As a research student at the University, you will follow a programme of study under the guidance of a principal supervisor and a supervision committee. At the start of your programme you will draw up a plan for your research in consultation with your supervisor for completion of your thesis within the period of registration for the degree. Your work plan and training programme will be reviewed annually in the light of your research needs and progress.

In the first year of study, you will take the core courses, which equip you with a broad coverage of the central skills and ethical and methodological issues of research in education, social sciences, humanities, languages and linguistics, and creative arts and culture. The courses, workshops and seminars provides the opportunity for you to become part of the University’s research community. You will be able to meet and discuss your work with students and staff from different academic departments and learn more about the research taking place at the University. 

MPhil Programme

The MPhil programme is designed to educate students as independent and innovative researchers who are well-prepared to pursue research degrees at the doctoral level. Graduates of the programme are expected to have attained advanced knowledge in their chosen field and professional expertise in research techniques.

PhD Programme

The PhD programme is designed for students wishing to pursue academic or research careers in diversified fields such as education, humanities, social sciences, cultural and creative arts, and science. It focuses on promoting applied research with strong relevance and advancing knowledge for professional improvement, practical innovation, and policy formulation in education and associated areas, both locally and internationally. Graduates of the programme are expected to make significant contributions to the discipline and/or profession through continued quality research and scholarly activities.

PhD
3-4 years of full-time study

The Confirmation of Candidature is expected to be taken after 12 months of study.

MPhil
2 years of full-time study

The Confirmation of Candidature is expected to be taken after 12 months of study.

Application for upgrade from MPhil to PhD will be considered after confirmation of candidature and completion of the coursework requirements. 

Following the programme curriculum, students are required to take all core courses (3 credits for each course) and present their thesis or thesis proposal at the Qualifying Examination and Viva Examinations to complete the programme requirements.

Students admitted before 2024/25:
Core Courses	Credits
Conceptualizing Research	3
Research Methods I	3
Research Methods II	3
Development of Research Proposal	3

 

Students admitted in 2024/25 and thereafter:
Core Courses	Credit Points
Foundation in Research Methods*	3
Advanced Course in Research Methods	3
Advanced Theories of Specific Disciplines	3
Research/Professional Development for Research Students	3
1 to 2* Specialised Courses and/or Special Topics in the Primary Discipline	3
Participation in Research Seminars	0
Total :	15

*Students who opt out of the ‘Foundation course in research methods’ should take two specialised courses and/or special topics in the primary discipline.

Classes in the same or different semester(s) may be scheduled on weekday daytime/evenings, weekends and/or during long holidays at the Tai Po Campus / Tseung Kwan O Study Centre / North Point Study Centre / Kowloon Tong Satellite Study Centre and/or other locations as decided by the University.

#Any aspect of the courses and course offerings (including, without limitation, the contents of the course and the manner in which the course is taught) may be subject to change at any time at the sole discretion of the University if necessary. Without limiting the generality of the University’s discretion to revise the courses and course offerings, it is envisaged that changes may be required due to factors including staffing, enrolment levels, logistical arrangements, curriculum changes, and other factors caused by change of circumstances. Tuition fees, once paid, are non-refundable.

 

General Requirements

PhD 

• A Master's degree (or equivalent qualification) from a recognised university; or a Bachelor's degree with first class honours (or equivalent qualification) from a recognised university.

MPhil

• A Bachelor's degree (or equivalent qualification) from a recognised university.

English Language Requirements*

• Applicants with a Bachelor's or Master's degree at a university where the programme was not taught and assessed in English are normally required to demonstrate competency through one of the following minimum requirements:

1. IELTS score of 6.5 (academic module) with no subtest lower than 6.0#; or
2. TOEFL score of 80 (internet-based test); or
3. Other equivalent qualifications.^

(The result of IELTS/TOEFL provided should be within two years.)

*Individual fields of study such as the English language may have higher requirements.
#Applicable to the 2016/17 cohort and onwards.

^The College English Test(CET) is not accepted as an equivalent qualification.

Non-local Applicants

• We welcome applications from local and non-local applicants. Starting from the 2019/20 intake cohort, a new definition of non-local students is adopted in accordance with the HKSAR Government policy. Click here to check the definition of "non-local applicants".
• If you are required to obtain a student visa/entry permit issued by the Director of Immigration in order to study in Hong Kong, you are regarded as a non-local applicant (subject to confirmation from the Hong Kong Immigration Department). Indication of residence status does not form a criterion for selection.
• Non-local applicants are advised to apply as early as possible as it often takes considerable time for the Hong Kong Immigration Department to process your visa applications.
• Applicants who obtained degrees from universities in Mainland China are required to provide Degree verification report (學位在線驗證報告) and Graduation verification report (學歷證書電子註冊備案表) issued by the CHSI (學信網).

Fees for 2025/26:	UGC-funded Students	Self-financed Students
Tuition Fee	HK$44,500/annum	HK$89,000/annum
Extension Fee	HK$16,800/annum	HK$33,600/annum

Tuition and Extension Fees are provisional and subject to adjustment. Tuition and Extension fees paid are normally not refundable or transferable.

