PhD in Laws

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS FOR PHD IN LAWS PROGRAMME
The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Faculty of Law
PhD Fellowships and PhD Studentships

The Most International Law School Worldwide (2018 Times Higher Education World University Ranking: Law Subject)
Best Research Law Faculty in Hong Kong (2020 Hong Kong Research Assessment Exercise) 

The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Faculty of Law (CUHK LAW) invites applications for admission to the PhD in Laws programme.  The PhD in Laws, awarded on the basis of original research presented in a written thesis, is the highest degree in the discipline and gives graduates a distinct edge in an ever more competitive job market.  CUHK LAW is truly global in character with professors from over 20 jurisdictions, including Europe, North America, Australia, Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and other parts of Asia.  Their research interests cover the full gamut – from company, tax, trade, environmental, and intellectual property law to criminal, human rights, constitutional and administrative law, international law and comparative law, among others. 

And we offer among the most generous PhD scholarship opportunities in the world, namely the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship (HKPFS) and the CUHK Postgraduate Studentship, both of which are meant to fully finance the normative study period of 3 to 4 years. Being awarded the HKPFS is a great mark of distinction and offers greater financial assistance. It awards a monthly stipend of HK$26,900 and an annual conference travel allowance of HK$13,500 for up to three years. If a Fellowship winner has a normative study period of four years, CUHK will provide financing at the same level during the fourth year. The CUHK Vice-Chancellor HKPFS Scholarship offers Fellowship winners a tuition fee waiver for their whole normative study period and provides an award of HK$40,000 for lodging in the first year of study and HK$20,000 in the subsequent years within the normative study period. CUHK guarantees on-campus accommodation during the normative study period to Fellowship winners who submit timely applications.  The Hong Kong Government grants a tuition waiver to all current and newly admitted local full-time PhD and MPhil students enrolled in UGC-funded RPg programmes for their entire normative period of study.

The CUHK Postgraduate Studentship is nearly as generous and receiving it is also a sign of superior academic achievement. It awards a monthly stipend of HK$18,025 during the normative research and writing period. Funding for conferences and research-related travel is also available. Besides the CUHK Postgraduate Studentship, PhD candidates who are nominated to the HKPFS by CUHK but are not selected for HKPFS will be offered an award of HK$80,000 in three instalments (i.e. HK$40,000 in the first year and HK$20,000 in each of the second and third year of study, subject to satisfactory study progress).

To be eligible for either funding mechanism, in addition to demonstrating English proficiency, students must possess a Juris Doctor (JD) degree, a Master of Laws (LLM) degree or an equivalent degree (including non-law related), with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above, awarded by a recognized university. 

To apply for admission starting in the 2022-2023 academic year, PhD Fellowship applicants should first submit an initial application to RGC (here ) by 12 noon, 1 December 2021 (Hong Kong time), and then submit a full application to CUHK (here ) by 5 pm, 1 December 2021 (Hong Kong time). The main round for PhD studentship applications is due on 1 December 2021, and the clearing round is 31 March 2022 (Applications in clearing round will only be considered subject to availability of places). Details of the admission requirements and application procedures are available at http://www.law.cuhk.edu.hk/en/study/phd_programme-overview.php