Overview
Research funding for eligible new junior academics at Hong Kong UGC-funded universities, with projects normally up to HK$2 million plus education awards.
Complete grant details
The Research Grants Council Early Career Scheme supports new junior faculty undertaking independent research at UGC-funded universities in Hong Kong. The 2027–28 call opened on 21 August 2026. Project grants are normally up to HK$2 million; funded projects with satisfactory education plans can receive additional support for undergraduate research training, including HK$100,000 for outstanding Early Career Award projects or HK$50,000 for other qualifying funded projects.
Eligibility requirements
The Principal Investigator must be an academic staff member at a UGC-funded university and, at the submission deadline, be within three years of the first full-time academic job as an Assistant Professor or career equivalent involving teaching and research in a substantiation/tenure-track position. The PI must spend at least 80% of time in degree or higher-degree work at the university proper and have salary wholly funded by the university proper under RGC rules. Eligible applicants may apply under ECS or GRF in the same cycle, but not both. Previous ECS grantees or awardees cannot compete in ECS again.
Tips for this grant
Practical Job and Scholarship guidance. These tips do not replace official rules or create new eligibility requirements.
- Check eligibility, funding coverage, study/project level and every required document before investing time in the application.
- Prepare transcripts, references, language tests, proposal/motivation statement and proof documents early.
- Separate the scholarship deadline from any university/program admission deadline; they may be different.
- Treat “fully funded” as a source fact only when the official provider explicitly confirms the covered costs.
Verification notes
Verified against the current ECS 2027/28 overview and the joint GRF/ECS call letter. The RGC Electronic System is available 21 August–30 October 2026. Project funding is normally up to HK$2 million. The current call gives no closing clock time, so the machine deadline is null. Institutional internal deadlines can be earlier.
Job and Scholarship is the discovery and verification layer. Confirm eligibility, dates, salary/funding and application instructions on the original source before submitting anything.
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