Rgc Policy

RGC 2026/27 Policy Quick Reference (GRF & CRF)

Always refer to the official RGC website (https://www.ugc.edu.hk/eng/rgc/) for the most current guidelines.

Overview of RGC Funding Schemes

The Research Grants Council (RGC) of Hong Kong administers several competitive funding schemes. The two most common are:

General Research Fund (GRF)

• Purpose: Supports investigator-initiated research across all disciplines
• Eligibility: Full-time academic staff at UGC-funded institutions (or equivalent)
• Duration: Typically 24–36 months
• Funding: Generally HK$500,000–HK$1,500,000 (varies by discipline)
• PI limit: No strict age limit; must hold an eligible appointment
• Application cycle: Annual, typically due around December–January

Collaborative Research Fund (CRF)

• Purpose: Supports collaborative and cross-institutional research
• Types:
  • Group Research: Multi-PI, cross-institutional projects
  • Equipment Grant: Major research equipment shared across institutions
• Duration: Typically 36–60 months
• Funding: Generally HK$2,000,000–HK$10,000,000+ depending on scope
• Requirement: Must involve investigators from at least two UGC-funded institutions
• Application cycle: Annual, typically due around February–March

Other RGC Schemes (for reference)

GRF Proposal Structure

A standard GRF proposal includes:

1. Cover Page — Project title, PI details, institution, budget summary
2. Research Plan (max 15 pages, including references)
   • Objectives
   • Background / Literature Review
   • Research Methodology and Plan
   • Significance and Value
   • Timetable / Milestones
3. References (included within the 15-page limit)
4. PI's CV and Track Record — Publications, grants, supervision record
5. Budget and Justification — Personnel, equipment, travel, consumables
6. Ethical Review — If applicable (human subjects, animal experiments)

Important Formatting Rules

• Page limit: 15 pages for the research plan (including references)
• Font: Typically Times New Roman, 12pt, single-spaced (check current guidelines)
• Margins: Standard (usually 2.5cm or 1 inch)
• Figures and tables count toward page limits

CRF Proposal Structure

CRF proposals generally follow a similar structure but with additional requirements:

1. Cover Page — Project title, PI and Co-PIs from multiple institutions
2. Research Plan (max 20 pages for Group Research, including references)
   • Objectives and Rationale
   • Literature Review
   • Research Design and Methodology
   • Role of Each Participating Institution / Investigator
   • Significance and Expected Impact
   • Timetable / Milestones
3. Collaboration Justification — Why cross-institutional collaboration is essential
4. CVs of All PIs and Co-PIs
5. Budget and Justification — Itemized by institution
6. Letters of Support (if applicable)

Evaluation Criteria

GRF Review Criteria

Proposals are assessed by expert reviewers and panel members on:

CRF Additional Criteria

• Quality and necessity of inter-institutional collaboration
• Complementary expertise of the research team
• Shared infrastructure or equipment utilization
• Potential for building research capacity in Hong Kong

Common Reasons for Rejection

• Lack of novelty or incremental contribution
• Poorly defined research questions
• Methodology not sufficiently detailed or justified
• Weak track record relative to proposed scope
• Budget not well justified
• Poor writing quality / unclear presentation
• Missing or inadequate literature review
• Overambitious scope for the funding period

Key Policy Points

Eligibility

• PI must hold a full-time academic position at a UGC-funded institution
• For GRF: PI can submit multiple proposals but typically only one is funded per round
• For CRF: Must involve PIs from at least 2 UGC-funded institutions
• For ECS: PI must be within first 3 years of first full-time academic appointment

Concurrent Funding

• Applicants may hold multiple RGC grants simultaneously
• Must declare all existing and pending grants in the application
• Overlap in scope with existing projects must be clearly addressed

Research Integrity & AI Usage

• All proposals must adhere to RGC's guidelines on research integrity
• AI tools may be used to assist with literature review, editing, and formatting
• AI-generated content must be clearly disclosed
• PI bears full responsibility for the accuracy and originality of all content
• Fabrication, falsification, and plagiarism are strictly prohibited

Budget Guidelines

• GRF: Personnel (RA/postdoc), equipment, consumables, travel; no PI salary
• CRF: Similar categories, budget split across institutions
• Equipment requests should be well justified with quotes
• Travel must be directly related to the research project

Review Process

1. Administrative Check — RGC Secretariat checks completeness and eligibility
2. External Review — Sent to 2–4 external reviewers (international experts)
3. Panel Review — Discipline-specific panels discuss and rank proposals
4. RGC Approval — Final funding decisions

Timeline (approximate)

UGC-Funded Institutions

The eight UGC-funded institutions eligible for RGC funding:

1. City University of Hong Kong (CityU)
2. Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU)
3. Lingnan University (LU)
4. The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)
5. The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK)
6. The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU)
7. The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST)
8. The University of Hong Kong (HKU)

Additionally, the Hong Kong Academy of Sciences (HKAFS) and HKUST(GZ) may have specific eligibility under certain schemes.

Useful Links

• RGC Homepage: https://www.ugc.edu.hk/eng/rgc/
• GRF/ECS Guidelines: Check RGC website for current year's guide
• CRF Guidelines: Check RGC website for current year's guide
• Research Ethics: https://www.ugc.edu.hk/eng/rgc/about/ethics.html