RGC Postdoctoral Fellowship Scheme (PDFS)
The RGC Postdoctoral Fellowship Scheme (PDFS) aims to encourage doctoral graduates in pursuing career in research and provide promising researchers with support at a pivotal time in their very early career, so as to ensure a supply of talent with scientific and research skills for research and development in Hong Kong.
What makes it special?
The PDFS provides support to 50 awardees for a period of 36 months in terms of full-time appointment as a postdoctoral fellow (PdF) at a UGC-funded university in each round of the yearly exercise. For each awardee, the supporting university will receive an annual stipend of HK$420,090 per year for the awardee’s basic salary as well as a conference and research-related travel allowance (of HK$13,350 per year inclusively). PDFS covers all academic disciplines and is divided into two broad academic streams: (i) Humanities, Social Sciences and Business Studies; and (ii) Sciences, Medicine, Engineering and Technology.
The amount of the annual stipend will be adjusted after every 12 months during the fellowship period with reference to the Composite Consumer Price Index (CCPI) and related factors, and supporting universities will be informed of the updated rate in April / May every year.
Who is eligible?
All UGC-funded universities are eligible to make nomination for the fellowship in support of full-time employment of PdF for research projects / activities. Each university may nominate up to 12 PdF candidates (PDFS nominees) and is required to specify in the nomination the research project(s) / activities to be assigned to the PDFS nominee during the fellowship period.
To qualify for the fellowship, the PDFS nominee must:
- obtain a legal right to work and reside in Hong Kong during the fellowship period;
- have obtained / been conferred a PhD degree or an equivalent qualification on or after 1 January 2020 (i.e. not more than three years before 2023), or will complete the requirement of a PhD degree or an equivalent qualification by 31 August 2024; and
- be supported by a UGC-funded university at which he / she wishes to hold the fellowship.
The PDFS nominee should be a graduate in the relevant field of the research project(s) / activities to which he / she is to be assigned.
Assessment Criteria
Candidates will be assessed based on the following criteria:
- record of academic excellence;
- research ability and track record to date;
- leadership experience;
- merit of the proposed research project(s) /activities;
- potential impact of the proposed research project(s); and
- university’s support.
The two selection panels formed under the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme, i.e. Humanities, Social Sciences and Business Studies Selection Panel (H-Panel) and Sciences, Medicine, Engineering and Technology Selection Panel (S-Panel), will undertake assessment of nominations and selection of awardees under the PDFS with respect to the two broad academic streams respectively.
Nomination Process
Nominees and supporting universities are advised to read the nomination details as set out in the operation guide and the call letter before completing and duly signing the nomination forms. Supporting universities are advised to conduct interview assessment of the nominees. Nomination forms must be submitted by universities. The nomination deadline for the PDFS (2024/25) is 31 October 2023 (Tuesday). Nominations must be submitted to the UGC Secretariat by 5:00 pm on that day
Please click here for the call letter from the RGC Secretary to the Heads of UGC-funded universities inviting nominations.
To download the nomination forms, please click here.
