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?

Athletes must meet all of 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 two-year grace period following their retirement during which they could 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, subject to the length of study programme.
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, subject to the length of study programme.

Important Notes

Under the conditions of the HKAF, each eligible athlete will only be supported ONCE and the approved grant will support ONE study programme only.
The highest qualification attainable with support from the HKAF should be an undergraduate degree course.

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 for application.
Applicants are required to submit their application prior to commencement of the course. Semesters/ courses that have already commenced before the application deadline will not be subsidized by the HKAF grant.
Grants will be released according to the number of study years and amount approved for each application.
Approved HKAF grant will be reimbursed by instalments twice a year upon receipt of official tuition fee receipt and proof of satisfactory completion of the previous term of study (i.e. courses are completed with a passing grade).
Reimbursement of the approved HKAF grant is based on the actual tuition fees that has been paid by the recipients, as reflected in the receipts submitted. Tuition fee that has been directly subsidized by other funding sources will not be reimbursed. Therefore, applicants must provide supporting documents of these other subsidies (if any) during application and after the grant approval.
Please note that for applicants who have received financial support from other organizations/ institutions to cover the tuition fee of the applied course in full, it is not eligible for reimbursement of approved HKAF grant. Examples of other financial support are grants and loans under the Student Finance Office, University Sports Subsidy Scheme and the Local Education Allowance from the HKSAR Government etc..
For course with tuition fee that has already been partially subsidized by other funding sources, only the remaining tuition fee will be eligible for reimbursement of approved HKAF grant.
Failed courses are not eligible for reimbursement of approved HKAF grant, and will only be reconsidered if the course is retaken with a passing grade.
Subsequent grant will immediately be terminated for athletes who have withdrawn from the HKAF approved study programme.
The personal data provided by means of this application form will be used by the Hong Kong Sports Institute or other relevant organizations, such as the Student Financial Assistance Agency, for the purpose of verification and 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.
The Hong Kong Sports Institute reserves the right to accept or reject any application.

Application Procedure

Applications will be accepted twice a year, in around July and January.
Applicants will be informed of the result of their application usually in October and March.

[ Application Form of HKAF (PDF / DOC)]

Enquiries

Mr. Hui Ho Kiu
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: kiuh@hksi.org.hk	Website: www.hksi.org.hk

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