CityU Undergraduate and Postgraduate Programmes, Graduate School and Doctoral Training

Module: 01 Academic · Sub-file: Programme Overview / Graduate School and Doctoral Training A doctoral student at City University of Hong Kong who wins a Hong Kong PhD Fellowship can draw a monthly stipend of HK$28,400. Behind that figure lies a full spectrum of degrees — more than 150^※ undergraduate and postgraduate programmes — and a dedicated body that oversees postgraduate training: the Chow Yei Ching School of Graduate Studies. This article first surveys degree types, undergraduate admissions routes and flagship programmes, then digs into the structure, funding and application process for research degrees (PhD/MPhil). For the academic calendar, credit system and general education, see academic-system.md; for in-depth coverage of individual faculties, see the relevant deep files.

---

# 1. Scale and Degree Types

CityU offers more than 150^※ undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, of which around 104 are undergraduate^※. The degree portfolio spans:

---

# 2. Undergraduate Admissions Routes (Overview)

Admissions details (scores, scholarships, graduate destinations) belong to the docs/02 admissions module; this article is a programme-structure overview only.

---

# 3. Flagship and Signature Programmes

# 1. Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine (BVM)

Hong Kong's only undergraduate veterinary programme, six years, roughly 242–243 credits^※, run by the Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences in partnership with Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine. See veterinary-college-academics.md.

# 2. Law: LLB / JD / PCLL / LLM

CityU was the first law school in Hong Kong to offer the JD (Juris Doctor)^※; the LLB is the School of Law's flagship undergraduate degree, the JD is a postgraduate professional degree completed full-time in 2–3 years^※, the PCLL is the professional qualification course, and an LLM is also available. See school-of-law.md.

# 3. Business: BBA / MBA / EMBA

The College of Business offers the BBA and a suite of specialist master's degrees; its MBA, EMBA and related programmes all hold international accreditation. CityU also runs a separately operated Global EMBA. See business-school-triple-crown.md.

# 4. Joint Bachelor's Degree Programme with Columbia University (JBDP)

CityU runs a Joint Bachelor's Degree Programme with Columbia University^※ in the United States: students spend their first two years at CityU and their final two at Columbia, graduating with degrees from both institutions.

# 5. Creative Media across Arts and Technology

The School of Creative Media offers three majors — BA Creative Media, BSc Creative Media and BAS New Media — spanning art and computer science. See creative-media.md.

---

# 4. Who Coordinates Postgraduate Programmes?

CityU's postgraduate provision is overseen by the Chow Yei Ching School of Graduate Studies (established 1994)^※, covering taught master's degrees (MA/MSc/MBA/EMBA/LLM/JD/MPH/MFA, etc.), research degrees (MPhil/PhD) and professional doctorates. Some faculties also offer interdisciplinary PhDs, such as the College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences' interdisciplinary vet-science doctorate. The rest of this article looks at the origins of this Graduate School and the concrete structure and funding of its research degrees.

# 5. Why "Chow Yei Ching"?

CityU established its School of Graduate Studies in 1994^※, originally to give focused attention to the further development of all postgraduate programmes. In 2006, following a generous donation from Hong Kong businessman and philanthropist Chow Yei-ching (周亦卿, 1935–2018), the School was formally named the Chow Yei Ching School of Graduate Studies.

A native of Ningbo, Chow was chairman and managing director of Chevalier International Holdings^※, a group spanning property management, construction and engineering, insurance, finance, IT, food and beverage, and automobile dealerships, with operations in six countries and over 4,500 employees. A long-time supporter of higher education in Hong Kong, he donated to CityU, HKU and PolyU. He received the Gold Bauhinia Star in 2004 and held honorary doctorates from several Hong Kong universities.

The School's official mission statement reads: 「促进研究生教育卓越发展，确保全校研究生课程的一致性与高标准。」^※ ("To promote excellence in postgraduate education and ensure consistency and high standards across the University's postgraduate programmes.")

---

# 6. Which Degree Types Does the Graduate School Oversee?

The Chow Yei Ching School of Graduate Studies coordinates three broad categories of postgraduate provision, spanning the full doctoral spectrum from academic research to professional practice.

The remainder of this section focuses on research degrees (PhD/MPhil) and their funding.

---

# 7. How Do CityU's PhD and MPhil Differ in Structure?

CityU's MPhil requires at least 7 credits, including at least 2 credits in research methods and academic integrity courses^※; its PhD requires at least 14 credits, including at least 9 credits of core courses and at least 2 credits in research methods and academic integrity^※. Both require the 1-credit compulsory course "Teaching Students: First Steps" (SG8001) and CITI academic-integrity training, and both culminate in a thesis submitted and defended before an examination panel.

PhD students must also pass a Qualifying Examination within 10–24 months of enrolment^※, assessing their knowledge of their major field and readiness for doctoral research; the exam may be attempted at most twice. Passing it upgrades the student to the "Advanced Rate" of stipend. MPhil students may also apply to transfer to the PhD track.

---

# 8. Which Faculties and Research Areas Accept Research Students?

Research degrees at CityU cover the broad range of strategic research areas across all faculties and departments^※. The main research platforms are:

---

# 9. What Are the Minimum Entry Requirements for a PhD or MPhil?

CityU sets explicit minimum thresholds for research-degree admission, with several routes to meet them.

