Enquiry
wg_sfo@wfsfaa.gov.hk

Tertiary Student Finance Scheme - Publicly-funded Programmes (TSFS)

E-Submission
Enquiry
2152 9000
wg_sfo@wfsfaa.gov.hk

Overview

The Tertiary Student Finance Scheme - Publicly-funded Programmes (TSFS) provides means-tested financial assistance in the form of grant and/or loan to eligible full-time students taking up an exclusively publicly-funded student place of a recognised post-secondary programme.

Application Procedures

  • Please refer to the Workflow of Application Processing for an overview of the application processing procedures.

  • The Student Finance Office (SFO) will accord priority to those applications with complete information and supporting documents upon submission. Should SFO request supplementary information to help process individual application, the applicant must adhere to the deadline set. Otherwise, the processing of the application and disbursement of financial assistance may be delayed.

  • Applicants should observe the following during the different stages of the application.

Before Submitting the Application Form

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  • Applicants are required to:

    1. create an “iAM Smart” and / or “MyGovHK” account and keep the username and password for future use.

    2. download and study the TSFS Guidance Notes carefully.

    3. explain in detail to the family members the importance of providing accurate, truthful and complete information to SFO and the consequence of misrepresentation / omission found in the application; ask them to provide all family income and assets information for reporting in the application form.

    4. get all the required supporting documents ready. Applicants can refer to The Checklist of Documentary Proofs Required [TSFS/RM(2024)] for examples of documentary proofs.

Submitting Application Form, Declaration and Supporting Documents

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Application Form

  • Applicants must complete and submit the TSFS application through “SFO E-link – My Applications” platform according to the recommended submission schedule.

  • Before submitting the application form, applicants should carefully check that the information inputted on the form, including the course data, their personal information and those of their family members, and the family income and assets is true and complete.

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

Declaration and Supporting Documents

  • Applicants must submit the signed Declaration (in writing or signed by "iAM Smart+") with copies of supporting documents (e.g. copies of income proof and bank accounts showing all transactions in the last financial year) within 7 days from submission of application.

  • Applicants can choose to submit the Declaration and supporting documents:

    1. online (digitally-signed electronic or scanned copy of the signed paper Declaration; and scanned copy of supporting documents); or

    2. by mail or through SFO’s drop-in boxes. Address: 12/F., One Mong Kok Road Commercial Centre, 1 Mong Kok Road, Kowloon. Attn: Applications Team (TSFS), SFO.

    Attention: Underpaid mail items will not be accepted by SFO. If supplementary information is submitted by post, please ensure sufficient postage is paid and a return address is provided on the back of the envelope. Otherwise the mail may not be delivered to SFO.

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

After Submitting the Application Form, Declaration and Supporting Documents

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  • An applicant must notify SFO in writing immediately when there are any discrepancies in the information reported in the application form and should not wait for enquiries from SFO to provide supplementary information.

    1. An applicant must notify SFO in writing immediately when there are any changes in his / her financial, legal and residential status. #

      An applicant is obliged to notify SFO in writing immediately if he / she:

      • has been declared bankrupt;
      • has applied for Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA);
      • is aware that legal proceeding(s) has / have been started (or are pending or being threatened) against him / her for his / her bankruptcy or for the appointment of a receiver, administrator, administrative receiver, trustee or similar officer over any or all of his / her assets); or
      • intends to leave Hong Kong for a period longer than three months or to emigrate. Upon receipt of such notification, unless SFO has otherwise come to an agreement with him/her concerning the repayment schedule of the loan or unless SFO is satisfied that he / she shall be able to continue to repay the loan based on the original repayment schedule, SFO could demand his / her immediate repayment of all outstanding balance of the loan, interest and surcharge (if any) and any recovery expenses.

    2. An applicant must notify SFO in writing immediately when there are changes in his/her study information. #

      An applicant must notify SFO in writing immediately for follow-up action(s), including but not limited to withholding the disbursement of financial assistance or demanding refund of financial assistance already disbursed, if he/she:

      • ceases to be a registered full-time student before graduation;
      • decides to withdraw from, suspend or defer studies or apply for leave of absence for whatever reasons;
      • changes programme / institution of study; or
      • is not required to pay the full amount of tuition fees in the 2024/25 academic year.

  • SFO will review the application and adjust the entitlements of financial assistance, if necessary.

  • Any overpaid financial assistance disbursed to the applicant shall be refunded immediately upon demand.

After Receipt of Notification of Result

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  • In general, if the information and supporting documents provided is complete when the application is submitted, an applicant will be notified of the TSFS application result within about 2 months from the date of SFO's acknowledging receipt of the application. #

    1. The processing time will vary or be lengthened, depending on the particular circumstances of individual applications, which may include the following:

      • if the information provided is incomplete or inconsistent and SFO requests the applicant to give an explanation for the discrepancy or provide supplementary information;
      • if an applicant or his/her sibling’s previous application(s) under TSFS/FASP has / have been selected for authentication (including home visits, bank searches or other means) and the processing of the current year’s application will be withheld pending the outcome of the authentication;
      • SFO has to seek additional information (e.g. the actual amount of tuition fees payable for repeaters) from the institution.

    2. An applicant should check the information printed on the Notification of Result including but not limited to the personal particulars, institution and programme of study, tuition fee payable and his / her bank account number. Should there be any discrepancies, the applicant should immediately notify SFO by submitting:

    3. An applicant will be informed of the entitled amount of the financial assistance under TSFS and Non-means-tested Loan Scheme for Full-time Tertiary Students (NLSFT), if any, simultaneously in the TSFS Notification of Result even though he / she did not apply for NLSFT.