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Ref.: DSE/CR 3/2017 2 September 2016

Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination

Examination Circular No. (3) 2016 / 2017 Applications for Examination Fee Remission in HKDSE

1. Eligibility Criteria

Students who pass the means test of the Student Finance Office (SFO) of the Working Family and Student Financial Assistance Agency are eligible to apply for Examination Fee Remission (EFR) for the 2017 Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination (HKDSE). For the “Household Application for Student Financial Assistance Schemes” for 2016/17, the SFO will issue “Notification of Result” and the Eligibility Certificate (EC) (applicable to applicants who have not been disbursed with School Textbook Assistance in the previous school year) (see specimen of the yellow letter) to those applicants who have passed the means test.

Both the notification letter and EC will indicate the assistance level the student is entitled to and the effective date of assistance. EFR will be granted to eligible candidates sitting for the HKDSE if the following criteria are met:

(1) The candidate is:

(i) a Senior Secondary 3/Secondary 6 full-time day school student who sits for the HKDSE for the first time as a school candidate in 2017; or

(ii) an adult learner who attends Senior Secondary 3/Secondary 6 evening courses in designated centres that are quality-assured and commissioned by the Education Bureau (EDB), and sits for the HKDSE for the first time as a school candidate in 2017; or

(iii) a Senior Secondary 1/Secondary 4 or Senior Secondary 2/Secondary 5 repeater who is a Year 2 student of an Applied Learning (ApL) subject in the school year 2016/2017 and is approved to enter for “ApL subjects only” in the 2017 HKDSE as a school candidate; or

(iv) a candidate who sits for the HKDSE for the second time as a school candidate in 2017 and wishes to apply for EFR, provided that he/she has entered for the HKDSE for the first time1 in 2016 as a school candidate.

(2) (i) Candidates whose “Eligibility Level” for student finance has been assessed as “Full”

(eligible for full EFR) or “Half” (eligible for half EFR) by the SFO; or

(ii) Candidates who are recommended for “Full” or “Half” grant of TA by the attending school (only applicable to government, aided, per caput grant secondary day schools and local schools under the Direct Subsidy Scheme).

1 Under the HKDSE, the examinations of 4 core and 20 elective Senior Secondary subjects will take place from

March to May each year and the internal assessments of Applied Learning subjects will also be completed by then. The examinations of the six Other Language subjects will take place in June and/or November of the preceding year according to the timetable of the Cambridge International Examinations. Examinations taken from March to May and November of the preceding year under the HKDSE will be considered to be taken in the same examination year and therefore counted altogether as one examination entry for the purpose of EFR.

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(3) Candidates must apply for EFR through the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA).

(4) The effective date for financial assistance as listed on the notification letter/EC is on or

before 7 October 2016 (i.e. the registration closing date for the HKDSE). For ‘late applications’ received after 7 October 2016, candidates must pay the full examination fees. The application procedures and refund arrangement are stated in paragraph 3. Students entering for the HKDSE as private candidates or studying in evening schools [except the EDB designated centres mentioned in (1) above] are ineligible to apply for EFR.

2. Application Procedures

(1) School principals are requested to:

(a) inform all eligible candidates who enter for the HKDSE to apply for EFR at the time of registration, including those who have registered for Category C subjects (Other Languages – November 2016 series) in the 2017 HKDSE.

(b) refer to the Result Data Files for Student Finance transmitted to the schools by the

SFO or the notification letter/EC issued by the SFO to the eligible applicants from August 2016 to ascertain their eligibility as mentioned in paragraph 1 and submit EFR application for them. Schools are strongly advised to check all relevant data (including the list of eligible candidates and their level of assistance) carefully before the submission of applications for EFR.

Method of applications for EFR Schools should apply for EFR for the eligible candidates via the HKDSE Examination Registration System from 13 September to 7 October 2016: (i) Schools using WebSAMS should import the result data file via the CDS to

the WFSFAA(SFO) module in WebSAMS and confirm the application for examination fee remission in the HKEAA module before transmitting the entry data to the Registration System. Any changes in the level of assistance before the closing of September Registration can be made in individual candidates’ records through the “Update” function in the Registration System.

(ii) Schools not using WebSAMS may either indicate the level of assistance “100” (“Full” assistance level), “50” (“Half” assistance level) or “0” (No remission) for the candidates in their data file before uploading the data to the Registration System or input the level of assistance in the individual candidates’ records through the “Update” function in the Registration System.

(c) make sure that the HKID card no. of the candidate has been printed on the EC

before submitting it to the SFO and a photocopy is made for the school’s future reference.

