Non-means-tested Loan Scheme for Post-secondary Students (NLSPS)

Overview

The Non-means-tested Loan Scheme for Post-secondary Students (NLSPS) is to complement the Financial Assistance Scheme for Post-secondary Students (FASP) to provide loans to eligible students to settle tuition fees of locally-accredited, self-financing full-time programmes at the level of associate degree, higher diploma or degree.

Application Procedures

The NLSPS application for the 2023/24 academic year is closed. Please refer to "Application Deadline" for details.

Workflow PIC


  • Please pay attention to the following points to note for various stages of the application -

    • Part 1: Before submitting the Application #

    • Part 2: Completing the Application Form #

      • Applicants should complete and submit the NLSPS application through the "SFO E-link - My Applications" online platform. Please refer to the Online Demonstration for details about completion and submission of the online application form.

        (The online submission of application is not applicable to students of distance-learning programmes of the Hong Kong Metropolitan University (HKMU). Please refer to the "Supplementary Guidance Notes for the FASP and the NLSPS for Students Taking Distance-learning Programmes" for the relevant eligibility criteria and application procedures under the NLSPS, and duly complete the "Application Form NLSPS/2B" to make the application. Such supplementary guidance notes and application form can be obtained from the HKMU.)
      • Before submitting the application, please check the course information and personal particulars provided on the application form carefully to ensure their completeness and accuracy.
      Remarks: Once the online application is submitted, no online amendments will be allowed. All subsequent amendments should be made in writing to the Student Finance Office (SFO).
    • Part 3: Submission of "Declaration Form" and Supporting Documents #

      • Please submit the duly signed "Declaration Form" (if not digitally signed) and/or the supporting documents required to the SFO within seven days from the date of submission of the online application, through one of the following means -
        • through online upload;
        • by mail to the SFO at the following address -
          Student Finance Office,
          Working Family and Student Financial Assistance Agency,
          Room 1204, 12/F, Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices,
          303 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Kowloon
          (Attn.: NLSPS APU); or
          Remarks: For proper delivery of mail items to the SFO, and to avoid unnecessary delivery delay or unsuccessful delivery, please ensure that the mail items bear sufficient postage with return address before mailing.
        • by using the SFO drop-in boxes located on 11/F (during office hours) or in the G/F lift lobby (outside office hours) of the Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices (CSWGOs). The SFO’s office hours are 8:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. from Monday to Friday, except public holidays. Please enter the CSWGOs through the side entrance near the security counter outside office hours.

      • All supporting documents, once submitted, are not returnable. Applicants are advised to retain a paper copy or computer backup for own reference.
    • Part 4: After submitting the Application Form, "Declaration Form" and Supporting Documents #

      • Please notify the SFO in writing immediately if any mistakes are identified on the application form.
      • Please notify the SFO in writing immediately if there are any changes of the applicant’s financial, legal and residential status. #
        • Applicants are obliged to notify the SFO in writing immediately if -
          • a bankruptcy petition is filed by the applicants or presented against the applicants;
          • a bankruptcy order is made against the applicants;
          • the applicants have applied/are applying for an Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA) under the Bankruptcy Ordinance;
          • legal proceeding(s) has/have been started or are pending or being threatened against the applicants for their bankruptcy or for any or all of their assets or for the appointment of a receiver, administrator, administrative receiver, trustee or similar officer over any or all of their assets; or
          • they intend to leave Hong Kong for a period longer than three months or to emigrate. Upon receipt of such notification, unless the SFO has otherwise come to an agreement with loan borrowers concerning the repayment arrangement or unless the SFO is satisfied that they shall be able to continue to repay the loan based on the original repayment schedule, the SFO could demand their immediate repayment of all outstanding balance of the NLSPS loan, interest, overdue interest (if any), administrative fee (if any) and any recovery expenses.
      • Please notify the SFO in writing immediately if there are any changes in the applicant’s course of study. #
        • Under the following circumstances, applicants must notify the SFO in writing immediately for follow-up action, including but not limited to withholding the disbursement of the NLSPS loan to the applicants -
          • cease to be registered full-time students of locally-accredited programmes;
          • decide to withdraw from, suspend / cease / defer studies, or apply for leave of absence for any reasons;
          • change the course / institution; or
          • are not required to pay the full amount of tuition fee in the 2023/24 academic year.
      • The SFO will review the relevant application and adjust the loan amount, if necessary.
      • Any overpayment of the NLSPS loan made shall be refunded immediately upon demand.
    • Part 5: Receipt of Notification of Result #

      • NLSPS and / or the Financial Assistance Scheme for Post-secondary Students (FASP) applicants will receive the "NLSPS Notification of Result" at different times subject to their respective situations -
        Apply for the NLSPS only #
        • If the information provided is complete upon submission of application, the SFO will normally issue the "NLSPS Notification of Result" to the applicants -
          • within three weeks from the issuance date of the "Acknowledgement of Receipt of Application"; or
          • before mid-July when the life-time loan limits for the current academic year are determined,

          whichever is later.

        • Processing time of the applications will be longer under the following circumstances -
          • the information provided by the applicants is incomplete or discrepancies in the supporting documents provided are found; or
          • the SFO needs to contact the applicant, the respective institution, other bureaux / departments of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, or other organisations to obtain the information required.
        Apply for the FASP only #
        • Applicants will be informed of the financial assistance and/or loan they are entitled under the FASP and the NLSPS (if any) simultaneously in the "FASP Notification of Result" even if they have not applied for the NLSPS.
        • If applicants wish to accept the NLSPS loan offered, please submit the required documents to the SFO on or before the deadline as stated in the "FASP Notification of Result". For details, please refer to "Acceptance of Loan".
        • If applicants wish to apply for and be offered with the NLSPS loan earlier, they are required to submit a separate NLSPS application for processing.
        Have applied for the FASP and submitted a separate NLSPS Application Form before the FASP results are known #
        • The SFO will not be able to determine the loan amount applicants may be entitled under the NLSPS until the FASP results are known.
        • In this instance, applicants will be issued a letter asking whether they would like to obtain the NLSPS loan up to the maximum amount of the tuition fee payable. If they obtain the NLSPS loan under such arrangement, adjustments to the NLSPS loan amount previously offered may be required after the FASP application results are known. Details of the offsetting arrangements are set out in paragraph 10 of the "NLSPS Guidance Note (NLSPS/1B)".
      • Applicants should check the information printed on the "NLSPS Notification of Result" or the “FASP Notification of Result” (applicable to applicants applying for FASP only and with NLSPS loan offered). Should there be any discrepancies, please inform the SFO immediately by the specified amendment forms, and provide a copy of the relevant supporting document. For details, please refer to "Change of Information".