1. What are the study periods of different curricula?

2. What are the requirements for confirmation of candidature?

To have your candidature confirmed, you are required to:

3. What should I do if I cannot complete the required proportion of coursework by the end of the probationary period?

You have to apply for an extension of the probationary period. Please submit your application to the Departmental Research Postgraduate Committee (DRPC) by writing an application letter with endorsement by your supervisor(s). Alternatively, you and your supervisor(s) may indicate in the progress reports that your probationary period has to be extended. The DRPC shall consider the letter/reports and submit a recommendation to the Faculty for a decision.

4. I am unable to submit my thesis by the end of the study period and would like to continue my study. What can I do?

You have to submit an application for extension of candidature to your Departmental Research Postgraduate Committee (DRPC) via your primary supervisor(s) no later than 3 months before the period of study is due to expire. Please note that approval for application for extension of candidature is exceptional and will be subject to strong justifications. You must, in consultation with your supervisor(s), submit a study plan for the period of extension.

(Note: You will be liable to pay continuation fee for every 3 months during the extended period of candidature. Postgraduate Scholarship (PGS) will not be awarded and no leave of absence will be granted during the extended period.)

5. Can I submit my thesis before the expiry of candidature? Do I need to apply for early submission of thesis?

You are most encouraged to submit your thesis earlier than the expiry date of your candidature. After confirmation of your candidature, it is not necessary to apply for early submission of thesis unless you registered in or before August 1999 in which case you need to submit an application to the Faculty Board via your supervisor and Department Head at least 3 months before the minimum period is due to expire.

1. How can I apply for a transfer of candidature?

Any transfer shall take effect only on the first day of any calendar month.

2. How does the transfer affect my study period and the payment of Postgraduate Scholarship (PGS)?

For transfer of curriculum, the candidate's new period of study for the degree shall be counted from the initial date of registration.

For transfer of study mode, the candidate's new remaining period of study shall be calculated by applying the ratio of 2:3 as the conversion value to the original remaining period of study, to the nearest whole day.

The postgraduate scholarship will still be awarded to existing holders until the end of the minimum or normative study period of the new curriculum. However, it will not be awarded to part-time students.

1. What are the differences between vacation leave, sick leave, study leave and non-study leave in relation to period of study?

To take a study leave, sick leave or vacation leave will not affect the period of study as it shall be counted towards the period of study. However, leave of absence granted for any other reason (non-study leave) shall result in the extension of the period of study by the period of absence. The postgraduate scholarship will not be payable to students during any non-study leave taken.

2. What is the procedure for leave application?

Applications for leave of absence from Hong Kong and/or from the approved course of study and research, or for vacation purposes, shall be made by completing the application form as early as possible and in advance of the proposed leave period. The application shall be addressed to the Departmental Research Postgraduate Committee (DRPC) via the supervisor(s).

Permission for absence of up to one month may be granted by the DRPC on the recommendation of the candidate's supervisor(s). An application for absence for a period exceeding one month shall be considered by the Faculty Higher Degrees Committee (FHDC), on the recommendation of the DRPC.

3. How long can I take for leave of absence?

Students enrolling in different academic years are governed by different leave regulations as follows:

Notes:
1. If students registered on or after 1 September 2004 would like to take more than 14 days of vacation leave in one year, they may be allowed to advance the following year's vacation leave, subject to approval from the supervisor and the Departmental Research Postgraduate Committee (DRPC). The maximum number of days of vacation leave that can be advanced is 5 days. If students would like to advance more than 5 days, they are advised to take non-study leave on top of the vacation leave instead. Also, for vacation leave taken on or after 1 September 2006, Sundays and public holidays will not be counted in the total number of days of vacation leave taken.

2. Holders of Hong Kong PhD Fellowships (HKPF) also have to observe the terms and conditions as stipulated by the Research Grants Council for the fellowship award regarding leave of absence.

4. If I have not taken the vacation leave up to 30 calendar days (for students registered between 1 September 2001 and 1 August 2004) or 14 calendar days (for students registered on or after 1 September 2004) in a year, can I carry forward the unused leave to next year?

No, you are not allowed to carry forward any unused leave to the next 12-month period.

No, you cannot apply for leave since the extended period is beyond the normative period of study.

1. When is the period for Course Enrolment? How many times a year?

There are two periods for Course Enrolment in each academic year, one in late August/early September (Semester 1) and the other in December/January (Semester 2). The actual dates vary from year to year depending on the academic calendar. An e-mail or a letter will be sent to students informing them about the course enrollment period and all the related information will be placed on the Graduate School homepage.

2. What is the format of the thesis and abstract?

The thesis submitted for examination shall be typewritten or printed on one side or both sides in A4 paper (except for drawings, maps or tables on which no restriction is placed). The margin should not be less than 35 mm on both right and left-hand edges of each paper.

The abstract should be between 200 to 500 words. You should have the word count written and signed on one copy of the abstract. The format shall be the same as the thesis. Please refer to the Regulations Governing the Format, Binding and Presentation of Thesis for Higher Degrees by Research. The Graduate School also publishes a booklet titled "Preparing and Submitting Your Thesis" (Please read together with the updates on the booklet in April 2009) which gives in detail the suggested format for the thesis and the abstract.

