The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has solidified its position as a global magnet for top-tier research talent, having welcomed more than 1,000 recipients of the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS) since the scheme's inception in 2009. This milestone, announced on September 3, 2026, highlights HKUST's leading role among Hong Kong's University Grants Committee (UGC)-funded universities in attracting elite doctoral students from over 50 countries and regions. These fellowship recipients account for more than a quarter of all HKPFS awardees to date, reinforcing the university's reputation for world-class research and its contribution to Hong Kong's ambition to become an international hub for high-caliber talent.
In the 2026/27 academic year, which began this September, HKUST has welcomed 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 Hong Kong SAR Government. This achievement underscores HKUST's unwavering commitment to nurturing talent and advancing research that creates meaningful impact. Since the first intake of doctoral students in the 2010/11 academic year, HKUST has enrolled more than 1,000 Fellowship recipients, and notably, it has secured the highest number of HKPFS awardees among Hong Kong's universities for 14 of those academic years. With the HKSAR Government's increase of the annual scheme 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 receiving an annual stipend and research allowance of around HK$358,800 from the Research Grants Council (RGC).
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 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. This enables students to fully dedicate themselves to research and expand their international academic networks. 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 supports overseas research and academic exchanges. Additionally, the HKUST RedBird PhD Award grants HK$40,000 in the first year and an annual HK$20,000 Academic Excellence Award thereafter, subject to satisfactory performance, further supporting students' academic development and research pursuits.
The research domains of the HKPFS recipients at HKUST span frontier areas including artificial intelligence, future computing and electronics, biomedical sciences, translational medicine, materials science, future energy, business management and fintech innovation, as well as sustainability and green technology. Throughout their PhD journey, these students engage in cutting-edge research and enhance their capabilities through scholarly publications, teaching assignments, and international 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 graduates. Together, these young doctoral students from diverse backgrounds unite with seasoned faculty to form a vibrant, international scholarly community." He added that upon graduation, HKUST doctoral graduates enjoy exceptional career prospects, with many joining world-renowned universities and research institutes, or embarking on entrepreneurial ventures that transform research into societal benefits.
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, communication skills, and leadership abilities. For the 2026/27 academic year, the scheme offers 400 fellowships, and HKUST's continued success in securing a significant share of these awards underscores its pivotal role in advancing Hong Kong as an international center for post-secondary education, innovation, and technology.
