Recruitment Camp for Prospective PhD Students

Precious opportunity to learn about the PhD prospects

The PhD Recruitment Camp provides an opportunity for high-achieving students to learn about the prospects of pursuing PhD studies in HKU Business School through information session, academic activities and close interactions with professors and research students.

Travel and accommodation support

For each non-local participant who is not currently residing or studying in Hong Kong, the Faculty will provide (i) three nights of accommodation (June 2, 3 and 4) in/ near HKU campus and, (ii) a travel allowance of up to $5,000 to cover the cost of the cheapest air/ rail fare between the participant's hometown and the University on reimbursement basis.

Early offers and recommendations for prestigious scholarship

Selected outstanding participants may receive early admission offers and be recommended for the following prestigious scholarship(s) with a maximum value of HK$1.6 million:

• Hong Kong PhD Fellowship (HKPFS)
• HKU Presidential PhD Scholar Programme (HKU-PS)
• Postgraduate Scholarship (PGS)

In addition, all recommended candidates will be granted the Faculty's PhD Entrance Scholarship with a minimum value equivalent to the first year's tuition fee, which is of the value of HK$47,000 for the academic year 2026-27.

Opportunity to participate in prestigious research events organised by HKU

The HKU Next-Gen Finance PhD Workshop and HKU Summer Finance Conference will be held on May 13-15, 2026. A limited number of seats have been reserved for Camp participants with research interests in Accounting and Finance to attend both events as observers.

Observers will join 30 top PhD students from HKU and leading global institutions during the May 13 Workshop. They will have the chance to observe outstanding PhD presentations, receive feedback from senior scholars, and engage in both formal and informal interactions. Additionally, observers will attend the HKU Summer Finance Conference on May 14-15, which features research presentations from over 20 distinguished scholars worldwide.

Admitted observers not based in Hong Kong will receive three nights of shared accommodation (from May 12-14, double occupancy) and reimbursement of up to HK$5,000 for the most economical direct air or rail fare to Hong Kong, contingent upon full participation from May 13-15.

Interested applicants should indicate their interest at the end of the application form. Selected participants will be notified via email in mid-April following the acceptance of the Recruitment Camp offer.

1. The PhD Recruitment Camp is mainly targeted at undergraduate students who plan to apply for our PhD Programme commencing fall 2027.  Applicants are expected to have an average mark higher than 85/100; or CGPA higher than 3.6/4; or be ranked in top 10% in a related field from a top university.
2. Graduate students who have equivalent academic qualifications from a reputable university will also be considered.

Applicants are required to fill in an online application form and provide the following supporting documents* in support of the application:

1. Up-to-date curriculum vitae
2. Academic transcript(s) and graduation certificate(s) of undergraduate and/ or postgraduate studies
3. Score report(s) of TOEFL or IELTS (optional but strongly recommended)
4. Score report(s) of GMAT or GRE (optional but strongly recommended)
5. Personal statement including research work experience and future research planning written in English within a limit of 1000 words
6. Abstract of conference presentations or publications (if any)
7. **One academic referee report (submitted directly by the referee)

*Please combine documents 1-6 into one PDF file before uploading, with your English name as the file name, e.g. “CHEN Haoran.pdf”

**Please make sure to communicate with your proposed academic referee before submitting your application. Once your application is submitted, the system will automatically send an invitation to your referee to complete the referee report. Your referee will need to complete and submit the report by the application closing date, March 1, 2026. It is your responsibility as an applicant to monitor the progress of reference report to ensure it is completed on time

Applicants should submit their applications by March 1, 2026 (Sunday).  Late applications will not be considered.  Invitations will be sent out to selected students around early April.  Applicants not notified by the end of April may consider their applications unsuccessful.

Applicants who are not selected in the PhD Recruitment Camp are welcome to apply in the main round commencing on September 1, 2026.  Applicants can check the application timeline on the Graduate School’s website.

No application fee will be charged.  However, participants may need to:

• apply for visa to enter Hong Kong (if applicable)
• pay for meals and local transportation if not otherwise arranged by the Faculty
• arrange their own accommodation and transportation if they plan to stay beyond the PhD Recruitment Camp period (if applicable)

Shortlisted applicants will need to pay a refundable deposit of HK$2,000 within one week of receiving the offer email to secure their place in the Camp. The deposit, along with any applicable travel allowance, will be refunded upon full attendance of the Camp.

Q1. Will the PhD Recruitment Camp be held virtually or in-person?
The PhD Recruitment Camp will be held in-person in Hong Kong.  Virtual participation will not be available.

Q2. May I apply to more than one field of study?
Each applicant should only submit one application to us.  You may visit our webpage to explore our six distinct fields of study before making an application. 

Q3. I haven't taken the GMAT/GRE, am I eligible to apply for the PhD Recruitment Camp?
While testing of GMAT or GRE is optional for the PhD Recruitment Camp, it is strongly recommended that applicants submit a GMAT or GRE score, as it provides additional information to the Admissions Panel in their evaluation process that could strengthen your application.

Q4. My official transcript will not be ready before the application deadline.  What should I do?
Please submit the latest transcript available for your current studies.  For HKU current students, you may upload a photocopy of the printout of your examination results from the Student Information System (SIS) in lieu of the official transcript.

Q5. I made some typos/ errors in my application.  What should I do?
You may send in the request for amending/ updating submitted information via email (fbephd@hku.hk).  Please avoid re-submission of application.

Q6. When is the deadline for my referee to submit the report?
It is your responsibility to ensure that your academic referee completes the referee report via the link in the invitation email  as soon as possible and  no later than the application closing date (March 1, 2026).  Please be reminded that the Admissions Panel may start considering applications based on the documents received right after the application deadline, and the absence of a referee report by the time of review may put a candidate at a disadvantage.  Applicants are thus strongly advised to apply early enough to allow sufficient time for your referee to complete the report.