Continuing Education Fund

How to Claim Reimbursement

Reimbursement Procedures
Checklist for Submitting a Reimbursement Claim Form
How to get a replacement Reimbursement Claim Form (SFAA193/194/205) ?

Reimbursement Procedures

Each successful applicant will be provided with a Reimbursement Claim Form (RCF) which should be submitted after successful completion of the course(s) and, in any event, within four years from the date the application was approved.
Only courses on the reimbursable course list are eligible for reimbursement.
A claimant should submit to the OCEF the completed and certified RCF together with copies of supporting documents (fee receipts, documentary proof that the claimant has successfully completed the courses and the front page of his/her bank passbook/statement showing the name, account number and bank name / bank code).
“Successful completion”* of the course means that the claimant must have attended no less than 70% of the contactable hours of the course or such higher attendance requirement as prescribed for the course (whichever is higher) and attained the overall passing mark for the course as assessed by whichever method approved by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare (including any examination and assignment requirements with approved weighting), i.e. the overall passing mark of either 50% or such higher percentage as prescribed for the course (whichever is higher). Documentary proof of successful completion of the course may include a certificate of award, a letter or a transcript from the course provider certifying that the claimant has passed the relevant course assessment.
If the course is co-organized by a local agent with a third party, say an overseas university, the claimant, when applying for reimbursement of fees, should submit the proof of successful completion of the course or a certification letter issued by the local agent.
Claimants studying language courses (except written Chinese) are additionally required to pass a specified benchmark test at the specified (or higher) level within the four-year validity period. Information on the benchmark tests can be obtained from the following website: www.sfaa.gov.hk/cef/test.htm.
Benchmark Test / Examination fees may also be reimbursed if accompanied with a claim for the relevant language course (except written Chinese). Claimants should complete a Reimbursement Claim Form for Benchmark Test / Examination fees (SFAA 205) and attach copies of documentary proof of passing the specified benchmark test at the specified (or higher) level and the examination fee receipts.
The OCEF will not accept reimbursement of additional courses which are not stated on the RCF.
Copies of all submitted supporting documents are not returnable. Claimants should retain copies for their own reference.
Failure to provide all the necessary documents may lead to the rejection of the reimbursement claim.
Reimbursement will be made by direct credit to the saving/current account nominated by the claimant for receipt of the reimbursement. The name of the claimant on the account must be exactly the same as the name on the HK Smart ID Card. Credit card accounts, fixed deposit accounts and foreign currency deposit accounts are not acceptable accounts for direct credit of the reimbursement.
Payment will be made within six weeks from the date of receipt of the RCF, subject to complete and satisfactory supporting documents being provided. If the claimant fails to provide all the required information, the OCEF may approach the claimant for the supply of additional information in support of his/her claim. In case the CEF reimbursement has to be made to offset the NLS loans, the payment processing time will be longer.
Each applicant may make four claims of reimbursement, subject to a ceiling of HK$10,000 within four years from the date the application was approved. The CEF account for the applicant will be closed once the fourth reimbursement has been made or when the full sum of HK$10,000 has been drawn or at the end of the four-year period notwithstanding any unclaimed balance remaining in the account. Applicants are not eligible to re-apply in future.

* Labour and Welfare Bureau has introduced the following major amendments to the eligibility of claiming course fees reimbursement under Continuing Education Fund (CEF). They are:

(a) CEF claimants would be eligible for fee reimbursement only upon their successful completion of the whole course .They may claim reimbursement upon completion of a module only if the module is registered individually on the list of CEF reimbursable courses.

(b) CEF claimants are required to obtain at least 50% passing mark for the assessment of the courses before they are eligible for fee reimbursement.

While all CEF course providers have been informed of the changes and are requested to convey the message to their CEF claimants, this Office would like to draw your attention to the changes again.

Meanwhile, please note that if the above mentioned conditions contradict with those mentioned in the course information of our webpage, the higher requirement standards will be adopted by this Office in processing claims for course fees reimbursement.

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Checklist for Submitting a Reimbursement Claim Form

Have you successfully completed the course(s) ?

In Part A of the form,	-	your personal particulars,
have you provided	-	application number, HK Smart ID number,
	-	bank account number,
	-	contact phone number ?

In Part B of the form, have you provided	-	the name of institution / course provider,
	-	the CEF institution code,
	-	the CEF course title and course code,
	-	the course commencement date,
	-	the course completion date,
	-	the actual amount of tuition fees paid,
	-	the date on which the tuition fees were paid ?

Have you submitted the form to the institution / course provider and obtained certification in Part B of the form ?

If you intend to claim for reimbursement of fees for more than one course, please complete Course 2, 3 and 4, as appropriate.

If you intend to claim for reimbursement of fees for more than four courses within one claim, please approach OCEF for one more copy of “Reimbursement Claim Form” [SFAA 193].

Have you read and signed the Declaration in Part C ?

Have you attached	-	copy of the front page of your bank passbook or statement showing your name, account number and bank name / bank code (name of account holder must be exactly the same as the name in the Hong Kong Smart Identity Card),
	-	copy(ies) of the tuition fee receipt(s),
	-	copy(ies) of the documentary proof of successful completion of the course ?
		(If the course is co-organized by a local agent with a third party, say an overseas university, you must submit the proof of successful completion of course or a certification letter issued by the local agent.)

If you are studying a language course (except written Chinese)

Have you passed the specified benchmark examination at the specified (or higher) level ?

Have you completed the “ Reimbursement Claim Form for Benchmark Test / Examination Fees” [SFAA 205] ?

(Please approach OCEF for a copy of the form if required.)

Have you attached a copy of the proof that you have passed the specified benchmark examination at the specified (or higher) level?

10)

Have you attached a copy of the benchmark fee receipt ?

11)

Submit the RCF and copies of the relevant supporting documents by post to the Office of the Continuing Education Fund (Address: Room 916, 9/F, Kwai Hing Government Offices, 166-174 Hing Fong Road, Kwai Chung, N.T.) or you may also place your reimbursement claims in the drop-in box on 12/F., Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices.

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How to get a replacement Reimbursement Claim Form (SFAA193/194/205) ?

The Reimbursement Claim Form (RCF) (SFAA193/194) and the Reimbursement Claim Form for Benchmark Test (SFAA 205) are controlled forms and the forms are sent to all successful applicants together with Approval in-principle Letter. These forms are not available for downloading. Applicants who have lost their RCFs should inform Office of the Continuing Education Fund in person, by post, through email to cef@sfaa.gov.hk or through enquiry hotline 3142 2277 and request for a replacement copy. Please provide your full name and the Hong Kong Smart Identity Card Number / CEF application number so that we can retrieve your application record. We will send the replacement forms to you by post.

24-hour manned enquiry hotline
3142 2277