Prospective Students

I join the Department of Computer Science at Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) as an Assistant Professor in April 2026, and I am continuously recruiting highly motivated PhD students.

Please read this page carefully before contacting me.
This page summarizes both:

• official baseline requirements for formal eligibility, and
• my preferred profile for strong applicants.

Program Snapshot

• Positions: Fully-funded PhD positions (open on a rolling basis)
• Enrollment: Ongoing/rolling recruitment
• Program Length: 4 years (Bachelor’s background), 3 years (Master’s background)
• Scholarship:
  • Regular Scholarship: HK$18,550/month (rises after qualification exam) (HKBU Grad School)
  • HKPFS: HK$27,600/month from HKPFS, in addition to the regular scholarship support package (HKPFS Details)

Basic Requirements for Hiring Ph.D. Students

1) University Baseline Requirements

(i) Minimum cGPA Requirements (Bachelor Degree Holder Only)

• Bachelor -> PhD: 3.4/4.0
  (or 85/100 for Mainland institutions, whichever is higher)
• Bachelor -> MPhil: 3.0/4.0

(ii) Minimum Language Proficiency Requirements

• IELTS: 6.5/9.0
  with at least 5.5 in Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing
• TOEFL iBT: 79/120
  with minimum section scores:
  • Reading: 18
  • Listening: 18
  • Speaking: 18
  • Writing: 19

2) My Preferred Applicant Profile

I am looking for passionate and dedicated students. The ideal candidate should have:

• A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science or a related field.
• Strong motivation for research, a proactive attitude, and a spirit of exploration.
• Solid programming skills (Python is essential) and a good understanding of algorithms.
• Experience with deep learning frameworks (for example, PyTorch).
• A strong mathematical background (for example, Linear Algebra and Probability).
• Prior research experience, publications, or participation in programming/math competitions are highly valued, but not mandatory.

3) Notes

• Meeting the baseline requirements is necessary for formal eligibility.
• Applicants who go beyond these minima in research potential, technical depth, and academic preparation are strongly encouraged to apply.

Research Directions

My group will focus on foundational and applied problems in AI. Admitted students can choose topics based on their interests, including:

1. Knowledge Creation & Structuring
2. Complex Knowledge Reasoning (including Agentic Neural Graph Databases)
3. Knowledge-Enhanced AI Systems (structured knowledge + LLMs)

Opportunities for Prospective Collaborators

For prospective students, it is also possible to work with me as a research collaborator on related topics before formally joining the group.

In this collaboration setting, I can support:

• research resources (for example, GPU access and API quota),
• guidance on research direction and technical execution in related fields.

If we collaborate well and achieve strong progress, I am open to offering a PhD position in my group. I am also happy to provide recommendation letters if you decide to apply elsewhere.

How to Apply

Please email baijiaxin@hkbu.edu.hk with:

• Subject: [PhD Application 2026] Your Name - Your University
• Body: Brief self-introduction and motivation (~200 words)
• Attachments (preferably in one PDF):
  1. Full CV (with publications if any)
  2. Full university transcripts
  3. Brief research statement

I look forward to your application.