Frequently Asked Questions

Q1.	What is the objective of FTSS? What are the designated programmes under the Scheme?
A1.	FTSS aims 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”. TPg programmes to be included in FTSS should be related to one or more of the eight “priority areas”, namely “STEM” (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics); Digital transformation and innovation; Hong Kong as an international trading and financial centre; Law, dispute resolution and intellectual property trading; East-meets-West cultural exchanges and humanities; Creative industries; Healthy living and caring community; and Sustainable city and regional development. For details of the designated programmes offered by each self-financing university, please refer to "List of Designated Programmes”.
Q2.	How can students apply for FTSS?
A2.	Each university will invite suitable candidates admitted to the designated programmes in each cohort to apply for the scholarships. For details of the application arrangement, please contact the admission offices of the universities direct.
Q3.	Are part-time students eligible for FTSS?
A3.	Both full-time and part-time local students of designated programmes, given that they meet the relevant criteria (please refer to “Selection of Scholarship Awardees by Universities”), are eligible for FTSS.
Q4.	Who are considered as non-local students?
A4.	Students would be considered as non-local students if holding the following documents issued by the Immigration Department of the HKSAR: i. Student visa/entry permit; ii. Visa/entry permit under the Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates; or iii. Dependant visa/entry permit who were 18 years old or above when they were issued with such visa/entry permit by the Immigration Department of the HKSAR. As the universities would have the personal particulars of the students, the Admission Offices would assist in assessing whether a student would be eligible for applying for FTSS. Students should therefore discuss with the universities direct on their eligibility.
Q5.	If students of designated programmes are not selected for the scholarship under FTSS in their first year of study, can they apply for the scholarship again in the remaining year(s) of study?
A5.	No. Only students who are newly admitted to the designated programmes in the respective academic year are eligible for scholarship under FTSS in the corresponding cohort.
Q6.	Can students be awarded the scholarship under FTSS for more than one designated programmes ?
A6.	Each student can only be awarded with FTSS scholarship once, either at a UGC-funded university or self-financing university. Those who have been awarded a scholarship under the Targeted Taught Postgraduate Programmes Fellowships Scheme offered by the UGC-funded universities in the past for another programme shall also be ineligible for the scholarship. The Government shall revoke the scholarship from the student if it is found that a student is being awarded more than one scholarship under FTSS.
Q7.	Can students apply for other scholarships or student financial assistance if they are awarded the scholarship under FTSS?
A7.	To avoid “double benefit”, students receiving financial support from other public sources for the purpose of meeting tuition fee expenses would not be eligible for FTSS. Students receiving financial support from other sources (e.g. private scholarship or subsidies for the purpose of offsetting tuition fee) should declare and provide relevant details to the universities. If the amount of the tuition fee that the student has to actually pay for the programme (net of any private scholarship or subsidies for the purpose of offsetting tuition fee) is less than the cap of $100,000, the amount of scholarship under FTSS will be reduced to ensure that the awardee would not receive financial support in excess of the tuition fee to safeguard the effective use of public money. Nevertheless, students may apply for the Government’s loan schemes (e.g. Extended Non-means-tested Loan Scheme under Student Finance Office) to settle the tuition fees for the TPg programme in the forms of loans as appropriate.
Q8.	If scholarship awardees quit the programme/ fail to achieve academic requirements, will their receipt of scholarships be affected?
A8.	Universities will monitor the ongoing performance and study progress of the scholarship awardees. If a scholarship awardee eventually fails to complete the programme or achieve the academic or other requirements set by the universities, he/she shall be required to refund the full amount of the scholarship received to the university.
Q9.	Will the scholarship awardees be required to contribute in the industries/ professional work related to the designated programmes they studied after graduation?
A9.	As the Scheme aims to nurture talents for Hong Kong's development and involves the use of public money, scholarship awardees should take on social responsibilities and contribute to Hong Kong's development. During the selection process, universities will require the applicants to submit their personal statements on how they would contribute to the relevant priority areas and take into account the applicant’s commitment to join the relevant industries/sectors and stay in Hong Kong or the Greater Bay Area upon graduation. Universities will also follow up on the post-graduation development of the scholarship awardees based on their personal statements, ensuring that the awarding of scholarships to the recipients would fulfil the objectives of the Scheme.

Last Review Date: 12/06/2025