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Education
Financial Assistance for Primary and Secondary Education
At the primary and secondary levels, means-tested assistance includes textbook assistance, travel subsidies, internet access subsidies and examination fee remission. In the 2015-16 school year, $813 million was disbursed to about 215,100 students to cover the costs of essential textbooks and miscellaneous school-related expenses, $331 million to 147,500 students as travel subsidies, $155 million to around 147,600 families to subsidise internet access by students at home, and $38 million in examination fee remission for some 18,500 students sitting public examinations. The government also disbursed school-based and district-based grants to support the whole-person development of needy students.
Financial Assistance for Post-secondary Education
Means-tested grants and low-interest loans are offered to eligible full-time students pursuing eligible courses at UGC-funded or publicly funded institutions. In the academic year of 2015-16, about 25,200 students received $989 million of grants and $218 million of loans. Eligible students pursuing locally accredited, self-financing full-time post-secondary programmes can also take out means-tested grants and low-interest loans. In the 2015-16 academic year, some $1,106 million of grants and $180 million of loans were provided to around 22,100 students.
Non-means-tested loans operating on a no-gain-no-loss and full-cost-recovery basis are available to students pursuing eligible publicly funded or self-financing post-secondary programmes, and eligible professional or continuing education courses. In the 2015-16 academic year, more than 30,600 people received loans amounting to $1,565 million.
Travel subsidies totalling $145 million were provided to about 40,100 students of post- secondary institutions.
Tuition Fee Reimbursement for Diploma Yi Jin Programme and Evening Secondary Courses
Eligible students pursuing the Diploma Yi Jin Programme or designated evening secondary education courses may receive reimbursement of 30 per cent of the tuition fee. Those who pass a means test will be reimbursed a higher percentage.
Grants for Programmes Below Sub-degree Level
Students who are eligible to receive a full or half means-tested grant under the Student Finance Office and are pursuing eligible programmes below sub-degree level are entitled to reimbursement of all or half of the tuition fee respectively. For programmes of one year or longer, they may also receive all or half of the flat-rate academic expenses grant.
Mainland University Study Subsidy
The Mainland University Study Subsidy Scheme was expanded in 2016-17 to provide a means- tested subsidy of up to $15,000 per year to needy local students to pursue undergraduate studies in designated Mainland institutions. In 2015-16, more than $5.8 million was granted in subsidies to 479 students. For 2016-17, the expanded scheme attracted over 1,900 new applications.
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