Hong Kong PhD Fellowship 2027 for Pakistani Students: HK$344,400 a Year, Apply by 1 December 2026

Short answer: Pakistani graduates can apply for the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS) 2027/28 until 1 December 2026 at 12:00 noon Hong Kong time, which is 9:00 am in Pakistan. The fellowship pays HK$344,400 a year plus HK$14,400 for travel, for up to three years. There is no fee for the HKPFS step, and 400 fellowships will be awarded.

Most funded PhD offers ask you to find a supervisor first and hope a stipend follows. The Hong Kong PhD Fellowship works the other way round: the stipend is set in advance and open to any nationality. We read the Research Grants Council (RGC) pages for the scheme on 20 October 2026. The RGC is the Hong Kong government body that runs it. Here is what Pakistani applicants need to do, and by when.

The HKPFS pays HK$344,400 a year for up to three years

Each HKPFS awardee gets an annual stipend of HK$344,400, about US$44,150, and a conference and research travel allowance of HK$14,400, about US$1,840, a year. Both run for up to three years. The RGC says 400 fellowships will be awarded for 2027/28.

That works out at HK$28,700 a month, our division of the annual figure. Over three years the stipend comes to HK$1,033,200, plus HK$43,200 for travel. The RGC quotes these amounts for 2026/27 and gives the same figures on its question page for 2027/28 awards.

If your PhD runs longer than three years, the RGC says your university may give extra support. Ask the university directly, because the fellowship itself stops at three.

Apply in two steps, and both close on 1 December 2026

First, make an Initial Application on the HKPFS Electronic System to get an HKPFS Reference Number. It closes on 1 December 2026 at 12:00 noon Hong Kong time. Then apply for the PhD at your chosen university quoting that number, by 11:59 pm Hong Kong time on the same day.

Hong Kong is three hours ahead of Pakistan. So the reference number deadline is 9:00 am PKT on 1 December, and the university deadline is 8:59 pm PKT that evening. Miss the morning step and the evening one does not save you.

The RGC warns that some universities' deadlines may follow right after the initial step. In practice, get your reference number in October or early November. The full university application needs referees, transcripts and a research proposal, and those take weeks.

1. Choose up to two PhD programmes, at one or two universities, and rank them.
2. Submit the Initial Application on the HKPFS Electronic System and note your reference number and password.
3. Apply to each university through its own system, quoting the HKPFS Reference Number.
4. Pay any university application fee. The RGC charges nothing, but universities may.
5. Send English test scores and documents as each university asks.

Eight Hong Kong universities take HKPFS fellows

The fellowship is tenable only at the eight universities funded by Hong Kong's University Grants Committee. You may pick two programmes in total across one or two of them. If both nominate you, the RGC follows the priority you gave.

• City University of Hong Kong
• Hong Kong Baptist University
• Lingnan University
• The Chinese University of Hong Kong
• The Education University of Hong Kong
• The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
• The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
• The University of Hong Kong

The universities nominate candidates, and two RGC panels choose: one for sciences, medicine, engineering and technology, and one for humanities, social sciences and business. Universities may interview you before nominating.

Pakistani applicants need strong grades, research and English

The RGC opens the scheme to new full-time PhD students "irrespective of their country of origin". It looks for academic performance, research ability, communication skills and leadership. Each university sets its own entry rules, so check the programme page before applying.

English matters. Applicants from universities that do not teach in English must attach TOEFL or IELTS scores, unless they can prove every course was taught in English. Many Pakistani degrees are taught in English, so ask your university registrar for a letter saying so. Each university decides whether it accepts that letter.

Your degree should be from an HEC recognised university, and it is worth confirming that first with the steps to check a university is HEC recognised. If you are already doing a PhD, you can still apply as a new PhD student, but the panel may discount your earlier PhD work.

Compare it with other funded PhDs closing this winter

The HKPFS sits among several funded options with winter deadlines. The MBZUAI master's and PhD funding closes on 15 December, and the EPFL Excellence Fellowship on the same day for master's students. Pakistan's own list of HEC scholarships closing this month is shorter on PhD money.

If you win, you will need a Hong Kong student visa arranged through the university. The general rules for travel are in the steps for a Hong Kong visa from Pakistan.

Common questions

What is the last date for the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship 2027?

1 December 2026 at 12:00 noon Hong Kong time, 9:00 am in Pakistan, for the Initial Application. University applications close at 11:59 pm Hong Kong time the same day.

Can Pakistani students apply for HKPFS?

Yes. The RGC says applicants are eligible irrespective of country of origin, work experience or ethnic background, if they are seeking full-time PhD admission at one of the eight universities.

How much does the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship pay?

HK$344,400 a year, about US$44,150, plus HK$14,400 a year for conference and research travel, for up to three years.

Is there an application fee for HKPFS?

The RGC charges no fee for the HKPFS. Universities may charge their own application or processing fees.

Do I need IELTS or TOEFL for HKPFS?

Yes, if your degree is from a university that does not teach in English, unless you prove all courses were in English. Each university decides on other tests.

How many universities can I choose?

Up to two programmes in total, at one or two universities, ranked by priority.

How we verified this

What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.

We read the RGC's Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme page, its How to Apply page and its enquiries and questions page on 20 October 2026. The monthly figure, the three year totals and the Pakistan time conversions are our own arithmetic, using Hong Kong at UTC+8 and Pakistan at UTC+5. We did not read individual university programme pages, so fees, English score minimums and programme deadlines there are not checked here.