Funder: Hong Kong Research Grants Council
Due Dates: November 30, 2026, 5:00 p.m. (University nominations) | Late May–early June 2027 (Interviews) | July 2027 (Award announcement)
Funding Amounts: Around HK$8.5 million per award over 60 months; ten SRFS awards planned for 2027/28
Summary: Supports senior academics’ internationally leading research and mentoring through sustained funding and relief from teaching and administration.
Key Information: University nomination is required; direct applications to the UGC Secretariat are not considered.
Description
The RGC Senior Research Fellow Scheme (SRFS) provides sustained research support for outstanding full Professors at University Grants Committee (UGC)-funded universities in Hong Kong. Run by the Hong Kong Research Grants Council, it combines project funding with relief from teaching and administrative duties, allowing senior academics to concentrate on research and development while training the next generation of local researchers.
The scheme encompasses all academic disciplines. Proposals should pursue internationally leading research with sufficient depth and breadth to justify five years, rather than merely extend a General Research Fund project. Existing initiatives may be developed in distinctly new directions or substantially expanded, with demonstrable novelty. Research leadership and mentoring are central: nominees should provide clear plans for training postdoctoral fellows and/or research postgraduate students without excessive teaching relief compromising those resources.
