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 2022/23 school year, applications submitted by 30 November 2022 will be processed in the first batch. Applications submitted by 31 May 2023 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
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).
- (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.
- (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.
- (iii) A list of qualifications awarded by local institutes and recognized for exemption is at Appendix 1
(Revised as at 15 March 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
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.