PART.01 Introduction The Red Bird MPhil Program (referred to as the “RBM”) of College of Future Technology is the first step taken by The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou) (referred to as “HKUST(GZ)”) in practicing and promoting the interdisciplinary “Hub-Thrust Concept”. It aims to cultivate “top talents and future leaders in academia and industry”. To achieve this, the RBM has established a transparent, fair, and equitable admission innovation mechanism, conducting a multi-dimensional, comprehensive evaluation of applicants to identify and recruit outstanding talents globally that meet the standards of HKUST(GZ)’s innovative higher education paradigm.
PART.02 Overview of the Admission Mechanism The RBM breaks away from the traditional admission mechanism of categorizing applicants by discipline. It does not limit applicants by their fields of study. Through an “Individual Application-Committee Review” process, the program recruits outstanding candidates globally, on a rolling basis, and selects the best out of best. The main channels for admission include: Application-Review Mechanism 01 Applicants submit their applications through the official website and successfully go through several stages, including a preliminary screening using a grading system, manual review by committee, and an offline interview. Exceptional candidates will be granted admission by the Selection & Interview Committee. Red Bird Challenge Camp 02 Applicants submit their applications and successfully go through the selection process for the Red Bird Challenge Camp, an official program organized by HKUST(GZ). Camp participate who perform exceptionally well and pass the selection and interview conducted by the Selection & Interview Committee will be granted admission. Recommendation-Review Mechanism 03 Applicants recommended by academic institutions recognized by HKUST(GZ) (currently limited to the Guangzhou University, which is in collaboration with The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology) will directly enter the interview stage. Candidates who successfully pass the interview conducted by the Selection & Interview Committee will be granted admission. Nomination-Admission Mechanism 04 Applicants nominated by overseas partner universities recognized by HKUST(GZ), who will be reviewed by the Selection and Interview Committee, will be granted direct admission. Based on the principle of fairness, any applicant who submits multiple applications to the Red Bird MPhil Program through the above mechanisms within the same admissions cycle will be considered in violation of admissions regulations, and all corresponding applications will not be accepted (The “borderline” situation specifically stipulated below in this mechanism is excluded).
PART.03 Committee System To ensure the compliance and quality of the admission process, the RBM has established a multi-level admission committee system, which includes: Admission Steering Committee Responsible for developing overall admission policies and development strategies. Selection & Interview Committee Composed of faculty members from Hubs/Thrusts and colleges. This committee is responsible for completing the entire selection, interview, and offer recommendation process. Admission Committee Responsible for formulating the admission implementation plan and overseeing the execution by the admission administrative team. Admission Appeal Committee Responsible for handling appeals related to the admission process and ensuring the overall compliance of admission procedures.
PART.04 Main Admission Stages of Application-Review Mechanism Application Stage 01 Leveraging the interdisciplinary “Hub-Thrust Concept” and innovative pedagogy, newly enrolled RBM students will undergo a six-month exploratory phase before determining their project direction, team, and academic supervisor. Thus, applicants do not need to pre-select a prime supervisor or major and may optionally submit a research proposal and recommendation letters. Applicants are required to submit all evidence of their competencies via the HKUST(GZ) Online Application System (OAS) ( https://pgoas.hkust-gz.edu.cn ). For applications submitted before July 15, 2025, please refer to the 2025/26 Fall Admission Guidelines: https://cft.hkust-gz.edu.cn/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Guideline-for-Application-of-2025-26-Fall-Red-Bird-MPhil-Program-1.pdf#new_tab. For applications submitted after July 15, 2025, please refer to the latest application guidelines on the Online Application System (OAS) website. Preliminary Screening Stage 02 To enhance the quality and efficiency of the admission process amid growing applications, the RBM has implemented a screening mechanism with a university whitelist and academic record. An automated grading system screens applications against predefined criteria. Those who pass the preliminary screening will enter the next stage of selection, while those who do not pass will receive rejection letters. Applicants who do not pass the preliminary screening but possess special talents or other outstanding performances are encouraged to apply for HKUST(GZ)'s “Red Bird Challenge Camp”. Please refer to the official website for more details: https://vptlo.hkust-gz.edu.cn/rbcc/index/tzy_about_CN.html. Selection Stage 03 After passing the preliminary screening, the RBM's grading system will automatically match each application with at least three evaluators from the Selection & Interview Committee to ensure that the evaluation panel provides professional assessments and diversified comprehensive reviews. Evaluators will score applicants based on different disciplinary backgrounds such as science, engineering, humanities, arts, design, business, management, and medicine, considering various ability indicators like mathematical ability, language and literacy skills, core course grades, laboratory course grades, graduation