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Government-Funded Scholarship · Hong Kong

Asian Development BankMultilateral · Hong Kong

HKU ADB Scholarship 2027

Study a master’s at the University of Hong Kong with full tuition, living allowances, travel and insurance covered — the ADB–Japan Scholarship Program, funded by the Government of Japan since 1988, is open for the 2027 intake with applications closing 29 January 2027.

29 Jan 2027 · 96 days to go Open Updated 16 Oct 2026 By Asian Development Bank
Award
Full tuition + allowancesTuition, monthly subsistence (incl. housing), books, insurance, travel — exact amounts not published
Who can apply
Citizens of ADB borrowing member countriesApproved master’s; superior bachelor’s record; 2 years work experience; ≤35
Deadline
29 January 2027, noon HK timeApply through HKU — never directly to ADB
Programmes
Urban Planning & Urban Design tracksDesignated ADB-JSP fields at HKU; admission via HKU portal
Funded by
Government of Japan via ADBProgramme established April 1988

About the scholarship

The ADB–Japan Scholarship Program (ADB-JSP) is funded by the Government of Japan and administered by the Asian Development Bank (established April 1988). It sends citizens of ADB’s developing member countries to designated partner institutions across Asia and the Pacific for postgraduate study. At the University of Hong Kong (HKU), the programme is hosted by the Faculty of Architecture, with applications routed through HKU’s own admissions portal. The 2027 intake is announced, with a deadline of 29 January 2027 at 12:00 noon (Hong Kong time); the 2026 cycle is closed.

Apply through HKU, not to ADB: ADB’s official pages state that applications are made through the designated partner institutions only — ADB does not accept applications directly.

Eligibility

  • National of an ADB borrowing member country that is eligible for Japanese ODA scholarships (ADB lists around 41 countries/areas, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Viet Nam).
  • No dual citizenship of any developed country.
  • Gained admission to an approved master’s course at a designated institution — for HKU, the designated fields are Urban Planning and Urban Design (HKU routes applicants through the Master of Urban Design — for ADB–Japan Scholarship Programme applicants admissions portal).
  • Bachelor’s degree or equivalent with a superior academic record.
  • At least two years of full-time professional working experience after the university degree.
  • Proficiency in oral and written English.
  • Not more than 35 years old at the time of application (waivable only in exceptional cases with the expressed endorsement of the Government of Japan).
  • In good health, and agree to return and work in your home country for at least two years after completing the programme.
  • Not an ADB Executive Director, alternate, management, staff or consultant — or a close relative of one; not staff of an ADB-JSP designated institution; not living or working in a country other than your home country; not already enrolled in a graduate degree programme.
  • HKU adds: applicants from Hong Kong and Mainland China are ineligible.

Benefits

  • Full tuition fees.
  • Monthly subsistence allowance, including housing.
  • Books and instructional materials.
  • Medical insurance.
  • Travel expenses.
  • For research scholars, a special grant for thesis preparation may be available; computer-literacy or preparatory language courses may be covered in special circumstances.
No exact monthly figures are published on the official ADB pages — this article states only the categories the programme covers.

Documents required

The official pages mention the required application documents “including the ADB–Japan Scholarship Program information sheet”, submitted to the partner institution — the full document list is not published on the official pages. Follow the document checklist on the HKU admissions portal exactly; do not rely on a generic list from a third-party site.

How to apply

  1. Apply for admission to the designated HKU master’s programme (Master of Urban Design — for ADB–Japan Scholarship Programme applicants) through the HKU tpg-admissions portal, indicating your ADB-JSP interest.
  2. Complete the required application documents (including the ADB–Japan Scholarship Program information sheet) and submit them to HKU per its portal instructions.
  3. HKU evaluates and shortlists candidates; the final selection of scholars is made by ADB.
  4. Await the evaluation results from HKU — and do not submit anything to ADB directly.
Re-scoped from the 2026 cycle: the 2026 cycle is closed (aggregators recorded its deadline as 30 January 2026). This page covers the announced 2027 intake, whose 29 January 2027 (noon, Hong Kong time) deadline is published on HKU’s Faculty of Architecture ADB-JSP page.

FAQs

What is the HKU ADB Scholarship 2027?

The ADB–Japan Scholarship Program at the University of Hong Kong, funded by the Government of Japan: full tuition, subsistence, books, insurance and travel for an approved master’s in the designated fields (Urban Planning, Urban Design). The 2027 intake closes 29 January 2027 at noon Hong Kong time.

Can I apply to ADB directly?

No. ADB’s official pages state that applications go through the designated partner institutions only — for HKU, through the university’s own admissions portal.

Who is eligible?

Nationals of ADB borrowing member countries eligible for Japanese ODA (no developed-country dual citizenship), with a superior bachelor’s record, at least two years of full-time professional experience, English proficiency, aged not more than 35, who will return and work in their home country for at least two years afterwards.

Can Hong Kong or Mainland China residents apply?

HKU states that applicants from Hong Kong and Mainland China are ineligible for this scholarship.

How much is the scholarship worth?

The official ADB pages list the coverage categories (tuition, monthly subsistence including housing, books, medical insurance, travel) but publish no exact monthly figures — this page states only what the official pages state.

Verified 20 Oct 2026 against the official HKU Faculty of Architecture ADB-JSP page (arch.hku.hk — 29 Jan 2027, 12:00 noon HK-time deadline; Hong Kong/Mainland China ineligibility note; HKU tpg-admissions portal route for the Master of Urban Design — for ADB-JSP applicants) and the official ADB JSP pages (adb.org — full eligibility list verbatim, funding categories, 41 eligible countries/areas, “the institution, not ADB” application route, August 2026 brochure). Exact monthly amounts are not published on the official ADB pages — omitted. The full document list is not published on the official pages — flagged, with the portal named as the authority. The 2026 cycle is closed (re-scoped to the announced 2027 intake).

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