Programme Code & Mode of Study
MPhil | Full-time: 2 years
PhD | Full-time: 3 or 4 years
Composition Fee for 2025/26
Full-time: HK$44,500 per year
Part-time: HK$63,000 per year
Application Deadline
Main Round: 1 September 2025 – 1 December 2025
1st Clearing Round: 2 December 2025 – 30 April 2026
2nd Clearing Round: 1 May 2026 – 31 August 2026
Application
Applications for admission to the PhD and MPhil programmes and the HKU Presidential PhD Scholar Programme are invited all year round. Applications to the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme are usually invited from September to early December.
| Main Round | 1 September 2025 – 1 December 2025 (HKT 23:59, GMT+8) |
| 1st Clearing Round | 2 December 2025 – 30 April 2026 (HKT 23:59, GMT+8) |
| 2nd Clearing Round | 1 May 2026 – 31 August 2026 (HKT 23:59, GMT+8) |
In view of the limited admission quota, applicants are strongly encouraged to apply in the Main Round. Applications will be considered in the clearing rounds only if there are vacancies after the Main Round.
Click How to Apply for more information. Applicants should submit their applications to HKU directly. DO NOT engage an agency to submit your application.
The early recruitment scheme for graduate studies starting in 2025 at The School of Computing & Data Science at HKU (HKU CDS) now invites applications from outstanding undergraduate students and master students studying in premier universities in both mainland China and the rest of the world. The faculty members of HKU CDS include many internationally renowned scholars in diverse fields of Computer and Data Science, such as Statistics and Actuarial Science, Machine Learning and AI Algorithms, Bioinformatics, Computer Forensic, Information Security, Computer Vision and Graphics, Human-Computer Interaction, Database and Data Mining, Network, Programming Languages, Quantum Information and Computation, and Systems.
Deadlines:
| 1st early recruitment round | 11:59pm, 1st May, 2025 (Interview in early May, 2025) |
| 2nd early recruitment round | 11:59pm, 31st August, 2025 (Interview in September, 2025) After the early recruitment deadlines, you are welcome to apply for our main round. |
To apply for Early Recruitment Rounds please refer to http://i.cs.hku.hk/~gradappl/
MPhil and PhD Studies
The Department offers higher degrees in Statistics, Probability and Actuarial Science. These subjects are of a diverse character, ranging from abstract mathematical theory, through statistical methodology to practical application in many other fields including actuarial science. Two higher research degrees are offered, namely Master of Philosophy (MPhil) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). To cater for this we have devised the following programmes. They allow study by coursework or research.
Statistics
Time series analysis: linear and nonlinear time series, time series with conditional heteroscedasticity; financial time series; cointegration and unit root testing; financial econometrics and statistics; outliers and influential observations; asymptotic techniques; resampling methods; bootstrap methods; Monte Carlo methods; semiparametric and non-parametric modelling; goodness-of-fit test and model checking; survival analysis; statistical genetics; DNA profiling; forensic statistics; ranking methods; generalized linear models and generalised linear mixed models; stochastic processes; distribution theory; actuarial and financial risk; applications of asymptotic theory; high-dimensional statistics; random matrix theory; Bayesian analysis; MCMC computation; Bayesian adaptive design; clinical trial methodologies; bioinformatics; biostatistics; machine learning; statistical learning; big data; data mining.
Actuarial science
Actuarial applications of financial economic theory; actuarial mathematics; analysis of correlated aggregate claims in insurance business; asset allocation; analysis of heavy-tailed claims; credibility theory; credit risk; graduation methods for mortality data; insurance risk models; stochastic interest rate models; option pricing theory; retirement income arrangement; risk management; risk measure; stochastic investment models; ruin theory; value at risk; valuation and risk management of equity-linked insurance products; comonotonicity, stochastic order and applications in insurance and finance; study of dependent risks; optimization problems in insurance and finance.
Highlights
In the latest QS World University Subject Rankings 2025, HKU has achieved a remarkable ranking of 1st in Hong Kong and 24th worldwide in the subject of Statistics & Operational Research among the top 1,500 global universities. Being ranked 11th as one of the top global universities by QS 2026, HKU is committed to academic excellence in terms of teaching and learning and delivering impact through internationalisation, innovation and interdisciplinarity.
The Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) is part of the University Grants Committee's commitment to assessing the performance of the UGC-funded universities. Out of seven comparable units of assessment for Mathematics and Statistics, HKU was ranked No.1 in terms of the percentage judged to meet the standard of 4-star, the highest starred level for overall quality profile of research, in RAE 2020.
PhD in Statistics was rated as the No.1 best graduate degree for jobs in 2015, according to Fortune in consultation with the careers site Payscale! The ranking is based on (1) long-term outlook for job growth; (2) median salaries; and (3) job satisfaction scores. Details see here.
According to U.S. News & World Report 2014, HKU Mathematics and Statistics was ranked the 9th in the "Best Global Universities Rankings for Mathematics".
HKU was ranked No.2 worldwide and No.1 in Asia based on research contributions from the top 4 actuarial journals (Insurance: Mathematics and Economics, North American Actuarial Journal, ASTIN Bulletin, and Scandinavian Actuarial Journal) amongst non-business schools over a 25-year period from 1994 to 2019. HKU was even ranked No. 1 in 2006 and 2013 worldwide in this global study conducted by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. For details see here.
Master of Philosophy / Doctor of Philosophy
This is a guided research programme of 2 years leading to a thesis. It is not required that the research be publishable in international journals. If however the candidate performs well, contributes originality which is publishable and demonstrates the ability to work independently, consideration will be given for a transfer to the PhD programme. A common outcome is, however, that the student works on an interesting project in collaboration with his/her supervisor, whilst learning research skills and further statistical techniques. This culminates in a thesis, the writing of which is also good training. Sometimes a publication, jointly written with the supervisor, also results. Prescribed coursework rounds off the training programme. Full-time students are eligible for financial support. They also assist the Department and reinforce their own knowledge by conducting tutorials. The programme is also open to part-time students.
This degree, which requires a thesis and original research, is designed for students seeking an academic or research career. It is a programme of 3 or 4 years, for students with or without research Master degrees in relevant areas. Full-time students are eligible for financial support in the form of a Postgraduate Studentship (PGS) or part-time Demonstratorship, which carries with it some duties of conducting tutorials. For most students, there is a coursework requirement. At the commencement, a tentative supervisor will be appointed, though changes in supervision may occur during the early coursework phase. Direct entry to the PhD degree will normally be considered for students with (a) first class honours or 2A honours degree in Statistics or Mathematics from HKU or an equivalent institution, or (b) a research master's degree in Statistics, Probability and Actuarial Science. Indirect entry can also arise when a student in our MPhil programme is performing well and displaying originality in his/her research (see below). For many students admitted under (b), the coursework requirement may be reduced or waived.
Part-time PhD enrolment will be considered for students entering under (a) or (b) but this will generally be impractical for those with a higher coursework requirement with good academic background.
Fellowships & Scholarships
The following fellowships/scholarships are available for applicants with outstanding academic performance, research ability or potential, communication and interpersonal skills, and leadership abilities:
*Applicants applying for the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship (HKPF) have to submit BOTH an initial application to the Research Grants Council (RGC) by December 1, 2025 (HKT 12:00 or GMT +8 hours) and then a full application to HKU by abovementioned main round application deadline.
