FAQs

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    A. Admission Requirements

    • 1. I have not completed my bachelor’s/master’s studies, can I still apply to a programme?

      Yes, You are welcome to apply to any of our programmes, even if you are in the final year of your bachelor’s/master’s studies, as long as you can complete your degree and obtain an academic transcript before the admission date (1 August of the year following your application year).

      Please submit a certifying letter and provide the latest official transcript issued by your current university’s academic office.

      If you are being admitted, you are required to submit original copies of those documents for verification, including but not limited to an official transcript (with a complete record of courses attended and examination results) and a copy of your degree certificate on or before the said admission date.

    • 4. I did not take a GMAT/GRE, can I still apply to a programme?

      GMAT/GRE is a required item for our MPhil-PhD programmes. We highly recommend applicants take the test prior to submitting the application. However, you are still welcome to submit your application first and take the test as soon as possible, but not later than the admission date. Nevertheless, it is compulsory to take such test(s) to fulfil the admission requirements.

      Please make a request to the organisation concerned to send an official test report directly to our office on or before the said application deadline.

    • 5. What is the minimum test score requirement for a GMAT/GRE?

      There are NO minimum test score requirements for the GMAT/GRE. Our selection panel will carefully review and consider each applicant on a case-by-case basis. As such, we highly recommend applicants take the test prior to submitting the application.

    B. Application Documents and Recommendation Letters

    • 8. My referee(s) did not receive any invitation emails, what should I do?

      Invitation emails are sent automatically by the system, therefore, please ensure that all details are correctly input into the Online Application System for Postgraduate Programmes. Otherwise, your referee(s) might not receive the invitation on time.

      Please remind your referee(s) to check their junk email folder too. If he/she has not received an invitation email, please send an email to mphilphd@cuhk.edu.hk, and indicate your (i) application number, (ii) ID/passport number, (iii) date of birth and (iv) the name of the referee(s) concerned.

      If you have input incorrect/missing contact information or need to update your referee(s) details, please submit a request for a change of information with the abovementioned information to .

      Changes cannot be made after the application deadline. As such, please submit your request as early as possible.

      After the application deadline, referees can only submit recommendation forms/letters by post. The form is available at the Online Application System for Postgraduate Programmes. The recommendation form/letter must be in a sealed envelope and signed.

    C. GMAT/GRE/TOEFL/IELTS

    • 11. I took an IELTS/TOEFL two years ago, can I still submit the test report?

      TOEFL and IELTS scores are considered valid for two years from the test date. If the scores are valid at the time of application submission, please make a request to the organisation concerned to send an official test report directly to our office. Applicants are advised to save a copy of the receipt/confirmation email of your test report request for tracking.

      If you wish to know whether the application documents have been delivered to our office, please send an email to mphilphd@cuhk.edu.hk with your (i) application number, (ii) ID/passport number, (iii) date of birth, and (iv) a copy of your receipt/confirmation email of your test report request.

    • 13. I already sent my GMAT/GRE/IELTS/TOEFL test report to the office, have you received it?

      Please make sure that all the information (i.e., institution code and/or address) is correct when making the request to the organisation concerned.

      Please refer to Admissions for the organisations’ institution codes and our office address. An incorrect institution code/address may result in a delivery delay. If that happens, students will have to send the test report(s) concerned again.

      If your information is correct and you wish to know whether the test report has been delivered to our office, please send an email to mphilphd@cuhk.edu.hk and provide your (i) application number, (ii) ID/passport number, (iii) date of birth, and (iv) a copy of your receipt/confirmation email of your test report request.

    D. Academic Transcript

    • 16. I did not attach the Transcript Submission Covering Sheet with my official transcript, what should I do?

      Applicants are advised to attach the Transcript Submission Covering Sheet to the issuing university/institution when making an official transcript request.

      If you are going to send the official transcript on the university’s/institution’s behalf. You can send the Transcript Submission Covering Sheet along with the official transcript in a sealed envelope with an official university stamp issued by the university’s academic office. It must also reach our office on or before the said application deadline.

    E. Application Procedure

    • 21. Is there a specific application deadline for your MPhil-PhD programmes?

      Please visit Admissions for details. If you are interested in any of our programmes, you are highly recommended to apply and submit all required documents as early as possible, as our programmes will identify and shortlist applicants for interviews, and then issue (conditional) offers to selected candidates within or after the application period.

    • 23. I have applied to the wrong programme/I wish to cancel my application, what should I do?

      If you wish to change programme/cancel your application, please send an email to mphilphd@cuhk.edu.hk with your (i) application number, (ii) ID/passport number, (iii) date of birth, and (iv) reasons/justification, for consideration.

      Any requests are subject to the agreement of the programme you wish to change/cancel and the programme to which you would like to apply.

      For cancellations, please note that the application fee is non-refundable and non-transferrable.

    F. Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS)

    • 28. Why should PhD programme applicants also apply to the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS)?

      Established by the Hong Kong Research Grants Council (RGC) in 2009, HKPFS is a prestigious scholarship that aims to attract outstanding students, both locally and globally, to pursue full-time PhD studies in Hong Kong.

      The goal of CUHK Business School’s MPhil-PhD programmes is to nurture future talent who are looking to pursue research excellence, innovation and collaboration, and create impact beyond academia. We encourage applicants with outstanding academic achievements and profound research outreach to apply for this prestigious scholarship.

      While application to HKPFS is free, applicants will still need to apply to it before submitting an application to one of our PhD programmes, as applicants will need to quote the HKPFS reference number as part of our PhD application process.

    • 29. What is Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS)?

      HKPFS is a prestigious award established by the Research Grants Council (RGC) of Hong Kong in 2009. It aims to attract outstanding students (both locally and globally) to pursue full-time PhD studies in Hong Kong’s universities.

      We highly recommend applicants in pursuit of research excellence, innovation, and collaboration with outstanding academic achievements and profound research outreach to apply for this prestigious award.

      For more information, please visit the HKPFS website and CUHK Graduate School.

    • 31. If I want to apply to the HKPFS, what should I do?

      First, submit an application on the HKPFS website by selecting our programme as your first choice to obtain an HKPFS application number. Next, submit an application through the CUHK online application system with the quotation of your HKPFS application number.

      Please make sure that all your information (especially the choice of the programme) is the same in both the HKPFS and the CUHK systems, and the correct HKPFS application number is input in the CUHK online application system.

    G. Others

    • 34.What is the difference between MPhil and PhD programmes?

      MPhil is designed specifically for students who wish to pursue advanced studies in preparation for their doctoral degree, or for those looking to become specialists in either the public or private sector, where strong research and analytical skills are required.

      PhD is ideal for students pursuing a teaching and/or research career in higher education or at a research institute, where close collaboration and advanced research capabilities are key.

    • 36. Do I have to contact a supervisor before making an application?

      It is NOT mandatory to contact a supervisor before making an application, and each department/school will assign advisors/supervisors to applicants in their first/second year of study.

      However, we highly recommend applicants contact our faculty members prior to submitting the application. This provides an opportunity to connect and get to know each other better and to see if both parties have common research interests/fields of study.

      Please refer to the Academic Staff Directory for more information.

    Last updated: August 2022

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