Applicants for admission to PhD programmes at PolyU via the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme established by the RGC will concurrently be considered for regular places assigned to the University through the award of Postgraduate Studentships.  Outstanding candidates will be nominated by the University to compete for the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme.   Those who are nominated but are not finally offered the Fellowship, and those not selected for nomination for the Fellowship, may be given separate consideration for admission as PhD students at PolyU via the award of Postgraduate Studentships, subject to their eligibility of fulfiling the requirements of the Postgraduate Studentship. The following table highlights the major differences between a Fellowship and a Postgraduate Studentship:

*Normally, a full-time research student may be funded on average HK$20,000 per study year.  However, the Departmental Research Committee will decide the amount of funding for each individual student on a case-by-case basis.  They have the discretion to keep a portion of the money in the Departmental Associated Funds Account for the purchase of shared equipment as they see fit.  On admission, a lump sum of funds will be transferred to individual student budget accounts for the purchase of small equipment or general expenditures.  Students should discuss with their Chief Supervisor the use of the money to support their studies/research, as Chief Supervisors are responsible for the accounting and management of the budget accounts.