Student Grant

Background

As part of the $19.1 billion relief measures announced by the Financial Secretary in August 2019, a one-off student grant of $2,500 will be provided in the 2019/20 school year for each secondary day-school, primary school and kindergarten student to alleviate parents’ financial burden in defraying education expenses. The provision was approved by the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council on 6 December 2019. The Chief Executive proposed in the 2019 Policy Address to regularise the provision of the student grant starting from the 2020/21 school year.

Eligibility Criteria

The student grant will be non-means-tested. All students, as at the date of application, studying in secondary day-schools, primary schools and special schools (including public sector schools, Direct Subsidy Scheme schools, English Schools Foundation schools, private schools) as well as kindergartens (regardless of whether joining the kindergarten education scheme) offering local or non-local curriculum in Hong Kong, are eligible for the grant. Students of evening schools, students of private studies, holders of student visa for entry into Hong Kong for studies and holders of Form of Recognizance issued by the Immigration Department are ineligible.

Taking into account that there are some students who should meet the eligibility criteria stated in the above but attend other programmes owing to special circumstances, the following students are also eligible for the grant:
(a) Children at the age of two years and eight months or above as at 1 September of the school year concerned attending the Special Child Care Centres subsidised by the Social Welfare Department owing to special needs;
(b) Newly arrived children attending the full-time Initiation Programme funded by the Education Bureau (EDB); and
(c) Students taking full-time programmes for Secondary 3 school leavers offered by the Vocational Training Council.

Application Forms

For the “Student Grant” Application Forms, there are Form A and Form B. Form A is a blank form. Form B is pre-printed with the basic school and student information.

Form A

Application Procedure and Period

Schools are requested to stamp the school chop on each “Student Grant” Application Form to confirm the student concerned is its student. Schools should return the completed Application Forms during the period from 16 January to 14 February 2020 to EDB’s Special Duties Office at 10/F, Kwun Tong View, 410 Kwun Tong Road, Kowloon.

Disbursement of Grant

As parents generally possess local bank accounts, the subsidy will be disbursed to parents via bank transfer.

Reference