Extension fees will be charged to students who have to extend their studies beyond the normal study period.

For more information on the Tuition Waiver Scheme for Local Students enrolled in full-time UGC-funded RPg programmes, please refer to: http://www.ugc.edu.hk/eng/rgc/funding_opport/tws.html

Applicants should upload the following documents online at EdUHK Online Application Systems

Documents to be submitted	Notes to applicants
Academic Transcript(s)*	A certified English translation is required if the document is issued in other language than English and Chinese.
Certificate(s) of Graduation	For graduates from Mainland institutions, please provide both “畢業證書” and “學位證書”.
English Proficiency Test Score Report	IELTS (Academic Module) and TOEFL test scores are valid for two years after the test date.
Research Proposal	HKPFS Applicants are required to submit a research proposal with a maximum limit of 7,500 characters to the UGC. Additionally, upon request by the relevant faculties/departments at EdUHK, a more comprehensive proposal without any word limit may be required. Non-HKPFS Applicants must submit a full research proposal (without a character/word limit) via the “Upload documents” section on the online application form. Both HKPFS Applicants and Non-HKPFS Applicants are suggested to clearly present the following content in your proposal: Aims and objectives of the project; Significance and/or impact of the proposed study; Brief theoretical, empirical and/or conceptual basis, and background evidence, for the proposed research; and Research design and methods.
Research Plan and Vision Statement	For HKPFS applicants only. Template is available on the online application form
Publications (if any)
Two Referees' Reports	Referees’ reports should be written by those who know the applicant well rather than providing just another supporting letter from the nominating institution. Please click the following hyperlinks to download relevant documents: for Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme applicants: https://www.eduhk.hk/gradsch/rpg/(Confidential)_HKPFS_Referee's_Report_Form.pdf for non-Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme applicants: https://www.eduhk.hk/gradsch/rpg/Academic_Referee_Report.pdf All information given in the referee’s report will be treated as strictly confidential. Please ask your Referees to send the reports (with signature) directly to the Graduate School by email at rpg@eduhk.hk or by post to the address below: Graduate School Room B4-G/F-02 The Education University of Hong Kong 10 Lo Ping Road, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong Please remind your Referee(s) to include the following information in the reports: • Your Full Name; • Your Application No.; and • Your Applied Programme.
Other Supporting Documents	You may provide any of the following documents: [1] A proof of Medium of Instruction (This is to confirm your obtained degree from an institution where the medium of instruction is English.) [2] Curriculum Vitae (CV); and [3] Any additional information, certifications or qualifications regarding to your application
Online Verification Report of Higher Education Qualification Certificate	Applicants who obtained degrees from universities in Mainland China are required to provide Degree verification report (學位在線驗證報告) and Graduation verification report (學歷證書電子註冊備案表) issued by the CHSI (學信網).

 

* If you are a current final year student in an undergraduate / postgraduate programme, please upload your testimonial and a copy of your current year results when it is available. Your application will remain incomplete until all the necessary supporting documents are received.

Shortlisted applicants may be required to attend admission interviews / tests. An applicant who has not been invited to an interview shall not assume that he/she is not being considered for admission.

Applicants will be informed of their application status, such as application acknowledgement, interview arrangements, etc., via their personal e-mail.  No letters will be posted to applicants except in very exceptional circumstances.

Successful applicants will receive individual notifications by post / email. Applicants who wish to accept the admission offer will be required to indicate their acceptance of the offer directly through the Online Application System (http://www.eduhk.hk/acadprog/online/). Applicants who have not been offered admission before the commencement of the programme may assume their applications unsuccessful.  No individual notifications will be sent to unsuccessful or waitlisted applicants.

January 2025 Intake (Semester 2, 2024/25)

For non-HK PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS) applicants:

• Application Start Date: 1 August 2024
• Application Deadline: 25 August 2024
  

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September 2025 Intake (Semester 1, 2025/26)

For HK PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS) applicants:

• Application Start Date: 1 September 2024 at 12:00 noon HKT
• Application Deadline: 1 December 2024 at 12:00 noon HKT

 

For non-HK PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS) applicants:

• Application Start Date: 1 September 2024
• Application Deadline: 1 December 2024

Credit transfer may be granted to students in recognition of their prior learning experiences. Students may submit an application from the date of programme registration till the first two weeks of each semester in each academic year. 

For courses on offer in the summer semester (if any), applications should be submitted one week before the commencement of the semester.  Late applications will only be considered on condition that there was enough time to complete the application process (normally 4 weeks) before the end of the courses concerned.

Cancellation of Programme

The University reserves the right to cancel any programme(s) in which case all fees paid will be refunded.

Double Registration

Students enrolled in any full-time award bearing programmes (lasting for one year or longer) of the University should not simultaneously register for another qualification at this University or a post-secondary qualification at another institution except with prior approval of the University. Violation of this regulation may lead to discontinuation of studies from the University.  In case of doubt, please seek advice from the Graduate Schoole.

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