Frequently Asked Questions

Financial Assistance Scheme for Post-secondary Students

Frequently Asked Questions on How to Complete the Application Form

A.	Income
(1)	What is income proof?
	If your family members are in employment, they may submit any of the following documents : A copy of the Tax Assessment and Demand Note for 2010-11 issued by the Inland Revenue Department (Form IRC6401); A copy of Hong Kong Inland Revenue Department's Employer's Return of Remuneration and Pensions form (IR56B) / Notification by an employer of an employee who is about to cease to be employed (IR56F)/ Return of Payroll Emoluments for Civil Servant (IR56C); Photocopies of salary statements for the whole year; A photocopy of the passbook(s) indicating salary payments by autopay (please highlight the entries with appropriate remarks); Photocopies of salary envelopes for the whole year; Return of Employee's Remuneration [FASP/4(2011)] for the year ending 31.3.2011 enclosed with the application form. If your family members are business operators, they may submit the following documents : A Profit and Loss Account for 2010-11 verified by a Certified Public Accountant. If such a document is not available, you may prepare one on your own (some samples are provided at Appendix V of the Guidance Notes). If your family members are self-employed or in temporary and short-term employment, they may submit : Notification of Remuneration paid to persons other than employees (IR56M] If income proof is not available, list in writing all their sources of income or prepare a Profit and Loss account or an income statement (some samples are provided at Appendix V of the Guidance Notes) on their own. If you receive/ will receive income from graduation-tied placement in the 2011/12 academic year, including the summer of 2011 (Part G of application form), you may submit the following document : A photocopy of employment letter/contract, certification letter issued by the employer, written proof issued by your institution, or other income proof.
(2)	My father is a taxi driver. His taxi is rented from a vehicle company. He has no employer. What should I do?
	If your father does not have an employer, he is regarded as self-employed or operating his own business. He will have to furnish a Profit and Loss Account for the year 2010-11 prepared by a Certified Public Accountant or by himself (Please refer to the samples at Appendix V of the Guidance Notes).
(3)	I had a full-time job last year. Do I have to declare my income and submit proof?
	Yes. Please also state in Table 7 of Form G / Form D, Part K of Form S or Part M of Form SD whether you will still receive that income after you commence your full-time studies in the 2011/12 academic year. If you will still receive that income in the 2011/12 academic year, the Agency will assess your level of financial assistance with due regard to your income in the last financial year.
(4)	My family has been receiving Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) since last year. How should I fill in the application form?
	If you are unmarried and your family members are receiving CSSA, you should state the total amount of CSSA received from 1.4.2010 to 31.3.2011 in boxes 359 - 365 of Part F; and in Column G of Table 1 of the application form. You also need to indicate in Column H of Table 1 which family member(s) is/are receiving CSSA. Besides, please provide the Certificate of CSSA recipients (for Medical Waivers) and the notification letter as supporting documents. The amount of CSSA is for reference only and will not be counted as your family income.
(5)	My parents started receiving CSSA after 1 April this year. Do I have to report their income in 2010-11?
	You still have to report their total income in 2009-10 and provide the relevant income proof. However : For Form G and Form D applicants, you have to indicate their receipt of CSSA in Column H of Table 1 and report this change of circumstances in Table 7. For Form S applicants, you have to indicate their receipt of CSSA in Part K (Part M for Form SD applicants) for consideration by the Agency. You should also attach photocopies of the Certificate of CSSA Recipients (for Medical Waivers) and notification letter issued by the Social Welfare Department in order to prove that they are still receiving the assistance.
(6)	My parents are not formally divorced, but they have separated for more than 10 years. At present, I am residing with my father. I rarely get in touch with my mother and have no details of her income. What should I do?
	If you are not residing with your parents (except when you are living in a hostel/mini-hall), you should report the situation in Table 7 of Form G / Form D. You should attach copies of documents in support of your family circumstances.
(7)	I am a recipient of the Disability Allowance issued by the Social Welfare Department. Do I have to declare it?
	The Agency will consider providing additional financial assistance to applicants who are receiving Disability Allowance. Please provide the information and enclose certifications in the application.
(8)	My elder sister has changed a few jobs. How should I fill in her income and her employers’ information?
	If your sister is single and she is residing with your family, you should provide details of her present or most recent employer. You have to report the total income she received from all her employers in the year ending 31 March 2011 in income Column under Section B of Table 1 of Form G / Form D and use a separate sheet to list out her incomes under different employments. Please attach copies of income proofs described in question (1) above.
(9)	My parents have divorced. Do I need to report the alimonies/ contributions given by my father/ mother to my family in 2010-11?
	Yes. If your parents have divorced, you should report the alimonies/ contributions given by your father/ mother to your family in 2010-11.
(10)	My father is operating his own business. What kind of supporting documents should be submitted?
	If the family member is operating a business, the following documents should be submitted: The Business Registration Certificate of the company; The company’s Profit and Loss Account and Balance Sheet verified by a Certified Public Accountant as at 31.3.2011 to indicate its profit and net asset value. If the company’s account closing date is earlier than 31 March, you can submit a Balance Sheet on an earlier date; Generally speaking, Profit and Loss Account and Balance Sheets verified by a Certified Public Accountant are acceptable. If such documents are not available, a self-prepared Profit and Loss Account and Balance Sheet should be provided. The samples are available at Appendices V and VI of the Guidance Notes respectively for reference. For any reasons that you could not provide these documents, please explain at Table 7 of the Application Form.
(11)	My siblings, who are residing with me and had received studentship or income from graduation-tied placement in 2010/11 academic year. Do I have to report such income and submit the respective proof?
	You should complete Section B of Table 1 of the Application Form and submit relevant documentary proof if your sibling, who is residing with you and had received studentship# or income / various allowances derived from appointments by institution or income received from training / placement / internship leading towards their graduation (i.e. graduation-tied in nature) in 2010/11 academic year. Please also report at Table 7 of the Application Form whether the family member concerned will continue to receive such income / studentship in the 2011/12 academic year. You may submit photocopy of employment letter / contract, certification letter from the employer, written proof issued by the institution or other income proof. #Studentship includes Postgraduate / Research Studentship, Graduate / Research / Student Research / Teaching / Instructional Assistantship, Demonstratorship; any award / income derived from appointments as Teaching Assistant, Student Assistant, Research Assistant, Research Fellow, Graduate Assistant, Demonstrator, Instructor, Student Research Assistant; income derived from teaching company associate scheme; and income received from any form of scheme run by the institution exclusively or in collaboration with other parties.

