FAQs
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Loan Repayment #
How to login to My Options – Commencement of Loan Repayment in SFO E-link?To use the service of My Options – Commencement of Loan Repayment, student loan borrowers need to provide their 25-digit personal code for the purpose of identity verification. Student loan borrowers can find their personal code in the letter of "Commencement of Loan Repayment" issued by our Office.
Can student loan borrowers decide the repayment period?The loan borrowed and the interest accrued thereon are repayable in 15 years ("Repayment Period") by 180 equal monthly instalments; or in a shorter Repayment Period by equal monthly instalments as agreed by our Office.
If student loan borrowers delay their graduation, do they need to commence loan repayment according to their original graduation dates?If student loan borrowers delay their graduation, they should submit the completed “Notification of Change of Study Status” with the specified supporting documents to our Office. Under normal circumstance, the date of commencement of loan repayment will be deferred.
How to apply for early repayment of student loan?Student loan borrowers can request for early partial / lump sum repayment in writing by email, fax, post or via the “SFO E-link”. Verbal request will not be accepted. Please visit “Links, Forms & Download” to download the form.
For early partial repayment, the repayment amount shall not be less than an amount decided by our Office (currently set at HK$5,000) or the total of one repayment instalment plus the remaining interest already accrued before the commencement of repayment*, whichever is greater. Interest calculation of early repayment varies with different Financial Assistance Schemes.
The early repayment demand notes will be posted to student loan borrowers' correspondence addresses. If student loan borrowers do not receive the demand notes by post 14 days after their requests, they should contact our Office. Otherwise, we will assume that the demand notes have been received by student loan borrowers.
Normally student loan borrowers have to settle the “Early Partial / Lump Sum Repayment Demand Note” in full within 14 days from its issue date. If repayment has not been made duly, they will be required to repay the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region the overdue amount together with surcharge and/or overdue interest.
*Interest will be accrued before the commencement of the repayment period for loan accounts under Non-means-tested Loan Schemes only
How to apply for restructuring repayment period of loan?Student loan borrowers can request for restructuring repayment period of loan in writing by email, fax, or post. Verbal request will not be accepted. Please visit “Links, Forms & Download” to download the form.
The requested repayment period may be shortened such that each instalment (instalment grant/loan principal and interest) shall not be less than $100.
Generally, revised repayment schedule(s) will be posted to student loan borrowers' correspondence addresses a week before the due date of the upcoming repayment instalment(s). If student loan borrowers do not receive the revised repayment schedule(s) by post within a week before the due date of the upcoming repayment instalment(s), they should contact our Office. Otherwise, we will assume that the revised repayment schedule(s) has(have) been received by student loan borrowers.
Student loan borrowers have to repay their instalments according to the original repayment schedule until the revised Repayment Period takes effect. If student loan borrowers choose to extend the repayment period, the total interest payable and administrative fee (if any) will be higher. Student loan borrowers may have a rough estimation on the repayment amount by using the Calculator available in the "SFO E-link".
What should student loan borrowers do if they have changed their correspondence addresses?Student loan borrowers are required to notify our Office immediately in writing together with a photocopy of documentary evidence showing the updated address in the past three months. Documentary evidence of address should be letters issued by the Government bureaux/departments, public organisations/utilities or commercial organisations. Student loan borrowers can also update their correspondence addresses through the GovHK website or “iAM Smart” mobile application.
Besides, student loan borrowers are obliged to notify our Office immediately in writing if they intend to leave the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region for a period longer than three months or to emigrate. Upon receipt of such notification, unless our Office has otherwise come to an agreement with student loan borrowers concerning the repayment arrangement or unless our Office is satisfied that they shall be able to continue to repay the loan based on the original repayment schedule, our Office could demand their immediate repayment of all outstanding balance of the loan, interest, overdue interest (if any), surcharge (if any), administrative fee (if any) and any recovery expenses.
How can student loan borrowers check their loan account(s) information?Student loan borrowers can login to "MyGovHK" and/or "SFO E-link – My Bills" service to check their loan account(s) information, including viewing of repayment schedule(s), repayment transaction(s) and the demand note(s) for the past six months.
Student loan borrowers may contact our staff at the following hotlines for enquiries:
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Tertiary Student Finance Scheme - Publicly-funded Programmes (TSFS): 2150 6226
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Financial Assistance Scheme for Post-secondary Students (FASP): 2150 6065
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Non-means-tested Loan Schemes (NLS): 2150 6211 / 2150 6212
How to re-register the "SFO E-link – My Bills" service if the service was delinked?Student loan borrowers can re-register the service with their loan reference number or ATM/PPS reference numbers. Student loan borrowers can also choose to receive SMS notification by registering their mobile phone numbers.
Please refer to the registration guideline for details. Student loan borrowers may email to e-link_sfo@wfsfaa.gov.hk for enquiries.
How can student loan borrowers request for student loan account record?Student loan borrowers can request for student loan account record by submitting the application form for personal data access request. Please refer to “Data Access” for details.
How to apply for deferment of loan repayment?If student loan borrowers have proven difficulties in repaying the loans due to further full-time study, financial hardship or serious illness, they may apply for deferment of loan repayment. Our Office will consider each application on its own merits.
