HKU Postgraduate Scholarships and Undergraduate Tuition at a Glance (HKPFS / Presidential Scholarship)

Compulsory fees, entrance scholarships, and doctoral funding for undergraduate and postgraduate students at The University of Hong Kong (HKU). Fee information is highly time-sensitive and varies across multiple axes—local vs. non-local, STEM vs. non-STEM, and academic year. Always cite the exact year and student category when quoting any figure; the definitive source is HKU's official Schedule of Fees. Data compiled: June 2026.

---

# 1. Undergraduate Composition Fee

At HKU, tuition fees are officially termed the "Composition Fee." There are two broad categories—local students (government-funded / UGC-funded) and non-local students—with non-local students further split between STEM and non-STEM faculties (the STEM band includes a STEM surcharge).

# 1.1 2025–26 Academic Year (per the official Calendar Schedule of Fees)

According to HKU Calendar Schedule of Fees^※, full-time undergraduate composition fees for the 2025–26 academic year are:

# 1.2 2026–27 Academic Year (per the Admissions Office fees page)

According to HKU Admissions Office – Fees^※, fees have been raised for the 2026–27 intake:

⚠ Local fees begin rising after a long freeze: The local composition fee had long remained in the HK$42,100–44,500 band. As the official sources above show, the figure is HK$44,500 for 2025–26, rises to HK$47,000 for 2026–27, and will climb further to HK$49,500/year for 2027–28 (the latter figure is confirmed in the fee-waiver schedule listed under §3, HKPFS). Non-local fees have been hiked substantially year on year, with separate STEM and non-STEM bands. Any reference to "HKU fees: HK$X" must state the academic year, student category, and whether the figure includes the STEM surcharge.

# 1.3 Programme-specific variations

HKU undergraduate tuition generally follows the two-axis model described above (local/non-local × STEM/non-STEM). The non-local fee for professional programmes such as Medicine (MBBS) and Dentistry (BDS) falls within the STEM band (media reports have occasionally claimed higher non-local fees for specific professional programmes, but exact programme-specific fee rates must be verified against the current year's HKU Schedule of Fees; this archive does not cite a single second-hand figure as the definitive fee for a given programme).

# 1.4 Estimated living costs (non-tuition)

According to HKU Admissions – Fees & Living Expenses^※, estimated annual non-tuition living costs (for non-local reference) are roughly: on-campus accommodation HK$17,290–37,940^※, off-campus accommodation approximately HK$30,000–50,000, and general living expenses of up to HK$50,000. These are indicative ranges, not fixed charges.

---

# 2. Postgraduate Composition Fee

According to HKU Calendar Schedule of Fees^※, the composition fee for research postgraduate students (PhD / MPhil) is the same for local and non-local students:

Taught Master's programmes are priced on a per-programme basis with wide variation; refer to the individual faculty/programme pages. They are not listed here.

---

# 3. Doctoral Funding: HKPFS and the Presidential PhD Scholarship

# 3.1 Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS)

The Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS), established by the Research Grants Council (RGC, under the UGC), is open to top PhD applicants worldwide, with approximately 300 places each year across all Hong Kong institutions (per the RGC). According to HKU Graduate School – HKPFS^※:

The RGC's own published figures are often presented on an annual basis: per RGC HKPFS Call Letter^※, the annual stipend is approximately HK$340,800 and the annual travel allowance is approximately HK$14,200, for a period of three years—consistent with HKU's stated monthly stipend of HK$28,400 (340,800 ÷ 12 = 28,400).

# 3.2 HKU Presidential PhD Scholarship – HKU Top-Up

According to HKU Graduate School^※, HKU awards an additional HKU Presidential PhD Scholarship to all HKU PhD students who receive the HKPFS, stacking on top of the HKPFS award:

• Cash award: HK$40,000 in Year 1; HK$20,000 each subsequent year^※ (within the normative study period);
• Full tuition waiver: The composition fee is waived for the normative study period—HKU officially lists the annual fee as HK$44,500 for 2025/26, HK$47,000 for 2026/27, and HK$49,500 for 2027/28^※;
• Accommodation: Guaranteed hall place for Year 1 (renewable).

Application timeline (2026/27 intake): As stated on the HKU Graduate School page, both the preliminary RGC application and the formal HKU application must be submitted by 12:00 noon (Hong Kong time), 1 December 2025. Exact dates are subject to minor adjustments each year; consult the official website for the definitive deadline.

