Result & 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 TSFS 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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SFO assumes that applicants will accept the grant if offered. Unless applicants notify 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 of the application year and February in the year after. After February in the year following the application year, depending on the date of the Notification of Result and the date of submitting the full set of loan documents, the financial assistance may be disbursed to the applicant's designated bank account in a single instalment.
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Living expenses loan #
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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 full set of duly completed 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 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. Loan 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. In completing the "Undertaking", the "Deed of Indemnity" and the "Student, Indemnifier and Witness Details Input (Form A and Form B)", the applicant needs to specify 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 full set of loan documents and other related supporting documents on or before the specified deadline, SFO will normally disburse 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 full set of loan documents and other related supporting documents.
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The second instalment of the accepted loan will normally be disbursed between December of the application year and February in the year after. After February in the year following the application year, depending on the date of the Notification of Result and the date of submitting the full set of loan documents, the financial assistance may be disbursed to the applicant's designated bank account in a single instalment.
Note:1.Applicants who submit documents by mail, for proper delivery of the mail items to 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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SFO assumes that applicants will accept the hostel subsidy (only applicable to eligible undergraduate students) if offered. Unless applicants notify 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 2025, and the second instalment will be disbursed around July 2025.
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Additional academic expenses grant for students with special educational needs #
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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 TSFS 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), SFO may immediately withhold the disbursement of assistance if irregularity is suspected or omitted information is spotted. Disbursement of assistance 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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As a measure to verify the truthfulness and completeness of the information submitted, SFO has a mechanism to counter-check successful applications, which may be in the form of home visits, bank searches or other means. #
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During these counter-checks, 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 therefore 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 / clarification 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”.