In order to save a few trees and storage space, students are encouraged to print their final bound copies of theses to be submitted to the Faculty Offices after examination on both sides of the paper. Please note that this is not a mandatory requirement but a preference only.

For the format of electronic theses, please refer to http://etd.lib.hku.hk.

3. How can I register for courses?

4. How can I apply for change of course(s)?

5. What should I do if there is a timetable clash?

You may have to change your course selection on-line or by using the Form GS2. Please see Question 4 above for details.

6. When can I know about the examination results?

The Faculty Office is responsible for releasing examination results to all RPG students. The examination results have to be formally approved by the Faculty Higher Degrees Committees or Board of Graduate Studies before they can be released to individual students. The process normally takes about 2 months after the last assignment deadline, the date of last lesson or the date of examination, whichever is later. The examination results of Graduate School Core Course I Introduction to Thesis Writing may require more than 2 months for processing since it takes time for teachers to mark the 2000-word assignments from each student. Students may also check their examination results via the Student Information System account.

1. What are the steps of progress report submission?

Please view the steps at http://www.hku.hk/gradsch/reports/steps.htm.

2. What is the format of a detailed scheme of research that needs to be submitted together with the probationary report for confirmation purpose?

There is no university-wide standardized format for the detailed scheme of research. Please consult your Department Research Postgraduate Committee (DRPC) to see if your Department has any specified format for it. Basically it should describe the research work that you intend to undertake during the remainder of your candidature.

3. My candidature expires at the end of this month and I am going to submit my thesis by that time. Do I need to complete the progress monitoring report for the last 6 months?

Yes, you are required to complete the progress monitoring report and submit it to the Departmental Research Postgraduate Committee (DRPC) on time though you are going to submit your thesis for examination at the end of your candidature because the report can reveal your research progress in previous months and act as a channel for you to voice opinion on the University's facilities/supervision/coursework etc.

4. I am on study leave. Do I need to submit my progress monitoring report?

Yes, you are required to submit your progress monitoring report during your study leave as you are still working on your research.

5. I cannot submit the progress monitoring report to the Departmental Research Postgraduate Committee (DRPC) by the deadline. What should I do?

Please approach your Department Office and inform the Department staff when you are able to submit the report. Please adhere to the report submission deadline as far as possible under any circumstances.

1. When will the thesis examination process be completed?

The examination process normally takes around 3-6 months from thesis submission to oral examination. The Board of Graduate Studies usually takes 1-4 weeks to approve the final examination results, depending on the complexity of the case. Please click here for a flowchart showing the thesis examination procedure.

2. What should be the format of the thesis and abstract?

The thesis submitted for examination shall be typewritten or printed on one side or both sides in A4 paper (except for drawings, maps or tables on which no restriction is placed). The margin should not be less than 35 mm on both right and left-hand edges of each paper.

The abstract should be between 200 to 500 words. You should have the word count written and signed on one copy of the abstract. The format shall be the same as the thesis. Please refer to the Regulations Governing the Format, Binding and Presentation of Thesis for Higher Degrees by Research. The Graduate School also publishes a booklet titled "Preparing and Submitting Your Thesis" (Please read together with the updates on the booklet in April 2009) which gives in detail the suggested format for the thesis and the abstract.

In order to save a few trees and storage space, students are encouraged to print their final bound copies of theses to be submitted to the Faculty Offices after examination on both sides of the paper. Please note that this is not a mandatory requirement but a preference only.

For the format of electronic theses, please refer to http://etd.lib.hku.hk.

3. Is there any restriction on the length of the thesis?

There is no regulation on the length of the thesis.

4. How can I prove that I have completed the degree requirements before the University Congregation?

After the appointed person(s) has/have confirmed that all comments and suggestions raised by the specialist examiners have been satisfactorily addressed in your final thesis, and you have also submitted sufficient copies of the final bound thesis to the Faculty Office, the Graduate School will issue a letter to you indicating that you have completed all the degree requirements and are eligible for the award of the degree. You may also apply for an official academic transcript as a proof that you have completed all the degree requirements. For details on applying for transcripts or testimonials, please refer to the website of the Academic Support and Admissions Section, Registry.

5. How can I apply for restriction of library access to my thesis?

After you have finished all the thesis corrections and are ready to submit your final bound theses to your Faculty, you may apply for restriction of library access to your thesis by completing Part (B) of the MPhil and PhD Thesis Submission Form for Libraries. The Faculty Office will forward your form to the DRPC and FHDC for endorsement and to the Board of Graduate Studies (BoGS) for approval.

When an application for restricted access to MPhil/PhD thesis is being considered, the thesis will be restricted from access temporarily until a decision has been made on the application.

Please note that approval for such restriction normally would not be granted unless under exceptional circumstances. Preparing for journal publications would normally NOT be a justified reason for restricted access.

If a student wishes to disallow reproduction or copying of his/her printed thesis, he/she may indicate this in a letter to the Librarian. If a student wishes to disallow reproduction or copying of his/her electronic thesis, he/she should apply for restricted access. Approval of restricted access to an e-thesis for 1 year only is automatic upon application. However, applications for restricted access to the hard copy of a thesis for any period or soft copy of a thesis for more than 1 year need to be considered by the BoGS on a case-by-case basis.