---

# 4. Entrance Scholarships (Undergraduate)

HKU offers multiple categories of Entrance Scholarships for new undergraduates, as detailed on HKU Admissions – Scholarships^※ and individual faculty pages:

• HKU Entrance Scholarships for HKDSE Students (top local DSE performers): According to HKU admissions materials, these are awarded to local first-years who achieve outstanding HKDSE results, e.g. 5 or more subjects at 5** level. No separate application is required; students are automatically considered based on their results (paraphrased from the HKU Admissions Office page).
• Non-local / International Entrance Scholarships: Per HKU admissions materials, for top non-local first-year students the entrance scholarship can cover full tuition fees, accommodation, and a living allowance (full tuition + accommodation + living allowance); the exact amount is determined by academic results and overall profile.
• HKU Foundation Scholarships (HKU Foundation Scholarships for Outstanding Students): Established by the HKU Foundation, these are awarded to admitted undergraduate students—local and non-local—with excellent academic credentials, based on academic merit (per HKU Foundation / admissions materials).
• Programme-specific Entrance Scholarships: For example, the Business School (Faculty of Business & Economics) offers a one-off entrance scholarship for top local students admitted via JUPAS. According to HKU Business School admissions materials^※, the highest award for the 2025 JUPAS intake can reach HK$250,000 (one-off). Programmes in actuarial science, AI/computer science, and other disciplines also offer entrance scholarships for exceptional results in relevant public examinations.
• Entrance Scholarships for Mainland Chinese Students: Per mainland China admissions materials, the highest-tier entrance scholarship can cover the full cost of tuition and living expenses for the duration of the student's studies at HKU (paraphrased from HKU mainland admissions materials; exact numbers and quotas are subject to the current year's admissions brochure).

⚠ Note on sourcing: The HKU Admissions Scholarships page is a dynamic search tool (filtered by student type, qualification, and faculty; the page states it "found 42 scholarships that you may be eligible for"). Individual award amounts and conditions must be looked up one by one within that tool. The entries listed in this section are representative items traceable to faculty pages and admissions materials. For the authoritative award amount, scope of coverage, and number of places, refer to the current-year version of each scholarship's official HKU page. Anecdotal claims circulating online that "everyone gets a prize / full ride is guaranteed" are not treated as reliable here.

---

# 5. Student Financial Aid

• Government assistance for local students: Local students on full-time UGC-funded programmes may apply for grants and loans through the Hong Kong Government's Student Finance Office (SFAO) schemes (e.g., the Tertiary Student Finance Scheme – Publicly-funded Programmes). These are government-level arrangements, not HKU-specific; consult the SFAO for details.
• Institutional bursaries / emergency relief: HKU offers institutional bursaries, emergency financial assistance, and similar support. Specific conditions for each scheme should be verified on the relevant HKU student affairs office pages. During this round of research, first-hand details were not retrieved for every scheme; these are marked "to be supplemented."

---

# Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How much is HKU undergraduate tuition per year? A: Per the HKU Calendar Schedule of Fees, for the 2025–26 academic year the annual composition fee is HK$44,500 for local students; for non-local students it is HK$198,000 for non-STEM faculties and HK$218,000 for STEM faculties (the latter includes the STEM surcharge). Per the HKU Admissions Office fees page, fees for the 2026–27 intake have risen to HK$47,000 for local students, HK$224,000 for non-local non-STEM, and HK$249,000 for non-local STEM. Always quote fees with the academic year and student category.

Q: How are HKU postgraduate fees calculated? A: It depends heavily on the category. Full-time research postgraduates (PhD / MPhil) pay the same composition fee whether local or non-local: HK$44,500/year for the 2025–26 academic year (part-time: HK$63,000/year). Taught Master's programmes, however, are individually priced and vary widely; this table does not enumerate them. Consult the current-year fees page of the relevant faculty or programme.

Q: Are all HKU master's degrees the same price? A: No. The only category in the official HKU fee schedule where local and non-local students pay the same rate is research postgraduates (PhD / MPhil, HK$44,500/year in 2025–26). Taught Master's programmes—i.e., what are commonly called "coursework master's"—are priced individually per programme. Fees can differ considerably across faculties and disciplines; you must check the official fee page of the specific programme for the relevant year. Do not extrapolate from undergraduate or PhD figures.

Q: What funding can HKU doctoral students apply for? A: The main pathway is the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS), topped up by the HKU Presidential PhD Scholarship. The HKPFS, run by the RGC, provides a monthly stipend of HK$28,400 and an annual conference and research travel allowance of HK$14,200, for up to three years. Any HKU PhD student who receives the HKPFS also receives the additional HKU Presidential PhD Scholarship: a cash award of HK$40,000 in Year 1 (HK$20,000 each subsequent year), a full tuition waiver for the normative study period, and a guaranteed hall place in Year 1.

---