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.

Learn before submitting application

Responsibilities of Applicants

  • When submitting the application, applicants should:

    1. provide all the required information in the application, including the personal data and those of their family members;

    2. fill-in each and every item of information accurately, truthfully and in full details and attach all documentary proof at the time of application; and

    3. ensure that the course data, personal data and those of their family members are correct and notify the Student Finance Office (SFO) immediately in case of discrepancies.

  • Applicants and their family members are requested to keep all related application documents submitted in the current and previous academic years and to cooperate with SFO staff during the course of vetting / authentication.

  • When vetting applications, SFO would:

    1. assess the information and documentary proof provided in the TSFS application and the application(s) from the applicants’ sibling(s) under TSFS or Financial Assistance Scheme for Post-secondary Students (FASP), if any, to determine the eligibility and level of financial assistance under different Scheme(s); and

    2. make reference to the submitted application form(s) / information of the previous academic year(s) and ask applicants to clarify or provide additional information / explanation.

Responsibilities of Indemnifiers

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  • According to the “Deed of Indemnity” signed by the indemnifier, the indemnifier agrees to be liable to the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (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 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. #

    • After signing the “Deed of Indemnity”, the indemnifier is required to notify SFO in writing immediately if:

      • the indemnifier is deceased;
      • a bankruptcy petition is filed by the indemnifier or presented against the indemnifier or a bankruptcy order is made against the indemnifier;
      • the indemnifier has applied / is applying for an Individual Voluntary Arrangement 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 the indemnifier’s 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".

      After receiving the notification from the indemnifier, SFO will examine the supporting documents submitted by the indemnifier (SFO may also request the indemnifier to provide supplementary and/ or identity documents, if needed) to consider whether the indemnifier truly becomes incapable of fulfilling the obligations required under the “Deed of Indemnity”. If SFO decides that the indemnifier is incapable of fulfilling the obligations required under the “Deed of Indemnity”, SFO will require the loan borrower to procure another alternative indemnifier located in Hong Kong and acceptable to the Government to execute the indemnity in favour of the Government. 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 required to notify SFO in writing immediately if there are any changes to his/ her residential/ correspondence address or his/ her other contact information (including residential/ mobile phone number, email address, etc.). The indemnifier is required to duly complete the “Notification of Change of Indemnifier's Personal Particulars” (TSFS/IDM/INFO/E) and return it to  SFO.

What is Misrepresentation or Omission?

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  • If applicants fail to provide the required information with necessary supporting documents at the time of application, and the information/supporting documents are reported/ provided only upon SFO’s enquiry, these will be taken as misrepresentations and/ or omissions of information.

    Example: pdf

Consequences of Misrepresentation or Omission

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  • If any misrepresentation or omission or not-properly-filled-in of information is found in the application form(s) in any TSFS / FASP application of an applicant and/or his/her sibling(s) submitted in the current or previous academic year(s):

    1. applications of the applicant and/or his/her sibling(s)’ may be rejected;

    2. the applicant and/or his/her sibling(s) may be requested to fully refund the financial assistance already disbursed; and

    3. the applicant and/or his/her family member(s) may be prosecuted.

Anti-corruption Message

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  • Applicants or their family members or agents must not offer an advantage (e.g. money or gifts) to any government officer in connection with their applications or while having dealings of any kind with Government bureaux / departments; or else, they may commit an offence under section 4(1) and / or section 8 of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (Chapter 201 of Laws of Hong Kong), and be liable to a maximum penalty of a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for seven years.

Consequences of Obtaining Assistance by Deception and Making False Declaration

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  • 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).

  • Also, 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).