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(2) Students receiving “Full” level of assistance need not pay the examination fees but will still receive a demand note for record purposes while those receiving “Half” level of assistance will need to pay half of the examination fees at the time of registration. The HKEAA will arrange for refund of the examination fees for the Category C subjects (Other Languages – November 2016 series) around December 2016 to eligible candidates who have already paid the examination fees during the registration in June/July 2016.

(3) The HKEAA will inform schools of the outcome of the EFR applications around February

2017, upon confirmation of the candidates’ eligibility by the SFO. 3. Procedures for Handling Late EFR Applications or Adjustment of Assistance Level after

Submission of Entries

(1) After the submission of examination entries, schools will receive TA/STS Result data file from the SFO via CDS or notification letter/EC submitted by eligible candidates. These reports/documents will inform schools of additional applications required or adjustment of candidates’ assistance level. Schools should follow up with the candidates who have become eligible for EFR.

(2) Application procedures for Late EFR applications: Schools should submit late EFR

applications for the eligible candidates via the HKDSE Examination Registration System instead of using the hardcopy form during the following periods:

Online Submission Period

Application Procedures Refund Arrangements (if applicable)

16 November to 31 December 2016

Schools should submit late EFR applications for the eligible candidates through the “Update” function in the HKDSE Examination Registration System. Candidates who apply for subject amendment after the submission of their examination entries should pay the supplementary fee and subject fee (if applicable) before the specified payment deadline.

Refunds will be arranged by the HKEAA to the eligible applicants around February 2017, after their eligibility is confirmed by the SFO.

15 February to 15 May 2017

Refunds will be arranged by the SFO directly to the eligible applicants after their eligibility is verified by the SFO.

(3) Late EFR applications made on or after 16 May 2017: Schools should make use of the

DSE17 form “Examination Fee Remission – Late Application” to submit applications for the eligible candidates as mentioned in paragraph 1. The DSE17 form will be available for download from the Registration System from 16 May 2017 and should be submitted to the HKEAA by 30 June 2017. Refunds will be arranged by the SFO directly to the eligible applicants after their eligibility is verified by the SFO.

(4) Adjustment of assistance level: All over-paid and under-paid cases will be handled by the

HKEAA around February 2017, after confirmation of the candidates’ eligibility by the SFO. In this connection, schools need not inform the HKEAA of the adjustment of assistance level of their candidates.

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(5) Schools should note and inform candidates who wish to apply for EFR that late EFR applications should be submitted within 1 month after the issue of the notification letter/EC (or notification of Adjustment of Assistance Level). Applications submitted after this date will normally not be accepted.

4. Other Points to Note

(1) Families in receipt of Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) should apply directly to the Social Welfare Department for assistance towards their children's examination fees.

(2) School principals are requested to notify the HKEAA immediately if any of the EFR

applicants has left the school or withdrawn from the HKDSE.

(3) For candidates who have applied for EFR in September Registration and wish to add or change a subject after the submission of examination entries, if the requests are made on or before 30 November 2016, candidates who are eligible for “full” assistance level should pay the supplementary fee for addition/substitution of subjects only. Candidates who are eligible for “half” assistance level should pay the supplementary fee for addition/substitution of subjects and half amount of the total subject fees (including the subject fees for additional subject(s)/difference in subject fees). If the requests are made between 1 December and 14 December 2016, all candidates should pay the supplementary fees and the subject fees incurred. Refunds of the subject fees will be arranged by the HKEAA, after confirmation of the candidates’ eligibility and the level of assistance by the SFO.

(4) If an EFR applicant is subsequently found ineligible after submitting his/her application,

he/she will be required to pay the full amount of the examination fee to the HKEAA/SFO. Pursuant to Regulation 5.9 of 2017 HKDSE Examination Regulations, entries of candidates will not be regarded as having been accepted until the fees payable have been received in full by the Authority. As such, candidates’ applications for 2017 HKDSE will be cancelled if they fail to pay the full amount of the examination fee. No admission form will be issued to the candidates concerned.

