| FAQ
I. Aim
| 1. |
What is the aim of setting up the Continuing Education
Fund (CEF)? |
|
－The CEF aims to subsidise adults (aged 18 to 65) with
learning aspirations to pursue continuing education and training course. |
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II. Eligibility
| 1. |
What are the eligibility criteria? Any
restrictions? |
|
－Applicants should meet the following criteria:
- Aged from 18 to 65 at the time of application and on seeking
reimbursement of their fees;
- Are Hong Kong residents who have the right of abode or the right
to land or to remain in Hong Kong without restriction, i.e. “A” (right of abode), “R” (right to land) or “U” (remain in Hong Kong without restriction) should appear below the date of birth on the HK Smart ID card. For details of the meaning of symbols, please visit the website of the Immigration Department
http://www.immd.gov.hk. Holders
of one-way permits from Mainland China may also apply. ( A copy
of the one-way permit and the HK Smart ID card should be attached to
the Application Form (SFAA 192));
- Have enrolled in and paid the tuition fee on equal monthly
instalments basis for a reimbursable
course before the course commences;
[Remarks : All CEF course providers are required to collect the
tuition fees of CEF courses on an equal monthly instalments
basis except those which have been granted exemption by the
Secretary for the Labour and Welfare Bureau. For the list of the
exempted courses, please refer to "Reimbursable Course List" in
our website http://www.sfaa.gov.hk/cef/text/course.htm]
- Have not obtained any other public funds or publicly-funded financial assistance
for the same course; and
- Application should be submitted before the course commences.
|
| 2. |
Can an applicant submit multiple applications
to CEF? |
|
－Each applicant may
obtain approval for opening an account with CEF once a lifetime
only. Applicants who have obtained approval in-principle for opening
a CEF account may enroll in other reimbursable course(s) and need
not submit a second application. Applicants who withdraw their
applications of their own accord may not submit further applications
for account opening.
|
| 3. |
Are there any age restrictions? |
|
－Persons who are aged 18 to 65 at the time
of application and on seeking reimbursement of their fees may apply.
|
| 4. |
Why is there a limitation on age ? |
|
－We reckon that there is a need for people
of all age groups to pursue continuous education and training. However,
as funding is limited 6.2 billions, in order to bring about benefits to the community
at large and to enhance Hong Kong's overall competitiveness, we need
to set appropriate parameters on eligibility criteria, such as the
age of applicants. Since the Fund aims to better prepare the labour
force of Hong Kong for the transition to a knowledge-based economy,
the upper age limit for applying CEF is thus set at 65. |
| 5. |
Can applicants concurrently seek financial
assistance from other organisations? |
|
－Applicants should not
apply for reimbursement of their fees from CEF if they have applied or intend to apply for
assistance towards their tuition fees from any other public funds or publicly-funded
student financial assistance scheme, such as pursuing courses funded
by the University Grants Committee, grants or loans from the
Financial Assistance Scheme for Post-secondary Students administered
by the Student Financial Assistance Agency (SFAA) etc. Loans for tuition fee payments
obtained from the publicly-funded Non-means-tested Loan Scheme
(NLS) administered by SFAA are
not subsidised loans. If such loans are borrowed towards the payment
of fees for a reimbursable course of study recognised for the purpose
of CEF, the fees may be eligible for reimbursement subject to all
other criteria being met. The CEF reimbursement would be used to offset any outstanding NLS loans so borrowed by the applicant for paying the tuition fee in respect of the same course. Any remaining balance of the CEF reimbursement after offsetting will be credited to the designated account of the applicant.
|
| 6. |
Where can I obtain further information
on the Non-means Tested Loan Scheme? |
|
－Please visit the website of the Student
Financial Assistance Agency http://www.sfaa.gov.hk
or call 2150 6222 for information.
|
| 7. |
If an applicant has
completed part of the programme before the launching of the CEF scheme,
can he/she apply for financial assistance in respect of the completed
courses? |
|
－Applicants should apply to CEF before
the course commences. Courses completed before the launching of the
CEF scheme will not be considered.
