For decades, the Faculty of Law at The University of Hong Kong has trained legal scholars whose work has shaped academia, the judiciary, public institutions, and the legal profession across Asia and beyond.
As one of Asia’s leading centres for common law research, situated at the crossroads of Chinese and international legal traditions, our Faculty offers a research environment that is globally distinctive. The University of Hong Kong is consistently ranked among the world’s leading universities, and the Faculty of Law is recognised as a leading institution for legal research and postgraduate education in Asia.
What sets our research community apart
A world-class research faculty. Our academic staff bring exceptional breadth of jurisdictional, theoretical, and methodological expertise to doctoral supervision. Their work is published in leading journals across the globe. Faculty members have a strong record of securing competitive external research funding, including awards under the Research Grants Council’s General Research Fund, Early Career Scheme, Collaborative Research Fund, and Theme-based Research Scheme — the most prestigious externally peer-reviewed research funding schemes in Hong Kong.
Interdisciplinary and international by design. A defining feature of our research community is work that crosses disciplinary and national boundaries. Our scholarship advances not only doctrinal analysis but also theoretical, empirical, socio-legal, and comparative approaches to the pressing legal questions of our time.
A distinctive jurisdictional vantage point. Our researchers engage with both the common law tradition and the evolving legal landscape of Greater China, offering a comparative perspective that is globally distinctive.
A close-knit and collegial research culture. We enrol a small cohort of research students each year, ensuring close supervision, generous funding support, and an intellectually stimulating environment refined through regular workshops, seminars, and international conferences.
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Programme structure
The PhD is a research-only degree culminating in a substantial thesis that makes an original contribution to legal knowledge, examined by internationally recognised scholars and defended through an oral examination. Candidates benefit from:
– A structured first-year research training programme, including compulsory seminars in legal research methods
– Exposure to workshops and seminars featuring leading scholars from across the globe, spanning a wide range of legal fields
– Funding for conference travel, fieldwork, and research-related expenses
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Where our graduates go
Graduates of our research programmes hold academic appointments at leading universities in China and around the world, including institutions such as Peking University, Fudan University, Sun Yat-sen University, Tongji University, the University of Oxford, the University of Manchester, Durham University, New York University, the University of New South Wales, O. P. Jindal Global University, and the National University of Singapore, as well as senior positions in the judiciary, government, international organisations, and top-tier legal practice across Asia and beyond.
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How to apply
The Faculty admits research postgraduate students on an annual cycle. Importantly, PhD applicants are not required to secure the agreement of a supervisor before submitting their application. Upon admission, all first-year PhD students will be assigned a faculty advisor. During their initial year of study, they will have the opportunity to choose their primary supervisor and establish their dissertation committee.
For comprehensive eligibility criteria, step-by-step application procedures, and details on funding opportunities — including the prestigious Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme — please visit the Graduate School’s official page: https://gradsch.hku.hk/prospective_students/application/how_to_apply
General Enquiries