Frequently Asked Questions
Hong Kong Future Talents Scholarship Scheme for Advanced Studies (FTSS)
Q1 How can I apply for the FTSS?
A1 Each university will invite suitable candidates newly admitted to the eligible programmes in each cohort to apply for the scholarships and may adopt diverse application procedure for the scholarships. For details, please refer to the universities' websites or contact the admission offices of the universities direct.
Q2 Are part-time students eligible for the FTSS?
A2 Both full-time and part-time local students of eligible programmes are eligible for the scholarships.
Q3 I do not have a Hong Kong permanent identity card but hold a Quality Migrant Admission Scheme visa (QMAS)/one-way permit (OWPs)/the Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates (IANG) visa. Am I qualified as a local student?
A3 Only local students of eligible programmes can apply for the scholarships under FTSS. Applicants would be considered a non-local student if he/she is a holder of the following documents issued by the Immigration Department of the HKSAR:
- Student visa/entry permit; or
- Visa/entry permit under the Immigration Arrangement for Non-local Graduates; or
- Dependant visa/entry permit who were 18 years old or above when he/she was issued with such visa/entry permit by the Director of Immigration.
As the universities would have the personal particulars of the students, the Admission Offices would assist in assessing whether a student would be eligible for applying for the scholarships. Students should therefore discuss with the universities direct on their eligibility.
Q4 I was awarded a scholarship and commenced studies in an eligible programme when I am holding a working visa to work in Hong Kong. I am moving to an overseas office; can I continue my studies online as a scholarship awardee?
A4 The aim of FTSS is to attract more local students to pursue advanced studies in priority areas conducive to the development of Hong Kong and expand the pool of high-calibre talents for various domains, while further promoting the development of our city into an international hub for post-secondary education. If a scholarship awardee changes his/her status from a local student to non-local student during the study period, the eligibility of scholarship should be revoked. The awardee would be required to refund the full amount of scholarship to the university that has already been disbursed.
Q5 I am a current student in one of the eligible programmes but I have not been awarded the scholarship. As I still have a year to complete the programme, can I apply for the FTSS in the next academic year?
A5 The scholarships are awarded to students during the time of admission, i.e. only students who are newly admitted to the eligible taught postgraduate programmes in respective academic years would be eligible for the corresponding cohort of the FTSS.
Q6 Can I be awarded the scholarship for more than one eligible programmes under the FTSS concurrently?
A6 Each student can only be awarded with the scholarship once, either at a UGC-funded university or self-financing university. The UGC shall revoke the scholarship from the student if it is found that a student is being awarded more than one scholarship under the FTSS.
Q7 Can I apply for the FTSS scholarship if I have been awarded a scholarship under the Targeted Taught Postgraduate Programmes Fellowships Scheme (TPgFS) before?
A7 Those who have been awarded a scholarship under the TPgFS in the past shall be ineligible for the FTSS scholarship.
Q8 I am a scholarship awardee. What happen if I quit the programme/ cannot achieve satisfactory academic performance/ apply for deferral of study?
A8 Universities are responsible for monitoring the ongoing performance and study progress of the scholarship awardees. While normally deferral of study will not affect students' eligibility for the scholarships that are already awarded, if a scholarship student eventually fails to complete the programme or achieve the academic requirements set by the universities, he/she shall be required to refund the full amount of the scholarship award received to the university. Universities will consider the situation on a case-by-case basis and take necessary actions as appropriate in which the UGC would not intervene under the principle of institutional autonomy.
Q9 How much do I need to pay for tuition fee if I am awarded the scholarship?
A9 The scholarship students are required to pay a minimum tuition fee being the prevailing rate of the UGC-funded full-time degree programmes (i.e. HK$44,500 for 2025/26 academic year and HK$47,000 for 2026/27 academic year), and the differences will be subsidised by the scholarships subject to a cap of HK$100,000 for each student for the whole programme, regardless of the actual study period of the programme and mode of study. The scholarships are provided for the purpose of offsetting the tuition fee. For details, please refer to the universities' websites or contact the admission offices of the universities.
Noting that some students may opt to take more credits than required, the FTSS will only cover the tuition fees for the list of courses in relation to the prescribed graduation requirements of the eligible programmes. The remaining balance arising from additional academic credits out of the prescribed graduation requirements and/ or for elective courses which are not on the programme course list would be borne by the students. You may contact the universities direct for details.
Q10 Will the FTSS include other ineligible programmes in the future? What are the selection criteria for the programmes?
A10 The universities have nominated suitable programmes under the eight priority areas for the UGC's consideration in accordance with the following set of criteria:
- Relevance to the eight priority areas;
- Market needs/demands and long-term sustainability;
- Alignment with universities' strengths and vision; and
- Uniqueness and interdisciplinary collaboration.
The UGC will review the scheme with the universities regularly on various issues, including priority areas, eligible progammes, and number of scholarships, etc.
Q11 Can I apply for other scholarships or student financial assistance on top of the FTSS?
A11 To avoid "double benefit", students received financial support from other public sources for the purpose of meeting tuition fee expenses would not be eligible for the FTSS. Students received such financial support from other sources (e.g. education subsidies from a private company or foundation) should declare and provide relevant details to the universities. If the sum of such financial support and the scholarship award would exceed the tuition fee level, the amount of scholarship awards should be reduced to ensure that the awardee would not receive financial support in excess of the tuition fee to safeguard the effective use of public money.
Q12 Will I be required to work in Hong Kong in an industry or profession relevant to the scholarship programme after graduation?
A12 As the Scheme aims to nurture talents for Hong Kong's development and involves the use of public money, scholarship students should take on social responsibilities and contribute to Hong Kong's development. The Universities will take into account students' readiness and ability to contribute significantly to Hong Kong's priority areas after completing the programme during selection process.
All awardees must, as a condition for receiving the scholarship, sign a written undertaking that he/she would contribute towards relevant industries/sectors either through relevant full-time employment or entrepreneurial activities in Hong Kong, or within the Greater Bay Area, upon graduation. In addition, awardees will be required to submit a mandatory return no later than 12 months after the end of his/her last semester of studies under the relevant programme, with (i) (for full-time employment) specific information on at least the name of employer, position held, job nature and salary level or (for entrepreneurial activities) company name with business registration number, description of business nature and details of entrepreneurial activities conducted, as well as (ii) a one-page summary of the awardee's contributions to Hong Kong after graduation and its relevance to the TPg programme pursued. In accepting the scholarship, an awardee would be liable to refund of the scholarship amount in full to the university concerned should there be any failure to complete the mandatory return in time or the provision of untrue information therein.
Q13 What are the roles of UGC and universities respectively in administering the FTSS?
A13 The UGC is responsible for deciding the implementation arrangements of the FTSS and considering the proposals from universities. The UGC will review the scheme with the universities regularly on various issues, including priority areas, eligible progammes, and number of scholarships, etc. Under the principle of institutional autonomy, universities are responsible for administering the Scheme at programme level independently. Each university may devise its own admission procedures and additional requirement for assessing the scholarships and will assess the applications independently with its own admission procedure in which the UGC would not intervene.