The Hong Kong Scholarship for Excellence Scholarships Scheme aims to support local students to pursue studies in world renowned universities outside Hong Kong, with a view to grooming a top cadre of talents with global vision, international network and world-class education, thereby contributing to enhancing Hong Kong’s competitiveness as Asia’s World City in a globalised knowledge economy. The scheme also seeks to support those students who have excellent academic achievement but lack the financial means to study in top-notch universities outside Hong Kong.
Scholarships are provided to learn any of the courses offered by the universities.
- Scholarship is available for pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate degree level at world renowned universities outside Hong Kong.
- The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
- World renowned universities outside Hong Kong
Eligibility: To be eligible for the HKSES, applicants are required to meet the following two criteria –
-have right of abode or right to land, or have entered Hong Kong on One-way Permits; and
-have resided in Hong Kong continuously for three complete years immediately prior to the commencement of the academic programme outside Hong Kong.
For the avoidance of doubt, those applicants who cannot demonstrate that they can return to Hong Kong upon graduation to work will not be considered. In particular, students entering Hong Kong on student or dependant visas will not be eligible for the HKSES. Eligible students who intend to pursue undergraduate or postgraduate studies in world renowned universities outside Hong Kong starting from the 2015/16 academic year, the period of September 2015 to August 2016, may submit their applications for scholarship. For undergraduate programmes, only students receiving their formal school education in Hong Kong are eligible. This would cover all Hong Kong students who receive senior secondary education in Hong Kong, including those studying local (e.g. Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education) and non-local (e.g. International Baccalaureate) curricula in Hong Kong. For postgraduate programmes, which may cover those of master and doctoral degrees or equivalent levels, students who have obtained their undergraduate qualifications either in or outside Hong Kong are eligible, provided that they meet the criteria set out in (a) & (b) above. Applicants may indicate up to three universities and programmes in their applications and provide documentary proofs showing that they have already applied for the chosen universities and programmes in support of their applications for scholarship.
- Students of Hong Kong can apply for this scholarship.
The scholarship scheme will benefit three cohorts of students, with up to 100 students per cohort, starting from the 2015/16 academic year
- Scholarship will last for the normal duration of the concerned programme in respect of undergraduate studies and up to two years in respect of all postgraduate studies. It will be renewable annually subject to the provision of satisfactory documentary proof of the awardees’ good academic performance.
- -All awardees will receive a non-means-tested scholarship to cover their tuition fees, subject to a ceiling of HK$250,000 per annum, whichever is lower.
- -In addition, a means-tested bursary will be granted to students who may need additional support to pursue their study, subject to a ceiling of HK$200,000 per student per annum. The means-tested bursary will consist of two components, up to HK$50,000 per annum for covering tuition fee in excess of HK$250,000; and up to HK$150,000 per annum for covering living and other study-related expenses.
- -The value of the award may be correspondingly reduced if an awardee also receives other awards to finance his/her same studies overseas.
- -For those applicants who eventually receive scholarship from other sources covering the tuition fee and living cost in full, they may still be considered for awarding under the HKSES (without any monetary benefit) as a token of Government’s recognition of their outstanding achievements. The same set of assessment criteria for other HKSES awardees will be applied to this kind of awardees.
- The Steering Committee will adopt a merit-based approach to selection, targeting the best and most outstanding Hong Kong students who are admitted to world renowned universities or programmes. Selection will be based on the academic achievements and other attributes such as leadership qualities and potential, contribution and commitment to the society, etc.
- Shortlisted applicants will receive a notification by end June 2015 and results will be announced in August 2015. Those who do not receive the notification may assume that their applications are unsuccessful.
- Application form should be filled in electronically.
The application deadline is 31 January, 2015.
Further Official Scholarship Information and Application