5. In case of enquiries, please contact Ms Sylvia Wong (Tel. No. 3628 8997). MARGARET HUI (MS) General Manager, School Examinations and Assessment Division To: Principals of Participating Schools

15 August 2016 Principals of Government, Aided, Per Caput Grant Schools and Local Schools under the Direct Subsidy Scheme Dear Principal,

Household Application for Student Financial Assistance Schemes 2016 / 17 Collection of Eligibility Certificates

(Financial Assistance for Primary and Secondary Students) after Commencement of School Year

Advanced Payment of School Textbook Assistance for 2016 / 17 in end July / August 2016 In order to enable the majority of the students to receive advanced payment of School Textbook Assistance (TA) for the 2016 / 17 school year before the start of the new school year, the Student Finance Office (SFO) has written to you in January and June 2016 informing you of the arrangements for “Advanced Payment of TA” in the 2016 / 17 school year. As in previous year, the SFO will advance disbursement of TA and Subsidy for Internet Charges (SIA) in end July / August 2016 to all those students who successfully received TA (both Full grant and Half grant) in the 2015 / 16 school year, have submitted application for 2016 / 17 with complete information by end May and pass the means test of the new school year. The SFO will issue “Notification of Result” (the yellow letter) (specimen as attached) to applicants on family basis in August by batches to notify them of the assistance level (full level or half level). As the “Notification of Result” is on family basis, the SFO has reminded applicants to keep the Notification so as to facilitate their applications for other schemes. We shall also commence the disbursement of Student Travel Subsidy (STS) to eligible students starting from October 2016.

As regards students recommended under the Principal’s Recommendation Scheme, with schools’ support to process a limited number of Eligibility Certificate(s) (EC) in early July 2016, the SFO has also disbursed TA (together with SIA) in end July / August 2016 to those recommended students who had returned their ECs.

Since the TA grant rates for the 2016 / 17 school year have not yet been

determined, the SFO has disbursed the provisional TA to eligible students in end July / August 2016 with reference to the respective TA grant rates for 2015 / 16 school year. As and when the TA grant rates for 2016 / 17 are available in October 2016, the SFO would adjust the assistance receivable by these students based on the latest rates. The SFO would notify individual applicants of the details of the adjustment, and would also inform you of the new grant rates in due course.

本處檔號 Our Ref. (45) in WFSFAA / SFO / TT / 523 / 01 Pt.1

來函檔號 Your Ref.

電 話 Telephone 2802 2345

圖文傳真 Fax No. 3622 3323

在職家庭及學生資助事務處 學生資助處 WORKING FAMILY AND STUDENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AGENCY

STUDENT FINANCE OFFICE

九龍協調道3號工業貿易大樓5樓 5/F, Trade and Industry Tower, 3 Concorde Road, Kowloon

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Result Data Files for Student Financial Assistance

As in previous years, the SFO will transmit result data files for student financial assistance for the 2016/17 school year to schools via CDS for your use. To protect personal data, all data files are encrypted. The SFO transmitted the password document for 2016/17 school year to schools via CDS on 5 August 2016. Please use the password for 2015/16 school year to open that document so as to obtain the password for this school year.

The SFO has scheduled to transmit the result data files via CDS on the

following dates for schools’ downloading and reference:

Result Data Files for Student Finance Tentative Transmission Date

1st result data file 18.8.2016

2nd result data file 29.8.2016

3rd result data file 15.9.2016

4th result data file 27.10.2016

5th result data file 22.11.2016

6th result data file 20.12.2016

7th result data file 23.1.2017

8th result data file 20.2.2017

9th result data file 20.3.2017

10th result data file 28.4.2017

11th result data file 29.5.2017

Release of Other Results on Household Application for Student Financial Assistance Schemes As regards other applicants who submitted their Household Application for Student Financial Assistance Schemes together with all necessary application documents in May 2016, the SFO will issue the Notification of Result and the ECs (yellow document) to them by post within August. The following documents are attached for your processing of application / reference -

- Class Folders - School Code Label - Application Summary (for schools to submit ECs after the start of new

school year) - School Reminder (for schools to submit ECs after the start of new school year) - “Points to Note on Household Application for Student Financial Assistance

Schemes 2016/17 (Financial Assistance for Primary and Secondary Students)” to applicants (for schools’ reference)

Handling of Eligibility Certificate (Financial Assistance for Primary and Secondary Students) Schools should first read the ‘Explanatory Notes to Schools for Application Processing’ (EN) before processing the ECs. Upon receiving the ECs submitted by students, schools are requested to check if the application year printed on the EC is ‘2016 / 17’ and if the student-applicants are students of your school; to confirm their class code in 2016 / 17 school year; and to certify their eligibility for the assistance scheme(s) they applied for. Please note that under the New Senior Secondary Academic Structure, students of Senior Secondary 1, Senior Secondary 2 and Senior Secondary 3 should be

