Admission

Admission Requirements

 

  • Applicants are required to fulfil the General Admissions Requirements and English Language Requirements for Admission to the Graduate School.
  • In addition to the qualifications required for admission to the Graduate School, applicants should have majored in History or a related field.
  • All applicants must fulfill the language proficiency requirement as stipulated by the Division of History before being considered for admission:

First Language Requirement:

  • Either Chinese or English may be chosen as the first language. In the case of Chinese, applicants must provide adequate evidence of proficiency in Chinese such as public examination results or academic record;
  • In the case of English, applicants from non-English-speaking countries are required to submit TOEFL or IELTS (Academic) scores. Those from English-speaking countries should submit SAT or GCE results instead.

Second Language Requirement:

  • It may be any Asian or Western language which is closely related to the intended fields of study; and
  • Applicants must provide adequate evidence of proficiency in that language such as TOEFL scores, public examination results or academic records.
Application Procedures

 

Applicants can apply online at Graduate School website.

Application Fee: HK$500 (non-refundable)

Applicants of Hong Kong Ph.D. Fellowship Scheme
Application Deadline: 1 December 2025

Normal Application Deadline: 1 December 2025

Completed application form and the required supporting documents should be submitted to the CUHK’s online application system or the Office of History Division on or before the application deadline. The “application no.” should be quoted on all documents.

Supporting documents required include:

  • Submit online application form.
  • Copy of official transcripts of all tertiary level studies and official explanatory notes indicating the grading scheme of the University.
    • Documents printed from the system or any other documents without a proper letterhead and an official chop will not be accepted.
    • Copy of official transcript of the exchange programme issued by the host university should be provided if applicants having participated in an exchange programme which constitutes part of the studies.
    • Admitted students are required to submit original copies of those official documents for verification by the conditions fulfillment deadline.
  • Copies of Degree Certificates
    • For applicants who obtained degrees from universities in Mainland China:
      • Should provide both Degree Certificate and Graduation Certificate.
      • Should provide an Online Verification Report of Higher Education Qualification Certificate (教育部學歷證書電子註冊備案表) and a valid Online Verification Report of Higher Education Degree Certificate (中國高等教育學位在線驗證報告) issued by the CHESICC (學信網).
  • Documents showing the applicant has fulfilled the English Language Proficiency Requirement.
  • A detailed research proposal with clear objectives and proposed methodology in either Chinese or English. The language of the research proposal is recommended to align with the linguistic preference of potential supervisors. Please refer to FAQ Q4 for preparing a research proposal.
  • A literature review (minimum 1,000 words) of your research proposal in the language of the thesis will be
  • Master’s thesis/academic essay on history in either Chinese or English
  • Photocopy of Identity Card or Passport
  • Confidential Recommendations from TWO (Part-time) / THREE (Full-time) referees*

Note:

* Confidential Recommendations must reach the Office of History Division from the referees.

Applicants should demonstrate their proficient command of language(s) which is/are crucial to their research, for instance, to read/use documents vital to their proposed historical inquiry.

The Selection Committee of the History Division will start viewing applications right after the application deadline.  Selected applicants may be invited for an interview.

Successful applications will be recommended to Graduate School for admission. Applicants may login Graduate School’s Admission System and check your application results in the section of “View Application Result”.

Admission Enquiries

 

(1) Division Office

Address:
Graduate Division of History
Department of History
Room 131, 1/F, Fung King Hey Building
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong
Phone: (852) 3943 8541
Fax: (852) 2603 5685
E-mail: hisdiv@cuhk.edu.hk

(2) Graduate School

Address:
Graduate School
7/F, Yasumoto International Academic Park
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong
Fax: (852) 2603 5779
Enquiry: Click here
Homepage: https://www.gs.cuhk.edu.hk/

FAQ
Q1. Do I need to find a supervisor before I apply?
Q2. Can I change the programme I have applied for after an application is submitted online?
Q3. What makes my application a strong case?
Q4. What is a research proposal, in Chinese or in English? How long should I write?
Q5. If my TOEFL or IELTS score does not meet the requirement of the programme, could I use other means to demonstrate my English proficiency? Can the CET conducted by universities in China be used to substitute TOEFL or IELTS? Can I submit the TOEFL or IELTS scores later?
Q6. How can I know whether the Division has received my official transcripts, my TOEFL or IELTS score report, or my recommendation letters?
Q7. Will there be any interview?
Q8. When will the application results be announced?
Q9. When will I need to pay the deposit?
Q10. Can I apply for a refund of deposit?
Q11. Can I change to another programme after accepting an offer?
Q12. What do I need to do after receiving an offer?