|
| 8. |
If an applicant fails
to complete the initial course he/she has enrolled in, is it necessary
for him/her to apply to CEF again? |
|
－An applicant who has
successfully opened a CEF account may submit a maximum of 4 claims
for reimbursement and, in any event, within 4 years from the date
that the application was approved. If the applicant can complete
other reimbursable course(s), he/she can claim reimbursement in
respect of the completed courses without making an application to
CEF again. Nevertheless, each applicant is entitled to a maximum sum
of HK$10,000.
|
| 9. |
If an applicant has
obtained the financial assistance under CEF, can he/she still have
any tax deduction on expenses of self-education ? |
| |
－To avoid double subsidy, the applicant
can only apply for tax deduction in respect of the course fee balance
(i.e. the difference between the actual fee paid and the financial
assistance from CEF). If you have any queries on the Inland Revenue
Ordinance, please contact the Inland Revenue Department direct for
enquiries.
|
| 10. |
Can an applicant apply for assistance
after he/she has completed and passed the course(s)? |
| |
－Applicants should submit their applications
before the courses start, and as soon as they have been enrolled in
a reimbursable course, not after the completion of the courses.
|
| 11. |
Under what circumstances will an application
be rejected? |
| |
- Applicants who do not meet the eligibility criteria of CEF.
- Late applications.
- Applicants who withdraw their applications on their own accord
may not submit further applications.
- Applicants have obtained in-principle approval before.
|
| 12. |
Are fees paid for different courses reimbursable? |
| |
－Reimbursement can cover the course
fees of different reimbursable courses. An applicant will be allowed
four opportunities to claim reimbursement within four years from the
date in-principle approval was given, subject to 80% of the fees
or maximum sum of HK$10,000, whichever is the less.
|
| 13. |
Is there any limitation on residency
status under CEF ? |
| |
－To be eligible for applying CEF, applicants should
be Hong Kong residents who have the right of abode or the right to
land or to remain in Hong Kong without restriction, i.e. “A” (right of abode), “R” (right to land) or “U” (remain in Hong Kong without restriction) should appear below the date of birth on the HK Smart ID card. For details of the meaning of symbols, please visit the website of the Immigration Department
http://www.immd.gov.hk.
Holders of one-way permits from Mainland China may also apply. ( A
copy of the one-way permit and the HK Smart ID card should be
attached to the application form ). |
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III. Application Procedures
| 1. |
How can an applicant submit
Application Form (SFAA 192)? |
| 2. |
Can an applicant submit his/her
Application Form (SFAA 192)
through the Internet? |
| 3. |
Can an applicant submit
Application Form (SFAA 192) in
person? |
|
－The completed application form together
with a photocopy of the HK Smart ID Card and if applicable one-way
permit should be submitted in person or by post
to the Office of the Continuing Education Fund (OCEF), Room 916, 9/F, Kwai Hing Government Offices, 166-174 Hing Fong Road, Kwai Chung, N.T.
Computer scanned or fax copies are not accepted.
－An applicant can also place his/her completed application form
together with a photocopy of the HK Smart ID Card and if applicable
one-way permit into the CEF drop-in
box on 12/F, Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices, 303 Cheung Sha Wan
Road, Kowloon.
|
| 4. |
Where to get the
Application Form (SFAA 192)? |
|
－Complete the application
form which can be obtained from District Offices and OCEF, or
downloaded from CEF website (http://www.sfaa.gov.hk/cef)
or fill in online application form available on the website of GovHK
and then print the filled form (http://www.gov.hk/en/residents/forms/).
Moreover, application form can be obtained by fax through hotline
3142 2277 (Handled by the staff of “1823 Call Centre”).
|
| 5. |
Any deadline for applications? |
|
－Application for opening
an account with OCEF should be submitted before
the course commenced. The date of receipt of the application by OCEF
will be taken as the date of application. Late applications will not
be accepted. All applications are processed on a first-come-first-served
basis. In the event that CEF no longer has funds available, the
application will not be approved regardless of whether the applicant
fulfils the eligibility requirements for claiming reimbursement from
the CEF.
|
| 6. |
When does CEF start receiving applications? |
|
－Applications open from 1 June 2002.
|
| 7. |
Does an applicant have to pay any application
fees? |
|
－The CEF scheme does not involve any application
fees.
|
| 8. |
When should the applicants submit their
Application Form (SFAA 192)? |
|
－Applicants should submit their applications
before the commencement date of the course for which reimbursement
of fees is to be made.
|
| 9. |
Why are the applicants required to enroll
in the course before applying to the CEF ? |
|
－The aim of requiring applicants to
enroll in the course before submitting application to CEF is to
ensure that they are willing and committed to complete the course(s)
concerned.