B.	Assets
(12)	My mother has a joint account with my maternal grandmother. How should I report it?
	If you or your parents have a joint account with other members of your family or with other persons, you should fill in the code number of your family members and the names of the non-family members in Section E under Table 4 of Form G or Form D. Please fill in the balance of this account as at 31.3.2011.
(13)	Some of my monthly bank statements were lost when I moved house. What should I do?
	Applicants must submit copies of bank statements to facilitate the Agency’s vetting of their applications. You will have to apply to the bank for copies of the lost statements and hand them to the Agency as soon as possible. All applicants must submit photocopies of all savings/time/current/club deposits and integrated accounts in local and foreign currencies as supporting documents at the time of application. The photocopies must bear the name of the account holder, the account number and transaction records from 1.4.2010 to 31.3.2011 and be submitted with their application form. You must give explanations for the following transactions: (a) an amount of $100,000 or more (which may be time deposits), (b) any other deposits of odd cents (which may be interest from time deposits or dividends from stocks and shares), (c) other regular cash/cheque deposits (which may be contributions / remittance from relatives or income from part-time job), and submit documentary proof with your application form. Please do not photocopy two passbooks on the same piece of paper.
(14)	My parents own a private property. Do I need to fill in Table 4(A) of the application form?
	When filling in the application form, an unmarried applicant is required to report the details of all the properties, occupied by you and your parents, including the first home (whether it is owned or rented). You are not required to report the market value of the first home as at 31.3.2011. However, if your family owns a second property, you must report the market value of the second property in Table 4(A). As mentioned in paragraph 3.5.8 of Part II of Guidance Notes, other than the first home, an applicant needs to provide the following documentary proofs for his/her properties: Documents certifying the ownership of the properties such as purchase and sale agreements, assignments and deeds, etc. Mortgage documents (if applicable) indicating the outstanding loan amount as at 31.3.2011. Any one copy of the "Demand for Rates" from 1.4.2010 to 31.3.2011 of the property. If there is no "Demand for Rates", please explain in Table 7 of the application form. If a family member's share of the property is less than 100%, please furnish proof.
(15)	My father's lorry was sold after 1.4.2011. Do I still have to report it in the assets column?
	Yes, assets in possession as at 31.3.2011 must be reported in Form G / Form D. But you may report the change in Table 7 of Form G / Form D, Part K of Form S or Part M of Form SD.
(16)	The land owned by my parents was a legacy left by my grandfather more than 10 years ago. The current market price of the land is unknown. How should I report it?
	You should be able to obtain an estimation of the price from banks or real estate agents.
(17)	My parents are divorced and the court has granted my custody to my father. However, I am residing with my mother. How should I report their assets?
	You should explain your relationship with your parents in Table 7 of Form G / Form D, Part K of Form S or Part M of Form SD and state whether you are financially dependent on them. Having regard to the circumstances of individual cases, the Agency will decide on how your family income and assets should be assessed.
(18)	Do I have to report the assets of my siblings and my grandparents?
	No. If you are single, you only have to report your own assets and those of your parents in Form G / Form D. If you are married, you will have to report your assets and those of your spouse in Form G / Form D. Nevertheless, if there are assets belonging to you and/or your parent(s) but under others’ custody, these assets should also be reported.

