Enquiry

Kindergarten & Child Care Centre Fee Remission Scheme (KCFRS) & Grant for School-related Expenses for Kindergarten Students (Grant-KG)

Enquiry

2802 2345

wg_sfo@wfsfaa.gov.hk

Overview

The Student Finance Office administers two financial assistance schemes for needy pre-primary students, including the Kindergarten and Child Care Centre Fee Remission Scheme (KCFRS) and the Grant for School-related Expenses for Kindergarten (Grant-KG). Please click here for details of the schemes.

Application Processing Timetable – Other Applicants

The following timetable is applicable to other applicants (including new applicants, and those who have NOT received financial assistance for pre-primary students in the 2023/24 school year on or before 1 May 2024).

Approximate Time	Procedures
2024
August or beyond	If applicants have provided all necessary information with supporting documents when returning the electronic or paper-based application form, and submitted the completed School Certificates (SCs) to the attending schools for processing on or before 31 August 2024, the Student Finance Office (SFO) will normally issue the notification of result to the applicants who passed the means test and meet the eligibility criteria in about two months from the receipt of application by the SFO. # All student-applicants who are attending new kindergartens / child care centres in the 2024/25 school year or have not received financial assistance for pre-primary students in the 2023/24 school year should submit the SCs. Applicants must submit the completed SC to the schools concerned before 31 August 2024 for processing. “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pass the means test; have failed to provide the required supplementary information by the deadline set by the SFO; have withdrawn their applications; or cannot meet the eligibility criteria. # 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 form or electronic 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. 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 conducting means test. 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 assistance in batches starting from end September at the earliest. # 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.

Approximate Time

Procedures

2024

August or beyond

If applicants have provided all necessary information with supporting documents when returning the electronic or paper-based application form, and submitted the completed School Certificates (SCs) to the attending schools for processing on or before 31 August 2024, the Student Finance Office (SFO) will normally issue the notification of result to the applicants who passed the means test and meet the eligibility criteria in about two months from the receipt of application by the SFO. #

All student-applicants who are attending new kindergartens / child care centres in the 2024/25 school year or have not received financial assistance for pre-primary students in the 2023/24 school year should submit the SCs. Applicants must submit the completed SC to the schools concerned before 31 August 2024 for processing.

“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. #

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 form or electronic 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.

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 conducting means test.

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 assistance in batches starting from end September at the earliest. #

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.