Education Bureau Issues Fee List for Direct Subsidy Scheme Schools; Non-Local Students Face HK$10,000 Miscellaneous Fee Cap
SingTao · 1 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
The Education Bureau issued a letter on February 26 to Direct Subsidy Scheme (DSS) schools outlining an updated schedule of fees and penalties, which includes new provisions for non-local students participating in the DSS expansion pilot program. The government last year proposed allowing 48 DSS schools to increase enrollment of non-local students holding student visas .
Key Points
- Non-local students with student visas enrolling through the self-financed model face a registration fee equivalent to one term's approved annual tuition, an entrance exam and application fee capped at HK$3,000, and miscellaneous fees capped at HK$10,000
- Eligible local students receiving DSS subsidies are subject to different fee caps: HK$1,240 for primary school registration, HK$630 for secondary school registration, and HK$75 for entrance exams
- The miscellaneous fee cap of HK$10,000 for non-local students requires any balance to be returned to the student; all new provisions take effect on September 1
- Both student categories share identical fees for replacement documents: HK$50 for student ID cards and HK$35 for graduation certificates
- Schools must display their written approval and fee certificates from the Education Bureau in prominent locations on campus as required by the Education Regulations
- The fees listed represent maximum approved amounts; schools are expected to charge appropriately based on actual operational needs
Why It Matters
The DSS expansion program represents a significant policy shift that opens up Hong Kong's subsidized secondary and primary education sector to non-local students for the first time, potentially transforming the territory's position as a regional education hub while raising questions about educational equity and the commodification of public-funded schooling .
The DSS expansion program represents a significant policy shift that opens up Hong Kong's subsidized secondary and primary education sector to non-local students for the first time, potentially transforming the territory's position as a regional education hub while raising questions about educational equity and the commodification of public-funded schooling .