Non-means-tested Loan Scheme for Post-secondary Students (NLSPS)

Application Procedures

Applicants can submit online applications anytime and anywhere via the "SFO E-link – My Applications"online platform, save the incomplete application form for filling in afterwards, or download the submitted application form for reference. Applicants can also use "iAM Smart+" to sign the "Declaration Form" and submit it with the supporting documents online to save time and hassle.

With effect from 18 January 2025, the "SFO E-link – My Applications" online platform will cease to accept online applications for NLSPS for the 2024/25 academic year. All incomplete online applications in the "SFO E-link – My Applications" online platform will be automatically deleted after 17 January 2025.

• The general Workflow of Application Processing is as follows -

• Please pay attention to the following points to note for various stages of the application -

  • Part 1: Before submitting the Application #

    • Register as a user of the "iAM Smart" and/or "MyGovHK" and safekeep the relevant username and password (if applicable) carefully for future login.
    • Download and read the "NLSPS Guidance Notes"(NLSPS/1B) carefully.
    • Prepare the required supporting documents according to the "Checklist of Supporting Documents".

  • Part 2: Completing the Application Form #

    • Applicants should complete and submit the NLSPS application through the "SFO E-link - My Applications" online platform. Please refer to the "SFO E-link - My Applications" Online Demonstration for details about submission of online application.
      
      (The online submission of application is not applicable to students of distance-learning programmes of the Hong Kong Metropolitan University (HKMU). Please refer to the "Supplementary Guidance Notes for the FASP and the NLSPS" for the eligibility criteria and application procedures under the NLSPS, and duly complete the "Application Form NLSPS/2B" to make the application. Such supplementary guidance notes and application form can be obtained from the HKMU.)
    • Before submitting the application, please check the course information and personal particulars provided on the application form carefully to ensure their completeness and accuracy.
      

    Remarks: Once the online application is submitted, no online amendments will be allowed. All subsequent amendments should be made in writing.

  • Part 3: Submission of "Declaration Form" and Supporting Documents #

    • Please submit the duly signed "Declaration Form" (if choose to sign on paper) and the required supporting documents to the SFO within seven calendar days from the date of submission of the application, through one of the following means -

      • through online upload;
      • by mail to the SFO at the following address -
        Student Finance Office,
        Working Family and Student Financial Assistance Agency,
        Room 1204, 12/F, Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices,
        303 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Kowloon
        (Attn.: NLSPS APU); or

        Remarks: For proper delivery of mail items to the SFO, and to avoid unnecessary delivery delay or unsuccessful delivery, please ensure that the mail items bear sufficient postage with return address before mailing.

      • by using the SFO drop-in boxes located on 11/F (during office hours) or in the G/F lift lobby (outside office hours) of the Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices (CSWGOs). The SFO’s office hours are 8:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. from Monday to Friday, except public holidays. Please enter the CSWGOs through the side entrance near the security counter outside office hours.

    • All supporting documents submitted are not returnable. Applicants are advised to retain a paper copy or computer backup for own reference.

  • Part 4: After submitting the Application Form, "Declaration Form" and Supporting Documents #

    • Please notify the SFO in writing immediately if any mistakes are identified on the application form.
    • Please notify the SFO in writing immediately if there are any changes of the applicant’s financial, legal and residential status. #

      • Applicants are obliged to notify the SFO in writing immediately if the following situation(s) arise(s) -

        • a bankruptcy petition is filed by or presented against the applicants or a bankruptcy order is made against the applicants;
        • the applicants have applied/are applying for an Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA) under the Bankruptcy Ordinance;
        • a receiver, administrator, administrative receiver, trustee or similar officer has been appointed over any or all of the applicants' assets; or
        • they intend to leave Hong Kong for a period longer than three months or to emigate.
    • Please notify the SFO in writing immediately if there are any changes in the applicant’s course of study. #

      • Under the following circumstances, applicants should notify the SFO in writing immediately for follow-up action, including but not limited to withholding the disbursement of the NLSPS loan to the applicants -

        • cease to be registered full-time students of locally-accredited self-financing programmes;
        • decide to withdraw from, suspend or defer studies or apply for leave of absence for any reasons;
        • change the programme / institution; or
        • are not required to pay the full amount of tuition fee in the 2024/25 academic year.
    • The SFO will review the relevant application and adjust the loan amount offered, if necessary.
    • Any overpaid NLSPS loan shall be refunded immediately upon demand of the SFO.

  • Part 5: Receipt of "Notification of Result" #

    • NLSPS and/or the Financial Assistance Scheme for Post-secondary Students (FASP) applicants will receive the "NLSPS Notification of Result" at different times subject to their respective situations -

      Apply for the NLSPS only #

      • If the information provided is complete upon submission of application, the SFO will normally issue the "NLSPS Notification of Result" to applicants -

        • within three weeks from the issuance date of the "Acknowledgement of Receipt of Application"; or
        • before mid-July when the life-time loan limits for the current academic year are determined,

        whichever is later.

      • The application processing time will be longer under the following circumstances -

        • the information provided in the application is incomplete or inconsistent with that in the supporting documents; or
        • the SFO needs to contact the applicant, the respective institution, other bureaux / departments of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, or other organisations to obtain the information required.

      Apply for the FASP only #

      • Applicants will be informed of the financial assistance and/or loan they are entitled under the FASP and the NLSPS (if any) simultaneously in the "FASP Notification of Result" even if they have not applied for the NLSPS.
      • If applicants wish to accept the NLSPS loan offered, please submit the required documents to the SFO on or before the deadline as stated in the "FASP Notification of Result". For details, please refer to "Acceptance of Loan".
      • If applicants wish to apply for and be offered with the NLSPS loan earlier, they are required to submit a separate NLSPS application for processing.

      Have applied for the FASP and submitted a separate NLSPS application before the FASP results are known #

      • The SFO will not be able to determine the loan amount that the applicants may be entitled under the NLSPS until the FASP results are known.
      • In this instance, applicants will be issued a letter asking whether they would like to obtain the NLSPS loan up to the maximum amount of the tuition fee payable. If they obtain the NLSPS loan under such arrangement, adjustments to the NLSPS loan amount previously offered may be required after the FASP application results are known. Details of the offsetting arrangements are set out in paragraph 10 of the "NLSPS Guidance Note"(NLSPS/1B).
    • Applicants must check the information printed on the "NLSPS Notification of Result" or the “FASP Notification of Result” (applicable to applicants applying for FASP only and with NLSPS loan offered). Should there be any discrepancies, applicants are obliged to inform the SFO immediately by the specified amendment forms, and provide a copy of the relevant supporting document. For details, please refer to "Change of Information".