projects/works, internships in enterprises/clinics, community service activities, student organization activities, and domestic/international competition results, and more. Based on the committee’s collective decision, applicants are classified into the following categories: (1) Applicants recommended in selection will be invited to an offline interview. (2) Applicants with a “Borderline” selection result will be placed on a “Waiting List” for rolling selection in subsequent rounds. To ensure admission quality and fairness, each applicant on the waiting list has only one chance for rolling selection. (3) Applicants not recommended in selection will receive a rejection letter and will not be allowed to resubmit their admission applications for the same cohort, including the Red Bird Challenge Camp. Interview Stage 04 Since conventional exams and online interviews cannot fully evaluate an applicant's true abilities, the RBM has pioneered a unique offline interview process, including group activities and individual interviews, to comprehensively assess applicants' group collaboration and individual performances. To ensure transparency, fairness, and justice in the admission process, the RBM openly announces interview questions, formats, and scoring rules in advance to ensure all applicants receive consistent information. The Selection & Interview Committee will strictly conduct offline interviews according to regulations, completing comprehensive evaluations and collective decision-making. If the applicant successfully passes the selection and interview by the Selection and Interview Committee, they will be admitted to the RBM Program. If the interview result is “Borderline”, the Selection and Interview Committee will allow the applicant to apply for the “Red Bird Challenge Camp” for admission in the same cohort. If the interview result is “not recommended”, the applicant will receive a rejection letter, and the Selection and Interview Committee will not accept their application in the same cohort of Red Bird Challenge Camp. For more details, please refer to: https://cft.hkust-gz.edu.cn/?p=3910. Additionally, considering the significant restrictions on visas and international travel etc. for overseas applicants (excluding Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan regions) with Chinese nationality, the RBM specifically allows these applicants to choose an online pre-interview. Based on the feedback from the evaluators, they can then decide whether to attend the offline interview. The pre-interview results will not be used as a basis for the committee's final decision on admission. The overseas applicants with foreign nationality may choose to attend an online interview, which will then be reviewed and processed by the committee. Review and Admission Stage 05 For applicants who have been recommended for admission by the Selection & Interview Committee through the “Application-Review Mechanism”, their application materials will be submitted to the College of Future Technology for review and further to the Fok Ying Tung Graduate School for approval after passing review. Upon approval by the Fok Ying Tung Graduate School, official offer letters will be issued uniformly. Appeal Stage 06 To ensure the legality of the admission process, any applicant who has participated in the offline interview activities under the “Application-Review Mechanism” and has any doubts or objections regarding the fairness or legality of the admission may submit a formal written appeal with strong evidence via the RBM official email within a specified time. The Admission Appeal Committee will strictly handle appeals in accordance with university regulations and make the corresponding final decisions.
PART.05 The Red Bird Challenge Camp The Red Bird Challenge Camp serves as a special admission for the RBM. It aims to identify talents with unique potential through an innovative evaluation process, providing growth opportunities for a diverse range of talents, including “particular or eccentric talents, prodigies”. This reflects the recruitment philosophy of “it doesn’t matter where a hero comes from”. Under the principles of transparency, fairness, and justice, the equivalent admission criteria as the “Application-Review Mechanism” are applied. Applicants who have submitted application through the “Application-Review Mechanism” but were not selected or interviewed may apply for the Red Bird Challenge Camp concurrently. Applicants of the Red Bird Challenge Camp who successfully pass the selection and interview process conducted by the Selection & Interview Committee will be eligible for admission to the RBM. If the evaluation result of the selection or interview is “Borderline”, the Selection & Interview Committee will allow them to apply for the “Application-Review Mechanism” for the same cohort. However, if the evaluation result is “Not Recommended”, the Selection & Interview Committee will not accept their application for the “Application-Review Mechanism” for the same cohort. For applicants who have been recommended for admission by the Selection & Interview Committee through the Red Bird Challenge Camp, their application materials will be submitted to the College of Future Technology for review and further to the Fok Ying Tung Graduate School for approval after passing review. Upon approval by the Fok Ying Tung Graduate School, official offer letters will be issued uniformly.
PART.06 Right of Interpretation The admission mechanism shall be officially implemented as of the date of its release. The right of interpretation of this admission mechanism belongs to HKUST(GZ). If HKUST(GZ) issues new regulations, the new regulations shall prevail. In case of ambiguity, Chinese version shall prevail. For any questions, please enquire via the official email at rbmadmit @hkust-gz.edu.cn or refer to the frequently asked questions section: https://cft.hkust-gz.edu.cn/admission/admission-faq/.
Jan 1, 2026
