Enquiry
wg_sfo@wfsfaa.gov.hk

Non-means-tested Loan Scheme for Full-time Tertiary Students (NLSFT)

E-Submission
Enquiry
wg_sfo@wfsfaa.gov.hk

Overview

The Non-means-tested Loan Scheme for Full-time Tertiary Students (NLSFT) is to complement the Tertiary Student Finance Scheme – Publicly-funded Programmes (TSFS) to provide loans to eligible students to settle tuition fees of recognised full-time study courses.

Learn before applying

Responsibilities of Applicants

  • Considering the need and repayment ability

    • Students should consider carefully their need and repayment ability before applying for loans.

    • Late repayment could lead to serious consequences. Repay punctually and be socially responsible.

    • Seek help from the Student Finance Office (SFO) immediately if loan borrowers encounter financial difficulties in repayment.

  • Providing true and complete information

    • Applicants must complete the application documents FULLY and TRUTHFULLY. Any misrepresentation or omission may lead to disqualification from application and/or full recovery of loan(s) already disbursed, and court proceedings. #

      • It is an offence to obtain property and/or pecuniary advantage by deception. Any person who does so commits an offence and shall be liable on conviction upon indictment to imprisonment for ten years under the Theft Ordinance (Chapter 210 of the Laws of Hong Kong).
      • If any person being required or authorised by law to make any statement on oath for any purpose and being lawfully sworn (otherwise than in a judicial proceeding) wilfully makes a statement which is material for that purpose and which he knows to be false or does not believe to be true, he shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction upon indictment to imprisonment for seven years and to a fine under the Crimes Ordinance (Chapter 200 of the Laws of Hong Kong).

    • Applicants should notify the SFO in writing immediately if there are any changes of their status / personal particulars / study information or status of their indemnifiers. For details, please refer to Part 4 of "Application Procedures".

  • Notifying change of status of indemnifiers

    • After the indemnifier signed the "Deed of Indemnity", the loan borrower should notify the SFO in writing immediately if there are changes in the financial / legal status, residential status or contact information of the indemnifier. #

      If after the indemnifier signed the “Deed of Indemnity”, the loan borrower is aware that:

      • the indemnifier is deceased;
      • a bankruptcy petition is filed by or presented against the indemnifier or a bankruptcy order is made against the indemnifier;
      • the indemnifier has applied/is applying for an IVA under the Bankruptcy Ordinance;
      • a receiver, administrator, administrative receiver, trustee or similar officer has been appointed over any or all of the indemnifier’s assets;
      • the indemnifier is involved in any litigation, arbitration or administrative proceedings (whether inside or outside Hong Kong);
      • there is any claim (whether inside or outside Hong Kong) against the indemnifier or any of his/her assets;
      • the indemnifier intends to leave/has left Hong Kong for a period longer than three months or to emigrate; or
      • the indemnifier for other reasons becomes incapable of fulfilling the obligations under the “Deed of Indemnity”,

      the loan borrower should notify the SFO in writing immediately and procure immediately, or otherwise upon the first written demand of the SFO, an alternative indemnifier located in Hong Kong and acceptable to the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (Government) to execute the “Deed of Indemnity” in favour of the Government, failing which the SFO has the power to demand the loan borrower to make immediate repayment of all outstanding balance of the NLSFT loan, interest, overdue interest (if any), administrative fee (if any) and any recovery expenses.

Responsibilities of Indemnifiers

  • According to the “Deed of Indemnity” signed by the indemnifier, the indemnifier agrees to be liable to the Government for the whole amount of the loan undertaken by the loan borrower, all interests and other related costs and expenses payable by the loan borrower. If the loan borrower fails to repay the amount due for repayment, the indemnifier will immediately pay to the Government as a principal debtor on demand from the Government. The indemnifier is not allowed to terminate the “Deed of Indemnity” until the loan, interests and related costs and expenses have been fully repaid.

  • The indemnifier is required to notify the SFO in writing immediately whenever there are any changes in his/ her financial or legal status, or when he/ she intends to leave/ has left Hong Kong for a period longer than three months or to emigrate. #

    • If any of the circumstances as set out below occur after the indemnifier signed the “Deed of Indemnity”, the indemnifier is required to notify the SFO in writing immediately:

      • a bankruptcy petition is filed by or presented against the indemnifier or a bankruptcy order is made against the indemnifier;
      • the indemnifier has applied/is applying for an IVA under the Bankruptcy Ordinance;
      • a receiver, administrator, administrative receiver, trustee or similar officer has been appointed over any or all of the indemnifier’s assets;
      • the indemnifier is involved in any litigation, arbitration or administrative proceedings (whether inside or outside Hong Kong);
      • there is any claim (whether inside or outside Hong Kong) against the indemnifier or any of his/her assets;
      • the indemnifier intends to leave/has left Hong Kong for a period longer than three months or to emigrate; or
      • the indemnifier for other reasons becomes incapable of fulfilling the obligations under the “Deed of Indemnity”.

      If after examining the relevant supporting documents, the SFO decides that the indemnifier is incapable of fulfilling the obligations required under the “Deed of Indemnity”, the loan borrower will be required to procure another alternative indemnifier located in Hong Kong and acceptable to the Government to execute the “Deed of Indemnity” in favour of the Government, failing which the SFO has the power to demand the loan borrower to make immediate repayment of all outstanding balance of the NLSFT loan, interest, overdue interest (if any), administrative fee (if any) and any recovery expenses. Before the successful procurement of an alternative indemnifier acceptable to the Government by the loan borrower, the existing indemnifier remains obliged to continue to fulfill the obligations under the “Deed of Indemnity”.

  • The indemnifier is also obliged to notify the SFO immediately in writing of any change of their correspondence / residential address or other contact information, including mobile phone number, email address or fax number. The indemnifier is required to submit the duly completed “Notification of Change of Indemnifier's Personal Particulars” (TSFS/IDM/INFO/E) to the SFO. Failure to serve timely notification of changes of information may cause delay in processing the applications and disbursing the loan(s), and extra interest expenses due to failure in communication. The SFO accepts no responsibility for any loss, charge or expense so caused.