FAQ

We admit applicants to the full-time PhD programme only.

Students from all backgrounds are welcome to apply. We will also admit students from non-business majors such as arts, science, social science and engineering as long as we consider you a good fit for our programme.

We consider a wide range of factors, including academic qualifications, research experience and potential, standardised test scores, strength of recommendations, communication skills and English proficiency. The Admissions Panel will consider the overall capability of the candidates.

In your application, you should include the following:

1. Completed online application form;
2. Certificates and academic transcripts;
3. A research proposal (6 to 8 pages in length);
4. GMAT/GRE test score;
5. IELTS/TOEFL score (if required); and
6. Two academic referee's reports (submitted directly from the referees)

Applications should be submitted via the online application system of the Graduate School of HKU. Please visit here for details.

Applicants for the four-year PhD degree should hold:

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

Applicants for the three-year PhD degree should hold:

• a Bachelor's degree with honours and a research Master's degree (or equivalent qualification) from a recognised university.

You are required to take either IELTS or TOEFL if you come from a university outside Hong Kong where the language of instruction and examination is not English. The University only accepts IELTS/TOEFL score that is taken within a two-year period. Please visit here for the detailed test score requirements.

We require all applicants to submit the official score report of GRE or GMAT, taken within five years. It is advised that you take the exam no later than mid-November in order to provide a full application file for consideration by the Admissions Panel. We do not grant waivers for applicants with an MBA degree and/ or work experience.

Institution code:

• GRE – 2482
• GMAT - FS2-WL-48

We do not impose minimum GMAT/GRE score requirement, but standardised test score plays a helpful role in the evaluation process as it gives the Admissions Panel a uniform way of assessing applicants.

• Upload a supporting document to the online application system explaining the delay and state your scheduled test date.
• Upload the test score and arrange to send the official report to us once the result is available.

A research proposal should include the background, the objectives and the methodology/approach you propose to take in studying the subject matter. A suggested framework of research proposal of our Faculty can be found here. You may use other format or add more section(s) to the form at your discretion.

For better alignment of research interests between students and supervisors, each student will only be assigned, at the time of admission, a nominal supervisor to provide academic guidance on course-taking and research planning at the initial stage. Students are encouraged to interact and discuss their research ideas with faculty members to confirm their supervisory arrangement at a more advanced stage of study. It is thus not a must for interested applicants to contact potential supervisors at the application stage.

However, you are also welcome to approach individual faculty members to explore research interests before applying to our programme. You may visit our webpage for details of our faculty members.

Apart from the Postgraduate Scholarship (PGS) which will normally be granted to full-time PhD students, we also offer the FBE PhD Entrance Scholarship to new students on the basis of academic merit at the time of admission.

(For academic year 2026-27)

• FBE PhD Entrance Scholarship (general track):
  HK$47,000
• FBE PhD Entrance Scholarship (TPg track):
  Equivalent to the actual amount of tuition fee paid by the awardee for the eligible TPg programme preceding admission to the full-time PhD programme.

All eligible candidates will automatically be considered and no application for the Scholarship is required.