Enquiry
wg_sfo@wfsfaa.gov.hk

Financial Assistance Schemes for Primary & Secondary Students

E-Submission
Enquiry
2802 2345
wg_sfo@wfsfaa.gov.hk

Overview

The Student Finance Office administers various financial assistance schemes for needy primary and secondary students, including the School Textbook Assistance (TA) Scheme, the Student Travel Subsidy Scheme and the Subsidy Scheme for Internet Access Charges (SIA). Please click here for details of the schemes.

Method of Assessment

The Means Test

  • Student Finance Office (SFO) uses the "Adjusted Family Income" (AFI) mechanism as the means test to assess the eligibility of a family for student financial assistance and its assistance level.

  • The AFI mechanism is based on the following formula:

    AFI = Gross annual income of the family / Number of family members +(1)

  • Gross annual income of the family includes the annual income of the applicant and his/her spouse; 30% of the annual income of unmarried child / children residing with the family if applicable; and the contribution from relatives / friends if applicable.

  • The members of a family normally refer to the applicant, his / her spouse, unmarried child / children residing with the family and the dependent parent(s) who are supported by the applicant and / or his / her spouse. #

    1. Please refer to the “Notes on How to Complete and Return Household Application Form” or “Notes on How to Complete and Return Electronic Household Application Form” for definition of “Dependent Parent”.

    2. The applicant has to provide documentary proof for supporting his / her parents (e.g. tenancy agreement, residential address proof or receipt of the home for the elderly, etc.). If the applicant or his/her spouse totally supported the living expenses of the dependent parents, the applicant may provide bank transaction records, self explanatory letter(s) signed by the dependent parent(s), salaries tax and personal assessment demand notes with indication of dependent parent allowance issued by the Inland Revenue Department, or Demand Draft as documentary proof. If necessary, SFO would provide declaration service for the applicant concerned.

  • For single-parent families of 2 to 3 members, the “plus 1 factor” in the divisor of the AFI formula will be increased to 2.

2024/25 School Year
Level of Assistance

  • The AFI eligibility benchmarks for various levels of assistance in the 2024/25 school years are listed below. Please note that the AFI is not the average monthly income of a family.

    2024/25 school year - AFI Between (HK$) Level of Assistance
    0 – 44,495 Full*
    44,496 – 86,039 Half
    > 86,039 Ineligible
    (applications not successful)
    Remark:*

    AFI thresholds for full level of assistance for 3-member and 4-member families are $53,868 and $49,559 respectively in the 2024/25 school year. For 2-member single-parent families and 3-member single-parent families, they are regarded as 3-member families and 4-member families respectively for determining the AFI thresholds for full level of assistance and calculation of AFI.

Medical Expenses Incurred by Family Member(s) with Chronic Illness

  • For applicants who are required to meet the necessary medical expenses incurred by their family member(s) (limited to those who is(are) chronically ill or permanently incapacitated), the SFO may consider deducting relevant medical expenses when conducting means test, yet the applicants must provide the relevant medical certificates issued by hospitals / clinics/ registered medical practitioners and all the related receipts for the period from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024. The maximum amount of deductible medical expenses for the 2024/25 academic year is $23,310.

2023/24 School Year
Level of Assistance

  • The AFI eligibility benchmarks for various levels of assistance in the 2023/24 school year are listed below. Please note that the AFI is not the average monthly income of a family.

    2023/24 school year - AFI Between (HK$) Level of Assistance
    0 – 43,495 Full*
    43,496 – 84,105 Half
    > 84,105 Ineligible
    (applications not successful)
    Remark:*

    AFI thresholds for full level of assistance for 3-member and 4-member families are $52,657 and $48,445 respectively in the 2023/24 school year. For 2-member single-parent families and 3-member single-parent families, they are regarded as 3-member families and 4-member families respectively for determining the AFI thresholds for full level of assistance and calculation of AFI.

Medical Expenses Incurred by Family Member(s) with Chronic Illness

  • For applicants who are required to meet the necessary medical expenses incurred by their family member(s) (limited to those who is(are) chronically ill or permanently incapacitated), the SFO may consider deducting relevant medical expenses when conducting means test, yet the applicants must provide the relevant medical certificates issued by hospitals / clinics/ registered medical practitioners and all the related receipts for the period from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023. The maximum amount of deductible medical expenses for the 2023/24 academic year is $22,790.