In addition to satisfying the general requirements for the MPhil degree as laid down by the Graduate School, applicants must hold an honours degree in linguistics, applied linguistics, English, or a language-related field. Applicants from outside Hong Kong who are nonnative speakers of English must submit an IELTS or TOEFL result within 2 years. All applicants must be able to demonstrate that they have an adequate standard of academic English ability and strong intellectual ability to conduct research in Applied English Linguistics. A year (or more) of relevant professional experience is helpful.
MPhil applicants are required to submit a 800-word research proposal, describing their research interest and goals for postgraduate study, and attend an interview whenever feasible. The interview aims to assess the applicants' intellectual and linguistic competence as well as their understanding of key concepts and issues in applied linguistics.