How scholarships make a master’s in Asia a smarter investment

Scholarships can do much more than just lighten the financial load of going to business school. That additional funding can impact how much time you have to study, which opportunities you can access, and the pace at which you prepare for your next career step. 

HKU Business School awards several forms of financial support to full-time master’s students, including Entrance Scholarships, merit-based awards, and the flagship Dean’s Master Fellowship, which is granted on academic and professional merit and considered automatically for most programs upon applying.

 We spoke with three scholarship recipients to understand how financial support has influenced their master’s journeys and future careers.  

“I feel strongly attached to HKU and trust its resources and network” 

Name: Chloe Tsui 

Program: Master of Accounting Analytics 

Scholarship: Master of Accounting Analytics Entrance Scholarship 

Chloe Tsui has spent the past several years at HKU, first as a finance undergraduate and now as a master’s student. She graduated with First Class Honours and appeared on the Dean’s List every year. 

Internships at HKEX, which runs the Hong Kong stock exchange, and at Fargo Wealth, a family office with close ties to HKU, strengthened her connection to the school’s network. Staying at the school for her master’s felt like the natural next step.

“I feel strongly attached to HKU and trust its resources and network,” she says.  

Chloe received an Entrance Scholarship to study her degree, which typically covers 5% to 50% of tuition fees, with full funding available in exceptional cases. 

The scholarship became a decisive factor in Chloe’s choice to pursue the program. She had originally planned to finish the degree as quickly as possible to reduce housing costs and move to Shenzhen, China, for an internship.  

“[The scholarship] allowed me to choose my study program and the location of my internship more freely,” she says. 

Today, the combination of accounting and analytics in the curriculum is giving Chloe a solid foundation for roles that require technical and analytical skills. Hong Kong’s position also offers a strategic advantage, providing exposure to opportunities in both her target markets—Hong Kong and mainland China. 

 Her advice to future applicants is to lead with your interests. 

 “Trust HKU’s strong reputation and choose the major that aligns with your passion and long-term goals. Don’t overthink which one ‘looks better’—follow your interests and you’ll excel.” 

“The scholarship provided a strong incentive to further my studies and fully embrace the academic and campus life” 

Name: Jonathan Siu Nam Ho 

Program: Master of Wealth Management 

Scholarship: Dean’s Master Fellowship

After stepping away from Deutsche Bank in 2024 to dedicate time to his family, Jonathan Siu Nam Ho decided to reassess his next steps by joining the Future Leaders Camp at HKU, a short program designed to introduce prospective students to the school’s teaching approach and learning environment.  

The experience gave him a clearer sense of the community and introduced him to HKU’s most extensive scholarship program, the Dean’s Master Fellowship.

The fellowship is built around four pillars: a generous scholarship award, opportunities for pre-program internships, personalized mentorship throughout the degree, and complimentary international learning trips. It is the school’s highest level of support for incoming master’s talent, covering between HK$250,000 (USD$32,128) and the full tuition fee.

A month later, Jonathan was selected for the fellowship and began the Master of Wealth Management. 

“Without it, I would have very likely returned to the workforce already,” he says. 

The support has already opened new experiences for him. Training sessions and social events have widened his exposure to students from different disciplines and backgrounds, including an upcoming fully financed field trip to London. 

Mentorship is a central part of the fellowship and it has become one of its most valuable elements for Jonathan, allowing him to meet industry professionals who have helped him improve his interview skills, network, and plan for his career long-term.  

A top master’s program requires significant time and energy, but the fellowship made that commitment possible and worthwhile, Jonathan says. In the long term, the program has strengthened his teamwork, his resilience under pressure, and his ability to build relationships quickly—all skills he plans to carry into his next role. 

“The experience has been both challenging and immensely rewarding,” he says. 

“It affirmed that HKU valued my potential and encouraged me to commit wholeheartedly” 

Name: Elora Nan 

Program: Master in Family Wealth Management 

Scholarship: Entrance Scholarship, Business Leadership Global Exposure Scholarship

Elora Nan arrived at HKU with a legal background and research experience at the University of Oxford. She had considered other postgraduate options in East Asia, but the mix of finance, anthropology and psychology on the HKU Master in Family Wealth Management strongly aligned with her interests. Receiving an Entrance Scholarship and the Business Leadership Global Exposure Sponsorship helped confirm her decision.

That funding has eased the pressure of full-time study by giving Elora the space to focus on coursework and group projects. Outside of class, she has time to take part in weekend retreats, field trips, and career preparation sessions that she might otherwise have deprioritized. 

“The scholarships provided meaningful financial support and recognition. They allowed me to focus more fully on my academic work,” she says. 

In particular, the Global Exposure Sponsorship has added an international element to her experience. This scheme offers awardees the chance to take part in funded study trips to destinations such as Japan, Spain, the UK, or France.  

“I am truly grateful to the business school for sponsoring individuals like me for these trips and providing such enriching global exposure,” says Elora.   

“[We] all look forward to gaining firsthand insight into international business practices, understanding diverse market dynamics, and strengthening the connection between academic learning and real-world commercial contexts.” 

Having landed multiple scholarships, Elora’s advice for applicants is to prepare diligently and stay curious about the subjects you want to study. No matter the outcome, however, her experience has confirmed that the effort invested early pays off once the program begins. 

For Chloe, Jonathan and Elora, scholarships have broadened the possibilities of their master’s degrees, allowing them to gain international exposure and invest fully in their studies.