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marked as studying ‘Form 4’, ‘Form 5’ and ‘Form 6’ respectively. Schools may remind applicants not to submit their ECs to the SFO if their children have been approved to receive the school-related expenses under the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) Scheme as Social Welfare Department will provide school-related assistance to them for 2016 / 17. Besides, when verifying the application information for STS, please note that for applications with the same or almost the same home-to-school routes, consistency should be observed in determining the distance between the school and the residence of the students and the eligibility of the students for receiving STS. After verification, School Principals are requested to sign on Part IV of the EC. Points to Note When Handling Students’ Applications on TA Scheme / STS Scheme / SIA To ensure the proper use of public funds, student-applicants who have been approved to receive any kind of allowance, assistance or remission on school textbook, student travel expense, Internet access charges, public examination fee etc. (including free transportation to schools) from any public / private corporations or attending schools should NOT submit applications for student finance for similar kinds of assistance, such as TA, STS and SIA Schemes to the SFO. These public / private corporations include but are not limited to their attending schools, the Social Welfare Department, the Education Bureau, the Hong Kong Jockey Club, public transport operators etc.

If your school has already provided students with free textbook or textbook / travelling / Internet access allowance / assistance for the 2016 / 17 school year, please inform the parents that they are NOT entitled to apply for similar kinds of student finance for their children from the SFO. Students should NOT select the corresponding scheme(s) on the EC, and school should check carefully the relevant information, bearing in mind the requirement NOT to recommend the students concerned to apply for the relevant assistance scheme(s), before signing the EC. The SFO will recover the full amount of assistance of the relevant scheme(s) from the applicants should they be found receiving similar kind of subsidy / assistance in the same school year. Recommendation of Discretionary Awards As in previous year, schools may recommend discretionary awards for applicants having exceptional financial hardship through the WebSAMS. Schools should read the guidelines at paragraphs 56-58 and Appendix 6B of EN carefully before making the recommendations. Discretionary award is not applicable to the “Subsidy Scheme for Internet Access Charges”. Dates for Submission of Eligibility Certificates To tie in with the TA, SIA and STS payment scheduled for October 2016, schools are required to return the completed Application Summary together with the class folders containing certified ECs to the SFO on or before the following dates:

School / Type Date

For public sector and DSS primary schools For primary schools on Hong Kong and Kowloon side For primary schools in the New Territories and on

Outlying Islands

8.9.2016 9.9.2016

For public sector, caput and DSS secondary schools For secondary schools on Hong Kong and Kowloon side For secondary schools in the New Territories and on

Outlying Islands

12.9.2016 13.9.2016

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The business hour and address of our office are:

Business Hour: Monday to Friday 8:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. 2:00 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. (Offices are closed during lunch hour from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.) Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays Closed

Address: 5/F, Trade and Industry Tower, 3 Concorde Road, Kowloon (Please refer to the attached map)

For those ECs submitted by students after the submission dates, schools may forward these late ECs to the SFO by registered mail / by hand, or request the applicants to submit their EC direct to the SFO within one month from the issue date of EC after certification. Deadlines for Submission of Eligibility Certificates The SFO has issued a reminder together with the EC(s) to all eligible families requesting the applicants to submit the completed ECs to the attending school of their children on time. Under all circumstances, schools should forward all ECs collected from students to the SFO on or before 31 January 2017; or within 1 month from the issue date of EC, whichever is the later. Late submission of ECs will not be accepted by the SFO. Enquiry For enquiries of the above arrangement, schools may contact the respective Assistance Officer of the SFO according to the telephone list at Appendix 10 of the EN. If parents of students have any enquiry, please direct them to call our hotline 2802 2345. Thank you for your kind assistance and co-operation.

Yours faithfully,

(Ms Christine NIP) for Head,

Working Family and Student Financial Assistance Agency

Encls

Specimen

在職家庭及學生資助事務處

學生資助處

WORKING FAMILY AND STUDENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AGENCY

STUDENT FINANCE OFFICE Financial Assistance for Primary and Secondary Students: 5/F, Trade and Industry Tower, 3 Concorde Road, Kowloon Kindergarten and Child Care Centre Fee Remission: Room 713-714, 7/F, Kwai Hing Government Offices, 166-174 Hing Fong Road, Kwai Chung, N.T.

[Applicant’s name][Applicant’s address] [Applicant’s address]

[Applicant’s address] [Applicant’s address]

Dear Sir / Madam,

HOUSEHOLD APPLICATION FOR STUDENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE SCHEMES 2016 / 17 NOTIFICATION OF RESULT

The Student Finance Office (SFO) has completed the assessment on your Household Application for Student Financial Assistance Schemes for the 2016/17 school year. The application result(s) is/are as follows-

Student Name (HKID Card No.)

