Method of Assessment

• The SFO will use 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:
  
  
  • 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. Read More
    • Please refer to the “Notes on How to Complete and Return Household Application Form (SFO 75B(2)) or “Notes on How to Complete and Return Electronic Household Application Form” (SFO 75B(E)) for definition of “Dependent Parent”.
    • As the number of family members may affect directly the level of assistance the applicant’s family is eligible for, the applicant has to provide documentary proof for supporting the 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.

• The AFI eligibility benchmarks for various levels of assistance in the 2021/22 school year are listed in the table below. Please note that the AFI is not the average monthly income of a family.

  AFI eligibility benchmarks

  2021/22 school year - AFI Between (HK$)	Level of Assistance
  0 – 41,360	Full*
  41,361 – 79,976	Half
  > 79,976	Ineligible (applications not successful)

• * AFI thresholds for full level of assistance for 3-member and 4-member families are $50,071 and $46,066 respectively in the 2021/22 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.

• Only the medical expenses incurred by the applicant or his/her family member who is chronically ill or permanently incapacitated are deductible. Applicant should provide the relevant medical receipts for the period 1.4.2020 to 31.3.2021. The 2021/22 academic year maximum amount of deductible medical expenses is $21,670.