e.
1 December 2021 at 12:00 noon Hong Kong time. However, only the two
choices saved in the HKPFSES as at the deadline will be processed.
(h) After completing an initial application, applicants should submit a full

application to the chosen university(ies) quoting the HKPFS Reference Number
before the university’s deadline [please note that each university may have a
different deadline]. An initial application that is not followed up with a full
application to the university will not be processed to the next stage.
(i) Applicants should ensure the accuracy and consistency in the data
submitted to the RGC through the HKPFSES and information submitted to
individual universities. Any inaccuracy or inconsistency may lead to an
application not being considered under the HKPFS..
(j) Information provided through the HKPFSES will be cross-checked with

the information contained in applications submitted to universities for verification
purposes. The cross-checking will be done in such a way that in cases where an
applicant chooses and submits full application to more than one university, each
university is only aware of the submission to itself and not of the other submission.
(k) Applicants must comply with the admission and application

requirements of the individual university(ies) concerned. Individual universities
will usually conduct interviews with applicants as part of the assessment for
selection. For programme information, requirements for PhD admission,
application methods and deadlines, regulations and policy of individual
universities, please check with the individual university concerned.
2
(l) Universities will nominate selected candidates to the RGC to compete
for the HKPFS award. In the event that an applicant is nominated by two
universities, the RGC will only process the nomination tendered by the university for
which the applicant has indicated priority. If an applicant selects two different
programmes within the same university and is nominated, the university shall have the
discretion to decide on which programme it supports the nomination.
(m) Applicants who are not selected for the award of HKPFS may be
accepted by a university for regular PhD admission and may be offered a
postgraduate studentship or other funding support by the university.
(n) Enquiries concerning the HKPFS should be made using the applicant’s
e-mail account specified in the initial application to HKPF@ugc.edu.hk quoting
the HKPFS Reference Number. Questions regarding admission requirements as
well as other university’s information should be directed to the relevant
universities.
Information on individual universities are available on the following websites:
City University of Hong Kong (CityU)

http://www.cityu.edu.hk/sgs/hkphd
Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU)

https://gs.hkbu.edu.hk/admission/hong-kong-phd-fellowship-
scheme/introduction
Lingnan University (LU)

https://www.ln.edu.hk/reg/info/pgrad/hkpfs.php
The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)

http://www.gs.cuhk.edu.hk/hkpfs
The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK)

https://www.eduhk.hk/gradsch/index.php/scholarship/hong-kong-phd-
fellowship-scheme.html
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU)

https://www.polyu.edu.hk/gs/hkpfs/
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST)

http://pg.ust.hk/hkpfs
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The University of Hong Kong (HKU)
https://gradsch.hku.hk/gradsch/prospective-students/scholarship-
funding-and-fees#2
(o) The RGC does not charge any application fee for HKPFS. However,
universities may charge application or other processing fees. Please check with
the universities of your choice for details.
(p) The RGC reserves the right to amend the information contained in the
Guidance Note and the related application form at any time at its absolute
discretion without prior notice.
***************
UGC Secretariat
17 August 2021

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RESEARCH GRANTS COUNCIL

Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme 2022/23

(d) In order to ensure consistency and fairness to all applicants, each

(g) An applicant may make changes to choice(s) of

(h) After completing an initial application, applicants should submit a full

(j) Information provided through the HKPFSES will be cross-checked with

(k) Applicants must comply with the admission and application

Information on individual universities are available on the following websites:

City University of Hong Kong (CityU)

Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU)

Lingnan University (LU)

The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)

The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK)

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU)

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST)

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