Given the limited resources available, in order to ensure that
the CEF is used in a meaningful manner, we need to set appropriate
parameters on eligibility criteria and these criteria have been
approved by the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council.
|
| 10. |
What are the other documents the applicant
should attach in submitting his/her Application Form (SFAA 192)? |
|
－The applicant should attach a photocopy
of his/her HK Smart ID Card and if applicable one-way permit in submitting his/her
application form. |
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IV. Notification of Application Results
| 1. |
How long does it take before an applicant
receives the result of his/her application? |
|
－For applications containing complete information
and the required copies of supporting documents, application results
will be issued within 12 working days from the date of receipt
of applications. If the information provided is incomplete or there
are discrepancies in the information provided, applicants will be
requested to give an explanation or provide supplementary information,
in which case the processing time will be longer.
|
| 2. |
If an applicant has
obtained in-principle approval from OCEF, but has lost the approval
letter, what should he/she do? |
|
－The applicant should
contact OCEF at Room 916, 9/F, Kwai Hing Government Offices, 166-174 Hing Fong Road, Kwai Chung, N.T.
or call up Hotline 3142 2277, handled by the staff of “1823 Call
Centre”, to follow up as soon as possible.
|
| 3. |
If an applicant
has not received any reply 4 weeks after submitting his/her application,
what should he/she do? |
|
－If applicant does not
receive any written reply from OCEF 4 weeks from the date of
submission. The applicant should contact OCEF at Room 916, 9/F, Kwai Hing Government Offices, 166-174 Hing Fong Road, Kwai Chung, N.T.
or call up Hotline 3142 2277, handled by the staff of “1823 Call
Centre”, to follow up as soon as possible. |
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V. Level of Financial Assistance
| 1. |
What is the maximum level of financial
assistance under CEF? How is it calculated? |
|
－Eligible applicants will be reimbursed
80% of their fees or subject to a maximum sum of HK$10,000, whichever is the less.
|
| 2. |
If an applicant who
has completed the reimbursable courses has emigrated overseas, will
he/she receive the financial assistance? |
|
－The applicant can make a
claim by submitting the Reimbursement Claim Form (SFAA 193) if
he/she has successfully completed the courses within four years from
the date in-principle approval was given, provided that he/she can
meet all other criteria. He/She studying language courses may also
reimburse benchmark examination fee provided that he/she must accompany
with a completed filled Reimbursement Claim Form for Benchmark Test
/ Examination Fees (SFAA 205) and related documents to the relevant
language course.
|
| 3. |
If an applicant has
concurrently been enrolled in a number of reimbursable courses, can
he/she apply for reimbursement in respect of some of the completed
courses? |
|
－An applicant will be allowed four opportunities
to claim reimbursement within four years from the date in-principle
approval was given, subject to 80% of the fees or maximum sum of
HK$10,000, whichever
is the less.
|
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VI. Course Information
| 1. |
Are all courses eligible for financial
assistance? |
|
－Only continuing education and training
courses approved by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare are eligible
for financial assistance.
|
| 2. |
Why are there only a few designated sectors
covered by the CEF ? |
|
－As funding is limited, in order to
enhance Hong Kong's overall competitiveness, we need to set appropriate
parameters such as the coverage of the courses for the CEF. After
consulting prominent academics, business figures, employers and
various Focus Groups, it was concluded that priority should be given
to Financial Services, Business Services, Logistics, Tourism,
Design, Languages, Interpersonal and Intrapersonal Skills for the
Workplace, Creative Industries and Specification of Competency
Standards.