C.	Family Members
(19)	I am married, but my wife and I are still residing with my parents. How should I fill in the form?
	Generally speaking, a married applicant is only required to provide information about his/her spouse and children. The spouse's income should be reported in Section A under Table 1 of Form G / Form D, and the assets owned by the applicant and his/her spouse should be reported in Sections A to H under Table 4 of Form G / Form D. If you are receiving any contributions / support from others, please report this in Column E of Table 1 of Form G / Form D.
(20)	I am residing with my elder brother and his wife. Do I have to provide information about my parents? How can I provide the information about my elder brother and his wife?
	If you are not residing with your parents, you should give the reasons in Table 7 of Form G / Form D, Part K of Form S or Part M of Form SD. Unless you do not depend on your parents for your living, you should give full details of your parents in Table 1 of Form G / Form D. Information about your elder brother and his wife should be given under Table 3 - Applicant's Other Family Members of Form G / Form D.
(21)	My grandfather is residing in a home for the elderly, with all his expenses paid by my parents. How should I report this?
	If your paternal/maternal grandparents resided in a home for the elderly from 1.4.2010 to 31.3.2011 and the expenses were wholly paid by your parents, please provide the information in Section D of Table 1 of Form G / Form D. You are required to attach all the receipts issued by the home for the elderly in the 2010-11 financial year.
(22)	My elder sister and her husband are residing with my family. Are they members of my family?
	Strictly speaking, only the applicant, his/her parents, his/her unmarried siblings and paternal / maternal grandparents who are residing with the family are considered to be family members. Other family members are classified as "other family members" under Table 3 of Form G / Form D. You should, therefore, provide the information of your elder sister and her husband in Table 3 of Form G / Form D.
(23)	My mother and my other siblings are still residing in the Mainland. How should I provide the information of them?
	You should provide your mother and your siblings’ information by completing Table 3 of Form G or Form D. However, if your parents are staying outside Hong Kong for employment purpose, you still have to provide information of their income and assets in Tables 1 and 4 of Form G / Form D. Please also state their place of work in Table 7 of Form G / Form D.
(24)	My parents have taken up residence in another country. How should I complete the application form?
	You should explain in detail in Table 7 of Form G / Form D, Part K of Form S or Part M of Form SD the following: When and under what circumstances (for instance, emigration by means of investment or family reunion) they emigrated and to which country, and whether they still have properties/assets in Hong Kong; When did you return to Hong Kong (if applicable) and how you maintained your living in Hong Kong; Whether your parents, other family members/relatives or friends provided you with any financial assistance. Please state the current amount of assistance that you are receiving and the amount you received from 1.4.2010 to 31.3.2011.
(25)	My unmarried sibling studying abroad has returned to Hong Kong since January 2011 and has been gainfully employed since February 2011. How should I report his information?
	If your sibling returned to Hong Kong before 31.3.2011, his information should be reported in Section B under Table 1 of Form G / Form D. His income during 2010-11 should be reported. You should also provide documentary proof to prove his period of study abroad.
(26)	I am unmarried but not residing with my parent(s) (e.g. residing in hostel / mini-hall), while my unmarried sibling(s) is (are) residing with my parent(s). How should I report the information on my unmarried sibling(s) residing with my parent(s)?
	You should report the information of the unmarried sibling(s) residing with your parent(s) in the “Family Members” column in Section B of Table 1 of Form G.

D.	Medical Expenses
(27)	My mother suffers from rheumatic arthritis and often buys medicines from herbalists and pharmacies. Is she considered chronically ill?
	Generally speaking, if any of your family members are receiving Disability Allowance given out by the Social Welfare Department, their medical expenses are deductible. As for other illnesses, they will be considered on a case-by-case basis. You should obtain medical certification from a hospital / clinic / registered medical practitioner and provide all the relevant receipts on expenses issued by a hospital / clinic / registered medical practitioner for the period from 1.4.2010 to 31.3.2011.

