Exemption from the Language Proficiency Requirement (LPR)

• Applicants with relevant qualifications may apply for exemption from the LPR for English teachers.  In line with the enhanced LPR, exemption from the LPR does not apply to Putonghua teachers from the 2024/25 school year.  
• Applications for exemption from the LPR are accepted all year round.  New / newly deployed teachers of English holding a regular post should submit applications to Education Bureau before 30 September of the corresponding school year for verification of their eligibility.

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.)

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 attained 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 24 February 2025). 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.

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 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.

• 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 after processing.
• 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.