|
| 3. |
Why computer / IT are not included in
the reimbursable course list ? |
|
－During the consultation, it was widely
accepted that the labour force of Hong Kong has already got basic
knowledge and competency on computer / IT. Furthermore, reimbursable
courses belonging to the nine designated professions are not limited
to the professional skills. In fact, courses related to computer /
IT application in the nine designated professions are also included
in the reimbursable course list. For details of the reimbursable course
list, please visit our website: http://www.sfaa.gov.hk/cef
.
|
| 4. |
Where can an applicant get information
on the reimbursable courses? |
| 5. |
How can an applicant tell if the course
he/she enrols in is a reimbursable course? |
|
－Reimbursable course
list will be updated on a monthly basis. Information on the
reimbursable courses can be obtained from the Office of the
Continuing Education Fund and registered course providers, and on
our website ( http://www.sfaa.gov.hk/cef
). Moreover, course information can be obtained by fax through hotline
3142 2277 (Handled by the staff of “1823 Call Centre”).
Applicants should check with the course providers concerned the
course details, such as the enrollment date, entry requirements,
course commencement date, course fees, assessment method etc.
Website and telephone enquiry number of course providers can be found on
our website ( http://www.sfaa.gov.hk/cef
) under "Course Information" of "Reimbursable Course List".
|
| 6. |
Where can the institution codes and course
codes of the reimbursable courses be obtained? |
|
－Information on the institution codes and
course codes of the reimbursable courses can be obtained from the
Office of the Continuing Education Fund and registered course providers, and on our
website ( http://www.sfaa.gov.hk/cef
). Moreover, course information can be obtained by fax through hotline
3142 2277 (Handled by the staff of “1823 Call Centre”).
|
| 7. |
Why are the course codes under CEF different
from those of the course providers ? |
|
－As the reimbursable course list includes
courses offered by many course providers and the number of courses
will increase continuously, it is necessary for the Office of the
Continuing Education Fund to have a consistent set of course code,
so as to facilitate application processing and future handling of
reimbursement.
|
| 8. |
Why is a course offered
by a certain course provider included in the reimbursable course list,
while a similar or same course offered by another course provider
is not ? |
|
－Course providers are required to submit
their applications for assessment of the courses to the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic & Vocational Qualifications (HKCAAVQ) before their courses
can be included in the Reimbursable Course List under CEF. In fact,
all reimbursable courses posted on our website have passed the assessment
of HKCAAVQ.
Therefore, a course not included in our reimbursable course list
may be due to the fact that the course provider concerned has not
yet submitted their application for assessment to HKCAAVQ or the assessment
is under processing. Please contact the course provider to enquire
if it would seek registration of the course under CEF and visit
our website to get the latest course information ( http://www.sfaa.gov.hk/cef
).
|
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VII. Change of Information/Amendment of Personal
Data
| 1. |
If an applicant needs to change the information
on his/her personal particulars, how can he/she inform OCEF? |
| 2. |
If an applicant wishes to correct the
information he/she has supplied earlier, how can he/she make the amendment? |
| 3. |
If an applicant has cancelled his/her
bank account previously supplied to OCEF, what should he/she do? |
|
－The applicant should complete the Form
"Notification of Change of Personal Data" (SFAA 196) and send it back to OCEF.
The form can be obtained from OCEF (Room 916, 9/F, Kwai Hing Government Offices, 166-174 Hing Fong Road, Kwai Chung, N.T.) or downloaded
from our website ( http://www.sfaa.gov.hk/cef
). Moreover, it can be obtained by fax through hotline 3142 2277
(Handled by the staff of “1823 Call Centre”).
|
| 4. |
Can an applicant switch to other courses
after obtaining in-principle approval? |
|
－The applicant can switch
to other reimbursable courses after in-principle has been given to
him/her. He/She need
not make a fresh application. On successful completion of the
course, he/she can apply reimbursement of the fees concerned. However,
his/her reimbursement deadline and the maximum sum of HK$10,000 remains. |
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VIII. Cancellation/Withdrawal of Applications
| 1. |
What should an applicant do if he/she
wishes to cancel/withdraw his/her application? |
|
－The applicant should inform OCEF in writing
as soon as possible.
|
| 2. |
If an applicant has withdrawn his/her
previous application, can he/she make further applications? |
|
－Applicants who withdraw their applications
on their own accord may not submit further applications. |
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IX. Reimbursement of Funds
| 1. |
When can the applicants apply for reimbursement
of the fees? |
|
－Applicants should have paid for the course
fees before they apply to the CEF for in-principle approval for assistance.
