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University for Choice 1 is mandatory. Please complete the relevant field.
Research Field is mandatory. Please complete the relevant field.
All items in Section C must be accepted and checked.
First 4 digits of Passport / Identity Document Number is mandatory. Please complete the relevant field.
Last 2 digits of Passport / Identity Document Number is mandatory. Please complete the relevant field.
Keyword(s) describing your proposed research is mandatory. Please complete the relevant field.
Area Code is mandatory. Please complete the relevant field.
Country Code is mandatory. Please complete the relevant field.
Date of Birth (Date) is mandatory. Please complete the relevant field.
Date of Birth (Month) is mandatory. Please complete the relevant field.
Date of Birth (Year) is mandatory. Please complete the relevant field.
Gender is mandatory. Please complete the relevant field.
Place of Birth is mandatory. Please complete the relevant field.
Nationality is mandatory. Please complete the relevant field.
Family Name / Surname is mandatory. Please complete the relevant field.
Contact Phone Number is mandatory. Please complete the relevant field.

Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme 2027/28

Initial Application Form

Please read the "Guidance Note for Applicants" before completing this Form on-line.

The Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme Electronic System (HKPFSES) will time out automatically after idling for 30 minutes. All un-submitted entries will be lost upon system time-out.

This Initial Application Form must be completed in English unless otherwise specified, e.g. the field requiring the input of applicant's Name in Chinese (if applicable).

Only one Initial Application is accepted per applicant. All entries will be cross-checked with full applications to be submitted to universities. In the event that an applicant is found to have submitted more than one initial application, all applications submitted by the same applicant for the HKPFS will be disqualified even if the applicant is nominated by an university to compete for the HKPFS award.

Section A - Personal Particulars

Name in English (as shown on your passport or identity document)
Family Name / Surname (mandatory)
Given Name
Name in Chinese (if applicable)
Date of Birth (day/month/year)	/ /
Gender	Male Female
Place of Birth
Nationality / Region (as shown on your passport or identity document)

Passport / Identity Document Number

•	Applicants from Hong Kong must input first four numeric digits and last digit/alphabet in bracket of their Hong Kong Identity Card (HKID) number.
•	Applicants from Chinese Mainland must input first four numeric digits and last two numeric digits of their Resident Identity Card number.
•	Applicants from other places must input the first four numeric digits and last two numeric digits of their passport or national identity document number.

XXX

Email Address
The email address given here will be used in all future correspondence, including offer of fellowship, if applicable.

Please re-enter your Email Address

Contact Phone Number

•	Please input numeric digits only, e.g. Country Code 123 Area Code 456 Number 23456789

Country Code

•	Please omit the plus sign "+" or brackets "( )".

Area Code

•	The "Country Code" and "Area Code" cannot be left blank. In the event that there is no "Country Code" or "Area Code" provided, please insert a dash "-".

Number

Section B - Choice of University(ies) and Programme(s) for PhD Studies

Only one initial application per applicant will be accepted and each applicant can submit at most two choices of university / department / programme with priority. An applicant may make changes to choice(s) of university / department / programme until the closing of Initial Application Deadline, i.e. 1 December 2026 at 12:00 noon Hong Kong time. However, only the choice(s) saved in the HKPFSES as at the Initial Application Deadline will be processed further. The Research Grants Council ("RGC" hereafter) will not accept any changes/ requests of change of application from applicants after the initial application deadline.

Choice 1 (Preferred Choice):
University

Department / School / Faculty / Division

Programme / Field of Study


Applicants submitting only one choice please choose "Only one choice is opted" in "University" under Choice 2.

Choice 2:
University

Department / School / Faculty / Division

Programme / Field of Study


Proposed research field of PhD studies

Please specify:
Keywords in English that best describe your proposed research (up to 100 characters)