Level of Assistance (Effective Date)

Remarks

CHAN YAT MAN

A123****

HALF

(September 2016)

Since the grant rates for School Textbook Assistance (TA) for the 2016/17 school year are being formulated, the SFO has preliminarily disbursed the provisional TA to you with reference to the respective TA grant rates for the 2015/16 school year. The Subsidy for Internet Access Charges (if applicable)

(Note)1will

also be disbursed to you concurrently. Arrangement has been made to credit the subsidies to your designated bank account in end July / August 2016. The Student Travel Subsidy will be disbursed to eligible applicants starting from October 2016.

CHAN YEE MAN B123****

HALF (September 2016)

CHAN SAM MAN

C123****

HALF

(September 2016)

The Eligibility Certificate(s) (EC) (applicable to Financial Assistance for Primary and Secondary Students) is/are enclosed. Please complete and submit the EC(s) according to the enclosed “Guidance Notes on How to Apply by Scheme (Financial Assistance for Primary and Secondary Students) (SFO 189)”.

After verifying whether the students are eligible for the respective Schemes they applied for and upon the completion of the assessment procedures, the SFO will release financial assistance by autopay

(Note) to the eligible

applicants.

Note: For those applicants with over-payment of financial assistance in previous years, the SFO will, for the time being,

suspend payment of their subsidy amount in the current application year if they fail to settle the outstanding amount with the SFO. For details, please refer to paragraph 9 of the “Points to Note on Household Application for Student Financial Assistance Schemes 2016/17 (Financial Assistance for Primary and Secondary Students)” (SFO 276). Besides, payment of subsidy amount in the current application year may also be suspended if the applicant has not provided the complete information as required by the SFO during the detailed checking exercise in previous year(s).

Household Application No. : :

Date :

Specimen

CHAN SAI MAN

D123****

3/4 Remission

(To be notified in writing separately)

The School Certificate(s) (SC) (applicable to Kindergarten and Child Care Centre Fee Remission) is/are enclosed for those applicants who have submitted the pre-printed form earlier. Please complete and submit the SC(s) according to the enclosed “Notes on How to Complete and Return SC (applicable to Kindergarten and Child Care Centre Fee Remission Scheme) (SFO 293E)”. If your child(ren) is/are attending school(s) for the first time in the 2016/17 school year or has/have not received fee remission in the 2015/16 school year, you must complete the SC(s) attached together with the application form and submit the SC(s) to the school(s) concerned for processing.

After verifying whether the students are eligible for the Scheme and upon the completion of the assessment procedures, the SFO will arrange disbursement of fee remission to the eligible applicants through the kindergartens / child care centres concerned.

CHAN NG MAN

E123****

To be notified in writing separately

(To be notified in writing separately)

When applying for the Kindergarten and Child Care Centre Fee Remission Scheme in the new school year, applicants with children receiving whole-day child care services must pass the means test and the “social needs” test concurrently within the same assessment period in order to qualify themselves for the fee remission. Upon completion of the “social needs” test, the SFO will issue notification of result to you in writing separately.

Application for Re-assessment

If you are dissatisfied with the above assessment result, you may apply in writing to the SFO for re-assessment. The application for re-assessment must be duly signed by the applicant and marked with the application number (see the right upper corner of this notification) or the HKID card number of the applicant. Detailed justifications and documentary evidence in support of your application should be provided. Since re-assessment of eligibility normally takes three months to process, applicants should apply for re-assessment promptly within one month from the issue date of this notification. The SFO may only give special consideration with exceptional reasons to re-assessment request which cannot be submitted within the aforesaid period. Authentication after Disbursement of Financial Assistance

Please note that the SFO will conduct authentication on the applications, including home visits, detailed checking and data matching with the Social Welfare Department, after disbursement of financial assistance. It is the responsibility of applicants to keep all supporting documents of the application data for at least two years. Applicants should cooperate with the SFO staff and provide the required information for authentication. Please refer to the paragraphs relating to provision / handling of personal data set out in the “Guidance Notes on Household Application for Student Financial Assistance Schemes 2016/17” for details. Please keep this notification for your application for other schemes as appropriate (e.g. Hong Kong Jockey Club Life-wide Learning Fund). For enquiry, please call our 24-hour hotline at 2802 2345.

Student Finance Office Working Family and Student Financial Assistance Agency