Means-tested and non-means-tested Financial Assistance

To ensure that no students are deprived of education for lack of financial means, the Student Financial Assistance Agency (SFAA) provides both means-tested and non means-tested financial assistance to needy students. Means-tested assistance includes fee remission for kindergarten pupils; grants to primary and secondary school students in the form of textbook assistance and travel subsidy; remission of tuition fees and examination fees for students of Secondary 4 to 7 in public sector schools; grants for payment of tuition fees, and low-interest loans for meeting living expenses to students at the post-secondary and tertiary level; and reimbursement of tuition fees for Project Yi Jin students.

Non-means tested and interest-bearing loans are available to students pursuing recognised publicly funded or self-financing local award-bearing programmes as well as professional or continuing education courses for tuition fee payments and living expenses.

Scholarships and Other Assistance Schemes

The SFAA also administers many privately funded and merit-based scholarships and assistance schemes for students.

Continuing Education Fund

A $5 billion Continuing Education Fund was launched in June 2002 to subsidise adults with learning aspirations to pursue continuing education and training courses in specified sectors. Eligible applicants are reimbursed 80 per cent of their fees up to $10,000, on successful completion of a reimbursable course or module forming part of the course.