Section C - Authorization and Declaration

	1. I authorise the RGC and the chosen university(ies) in Section B to gain access to all information about my candidature for my studies, and use this information as a basis of all types of processing relevant to the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS) and entry to the chosen university(ies) in Section B, including assessment, statistics, verification and publicity purpose.
	2. I understand that upon successful application, my data will become part of the student record and may be used for all purposes as prescribed under relevant rules and regulations of the offering university for PhD admission.
	3. I declare that the information given in this application is accurate and complete.
	4. I understand that any misrepresentation will disqualify this application, and I will be liable to refund in full the fellowship obtained under the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme in the event that an award is made.
	5. I understand that I can submit only one initial application to the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme. In the event that I have been found to have submitted more than one initial application, all applications submitted by me for the HKPFS will be disqualified even if I have been nominated by an university to compete for the HKPFS award.
	6. I understand that the RGC will only process applications nominated by the eight UGC-funded universities to compete for the HKPFS award. In the event that I have been nominated by two universities, the RGC will only process the nomination tendered by the university for which I have indicated priority (i.e. Choice 1) and subsequent award of fellowship by the RGC will also be according to the indicated priority (i.e. Choice 1) of me. If I select two different programmes within the same university and is nominated subsequently, the university shall have the discretion to decide on which programme it supports the nomination.
	7. I understand that the RGC will not accept any changes/ requests of change of application from me after the initial application deadline.
	8. I understand that it is my responsibility to ensure that no plagiarism is committed and no plagiarized text is used in any part of my proposed research or any parts of my initial and full application. A breach of this rule may result in disqualification of my application. I also understand that it is up to the RGC to decide whether my application comprises plagiarism or plagiarized text and the judgment of the RGC is final.
	9. I understand that the RGC will not consider any claim for cost incurred by me in relation to this application for the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme and for the PhD programme admission to the universities funded by the University Grants Committee of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
	10. I understand and agree to indemnify the RGC and Secretariat staff against all liabilities, claims, demands, costs and expenses, actions and proceedings, and all losses and damages whatsoever arising from or in connection with this application.
	11. I understand that the RGC has the sole right to amend and interpret the arrangements relating to the application, implementation and operation of the HKPFS.
	12. I understand it is the responsibility of the applicant to disclose, where applicable, the use of AI models / systems / tools in preparing the application submitted to the relevant institution, and to ensure that the submitted application complies with the relevant institutional policies of his / her university. This compliance must be maintained during the application preparation stage, and at all times throughout the study period if funded. All applicants are required to disclose details of AI usage, including but not limited to the models / systems / tools being / to be used, purpose of usage, how and the extent of such AI usage, to the relevant institution. For the avoidance of doubt, use of AI for all purposes should be disclosed, including but not limited to generating research ideas and refining research questions; literature review and information retrieval; language editing assistance; citation management; and data analysis. Applicants are reminded to review, verify and validate AI generated content. Applicants assume full responsibility for the scholarly and scientific integrity, accuracy, originality and intellectual content of all AI-generated content in the proposal and research work if funded. In the event of a non-disclosure, or when an applicant makes an incomplete / inaccurate disclosure about the use of AI models / systems / tools with regard to an application, the RGC reserves the right to take appropriate actions.
	13. I understand it is the applicant's responsibility to demonstrate adherence to good research practices and to comply with all relevant ethical, legal, regulatory, and institutional requirements regarding data collection and management, and the use of AI. This obligation applies both during the application stage and after being funded. The RGC reserves the right to take appropriate action against applicants who fail to comply with relevant ethical, legal, regulatory, and institutional requirements during the application stage and after being funded.
	14. I have read and agree to follow the terms regarding the use of AI and the Data Collection and Management as stated in the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme 2027/28 Guidance Note for Applicants.

Section D - Source of Information

You are invited to fill out the survey below. This survey is optional for statistical purpose.

How did you learn about the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme? (You may select more than one box)

On-line		Webpage of the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong
		Webpage(s) of Hong Kong universities
		Web advertisement
		Social networking sites, e.g. Facebook, Twitter
		News coverage by online media
		Discussion board / Search engine
		Other webpage / online source(s) (please specify)

Printed Matter		Poster / Leaflet of Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme
		Publications of Hong Kong universities
		News coverage / advertisement in newspapers
		Advertisements in the Chronicle of Higher Education
		Other printed matter (please specify)

Personal Network / Event
(If you are an applicant in Hong Kong)		Staff of your institution
		Students of your institution
		Others (please specify)

(If you are an applicant outside Hong Kong)		Staff of your institution
		Students of your institution
		Staff of a Hong Kong university
		Students of a Hong Kong university
		Others (please specify)

Important Notes: (1) After submitting the initial application, applicants should submit a full application to the chosen university(ies) quoting the HKPFS Reference Number before the university's deadline. Different universities may have their own submission deadlines, and applicants are reminded to take note of them carefully. Information on the submission deadlines of the eight participating universities is available at https://cerg1.ugc.edu.hk/hkpfs/apply.html. An initial application that is not followed up with a full application to university will be considered void and it will not be processed further by the RGC. (2) An auto-acknowledgement email will be sent to your registered email account after your submission of initial application from rgc1@ugc.edu.hk. Please check your mailbox or other email folders, for example, spam / junk mail folder, if necessary, for the acknowledgement email. The email contains important information on the assigned HKPFS Reference Number, login-ID and password to HKPFSES in case you want to review or amend your application. Please properly safe keep the email and reference information, otherwise you will not be able getting access to the HKPFSES to review or amend your application.

Thank you for your application.

Research Grants Council
7/F., Shui On Centre, 6-8 Harbour Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Fax: (852) 2845 1596 E-mail : HKPF@ugc.edu.hk