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Education

students at various study levels. The SFAA also administers a number of privately-funded scholarship schemes.

Financial Assistance for Pre-primary Education

Eligible children may enjoy non-means-tested fee subsidy under the Pre-primary Education Voucher Scheme, and means-tested fee remission under the Kindergarten and Child Care Centre Fee Remission Scheme. In the 2013-14 school year, fee subsidies and remissions totalling $2.3 billion and $473 million were granted to about 131,700 and 39,200 students respectively.

Financial Assistance for Primary and Secondary Education

At the primary and secondary levels, means-tested assistance covers textbook grants, travel subsidies, subsidies for internet access charges and examination fee remission. In the 2013-14 school year, $662 million was disbursed to nearly 237,000 students to purchase textbooks, $321 million to more than 159,100 students as travel subsidies, $168 million to around 162,300 families to subsidise internet access by students at home, and $47 million in examination fees was reimbursed to some 23,300 students sitting public examinations. In addition, school-based and district-based grants are disbursed by the government to support needy students' whole- person development.

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 2013-14 academic year, some 28,700 students received $1,045 million of grants and $261 million of loans. Eligible students pursuing locally-accredited, self-financing full-time post-secondary programmes are also provided with means-tested grants and low-interest loans. In the 2013-14 academic year, $1,187 million of grants and $231 million of loans were provided to around 26,700 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 2013-14 academic year, more than 28,700 people received loans amounting to $1,366 million.

Travel subsidies totalling $166 million were provided to about 48,800 students of post- secondary institutions.

Yi Jin Diploma and Adult Education Tuition Fee Reimbursement

All eligible students of Yi Jin Diploma and designated evening adult education courses may receive reimbursement of 30 per cent of the tuition fee, with an additional amount for those who pass a means test.

Mainland University Study Subsidy Scheme

In July 2014, the government launched the Mainland University Study Subsidy Scheme to provide a means-tested subsidy of up to $15,000 per year to needy students to pursue undergraduate studies under the Scheme for Admission of Hong Kong Students to Mainland Higher Education Institutions. The scheme's effectiveness will be reviewed after three years.

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