Master of China and Regional Development Studies
School of Graduate Studies

Admission

Scholarship

Master of China and Regional Development Studies (CRDS) Programme Included in the “Hong Kong Future Talents Scholarship Scheme for Advanced Studies”

 

The School of Graduate Studies at Lingnan University's taught postgraduate programme (TPg programme), the Master of China and Regional Development Studies (CRDS), has received funding from the University Grants Committee (UGC) and has been successfully included in the "Hong Kong Future Talents Scholarship Scheme for Advanced Studies" (FTSS). The CRDS programme falls within the FTSS priority area of “Sustainable city and regional development”, which is conducive to Hong Kong’s development. Eligible applicants enrolling in the 2026/27 academic year will have the opportunity to receive scholarships of up to HK$100,000.

 

The purpose of UGC funding is to support programmes in academic disciplines and research areas of strategic importance to Hong Kong. Through its interdisciplinary approach and in-depth research on regional development, the CRDS programme is recognised as making a significant contribution to Hong Kong’s academic and social development. Its inclusion in FTSS demonstrates that the CRDS programme has received official recognition and support from the Government of the HKSAR in the field of higher education. 

 

Hong Kong Future Talents Scholarship Scheme for Advanced Studies

Background
The Government introduced the Hong Kong Future Talents Scholarship Scheme for Advanced Studies (FTSS) starting from the 2025/26 academic year 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.

 

FTSS focuses on high-quality programmes dovetailing with Hong Kong’s positioning as the “eight centres”. FTSS will, on the one hand, nurture local high-calibre talents for the future development of Hong Kong, and on the other hand, encourage universities to offer more postgraduate programmes related to the said areas. TPg programmes to be included in FTSS should be related to one or more of the following eight “priority areas” conducive to the development of Hong Kong –

  1.  “STEM” (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics);

  2. Digital transformation and innovation;

  3. Hong Kong as an international trading and financial centre;

  4. Law, dispute resolution and intellectual property trading;

  5. East-meets-West cultural exchanges and humanities;

  6. Creative industries;

  7. Healthy living and caring community; and

  8. Sustainable city and regional development.

 

Amount of scholarship awards
Each awardee is required to pay a minimum tuition fee being the prevailing rate of the UGC-funded full-time degree programmes (i.e. HK$47,000 for 2026/27 academic year), and the differences will be subsidised by the scholarship subject to a cap of HK$100,000 for each student for the whole TPg 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 example, if you are a scholarship recipient of the CRDS programme (which requires 24 credits for graduation):

 

Tuition fee for the academic year 2026/27

FTSS-funded tuition fee

Tuition fee payable by the scholarship recipient*

HK$175,000 

HK$100,000

HK$75,000

 

*The scheme covers tuition fees for the 24 credits required for graduation only. 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.

 

Eligibility Criteria

1. Hong Kong local students admitted to the Master of China and Regional Development Studies (CRDS) programme are eligible to apply.

2. The scholarships will be awarded on the basis of academic performance, with consideration given to the following factors:

  • Academic achievements
  • Professional qualification
  • Relevant working experience and achievements in other areas

  • The proposals submitted by the students, explaining:

        • how they will contribute to Hong Kong’s priority areas

        • their commitment to contribute to the relevant industries or sectors in Hong Kong or Greater Bay Area upon graduation