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Education
Financial Assistance for Pre-primary Education
Eligible children may receive means-tested assistance, including fee remission and an additional grant to defray their kindergarten-related expenses. In the school year of 2019-20, subsidies totalling around $417 million were granted to about 41,600 students.
Financial Assistance for Primary and Secondary Education
At primary and secondary levels, means-tested assistance covers textbooks, travel, internet access and examination fees. In the 2019-20 school year, around $847 million was disbursed to about 201,800 students to pay for essential textbooks and miscellaneous school-related expenses, $384 million to 146,100 students as travel subsidies and $164 million to 136,700 families to subsidise internet access by students at home. The government paid examination fees for eligible senior secondary students sitting public examinations in the 2019-20 school year as a one-off measure. The government also disburses 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 2019-20 academic year, around $753 million of grants and $157 million of loans were provided to about 18,000 students. Eligible students pursuing full-time, locally accredited self-financing post-secondary programmes can also apply for similar assistance. In the 2019-20 academic year, around $748 million of grants and $130 million of loans were provided to around 14,900 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 2019-20 academic year, about 30,400 students received loans amounting to around $1,575 million.
Travel subsidies totalling around $108 million were provided to about 27,900 post-secondary students.
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, such as the Diploma Yi Jin and Diploma of Vocational Education, 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.
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