RGC Research Fellow Scheme/RGC Senior Research Fellow Scheme
The RGC Research Fellow and Senior Research Fellow Schemes provide five years of funding and teaching relief to support high-impact research and mentorship at Hong Kong's UGC-funded universities.
Funder: Hong Kong Research Grants Council
Due Dates (Anticipated): November 2026 (Nomination deadline for RGC Research Fellow Scheme / RGC Senior Research Fellow Scheme)
Funding Amounts: HK$5.6M (RFS) or HK$8.5M (SRFS) per award over 60 months; ~10 awards per scheme annually
Summary: Supports outstanding mid-career and senior researchers at UGC-funded Hong Kong universities with sustained funding and teaching relief to advance research and mentor new talent.
Key Information: Forecasted deadline—dates subject to change; nomination by university required.
Description
The RGC Research Fellow Scheme (RFS) and RGC Senior Research Fellow Scheme (SRFS) are prestigious fellowships designed to empower exceptional academics at UGC-funded universities in Hong Kong. The schemes provide five years of sustained research support and significant relief from teaching and administrative duties, enabling awardees to focus on high-impact research and the mentorship of early-career researchers. RFS targets outstanding Associate Professors (mid-career), while SRFS is for full Professors (senior researchers). Each scheme typically supports 10 fellows per annual cycle, across all academic disciplines.
Fellowship funds may be used for teaching and administrative relief, research project costs (including staff, equipment, travel, and dissemination), and are intended to facilitate internationally-leading research and capacity building for the next generation of research talent in Hong Kong.