E.	Other Matters
(28)	I am residing in a hostel but will go home occasionally. How should I fill in the residential address?
	To enable the Agency staff to contact you, you may give your hostel address as the residential address. However, please put down your parents' address in Table 7 - Additional Information by Applicant of Form G / Form D, Part K of Form S or Part M of Form SD.
(29)	I have submitted an application but I have transferred to study Year 1 of a locally-accredited programme in another institution covered by FASP in October. Do I have to submit a fresh application?
	If you have already submitted an application, you should notify us by completing Form FASP/C/1B (which can also be obtained from the Agency and your institution). The Agency will take note of the change upon receipt of your notification. You do not have to submit a fresh application.
(30)	I have married, but I still have to support my parents. Am I required to provide this piece of information?
	If you are married / separated / divorced / widowed but still have to support your parents, you may give the details (e.g. monthly contribution by the applicant) in Table 7 of Form G / Form D for the Agency's consideration of your financial position.
(31)	I had received my notification of result some time ago but my father had recently been injured and would not be able to work in the coming few months. Could I still make an application for review?
	Under normal circumstances, an applicant should apply for review within 3 weeks from the date of issue of notification of result. However, if there are sudden changes of your family's financial position that will affect the level of financial support you receive from your family, you may still apply for review with the support of relevant documentary proofs. However, the application for review must be submitted within the following deadline: within 3 weeks from the date of issue of the notification of result; or on or before 31.3.2012, whichever is the latest. Relevant supporting document should be provided at the time of application for review.
(32)	My father has to look after my mother and my siblings who are still residing in the Mainland. Where should I fill in their information? Will they be included as family members?
	You should include them under Table 3 of Form G / Form D. Family members who are not Hong Kong residents will not be regarded as family members. However, if your father/mother has to support the living of your family members in the Mainland or any other places, you may give the details (such as your father’s monthly contribution to your mother/siblings in the Mainland, your mother/siblings’ age and employment status, etc.) in Table 7 of Form G / Form D. The Agency will consider if there are any special hardship elements that warrant special treatment.
(33)	My father does not stay in Hong Kong. He works in the Mainland. How should I complete page 16 of Form G, page 20 of Form D, page 10 of Form S or Page 13 of Form SD?
	You should have the form delivered to him for signature. Otherwise, your application will not be accepted. However, if you cannot obtain your parents' signature because of other special reasons (such as bad relationship with your parents, your parents getting divorced), you should give the reasons in detail in Table 7 of Form G / Form D, Part K of Form S or Part M of Form SD. The Agency will consider the reasons on a case-by-case basis. If you fail to give any explanation, the Agency may have to return the application to you for your parents' signature and re-submission. This will delay the processing of your application. You must not sign the declaration on behalf of your parents. If you do so, your application will be rejected. In addition, such an act is an offence under the Crimes Ordinance (Chapter 200 of the Laws of Hong Kong). An applicant convicted of the offence may be liable to imprisonment for 14 years.
(34)	If the number of family members in my family changed after 31.3.2011, should I report this to the Agency?
	If the number of family members listed in Table 1 of Form G / Form D changed after 31.3.2011 (e.g. an unmarried sibling residing with the family moved away / got married or a family member passed away), you should state it in either Table 7 of Form G / Form D, Part K of Form S or Part M of Form SD and provide the Agency with the relevant document(s). If the number of family members of your family changed after submission of the application, you should inform the Agency in writing immediately, and forward the relevant supporting document(s) to the Agency. The Agency will consider if there are special hardship elements that may warrant special treatment.
(35)	I am a recipient of CSSA disbursed by the Social Welfare Department. I will be excluded from the CSSA Scheme if I receive financial assistance from the Agency. I may have financial difficulties in my maintenance in the period between cessation of CSSA and receipt of financial assistance from the Agency. What can I do?
	Students pursuing full-time locally-accredited self-financing post-secondary education programmes and meeting other eligibility criteria may apply for financial assistance under the Financial Assistance Scheme for Post-secondary Students. If you have financial difficulties in the period between cessation of CSSA and receipt of financial assistance from the Agency, you may approach staff of the concerned Social Security Field Unit under the Social Welfare Department for assistance. Under the special arrangement, CSSA (excluding the tuition fee for post-secondary programme) can continue to be paid to the student in need on a "loan" basis for your maintenance. In other words, the applicant has to refund the CSSA payment for that period once he receives financial assistance from the Agency.