Double PhD Degree Programme in Economics with Shandong University (SDU), China
Lingnan University (LU) and Shandong University (SDU) will launch a double PhD degree programme in Economics from September 2026, which leverages more rigorous coursework training from SDU’s PhD programme.
Programme Highlights
Students will spend the first three years at SDU receiving coursework training and fulfilling doctoral degree requirements, and the next two years at LU working on a research thesis and fulfilling other programme requirements. Each student will be matched with a Supervisor from LU and a Supervisor from SDU. Upon graduation, students will be awarded double PhD degrees in Economics from LU and SDU respectively.
Study Mode and Programme Duration
The programme is available in full-time mode. The normal study period is five years, and the minimum and maximum study period is 48 months and 84 months respectively where students must spend at least 18 months but not more than 36 months at LU.
Programme Curriculum
In the first three years, students should fulfill the coursework, research and other requirements of SDU’s PhD programme.
In the last two years, students should fulfil the coursework and research requirements of LU, and need to meet other general requirements during their studies at LU, such as taking required courses in Term 1 of their 1st year of studies at LU, conducting a topic-defence seminar, confirming PhD candidature in their 1st year at LU, submitting annual progress report, conducting a research findings seminar and attending an oral examination of their PhD theses in the final year.
LU recognises students’ coursework and research training taken in the first three years in SDU.
Students should complete and submit two PhD theses which should be different in topics and contents and conduct two thesis examinations, one at each university. The PhD thesis at LU must be written in English.
Award of Degree
On fulfillment of all graduation requirements of both universities, students will be awarded double PhD degrees in Economics, one each from LU and SDU respectively.
Degrees will be awarded from LU conditional on the fulfillment of all the LU graduation requirements and compliance with all LU regulations for Research Postgraduate students.
Degrees will be awarded from SDU after and only after the students have successfully completed all the SDU required courses, the requirement of publications, and passed the thesis examination.
The student’s obtaining of the LU degree is not subject to his/her obtaining the SDU degree, and vice versa.
Fees and Studentships
Fees
SDU will collect tuition fee and miscellaneous fees throughout the entire 5-year study period, while LU will collect tuition fee and miscellaneous fees for the last two years. Students under this collaboration will be admitted as a self-financed student of LU. The LU Department of Economics offers sponsorships to support part of the tuition and hostel fees at LU.
For fee details at LU, please refer to https://LN.edu.hk/rpg/admission/fees. Fee details of SDU will be available in due course.
Studentships
Studentships will be provided to students by SDU throughout the entire five years of study and by LU for the last two years. The total amount of financial support to students in the last two years would not exceed the full studentship amount permitted by LU.
For LU, please refer to https://LN.edu.hk/rpg/admission/financial-support for the details of financial support available. Information on financial support at SDU will be announced in due course.
Accommodation
On-campus accommodation may be available for students (at their own costs and subject to availability) during their studies at LU.
Details of student hostels of LU are available at https://LN.edu.hk/osa/hostel. Information on accommodation at SDU will be available in due course.
Admission Requirements
Applicants shall meet the minimum admission requirements of both universities.
- For LU, please refer to https://LN.edu.hk/rpg/admission/requirement/admission-criteria-and-requirements for the admission criteria and requirements of LU, and https://www.ln.edu.hk/rpg/admission/requirement/additional-admission-requirements for the additional admission requirements of the PhD in Economics programme.
- Admission criteria and requirements of SDU will be available in due course.
An applicant needs to pass the interview jointly conducted by the faculty members from both LU and SDU.
Application for Admission
Applicants are required to submit individual applications to both Universities.
For LU
An applicant should submit an individual application to LU via the University's Online Admission System at https://apply.ln.edu.hk.
For more details about LU’s online submission and uploading of documents, please refer to the webpage of Online Application at https://LN.edu.hk/rpg/admission/application-for-admission/online-application.
For SDU
Details about the application procedures of SDU will be available in due course.
Application Fee
HK$300 per programme for LU. Details about application fee of SDU will be available in due course.
Application Deadline
The application deadlines are as follows:
For LU: To be confirmed
For SDU: To be confirmed
About Shandong University (SDU)
For the details about SDU, please visit the SDU’s website at https://www.en.sdu.edu.cn/.
(只提供英文版本)