They can submit claims for reimbursement upon successful completion
of the course(s). The amount of subsidy is 80% of the fees or
subject to a maximum sum of HK$10,000,
whichever is the less.
|
| 2. |
How to apply for reimbursement of fees? |
|
－Successful applicants will be provided
with a Reimbursement Claim Form (SFAA 193) when in-principle approval is given.
Claimants should submit the completed Reimbursement Claim Form with
copies of documents (fee receipts, documentary proof that they have
successfully completed the courses and the front page of their bank
passbook/statement) by post to the OCEF or place the Reimbursement
Claim Form and copies of supporting documents into the CEF drop-in
box on 12/F, Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices.
Claimants studying language courses (except written Chinese
courses) are additionally required to provide a completed
Reimbursement Claim Form for Benchmark Test / Examination Fees (SFAA
205) with copies of documentary proof of passing the specified
benchmark tests/examinations at the specified (or higher) level and
copies of benchmark tests/examinations fee receipts. (All submitted
documents are not returnable).
|
| 3. |
What is the definition of "successful
completion" of the course ? |
|
－"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 mark of either 50% or such higher
percentage of assessment(s) as prescribed for the course (whichever
is higher) as assessed by whichever method approved by the Secretary
for Labour and Welfare (including any examination and assignment
requirements with approved weighting).
|
| 4. |
What is documentary proof of successful
completion of the course? |
|
－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 successfully
completed the
relevant course assessments.
|
| 5. |
If the applicant makes
reimbursement claim for a course co-organized by a local agent with
a third party, say an overseas university, what kind of documentary
proof of successful completion of the course he/she is required to
submit ? |
| |
－Applicants must submit the proof of
successful completion of course or a certification letter issued by
the local agent. |
| 6. |
How to get the reimbursement? |
|
－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. |
| 7. |
Can an applicant on special grounds receive
subsidy in advance? |
|
－Applicants can only submit claims for
reimbursement upon successful completion of the courses, and in any
event, within four years from the date in-principle approval was given.
|
| 8. |
If the applicant has submitted the Reimbursement
Claim Form, when can he/she receive the subsidy? |
|
－In general, payment will
be made within six weeks from the date of receipt of the
Reimbursement Claim Form, subject to complete and satisfactory
supporting documents being provided. In case the CEF reimbursement has to be made to offset the NLS loans, the payment processing time will be longer
as well.
|
| 9. |
Can the bank account
provided by the claimant be a joint account, a credit card account,
a time deposit account or a foreign currency account? |
|
－The claimant's bank account must
be a Hong Kong Dollar saving/current/bank-in-one account opened under
any banks of Hong Kong.
The name of account holder must be the same as the name on the HK
Smart ID
card.
|
| 10. |
What should an applicant do if he/she
has lost the Reimbursement Claim Form (SFAA 193) or
Reimbursement Claim Form for Benchmark Test / Examination Fees (SFAA
205)? |
|
－The applicant should
inform OCEF
in person, by post or through enquiry hotline 3142 2277, handled by
the staff of “1823 Call Centre”,
as soon as possible and get a replacement form from OCEF.
|
| 11. |
If a claimant has
submitted the reimbursement claim with sufficient supporting
documents, but has not received any payment notification, what should
he/she do? |
|
－If the claimant does not
receive any payment notification six weeks from the date that he/she
has submitted the claim, he/she should contact OCEF at Hotline 3142 2277, handled by
the staff of “1823 Call Centre”, as soon as possible. |
| 12. |
How to get a replacement
Reimbursement Claim Form (SFAA 193) or Reimbursement Claim Form for
Benchmark Test / Examination Fees (SFAA 205)? |
|
－The Reimbursement Claim
Form (SFAA193) and the Reimbursement Claim Form for Benchmark Test /
Examination Fees (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 write to the Office of the Continuing Education Fund or to the email address
cef@sfaa.gov.hk 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. |
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X. Benchmark Tests / Examinations
| 1. |
What are the additional requirements for
CEF applicants studying language courses ? |
|
－Applicants studying language courses (except written
Chinese courses) are additionally required to pass the specified benchmark tests / examinations
at the specified (or higher) level within the four-year
validity period. Benchmark tests should be taken after the course has commenced and before the expiry of the validity period.