Application for deferment of loan repayment should be submitted in writing by the specified form, together with the necessary documentary proof, to our Office before the due date(s) of the instalment(s) under application.
For application by e-form, by fax or by email, the date of receipt of the e-form, fax or email will be regarded as the date of application. For application by mail, the postmark date on the envelope will be regarded as the date of application. The application form concerned is available on the Working Family and Student Financial Assistance Agency website.
How can student loan borrowers submit applications for deferment of loan repayment if student loan borrowers are currently staying outside Hong Kong?For student loan borrowers outside Hong Kong, they may submit applications for deferment of loan repayment by post, e-form, fax or email, together with the necessary documentary proof, to our Office before the due date(s) of the instalment(s) under application.
Besides, student loan borrowers may also appoint a Hong Kong resident to submit the application to our Office by post, fax, email or hand.
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Resumption of Student Loan Repayment from April 2025 FAQs for Loan Repayers #
When should I resume loan repayment upon expiry of the interest-free deferral of student loan repayment?Upon expiry of the five-year interest-free deferral of student loan repayment on 31 March 2025, interest accrual will resume from 1 April. The first repayment due date falls on 1 May 2025 (for repayers who repay by monthly instalments) or 1 July 2025 (for repayers who repay by quarterly instalments).
Charging of the annual administrative fee also resumes for all loan repayment accounts under the Non-means-tested Loan Schemes. Payment of the administrative fee will be demanded according to the prevailing rate on 1 January each year until the loan and interest accrued are fully repaid.
Do I still need to repay loan if I have not received any demand note?All student loans are financed by public money. After the resumption of loan repayment, student loan repayers are obliged to observe their responsibility to repay on time. Demand notes will normally be issued 14 days before the repayment due date through the “SFO E-link” online platform or by post. If a loan repayer does not receive the demand note seven days before the repayment due date, he/she should contact the Student Loan Units of the Student Finance Office immediately.
Non-receipt of demand notes does not exempt the loan repayers from the obligation to repay the amount due for payment on or before the repayment due date.
How to apply for early lump sum or partial repayment of loans? What are the benefits?Student loan repayers may apply for early lump sum or partial repayment anytime in respect of any individual or all loan accounts in order to reduce interest expenses. Application should be submitted via the “SFO E-link” online platform or in writing.
What repayment methods are available?For the convenience of repayers, the Student Finance Office provides a variety of electronic repayment methods, including Payment by Phone Service or Faster Payment System accessible from the “SFO E-link – My Bills” online platform, autopay service and internet banking payment services.
What should I do if I have not yet registered with “SFO E-link – My Bills” service or if my log in account has been deactivated?Through the “SFO E-link – My Bills” online platform, student loan repayers may view the loan account information anytime, including repayment schedule and repayment history, and also view, print and download the latest electronic demand note in Acrobat PDF format.
Student loan repayers who have not yet registered with “SFO E-link – My Bills” service, or have got their log-in accounts deactivated, should contact the Student Loan Units of the Student Finance Office immediately to arrange for registration/reactivation for the service as soon as possible.
What should be done if there is any change in my contact information and/or my indemnifier’s?If a student loan repayer and/or his/her indemnifier has/have changed the contact information, or intend(s) to leave Hong Kong for a period longer than three months or to emigrate, the student loan repayer is obliged to notify the Student Finance Office in writing immediately.
Information should be submitted via online platform or in writing.
If a student loan repayer breaches the above terms and conditions of loan(s), the Student Finance Office could demand his/her immediate full repayment of the outstanding balance of the loan(s), interest, overdue interest (if any), surcharge (if any), administrative fee (if any) and any other expenses.
What should be done if a student loan repayer has proven repayment difficulties?If a student loan repayer has proven repayment difficulties (e.g. financial hardship, further full-time study or serious illness), he/she may contact the Deferment Unit of the Student Finance Office to apply for deferment of loan repayment. The Student Finance Office will consider such application on its own merits.
My graduation or completion of studies fall within the period of April 2020 to March 2025. Can I elect to further defer the commencement of loan repayment after 31 March 2025?New loan repayers who graduated or completed their studies during the implementation period of the interest-free deferral of student loan repayment may elect for a further deferral of the commencement of their loan repayments for up to one year after 31 March 2025. All eligible new loan repayers will be notified of the arrangement in writing.
For repayers under the Non-means-tested Loan Schemes, irrespective of whether they elect to further defer the commencement of loan repayment or not, interest and administrative fee will be charged from 1 April 2025 onwards for their loan repayment accounts.
What are the consequences of failing timely loan repayment?Please refer to the “Consequences of Failing Timely Loan Repayment” for details.
Enquiries
Student Loan Units –
- Tertiary Student Finance Scheme - Publicly-funded Programmes (Tel：2150 6226)
- Financial Assistance Scheme for Post-secondary Students (Tel：2150 6065)
- Non-means-tested Loan Schemes (Tel：2150 6211 / 2150 6212）
Email: student_loan_sfo@wfsfaa.gov.hk
Deferment Unit –
Tel：2150 6230
Email: dfr_sfo@wfsfaa.gov.hk