Postgraduate Programmes

Applicants should submit their application via the on-line application system. Supporting documents should be uploaded by applicants onto the on-line application system by the appropriate closing date. To submit an on-line application, please visit the Graduate School's website at www.hku.hk/gradsch/online.

On-line application and Supporting Documents

Applicants should submit one complete set of on-line application and supporting documents to apply for admission to the MPhil or PhD programme. Applicants who wish to apply for on-line admission to more than one department should submit one complete set of on-line application and supporting documents for each proposed department of study. The application documents include:

• On-line Application form
• On-line submission of Certificates and complete transcripts of undergraduate and postgraduate studies
  Please upload official certificates and complete official transcripts of your undergraduate and postgraduate studies via the on-line application system. Documents which are not in English should be accompanied by a formally translated version in English. If the policy of your institution is that the transcript should remain confidential, please request your institution to send it directly to the HKU Graduate School.
  
  For current undergraduate or postgraduate students: it is to your advantage to submit an interim transcript showing the results of courses you have so far completed.
  
  For qualifications obtained from HKU (except HKU SPACE): Certified certificates and official transcripts are not required but if you are a graduate, you are requested to upload your transcript with your on-line application; if you are a current student, you are requested to upload your examination results from the Student Connect or your examination result slips.
• On-line submission of statement of research interest or research proposal
  Whether a statement of research interest or a research proposal is required depends on your proposed programme and department of study. In general, a statement of research interest for (MPhil applicants) should include your reasons for undertaking graduate work at HKU while a research proposal for (PhD applicants) should include the background, the objectives and the methodology/approach you propose to take in studying the subject matter. In your online submission of statement of research interest or research proposal, you are required to indicate your proposed field of study, i.e. either Economics or Finance. Once you have indicated your proposed field of study in your statement of research interest or research proposal, you are not allowed to change it throughout the entire period of your study.
• Two academic referees reports
  Please invite two people who are familiar with your academic achievements to complete the online academic referee's report. Please provide the details of referees, including the email address, in the RPG Online Application System. You can also check the status of the referee reports online at http://www.hku.hk/gradsch/status.
• Proof of payment of application fee (HK$400 or US$53) (the proof is not required if payment has been made via the on-line application system)
  Local applicants: Please deposit the amount to any branch of HSBC (account no.: 002-222834-014 (Ref: 4001)) or transfer the amount to the account using the ATM machine (account no.: 002-222834-014) and submit the original customer copy of the Account Deposit Form or the ATM customer advice with your application.
  
  Overseas applicants: Please pay by bank draft of HK$400 or US$53 payable to "The University of Hong Kong"
  
  Note: Please write your full name in English, online application username, contact email and proposed department of study on the back of the pay-in-slip or bank draft for identification purposes. Cash will NOT be accepted.
  
  Remarks: Applicants are encouraged to pay the application fee via the on-line application system by credit card, of a dicounted rate of HK$150.
• Official score report of one of the following English language proficiency tests (for applicants from institutions outside HK where the language of instruction and examination is not entirely in English).
  
  • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) taken within a two-year period:
    
    

    Paper-based test	An overall score of 550 or above
    Internet-based test	An overall score of 80 or above

    
    

    Applicants should request the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to send an official score report to the University direct. Original or certified copy of the Examinee's score record will not be accepted. For this purpose, the TOEFL code of the University is 9671 and please use 99 as department code for sending official score report to the HKU Graduate School. [It is a policy of the TOEFL Policy Council to validate scores which are obtained within a two-year period. The University therefore accepts this two-year validity rule in the admission exercise]; or

  • International English Language Testing System (IELTS) taken within a two-year period: Band 6 with no subtest lower than 5.5
  • Overseas General Certificate of Education (GCE), International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) or Cambridge Test of Proficiency in English Language (CPE): Grade C or above.
• Official score report of the GMAT or GRE (taken within a five-year period) (ONLY for applicants to the Faculty of Business & Economics) (Institution codes: GMAT-FS2-WL-48; GRE - 2482)
• On-line submission of other documents
  Other documents which the applicants would like to bring to the attention of the University, e.g. list of publications, documentary evidence of academic awards and professional qualifications, and summary of relevant experience.
  
  If some of the supporting documents are not ready or available at the time of submission of applications, they should upload the documents via the online applications system as soon as they are available with their full name in English, the proposed curriculum and department of study and application number (if known) clearly written on the top right hand corner of each document on or before the closing date.

All documents submitted in support of an application will be destroyed if the application is unsuccessful. Documents once submitted will not be returned. Do not send original or irreplaceable documents.