MPhil entry requirements: Applicants must hold a first- or second-class honours bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in a relevant discipline from a recognised university^※.

PhD entry requirements (any one of four):

• Current CityU MPhil students applying to transfer
• Holders of a research higher degree (or equivalent) from a recognised university
• Holders of a taught master's degree from a recognised university
• Holders of a first-class honours bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in a relevant discipline from a recognised university^※

English language requirements (University-wide minimums illustrated):

Scores must be valid within two years of application; holders of mainland China's College English Test Band 6 (CET-6) with 490 or above (520 for Law) may be exempt from IELTS/TOEFL. Individual faculties may set thresholds above the University minimum.

---

# 10. How Are Monthly Stipends and Basic Funding Calculated?

CityU provides research studentships to admitted full-time RPg students. The standard rates for the 2025/26 academic year:

The funding period lasts at most four years for PhD and two for MPhil^※; funded students are expected to contribute up to 10 hours per week of teaching or research assistance. The University also offers a Conference Grant of up to HK$10,000^※ per conference, and a Research Activities Fund supporting research-related travel at HK$5,000 per trip, capped at a cumulative HK$60,000^※.

Tuition reference (2026/27):

Since 2018/19, all local students under the UGC-funded full-time research programme have been covered by the Tuition Waiver Scheme.

---

# 11. What Is the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS)? How Does CityU Take Part?

The Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS) was established by the Research Grants Council (RGC) in 2009^※ to attract the world's top talent to pursue doctoral degrees in Hong Kong. It is open to applicants to all eight UGC-funded universities, including CityU, competing for a territory-wide pool of places.

A total of 400 HKPFS places were awarded for the 2026/27 academic year^※, distributed across the eight universities.

HKPFS funding at a glance (2026/27):

CityU also provides supplementary support for HKPFS winners: for those on a four-year doctoral programme, the fourth-year stipend is funded by the University at the same rate as the RGC's, so financial support continues without a gap.

---

# 12. How Are HKPFS Applications Assessed and Processed?

HKPFS selection is led by a review committee established by the RGC, but applicants must apply to both the RGC and their chosen university — a "dual-track" procedure.

The review committee assesses six dimensions:

1. Academic excellence — undergraduate and postgraduate records, awards
2. Research ability and potential — publication record, quality of the research proposal
3. Cultural diversity and background
4. Communication and interpersonal skills
5. Leadership potential
6. Assessment of university support

Applicants select up to two PhD programmes^※ in the RGC's registration system, ranked in priority order, and then complete a full application through CityU's online system; both must be submitted separately by the same deadline. Shortlisted candidates are interviewed in person or by phone. For the 2026/27 cycle, applications opened in September 2025, both the RGC registration and the full CityU application closed on 1 December 2025, results were to be announced around May 2026, with enrolment expected in September 2026.

---

# 13. What Internal Awards and Scholarships Does the Graduate School Offer?

Beyond HKPFS, the Graduate School administers several internal academic honours named after Chow Yei Ching, recognising outstanding achievements during study.

• Chow Yei Ching School of Graduate Studies Entrance Scholarships — for exceptional non-local new students, covering first-year tuition and accommodation (approximately HK$95,496^※), encouraging top international students to pursue an MPhil or PhD at CityU.
• Chow Yei Ching School Scholarships — one-off cash awards during study, honouring excellent academic results.
• Outstanding Academic Performance Award — recognises outstanding performance in postgraduate programmes.
• Outstanding Research Thesis Award — honours high-quality theses.
• Outstanding Doctoral Research Award — given to the graduate whose doctoral research stands out across the University, with a cash prize attached.

CityU also maintains the Research Tuition Scholarship, exempting outstanding current research students from one year of tuition.

---

# 14. How Is the Graduate School Governed?

The Chow Yei Ching School of Graduate Studies operates through a multi-tiered committee structure, ensuring consistent standards across the University's postgraduate provision.

• Dean of Graduate Studies — oversees postgraduate education and chairs the relevant governance committees
• Associate Deans (SGS) — support quality assurance
• Director (SGS) — leads day-to-day administration, including admissions, records, examinations and student support
• Board of Graduate Studies — considers academic regulations and makes policy recommendations to the University
• Committee for Master's Programmes (CMP) and Committee for Research Degree Candidature (CRDC) — handle matters relating to taught master's and research degrees respectively

CityU's current Graduate School leadership includes Prof. Yew Kee HO as Dean, and Prof. Sylvia KWOK LAI and Prof. Chi Kong Terrence LAU as Associate Deans.

---

# 15. Place Within CityU's Broader Internationalisation Strategy

Roughly 80%^※ of CityU's postgraduate students are non-local, hailing from over 50 countries — one of the most international postgraduate bodies in Hong Kong. Correspondingly, about 78%^※ of the University's professors come from overseas. CityU currently hosts 41 laboratories and research centres^※, providing interdisciplinary platforms and research support for postgraduate students.

As part of Hong Kong's wider strategy for attracting research talent, CityU's participation in HKPFS both creates a channel to admit the very best international doctoral students and, through its own supplementary scholarships (the fourth-year continuation and first-year accommodation coverage), builds a systematic "safety package" that lowers financial barriers for top applicants. This ambition sits alongside CityU's 63rd place in the QS World University Rankings 2026^※ and 73rd in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026^※.

---