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. The amount of the grant for each student in the 2019/20 school year has been increased by $1,000 to $3,500, following the passage of the funding application for the $30 billion Anti-epidemic Fund by the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council on 21 Feb 2020.  The $3,500 grant will be disbursed in one-go and applicants are not required to make new applications separately for the additional grant of $1,000.

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

The completed Application Forms must be submitted to EDB through the student’s attending school.  Schools are requested to stamp the school chop on each “Student Grant” Application Form to confirm the student concerned is its student.  The deadline for applications for the student grant in the 2019/20 school year has been extended to 30 June 2020.  Parents should return the completed Application Forms via school to EDB’s Special Duties Office.

Bank Account Information

Applicants are required to provide full information on their bank account. Incomplete information will lead to failure in bank transfer. Bank account number should include bank code. Applicants should refer to the monthly bank statement/passbook for the bank code (e.g. 003 for Standard Chartered Bank, 004 for HSBC, 024 for Hang Seng Bank). In case of doubt, you may wish to check with your bank.

The Clearing Code and Branch Code List on the webpage of Hong Kong Interbank Clearing Limited (English version) is enclosed, in case you wish to make reference to.

Clearing Code and Branch Code List (English version)

https://www.hkicl.com.hk/eng/information_centre/clearing_code_and_branch_code_list.php

Disbursement of Grant

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

Reference

• EDB Circular Memorandum No. 14/2020  

• Notes on How to Complete Application Form  

• Form A (Sample)  

• Form B (Sample) 

Enquiries

For enquiries, please contact the EDB’s Special Duties Office (email: spdoenquiry@edb.gov.hk; hotline: 3850 2000; address: 10/F, Kwun Tong View, 410 Kwun Tong Road, Kowloon.) Please provide student name, school name, parent name and contact number to facilitate follow-up.