With effect from 1 September
2009, CEF claimants
can make use of the same benchmark examination to support the claim
for more than one language course. However, the examination date of
the benchmark examination must fall after the course commencement
date of the reimbursable course used for claiming CEF. Information on the specified benchmark tests and levels of the language courses can be obtained from the Reimbursable Course List in CEF website. Benchmark Test / Examination fees may also be
reimbursed if accompanied with a claim for the relevant language
(except written Chinese) course.
For reimbursement of fees, the claimant is required to submit the
completed and signed Reimbursement Claim Form (SFAA 193) and the
Reimbursement Claim Form for Benchmark Test/Examination Fees (SFAA
205) together with copies of the supporting documents.
Applicants studying Chinese (e.g. Chinese writing skills) are
not required to take benchmark tests.
Full details are given in the Guidelines on the Reimbursement
Procedures for the Continuing Education Fund (SFAA 204) which is
attached with the approval in-principle letter.
|
| 2. |
Which benchmark examination should be taken by the applicant ? |
|
－Institutions / course
providers have pegged the specified benchmark examination(s) that
the applicants should take based on the course level and content
(please refer to the “Benchmark Examination”and “Remark”columns in
the reimbursable course list). Applicants are eligible to make
reimbursement claim in respect of the course fee and benchmark
examination fee after successful completion of course and passing
the specified examination at the specified (or higher) level.
|
| 3. |
Where can applicants obtain information
of benchmark tests / examinations ? |
|
－General information of the benchmark tests
/ examinations (such as the types of benchmark tests / examinations)
can be obtained from the CEF website : http://www.sfaa.gov.hk/cef
under "Language Benchmark Tests / Examinations". Applicants should
contact the institutions / course providers concerned for more detailed
information.
|
| 4. |
What should be submitted
by a claimant to substantiate his/her claim for reimbursement of fees
for language courses (except written Chinese courses) ? |
|
－Apart from the
completed and signed Reimbursement Claim Form (SFAA 193), copy(ies) of course fee
receipt(s), copy(ies) of documentary proof of successful completion
of the course(s) and copy(ies) of the front page of the bank passbook
or statement showing the name and account number, claimants studying
language courses (except written Chinese courses) should also submit the following :
- completed and signed Reimbursement Claim Form for Benchmark
Test / Examination Fees (SFAA 205) ;
- copy(ies) of documentary proof of passing the specified benchmark test(s) / examination(s)
at the specified (or higher) level;
- copy(ies) of benchmark test(s) / examinations fee receipt(s).
All these documents must be submitted before the expiry
of the four-year validity period stated in the letter of approval-in-principle
for CEF.
|
| 5. |
Under what circumstances the benchmark
test / examination fees cannot be reimbursed ? |
|
－If the benchmark test /
examination fees have been reimbursed under other publicly-funded
financial assistance scheme, this benchmark test / examination fees
cannot be reimbursed under CEF again. The Reimbursement Claim Form for Benchmark Test / Examination Fees (SFAA
205) has not been completely filled in and /or signed by the
claimant.
|
| 6. |
Is the entry-test fee in connection with
a language course (except written Chinese) reimbursable ? |
|
－Under CEF, reimbursable expenses do
not include entry-test fee. Only payment made for tuition fees
of reimbursable courses and examination fees for attending designated
benchmark examinations in respect of language courses (except written
Chinese courses) are reimbursable expenses.
|
| 7. |
Can a claimant only claim the benchmark
test / examination fees ? |
|
－A claim for reimbursement of the benchmark
test / examination fees will only be entertained if it is accompanied
with a claim for the relevant language course (except written
Chinese course).
