Education Grant

Hong Kong Athletes Fund (HKAF)

Application Guidelines

HKAF

To commemorate the achievements of Hong Kong athletes in the 1996 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Government established the Hong Kong Athletes Fund (HKAF), aiming to provide grants for educational and other academic training to individual athletes to allow them to pursue excellence in their chosen sports and to provide them with the opportunity to develop alternative careers upon retirement from sports.

Who can apply?

To be eligible for support, athletes must satisfy all the following criteria:

Medallist (> 9 entries) or top 1/3 (≤ 9 entries) in Asian Senior Championships, or equivalent or above (according to the Elite Vote Scoring Table). Results of junior championships will not be considered; and
Senior current or retired elite athlete of a recognized National Sports Association (NSA). Athletes will have a grace period of two years following retirement during which to apply for grants; and
Resided in Hong Kong for a minimum of three years and is a holder of a Hong Kong Identity Card at the time of application; and
Eligible to represent Hong Kong in competitions that are sanctioned by the respective international federation either before or at the time of the deadline for applications.

Eligible Courses

Certificate/diploma/degree courses offered by the following educational institutions will be funded:

University Grants Committee (UGC)-funded tertiary Education Institutions;
Post-secondary Institutions;
Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education;
Continuing education departments of UGC-funded tertiary institutions; and
Approved overseas colleges or universities (if no comparable courses are offered locally).

Types of Grant

Tuition grants for long-term study programmes (length of course: one year or longer):
1. Full-time programmes:
  A maximum of HK$42,100 per year for a maximum of six years.
2. Part-time programmes:
  A maximum of HK$42,100 per year. Support will be capped at the maximum equivalent of the full-time programme support (i.e. HK$252,600).
Tuition grants for short-term study programmes (length of course: less than one year): A maximum of HK$10,000 per year.
Subsistence allowance: Retired athletes who are undertaking long-term full-time study programmes may apply a subsistence allowance up to a maximum of HK$40,000 per year for a maximum of six years.

Important Notes

Under the conditions of the HKAF, each eligible athlete will be supported ONCE only for one study programme.
The highest qualification attainable with support from the HKAF should be an undergraduate degree course.
The Hong Kong Sports Institute reserves the right to reject any application without explanation.

General Notes

The following notes are useful for applicants applying the Hong Kong Athletes Fund. Please read carefully.

There will be no restriction placed on the area of study.
Applicants are required to submit their application prior to commencement of the course. All approved grants will be released based on a pro-rata basis subject to the date of course commencement.
It is the responsibility of athletes to notify the Student Financial Assistance Agency and other relevant organizations about the tuition grants that are received through the HKAF.
Applicants who have received financial support from other organisations/institutions to cover the tuition fee of the applied course in full will not be considered for support.
The first installment will be paid following the announcement of successful applications. Subsequent installments will be paid upon receipt of proof of satisfactory completion of the previous term of study (i.e. courses are completed with a passing grade).
Official tuition fee receipts are required for reimbursement of funds.
Courses that must be retaken for any reason will not be covered by HKAF tuition grants.
Athletes who fail to complete their studies will not be required to refund grants. However, subsequent grants will be terminated.
The personal data provided by means of this application form will be used by the Hong Kong Sports Institute for the processing of applications only.
Subject to exemptions under the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance, applicants have the right of access and correction with respect to his/her personal data.

Application Procedure

Applications will be accepted twice a year, in around October/November and June/July. Application forms can be downloaded from the HKSI website: www.hksi.org.hk
Applicants will be informed of the result of their application in March and September.

[ Application Form of HKAF (PDF / DOC)]

Enquiries

Ms Chris Cheung
Assistant Athlete Affairs Manager
Athlete Affairs Department
Hong Kong Sports Institute
25 Yuen Wo Road, Shatin, NT

Tel: 2681 6529	Fax: 2605 0618
E-mail: chrisc@hksi.org.hk	Website: www.hksi.org.hk

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