Application Processing Timetable – Continuing Applicants
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The following timetable is applicable to continuing applicants (i.e. applicants who have successfully applied for financial assistance for pre-primary students in the 2023/24 school year on or before 1 May 2024*).
Applicants (i) with child(ren) attending Primary 1 in the 2024/25 school year; or (ii) who have successfully applied for financial assistance for primary and secondary students in the 2023/24 school year, please refer to the Application Processing Timetable applicable for “primary and secondary students” of continuing applicants.
| Approximate Time | Procedures |
|---|---|
| 2024 | |
|
May |
The Student Finance Office (SFO) will issue either Access Codes for access to pre-filled E-Forms, or paper-based pre-filled forms together with relevant application documents, to continuing applicants in batches. |
|
In or before end June |
Applicants should complete the pre-filled E-Form and upload copies of the relevant supporting documents for online submission; or submit the completed paper-based pre-filled form together with the supplementary form (if applicable) and copies of the relevant supporting documents to the SFO by post, using the addressed envelope provided. # Insufficient information / documents will delay the application processing or even result in disqualification of the application. Applicants should submit fresh application for their children for every school year and fill in the form the particulars of all unmarried child(ren) residing with them. Applicants only have to submit one paper-based pre-filled form or electronic pre-filled form. Do not submit more than one application form (unless advised by the SFO). Multiple applications from the same applicant will be voided and lead to delay in processing the application. |
|
After submitting applications by applicants |
The SFO will acknowledge receipt of applications by means of SMS or by post (within around 20 working days) after receiving the applications. # The acknowledge receipt will be issued by means of SMS to those applicants who have provided Hong Kong mobile phone number; for applicants who are unable to provide Hong Kong mobile phone number, the acknowledge receipt will be made in writing by post. If the Hong Kong mobile phone number or correspondence address provided by the applicants is incorrect, the SFO will not be able to issue acknowledgement to these applicants. Therefore, applicants are required to fill in the relevant information accurately. If applicants do not receive any acknowledgement of receipt of applications by means of SMS or in writing from the SFO within 20 working days after submitting their application form, please call the SFO enquiry hotline (Tel: 2802 2345) to check so as to avoid any delay in application due to wrong / unsuccessful delivery. The SFO may contact the applicants for supplementary information during application processing and when performing means test. |
|
August or beyond |
The SFO will issue notification of result to eligible applicants. Eligible applicants will also receive “school certificates” (SCs) with pre-filled information for each student-applicant. # Applicants who have submitted applications on or before 30 June 2024 with all necessary information and supporting documents provided, and met the eligibility criteria and passed the means test, will receive notification of result and pre-filled SCs in around August. “Notification of Ineligibility” will be issued to those families which cannot pass the means test; have failed to provide the required supplementary information by the deadline set by the SFO; have withdrawn their applications; or cannot meet the eligibility criteria. If student-applicants are going to transfer to another school, whose class or session is different from the information in the pre-filled SCs or are applying for financial assistance for pre-primary students for the first time in the 2024/25 school year, applicants must submit the SCs to the attending school for 2024/25 by 31 August 2024 or within two weeks from the issue date of SCs (whichever is the later) for processing. |
|
From end September at the earliest |
After the SCs of the student-applicants have been received from schools (if applicable) and the eligibility of the student-applicants have been verified, the SFO will arrange disbursement of subsidies in batches. # Fee remission will be paid, on a monthly basis, to the successful applicants through the kindergartens / child care centres concerned, while a one-time Grant-KG will be disbursed to the successful applicants through autopay. |