|
| 8. |
If an applicant has
already passed or attained the minimum benchmark of the specified
benchmark test / examination before the commencement of the course, can he/she be exempted
from taking the same test / examination again ? |
|
－Under CEF, benchmark test / examination
should be taken after the commencement of the course and before
the expiry of the four-year validity period stated in the letter
of approval-in-principle for CEF. The purpose is to ascertain that
applicants who receive subsidy from CEF do attain certain level
of language proficiency after taking a reimbursable course. Thus,
an applicant cannot make use of the benchmark test / examination
result that he/she obtained before the commencement of the course to substantiate his/her
claim for reimbursement under CEF. As benchmark tests / examinations are held at fixed interval,
claimants
should check on the examination dates and details of relevant
benchmark tests / examinations with the examination bodies/agents and plan their study schedule.
|
| 9. |
If an applicant has
passed the internal examination organized by the institution / course
provider but fails in the benchmark test / examination, can he/she
claim for reimbursement ? |
|
－Applicants can only make a claim for
reimbursement upon passing the specified benchmark tests / examinations
at the specified (or higher) level. A claim for course fees
of a language course will not be entertained
if it is not accompanied with copies of documentary proof of passing
the specified benchmark tests
/ examinations at the specified (or higher) level.
In short, in order to make a successful claim, applicants must
make sure that they can pass the specified benchmark tests / examinations at the specified (or higher) level after the commencement
of the course and before the expiry of the four-year validity period
stated in the letter of approval-in-principle for CEF.
|
| 10. |
If the applicant
has failed in the benchmark test / examination for a number of times,
can he/she claim for reimbursement of all the test / examination fees
? |
|
－No. Only the benchmark test /
examination fees contributing to pass the specified benchmark tests / examinations
at the specified (or higher) level can be reimbursed.
|
| 11. |
If an applicant takes
more than one language courses and the courses are pegged
to the same benchmark test / examination, can he/she take the test
/ examination once only? |
|
－With
effect from 1 September 2009, CEF claimants
can make use of the same benchmark examination to support the claim
for more than one language course. However, the examination date of
the benchmark examination must fall after the course commencement
date of the reimbursable course used for claiming CEF. Other
conditions under the prevailing reimbursement requirements,
including the requirement of passing a specified benchmark test at
the specified or higher level and only one claim for reimbursement
of the examination fee for each benchmark examination, etc remain
unchanged. |
| 12. |
For applicants taking
English courses, do they need to attain the English level relevant
to their respective job types ? |
|
－CEF does not require applicants
to declare their job types nor request them to attain the minimum
benchmark of their job types. Under CEF, applicants taking English
courses are required to pass the specified benchmark examination at
the specified (or higher) level.
|
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XI. Others
| 1. |
Is there any requirement for the successful
claimant to stay/work in Hong Kong? |
|
－There is no such requirement.
|
| 2. |
How to contact the Office of the Continuing
Education Fund? |
|
－Enquiries should be addressed to
- Office of the Continuing Education Fund, Room 916, 9/F, Kwai Hing Government Offices, 166-174 Hing Fong Road, Kwai Chung,
N.T.
- Hotline : 3142 2277 (Handled by the staff of “1823 Call
Centre”)
- Website : http://www.sfaa.gov.hk/cef
|
| 3. |
What are the office hours of OCEF? |
|
－The office hours of OCEF are:
| Mondays to Fridays : |
8:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. |
|
2:00 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. |
| |
(Office is closed during lunch hour from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.) |
Saturdays, Sundays
and Public Holidays : |
Closed |
|
| 4. |
What is the website of the Continuing
Education Fund? |
|
－ http://www.sfaa.gov.hk/cef
|
| 5. |
What are the services offered by the hotline
centre? |
|
－To answer general
enquiries about the CEF, including the eligibility criteria,
application and reimbursement procedures and to fax the Guidance
Notes for Application (SFAA 191), Application Form (SFAA 192),
Notification of Change of Personal Data (SFAA 196) and the
reimbursable course list to enquirers on request.
The hotline 3142 2277, handled by the staff of “1823 Call
Centre”, is running 24-hour round the clock. Staff of “1823 Call
Centre”will answer your call on a first-come-first-served basis.
Information on the CEF can also be obtained on our website
: http://www.sfaa.gov.hk/cef. |
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