RGC Research Fellow Scheme/RGC Senior Research Fellow Scheme
The RGC Research Fellow Scheme and Senior Research Fellow Scheme by the Hong Kong Research Grants Council support top academics in Hong Kong with resources and teaching relief to advance research and mentor future talent.
Funder: Hong Kong Research Grants Council
Due Dates (Anticipated): September 2026 (Call for Nominations opens) | November 2026 (Nomination deadline, 17:00)
Funding Amounts: RFS: ~HK$5.6M per award (60 months) | SRFS: ~HK$8.5M per award (60 months); ~10 awards per scheme annually
Summary: Supports outstanding mid-career and senior academics at UGC-funded Hong Kong universities with substantial resources and teaching relief to advance research and mentor talent.
Key Information: Nominations must be submitted by the university; eligibility is restricted to specific academic ranks and institutions.
Description
The RGC Research Fellow Scheme (RFS) and RGC Senior Research Fellow Scheme (SRFS) are annual fellowship programs administered by the Hong Kong Research Grants Council. They are designed to provide sustained support and significant relief from teaching and administrative duties for exceptional mid-career (Associate Professor) and senior (full Professor) researchers at University Grants Committee (UGC)-funded universities in Hong Kong. The schemes aim to enable leading academics to dedicate their efforts to research and the development of early-career researchers, thereby fostering the next generation of research talent in Hong Kong. Awards are highly competitive and span all academic disciplines.
