How to Apply for Postgraduate Studies at Hong Kong's Top Five Universities: A Complete Guide to Taught and Research Programmes

The one-line conclusion: Postgraduate admissions are completely independent of undergraduate admissions. All applications are processed centrally by each university's Graduate School. There is no JUPAS pathway, and the mainland Chinese gaokao is not used. Postgraduate programmes fall into two categories. Taught Postgraduate (TPg) programmes are typically one-year, career-oriented, and self-financed on a per-programme basis. Research Postgraduate (RPg) programmes (including MPhil and PhD) are research-focused, require matching with a supervisor and a research direction, and usually come with a scholarship or stipend. RPg applicants can also compete for the government-level Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS), which offers a monthly stipend of approximately HK$28,400 for up to three yearsHKPFS from RGC^※.

# How Are Postgraduate Admissions Different from Undergraduate? A Completely Separate System

The most important thing to understand first: postgraduate admissions are not an "extension" of undergraduate applications; they are an entirely separate system. There are three fundamental differences:

• Different entry points. Undergraduate admissions are streamed by background (JUPAS / mainland gaokao / Non-JUPAS). All postgraduate applications are submitted online through each university's Graduate School. Local, mainland Chinese, and international applicants all use the same system (only funding and visa arrangements are handled differently).
• Different assessment criteria. Undergraduates are assessed on standardised test scores (DSE/gaokao) or international qualifications. Postgraduate applications are assessed on undergraduate background and GPA, English proficiency, and research/career alignment. For research programmes, the research proposal and supervisor preference are also crucial.
• Different mechanics. Undergraduate admissions have a single, synchronised annual cycle. Postgraduate admissions often operate on a rolling basis or have a main round. The tuition fees, funding, and duration differ vastly between taught and research programmes (see below).

A heads-up: English language requirements, fee structures, and scholarship mechanisms are all different at the postgraduate level. Do not apply undergraduate assumptions to postgraduate applications.

# How to Distinguish Between Taught (TPg) and Research (RPg) Programmes?

This is the first fork in the road for a postgraduate application. Choosing the wrong path will lead you completely astray. Here is a comparison of the two:

In short: If you want a master's degree in a year to boost your career prospects → look at taught programmes. If you want to do research, pursue a PhD, and receive a stipend → look at research programmes, but you must have a research direction and, ideally, a supervisor contact lined up first.

# Where Are the Official Graduate School Portals for the Top Five Universities?

The starting point for a postgraduate application is each university's Graduate School. The table below provides the official entry points for the top five (check the official websites for specific programme pages and deadlines).

Note: The Graduate School manages the unified admissions process and student records. However, the specific admissions standards, research areas, and supervisors for individual programmes are the responsibility of the respective Faculties/Departments. For research programme applications especially, you should start from the research you want to do. First, find a supervisor and research area on the target department's page, and then return to the Graduate School's system to submit the application online.

# What Materials Are Required for the Application?

A postgraduate online application generally requires the following materials (research programmes require two additional critical items compared to taught programmes):

• Undergraduate (and/or Master's) transcripts and degree certificates — For research programmes, GPA and performance in research-related courses are weighed heavily.
• English language proficiency scores — IELTS/TOEFL or equivalent. The required threshold is often higher than or different from that for undergraduate admissions, as stipulated by the Graduate School.
• Personal Statement / Statement of Purpose (SOP) — Explain your motivation, background, and objectives.
• Reference letters — Typically 2–3 are required. For research programmes, academic referees are preferred.
• Research Proposal — Essential for RPg programmes. It should articulate your research question, methodology, and significance.
• Proposed Supervisor — Critical for RPg programmes. Contacting a potential supervisor in advance and getting their preliminary agreement to take you on significantly increases your chances of success.

# What is the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS)?

The HKPFS (Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme), established by Hong Kong's Research Grants Council (RGC), is a flagship PhD funding scheme open to outstanding research doctoral (PhD) applicants worldwide. It is fiercely competitive and has an early deadline. According to the RGC, awardees receive:

• A monthly stipend of approximately HK$28,400 (around HK$344,400 per year).
• A conference and research-related travel allowance of approximately HK$14,400 per year.
• The funding period is up to three years. There are around 400 awards available each academic yearHKPFS from RGC^※.

