Chief Executive Carrie Lam officiated at the Award Presentation Ceremony for the Hong Kong Scholarship for Excellence Scheme today.
Seventy-eight students were awarded scholarships this year out of more than 850 applicants.
Speaking at the presentation ceremony, Mrs Lam said the scheme has helped more than 180 students to pursue studies in world-renowned universities outside Hong Kong.
She added it shows Hong Kong is nurturing talented future generations.
"As graduates return, they bring with them an enhanced set of skills and a deeper understanding of Hong Kong's position in the global context.
"They will join our rich pool of talents and will drive the development of our economy and our society in the years to come."
Fifty-one of the awardees will take up undergraduate studies in the 2017-18 academic year, while 27 will take up postgraduate studies.
Apart from conventional disciplines, some awardees will study specialties like zoology and nuclear engineering, which are not taught in Hong Kong.
Awardee Szeto Kin, an erhu player in the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, will pursue a Master of Music in Conducting at Ithaca College in the US.
"For overseas studying, it’s actually very difficult. The tuition fee is really, really high. And so I applied for this scholarship scheme because it can release my financial issue.
"And of course the most important thing is to become (one of) the Hong Kong elite. And it is really a great honour to be one of the awardees of this scholarship scheme."
Fellow awardee Yvette Leung got her Bachelor of Education (English Language) degree from the Education University of Hong Kong.
She will join the Master of Arts programme in International Educational Development at Columbia University in the US, and hopes to join the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government after completing her studies.
"Upon the completion of my programme I envisage myself working in local schools for a few years prior to joining the Education Bureau, and engaging in some work such as curriculum planning and also some informal education development."
Secretary for Education Kevin Yeung was also one of the officiating guests at the ceremony.
Click here for details on the scholarship.
