Recruitment Camp for Prospective PhD Students

Precious opportunity to learn about the PhD prospects

The Camp provides an opportunity for high-achieving students to learn about the prospects of pursuing PhD studies in HKU Business School through information session, academic activities and close interactions with professors and research students.

Travel and accommodation support

For each non-local participant who is not currently residing or studying in Hong Kong, the Faculty will provide (i) three nights of accommodation (April 30, May 1 and May 2) in/ near HKU campus and, (ii) a travel allowance of up to $5,000 to cover the cost of the cheapest air/ rail fare between the participant's hometown and the University on reimbursement basis.

Early offers and recommendations for prestigious scholarship

Selected outstanding participants may receive early admission offers and be recommended for the following prestigious scholarship(s) with a maximum value of HK$1.6 million:

• Hong Kong PhD Fellowship (HKPFS)
• HKU Presidential PhD Scholar Programme (HKU-PS)
• Postgraduate Scholarship (PGS)

In addition, all recommended candidates will be granted the Faculty's PhD Entrance Scholarship with a minimum value equivalent to the first year's tuition fee, which is of the value of HK$42,100 for the academic year 2023-24.

1. The Camp is mainly targeted at undergraduate students who plan to apply for our PhD Programme commencing fall 2025.  Applicants are expected to have an average mark higher than 85/100; or CGPA higher than 3.6/4; or be ranked in top 10% in a related field from a top university.
2. Graduate students who have equivalent academic qualifications from a reputable university will also be considered.

Applicants are required to fill in an online application form and provide the following supporting documents*:

1. Up-to-date curriculum vitae
2. Academic transcript(s) and graduation certificate(s) of undergraduate and/ or postgraduate studies
3. Score report(s) of TOEFL or IELTS (optional)
4. Score report(s) of GMAT or GRE (optional but strongly recommended)
5. Personal statement including research work experience and future research planning written in English within a limit of 1000 words
6. Abstract of conference presentations or publications (if any)
7. One academic referee report^# (to be submitted directly by the referee using this form template)

*Please combine documents 1-6 into one PDF file before uploading, with your English name as the file name, e.g. “CHAN Tai Man.pdf”

^#Please invite an academic referee to complete and return the referee report form to us directly via email at fbephd@hku.hk by the application closing date (March 3, 2024).  We are not responsible for sending the reference request.

Applicants should submit their applications by March 3, 2024 (Sunday).  Late applications will not be considered.  Invitations will be sent out to selected students around mid-March.  Applicants not notified by the end of March may consider their applications unsuccessful.

Applicants who are not selected in the Camp are welcome to apply in the main round commencing on September 1, 2024.  Applicants can check the application timeline on the Graduate School’s website.

No application fee will be charged.  However, participants may need to:

• apply for visa to enter Hong Kong (if applicable)
• pay for meals and local transportation if not otherwise arranged by the Faculty
• arrange their own accommodation and transportation if they plan to stay beyond the Camp period (if applicable)

Q1. Will the Camp be held virtually or in-person?
The Camp will be held in-person in Hong Kong.  Virtual participation will not be available.

Q2. May I apply to more than one field of study?
Each applicant should only submit one application to us.  If you are interested in more than one field of study, please apply to your most interested field while letting us know via email (fbephd@hku.hk) the other field(s) which you are also interested in.  We will then pass your information to the respective Admissions Panel for consideration.  You may visit our webpage to explore our six distinct fields of study before making an application.

Q3. I haven't taken the GMAT/GRE, am I eligible to apply for the Camp?
While testing of GMAT or GRE is optional for the Camp, it is strongly recommended that applicants submit a GMAT or GRE score, as it provides additional information to the Admissions Panel in their evaluation process that could strengthen your application.

Q4. My official transcript will not be ready before the application deadline.  What should I do?
Please submit the latest transcript available for your current studies.  For HKU current students, you may upload a photocopy of the printout of your examination results from the Student Information System (SIS) in lieu of the official transcript.

Q5. I made some typos/ errors in my application.  What should I do?
You may send in the request for amending/ updating submitted information via email (fbephd@hku.hk).  Please avoid re-submission of application.

Q6. When is the deadline for my referee to submit the report?
It is your responsibility to invite an academic referee to complete and return the referee report form (template here) to us as soon as possible and no later than the application closing date (March 3, 2024).  Please be reminded that the Admissions Panel may start considering applications based on the documents received right after the application deadline, and the absence of a referee report by the time of review may put a candidate at a disadvantage.  Applicants are thus strongly advised to apply early enough to allow sufficient time for your referee to complete the report.