Exemption from the Language Proficiency Requirement (LPR)

• Applicants with appropriate qualifications may apply for exemption from the LPR for English and Putonghua teachers.
• Applications for exemption from the LPR are accepted all year round and processed in two batches. In the 2023/24 school year, applications submitted by 30 November 2023 will be processed in the first batch. Applications submitted by 31 May 2024 will be processed in the second batch. Provided that applicants submit all the necessary supporting documents/information with the applications, they will be informed of the results individually in about three months from the cut-off date. 

Application Forms

• Applicants may submit the applications for exemption from the LPR with the form in PDF format or e-Form.
  

  Exemption from the LPR (English Language) [English version only]
  

  [Application Form in PDF format]

  [e-Form]  [Notes for e-Form submission]  (Please read the notes carefully before you submit the e-Form.)

  Exemption from the LPR (Putonghua) [Traditional Chinese version only]

  [Application Form in PDF format]

  [e-Form]  [Notes for e-Form submission]  (Please read the notes carefully before you submit the e-Form.)

Eligibility

• Exemption from the LPR (English Language)

  Applicants applying for exemption from the LPR (English Language) who are holding a relevant degree plus relevant teacher training will be granted full exemption from the LPR (English Language) and will be deemed to have reached Level 3 proficiency in the LPR (English Language). Qualifications satisfying the requirement(s) for English teachers as recommended by the Standing Committee on Language Education and Research (SCOLAR), will also be considered for exemption from the LPR (English Language).

  1. (i) A 'relevant degree' means a recognized degree or higher degree with substantial components on the study of English and its use. In the main, this includes degrees specifically in the study of the English language (including English studies, English literature, and linguistics), degrees in education with specialism in English, degrees in the communicative use of English and degrees in translation with English as one of the principal languages studied. Holders of a non-relevant degree who subsequently completed the Post-graduate Programmes in Subject Knowledge for English Language Teachers will be considered as having a relevant degree in English for LPR exemption.
  2. (ii) 'Relevant teacher training' means recognized initial teacher training with specialism in English and supervised practicum in English teaching. Initial teacher training obtained before September 2000 is recognized for exemption regardless of the subject specialism whilst initial teacher training obtained in or after September 2000 must be one with specialism in English.
  3. (iii) A list of qualifications awarded by local institutes and recognized for exemption is at  Appendix 1 (Revised as at 6 December 2023). Appendix 1 is a reference list only and applicants with qualifications equivalent to those in Appendix 1 may also forward their applications for consideration. For qualifications not on the list, the Vetting Committee on Exemption from the LPR (English Language) will, based on the documents/information provided by applicants, check whether they meet the requirements stipulated in (i) and (ii) above, and make recommendations to the Education Bureau on whether or not the qualifications could be recognized for exemption.
• Exemption from the LPR (Putonghua)

  Applicants applying for exemption from the LPR (Putonghua) who are holding the Certificate for the Test of Advanced Proficiency in Putonghua awarded by the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA) and have obtained passes or above in Listening, Transcription, or Speaking (including Reading, Presentation and Conversation) will be deemed to have attained Level 3 proficiency in the corresponding components of the LPR (Putonghua): Listening and Recognition, Pinyin, and Speaking. The HKEAA has ceased to conduct the Test of Advanced Proficiency in Putonghua since 2009, but holders of the certificate for this test previously awarded by the HKEAA can still apply for exemption.

  Holders of the Certificate for the Test of Proficiency in Putonghua (Grade B, Level 2 or above) awarded by the State Language Commission will be deemed to have attained Level 3 proficiency in the Speaking component in the LPR (Putonghua). Please note that there is no exemption from the Classroom Language Assessment for the LPR (Putonghua).

• Details of the exemption criteria are as follows:

  Subject	Exemption Criteria	Area(s) of Exemption
  English Language	Holding a relevant degree AND relevant teacher training	Full exemption, i.e. Reading, Writing, Speaking, Listening & Classroom Language Assessment.
  Putonghua	1. Holding the Certificate for the Test of Advanced Proficiency in Putonghua conducted by the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA) with a pass or above in Listening, Transcription and Speaking (including Reading, Presentation and Conversation). (香港考試及評核局普通話高級水平測試及格證書) [The HKEAA has ceased to conduct the Test of Advanced Proficiency in PTH since 2009, but holders of the certificate for this test previously awarded by the HKEAA can still apply for exemption.];OR	Listening and Recognition (聆聽與認辨), Pinyin (拼音) & Speaking (口語)
  	2. Obtaining Grade B, Level 2 or above in the Test of Proficiency in Putonghua conducted by the State Language Commission. (國家語言文字工作委員會普通話水平測試二級乙等或以上成績)	Speaking (口語)

Application Procedures

• Applicants should submit completed application form(s) together with certified photocopies of the supporting documents. For example, applicants may ask the school head of their serving school to certify their photocopies or they may declare the photocopies are the true copies of the original documents in the Public Service Enquiry Centres of District Offices, Home Affairs Department. Applicants may also bring the original documents with photocopies to the office of the Language Teacher Qualifications Team to certify their photocopies.
• Applicants applying for exemption from the LPR (English Language) are requested to submit supporting documents as detailed below.
  1. (i) Applicants should submit certified photocopies of the necessary documentary evidence related to their academic qualifications, including official transcripts and graduation diplomas/certificates issued by the academic authorities or universities concerned. Where dissertations are required for their degrees, applicants should also submit photocopies of the cover page, the abstract, the table of contents and bibliography of their dissertations.
  2. (ii) The holders of non-local academic and/or teacher training qualifications should also submit results of qualification assessment issued by the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic & Vocational Qualifications (formerly the Hong Kong Council for Academic Accreditation) and/or assessment reports issued by the Government.
• Applicants applying for exemption from the LPR (Putonghua) are requested to submit the certified photocopies of the Certificate for Test of Advanced Proficiency in Putonghua awarded by HKEAA; and/or the Certificate for Test of Proficiency in Putonghua awarded by the State Language Commission as supporting documents.
• The assessment of applications is based on the supporting documents.  Applications will be considered only when sufficient supporting evidence is submitted. Applicants failing to submit the necessary documents or provide sufficient information on their qualifications will be notified to submit the required documents/information by a due date.  All the supporting documents submitted together with the applications will not be returned to the applicants. Provided that applicants submit all the necessary supporting documents/information with the applications, the results of application will be sent to the postal address provided in the application form in about three months from the respective cut-off date or the date of the submission of any additional documents/information as required by the Bureau.
• All applications should be submitted to the Language Teacher Qualifications (LTQ) Team, Education Bureau by post, in person or by an authorized representative at the following address:

  Language Teacher Qualifications Team

  Education Bureau

  Room 1107, 11/F.,

  Wu Chung House,

  213 Queen’s Road East,

  Wanchai, Hong Kong.

Appeal Procedures

• Applicants not satisfied with the results can make an appeal by submitting a written request to the LTQ Team of the Education Bureau together with additional supporting documents/information, as appropriate, within two weeks from the issue of the results.  Appellants failing to submit the necessary documents or provide sufficient information on their qualifications will be notified to submit the required documents/information by a specific date.  If appellants fail to comply within the specified period, their appeals will not be further processed.
• Provided that appellants submit all the necessary supporting documents/information with the appeals, they will be informed of the results individually in about three months from the deadline of the appeal or the date specified for the submission of additional documents/information.

Enquiry

• For enquiries related to application for exemption, please contact the Language Teacher Qualifications Team, EDB at 2892 5783.

All documents are in Acrobat Portable Document File (PDF) format. Please download and install Acrobat Reader to view these files.