Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Sciences
Introduction of Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Sciences Programme
The PhD programme aims to provide an in-depth knowledge and extensive specialized training in the area of biomedical sciences to students. Students, led by academic staff who are at professoriate ranks, engage in the independent scientific research in Biomedical Sciences and develop their dissertations. The research areas cover cancer precision medicine, stem cell and development, aging, neural and metabolism disorders, bioimaging, data science, drug development, neuropsychiatry, structural biology and translational medicine, and the normative study period of the programme is four years. In the first year of study, students take lecture courses such as Methodologies in Biomedical Sciences, Critical Scientific Reading, Writing and Analysis, Advanced Molecular Cell Biology, Research Ethics, which provide a solid foundation that assists them to carry out their research projects. In the second year, students are required to successfully pass the Qualifying Examination and Thesis Proposal Assessment. To complete the programme, students must finalize their dissertations and successfully pass the Oral Defence.
Research Topic
List of research topics (to be admitted in 2nd semester) (Updated on 28 April 2026)
Application Instructions
| Admission Channels | Admission Requirements |
|---|---|
| General Entry | Applicable to students who possess a master’s degree or academic background recognised as equivalent by UM |
| Accelerated Entry | Have successfully finished at least one year of study in a master programme at UM and have possessed outstanding research ability |
| Direct Entry | Applicable to students who possess a bachelor’s degree with outstanding performance and have demonstrated outstanding research ability |
| Recommended Direct Admission | Applicable to undergraduate students who are recommended by one of the Ministry of Education-approved universities for direct admission |
Proof of English Proficiency
Applicants who received their bachelor’s/master’s degree from a university where the medium of instruction was not English are required to provide any of the following as proof of English proficiency:
- Obtained a TOEFL* score of 550 (paper-based examination) / 80 (Internet-based examination) or above; or
- An IELTS* overall score of 6.0 or above with no sub-score lower than 5.5; or
- A level 6 of the College English Test (CET) score of 430 or above.
* TOEFL and IELTS scores are valid for two years from the test date.
Tuition Fee and Other Fees
The annual tuition fees are paid by two installments (i.e. two semesters) under programme fee scheme within normal study period. Please refer to the UM website for details.
Scholarship / Assistantship and Financial Support
| UM PhD Scholarship (UMPS) | The UMPS provides each awardee with a monthly stipend of MOP20,000 for a period up to 4 years. |
| UM PhD Teaching Research Assistant (UMTRA) | The UMTRA provides each new recipient with a starting monthly stipend of MOP12,500 for a period up to 4 years. |
- More information of scholarships are available at UM’s website.
- Student Affairs Office offers tuition installment and PGH residence fee installment to students who are in financial difficulties. More information of scholarships are available at UM’s website.
Accommodation
The Student Resources Section of the Student Affairs Office manages the Postgraduate House (PGH) which mainly offers accommodation and living services to UM postgraduate students. All rooms in PGH are fully furnished and air-conditioned, excluding personal necessities and beddings (such as pillow, blanket, coverlet, bed sheet, etc).
Contact
(853) 8822 4130