The key to the application timeline is that its deadline is much earlier than general postgraduate admissions: it usually opens in September of the preceding year and closes on 1 December (at noon). Applicants must first obtain an HKPFS Reference Number from the RGC system and submit a complete application to their chosen university(s) by the same deadlineHKPFS from RGC^※.

A heads-up: Those aiming for the HKPFS should start contacting supervisors and refining their research proposal in the summer of the preceding year. It is essential to meet the early December deadline. If you miss the HKPFS deadline, you can still apply for each university's own research postgraduate studentships. The exact amounts and dates are subject to the current year's announcements by the RGC and the respective universities.

# Tuition and Funding: Taught vs. Research

Think of the finances for these two routes as completely different animals:

• Taught programmes (TPg) are predominantly self-financed, with wildly varying tuition fees. A typical master's programme may cost tens of thousands to over a hundred thousand Hong Kong dollars. Popular business programmes can cost several hundred thousand Hong Kong dollars. Funding is limited to a small number of scholarships and grants.
• Research programmes (RPg) often operate on a "fee waiver + stipend" model. For PhD students who secure a studentship or the HKPFS, the scholarship typically covers the tuition fee and provides a living stipend, essentially making it a form of "salaried study." This is also why the competition for RPg places is more intense.

In short: a taught programme is about "spending money for a year of advancement," while a research programme is about "receiving funding to do several years of research." The investment, output, and application logic are fundamentally different. For exact tuition figures, stipend amounts, and funding arrangements, refer to the current year's announcements from the respective Graduate School and target department.

# Postgraduate Application Timeline

The postgraduate timeline differs from all three undergraduate routes, and there are internal differences between taught and research programmes (the following example is for autumn intake; specifics may shift slightly each year):

# Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What are the conditions for applying to a Hong Kong university's postgraduate programmes? A: Postgraduate admissions are fully independent of undergraduate admissions. All applicants apply online through each university's Graduate School. JUPAS or gaokao scores are not considered. Instead, assessments are based on your undergraduate background and GPA, English proficiency scores (IELTS/TOEFL or equivalent), a personal statement, and reference letters (usually 2–3). For research programmes (RPg, including MPhil/PhD), you must additionally submit a research proposal and make prior contact with a proposed supervisor. Taught programmes (TPg) are mainly coursework-based, mostly one year in duration, and primarily self-financed. Research programmes are research-focused and typically come with funding.

Q: How do I apply for postgraduate studies at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)? A: All postgraduate applications to CUHK are handled centrally by the CUHK Graduate School; the official entry point is the admissions page at gs.cuhk.edu.hk/admissions. This system is entirely separate from undergraduate admissions. Deadlines for taught (TPg) programmes are set by individual departments and often operate on a rolling or round basis. For research programmes (RPg, MPhil/PhD), you must first contact a potential supervisor in the target department and prepare a research proposal, then submit an online application through the Graduate School system. If you are aiming for the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS), you must complete this process before the deadline, which is around 12:00 noon on 1 December.

Q: What are the application requirements for postgraduate studies at CUHK? A: Consistent with the other four universities, a CUHK postgraduate application includes undergraduate (or Master's) transcripts and degree certificates, English proficiency scores, a personal statement, and reference letters. For research programmes, a research proposal and the agreement of a target supervisor are also required. The specific GPA threshold, minimum English score, and other professional requirements for each department are defined in the CUHK Graduate School's current year prospectus. The official entry point is gs.cuhk.edu.hk/admissions.

Q: How do I apply for postgraduate studies at City University of Hong Kong (CityU)? A: Postgraduate applications to CityU are processed by the Chow Yei Ching School of Graduate Studies; the official entry point is cityu.edu.hk/sgs/. This system is also independent of undergraduate admissions. The application process and required materials (transcripts, English scores, personal statement, reference letters; plus a research proposal and supervisor preference for RPg) are the same as at the other four universities. The specific admissions standards and deadlines for individual programmes are detailed in the current year's announcements from the CityU School of Graduate Studies.

Q: How much funding does the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS) provide? A: According to the RGC, HKPFS awardees receive a monthly stipend of approximately HK$28,400 (around HK$344,400 per year), plus an annual conference and research-related travel allowance of approximately HK$14,400. The funding period is up to three years, and there are around 400 awards available each academic year. To apply, you must first obtain a reference number from the RGC system and concurrently submit a complete application to your chosen university before the deadline, which is around 12:00 noon on 1 December.