Result and Payment Arrangements
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In general, if the information and supporting documents provided when an applicant submitted his / her application is complete, he / she will be notified of the FASP application result within about two months’ time from the date of the Student Finance Office (SFO)'s acknowledging receipt of the application.
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The disbursement arrangements for different assistance items are as follows -
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Grant #
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The SFO assumes that applicants will accept the grant if offered. Unless applicants notify the SFO in writing that they do NOT wish to accept it, the grant, if any, will be disbursed to the designated bank account of the successful applicants by autopay.
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The grant offered will normally be disbursed in two equal instalments.
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The first instalment of the grant will normally be disbursed to the designated bank account within two weeks from the date of issuance of the Notification of Result.
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The second instalment of the grant will normally be disbursed between December 2023 and February 2024. After February 2024, depending on the date of issue of the Notification of Result, the grant may be credited to the designated bank account in a single instalment.
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If applicants have enrolled in a programme which is charged on credit-based mode, the second instalment of the grant will be disbursed after respective institution has confirmed with the SFO the total number of credits taken by you for this academic year.
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Living expenses loan #
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The SFO would only disburse the living expenses loan after the completion of all formalities for accepting the loan.
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If an applicant wishes to accept the offered loan, he/she is required to submit the loan documents (including the “Undertaking”, the “Deed of Indemnity” and the “Student, Indemnifier and Witness Details Input Forms (Form A and Form B)”) and other related supporting documents listed on the “Checklist for Submission of Loan Documents” to the SFO by mail (Address: Counter Service Unit, Student Finance Office, Working Family and Student Financial Assistance Agency, 11/F, Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices (CSWGOs), 303 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Kowloon) (Note 1) or through SFO’s drop-in boxes (Note 2)on or before the deadline as specified in the Notification of Result. Documents submitted by fax or email are not acceptable. The full set of loan documents and other related documents (including the “Checklist for Submission of Loan Documents”) can be downloaded at this website.
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An applicant can choose to accept the loan offered either in full or in part. When completing the Undertaking, the Deed of Indemnity and the Student, Indemnifier and Witness Details Input Form A and Form B, the applicant needs to state the exact amount of loan that he/she wishes to accept for the whole academic year (i.e. the sum of the first and second instalments).
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The loan accepted will normally be disbursed in two equal instalments.
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If an applicant successfully submits the whole set of loan documents by the specified deadline, the SFO will credit the first instalment of the loan payment to the designated bank account within three weeks from the deadline for return of documents.
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If an applicant misses the deadline, disbursement will normally be made three weeks from the successful submission of the whole set of loan documents.
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The second instalment of the accepted loan will normally be disbursed between December 2023 and February 2024. After February 2024, depending on the date of submission of the whole set of loan documents, the loan may be credited to the designated bank account in one single instalment.
Note:1.Applicants who submit documents by mail, for proper delivery of the mail items to the SFO and to avoid unnecessary delay in delivery or unsuccessful delivery, please ensure that the mail items bear sufficient postage with return address before mailing. Underpaid mail items are subject to surcharge by the Hongkong Post, and will be returned to the sender (with return address) or disposed of (without return address) by the Hongkong Post.
2.Please use the drop-in box inside the Reception Hall on 11/F, CSWGOs (during office hours) or the drop-in box on G/F, CSWGOs (after office hours).
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Hostel subsidy #
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The SFO assumes that applicants will accept the hostel subsidy (only applicable to eligible undergraduate students) if offered. Unless applicants notify the SFO in writing that they do NOT wish to accept it, the hostel subsidy, if any, will be disbursed to the designated bank account of the successful applicants by autopay.
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The hostel subsidy will normally be disbursed in two equal instalments.
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The first instalment of the hostel subsidy will be disbursed around February 2024, and the second instalment will be disbursed around July 2024.
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Additional academic expenses grant for students with special educational needs #
The additional academic grant will normally be disbursed to the designated bank account in around six weeks from the date of issuance of notification of FASP result or notification of completion of verification of the eligibility for the additional academic expenses, whichever is later..
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During the course of vetting / counter-checking / reviewing of application(s) (including the current and previous academic years), the SFO may immediately withhold the disbursement of assistance if irregularity is suspected or omitted information is spotted. Disbursement of assistance (if any) would only resume after the vetting / counter-checking / reviewing procedures have completed and all irregularities / omitted information have been clarified / rectified.
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To verify the truthfulness and completeness of the information provided, the SFO has a mechanism to counter-check successful applications, which may be in the form of home visits, bank search or other means. #
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During these counter-checks, the SFO staff may need to seek clarifications / additional information on the information already provided. They may also examine the originals of all the supporting documents, including those for applications submitted in the previous academic years. 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 our staff.
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Intentional obstruction to our staff in the course of their verification, concealment of information or failure to provide the information as required may lead to full or partial recovery of the financial assistance already disbursed. The applicants and their family members may also be prosecuted.
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If there is overpayment due to erroneous calculation or assessment, the applicant would be required to refund the overpaid amount immediately upon demand (including amounts that may have been overpaid in the previous academic years) and, if necessary, forfeit the payable amount, if any.
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Please refer to “Living Expenses Loan”.