ENG-2019 — Page 183

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Education

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.

Mainland University Study Subsidy

For the 2019-20 academic year, a means-tested subsidy of up to $16,800 or non-means-tested subsidy of $5,600 per year is provided to eligible local students pursuing undergraduate studies in designated Mainland institutions under the Mainland University Study Subsidy Scheme. In 2018-19, around $40 million was granted in subsidies to 3,147 students, and in 2019-20, the scheme attracted about 3,500 applications.

Scholarships

Hong Kong Scholarship for Excellence

The Hong Kong Scholarship for Excellence Scheme supports up to 100 local students per cohort to pursue undergraduate or postgraduate studies at world-renowned universities outside Hong Kong. It has awarded the scholarship to around 470 students and granted scholarships and bursaries totalling $200 million since inception in the 2015-16 academic year. The scheme was regularised in 2019-20, with the scholarship ceiling raised from $250,000 to $300,000 per student per annum. Students with financial needs may also apply for a means-tested bursary that provides up to $200,000 per annum to cover living and study-related

expenses.

HKSAR Government Scholarship Fund and Self-financing Post-secondary Education Fund

The $3.07 billion HKSAR Government Scholarship Fund awards scholarships to outstanding locals and non-locals studying in full-time, publicly funded programmes at sub-degree and degree level or above in the eight UGC-funded universities, the HKAPA and the VTC. A $3.52 billion Self-financing Post-secondary Education Fund provides scholarships and awards to outstanding students pursuing full-time, locally accredited self-financing sub-degree or undergraduate programmes, and supports worthwhile initiatives to enhance self-financing post-secondary education. In 2018-19, the two funds distributed 9,794 scholarships and awards.

Scholarship for Prospective English Teachers

The government's Scholarship for Prospective English Teachers aims to attract people proficient in English to pursue local bachelor's degree programmes and/or teacher training programmes majoring in English or a relevant subject which will qualify them to become English teachers on graduation.

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