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 admitted over 1,000 fellows since the scheme's inception in 2009. These elite students, hailing from more than 50 countries and regions, constitute over a quarter of all HKPFS recipients to date, reinforcing HKUST's standing among the city's University Grants Committee-funded universities.
In the 2026/27 academic year, which commenced in September, HKUST welcomed over 100 new HKPFS recipients. Over the next three years, these doctoral students will receive a combined total exceeding HK$112 million in fellowships and research allowances from the HKSAR Government. This achievement underscores HKUST's world-class research capabilities and its pivotal role in attracting international research talent, supporting Hong Kong's development into a global hub for high-caliber talent.
Since the first intake of doctoral students in the 2010/11 academic year, HKUST has enrolled more than 1,000 fellowship recipients, accounting for over a quarter of the scheme's cumulative total. Notably, the university secured the highest number of awardees among Hong Kong's universities for 14 of those academic years. Following the government's increase of the annual quota to 400 in the 2025-26 Budget, 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 from the Research Grants Council, which includes 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. 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."
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. The university also provides various 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 facilitates 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 domains of the HKPFS recipients span frontier areas, including artificial intelligence and future computing, biomedical sciences and translational medicine, materials science and future energy, innovation for business management and fintech, as well as sustainability and green technology. Prof. Bert Shi, Dean of the HKUST Fok Ying Tung Graduate School, noted, "HKUST's diverse pool of recipients comes from more than 50 countries and regions, bringing global talent together with home-grown graduates. Upon graduation, many join world-renowned universities and research institutes, while others pursue entrepreneurial paths, transforming their research into solutions that benefit society."
Established by the Research Grants Council in 2009, the HKPFS aims to attract outstanding students worldwide with exceptional academic achievements and research potential. Recipients are selected through a highly competitive process based on academic performance, research capability, communication skills, and leadership abilities. The scheme's success at HKUST highlights the university's commitment to nurturing talent and advancing Hong Kong's status as an international center for education and innovation.
