The objective of the NMTSS is to leverage on the supply of self-financing post-secondary institutions to allow more eligible secondary school graduates to be subsidised in pursuit of undergraduate programmes.
On the other hand, many sub-degree students have worked very hard and strived for academic excellence. To subsidise more sub-degree graduates to articulate to relevant top-up degree programmes, eligible self-financing top-up degree programmes are also covered under the NMTSS.
Furthermore, as announced in ‘2022 Policy Address’, the Government will, through the strategy of fostering industry-institution collaboration and diversified development, promote vocational and professional education and training (VPET) as a pathway parallel to conventional academic education. As one of the initiatives, with effect from the 2023/24 academic year, the eligibility criteria of the NMTSS have been rationalised to benefit students from different backgrounds, including those with VPET qualifications.
The NMTSS covers full-time self-financing locally accredited local and non-local first-year-first-degree and top-up degree programmes offered by the eligible institutions1. For details of the programmes and institutions, please refer to this webpage <www.cspe.edu.hk/en/nmt>. Students who are enrolled in programmes not covered under the NMTSS are not eligible for subsidy.
1 Including Hong Kong Chu Hai College, Gratia Christian College, HKCT Institute of Higher Education, Hong Kong Art School, Hong Kong Institute of Technology, Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Hong Kong Nang Yan College of Higher Education, Hong Kong Shue Yan University, The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong, Tung Wah College, Saint Francis University, UOW College Hong Kong, the School for Higher and Professional Education and the Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong under the Vocational Training Council, and Yew Chung College of Early Childhood Education (as in the 2024/25 academic year).
From the 2023/24 academic year onwards, the annual subsidy for studies is applicable to all Hong Kong students who are enrolled in full-time locally accredited local and non-local self-financing undergraduate (including top-up degree) programmes offered by eligible institutions.
The following students are not eligible for the subsidy :
(a) Non-local students.
(b) Students who already possessed a degree at the Bachelor’s level or above.
(c) Students who are enrolling in any subsidised undergraduate or sub-degree programmes (such as University Grants Committee-funded
programmes, subvented programmes of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, and subsidised places of the designated programmes
under SSSDP).
Non-local students are not covered under the NMTSS.
For students who are enrolling in programmes covered by the NMTSS, but are not eligible for NMTSS subsidy or did not apply for the subsidy in the 2022/23 academic year, from the 2023/24 academic year onwards they would be eligible for the NMTSS subsidy within the normal duration of programme. Please refer to FAQ03 above for the eligibility for the NMTSS subsidy.
No. The NMTSS subsidy will only be disbursed after the students become eligible.
From the 2023/24 academic year onwards, eligible students (including Non-Chinese Speaking students) who are enrolled in the undergraduate programmes covered by the NMTSS are eligible for the NMTSS subsidy. Please refer to FAQ03 above for the eligibility for the NMTSS subsidy.
From the 2023/24 academic year onwards, eligible students (including students holding HKALE results) who are enrolled in the undergraduate programmes covered by the NMTSS are eligible for the NMTSS subsidy. Please refer to FAQ03 above for the eligibility for the NMTSS subsidy.
From the 2023/24 academic year onwards, eligible students (including students holding qualifications other than the HKDSE, such as IB Diploma and GCE A-level etc.) who are enrolled in the undergraduate programmes covered by the NMTSS are eligible for the NMTSS subsidy. Please refer to FAQ03 above for the eligibility for the NMTSS subsidy.
From the 2023/24 academic year onwards, eligible students (including students holding qualifications like Advanced Diploma or Professional Diploma) who are enrolled in the undergraduate programmes covered by the NMTSS are eligible for the NMTSS subsidy. Please refer to FAQ03 above for the eligibility for the NMTSS subsidy.
From the 2023/24 academic year onwards, eligible students (including students holding sub-degree qualifications in an irrelevant discipline) who are enrolled in the undergraduate programmes covered by the NMTSS are eligible for the NMTSS subsidy. Please refer to FAQ03 above for the eligibility for the NMTSS subsidy.
From the 2023/24 academic year onwards, eligible students (including students holding part-time sub-degree qualifications) who are enrolled in the undergraduate programmes covered by the NMTSS are eligible for the NMTSS subsidy. Please refer to FAQ03 above for the eligibility for the NMTSS subsidy.
The following students are required to submit the NMTSS application form in the 2024/25 academic year:
(a) Students who apply for the subsidy under the NMTSS for the first time (including the new intake of the 2024/25 academic year; and
eligible students who did not apply for the NMTSS subsidy before, but would like to receive the NMTSS subsidy from the 2024/25
academic year onwards).
(b) Students receiving the subsidy who are going to change the programme of study for the first time.
Applications should be made through the eligible institutions to which students are admitted. The Education Bureau has made arrangements with the relevant institutions for students who wish to receive the subsidy to declare whether they are eligible for the NMTSS. Students (or their parents/guardians) should confirm their eligibility by completing the application form, preferably before paying the first instalment of tuition fees.
Students receiving the subsidy and will continue with the programme that they are pursuing are not required to re-submit the application every academic year but must inform the institutions concerned as soon as possible in case of subsequent changes to the information provided on the application form.
Eligible students only need to pay the tuition fees net of subsidy on a pro rata basis. After vetting students’ eligibility, subsidies will be disbursed to the relevant institutions based on their actual enrolment of eligible students.
The annual subsidy will be tenable for the normal duration of the relevant programmes. Both new and continuing students are eligible for subsidy. For details of normal duration of individual programmes, please refer to the websites of NMTSS (www.cspe.edu.hk/en/nmt) or iPASS (www.cspe.edu.hk/en/ipass/index.html).
If students require more than the normal duration of a programme to graduate due to academic reasons such as retaking courses, taking extra credits, or participating in overseas exchange programmes, subsidy under the NMTSS is not tenable for the study period beyond the normal duration of the programme.
The normal duration of programme refers to the normal study duration. For instance, if the programme length of a programme is 4 years according to the programme accreditation report issued by the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications, its normal duration of programme is 4 years.
For the normal duration of programme of individual programmes, please refer to the NMTSS website (www.cspe.edu.hk/en/nmt) or Information Portal for Accredited Post-secondary Programmes website (iPASS) (www.cspe.edu.hk/en/ipass/index.html).
We will consider adjusting the subsidy amount annually in accordance with the movement of the Composite Consumer Price Index.
Yes. Eligible students can still apply for financial assistance with the Student Finance Office of the Working Family and Student Financial Assistance Agency in respect of the actual amount of tuition fees payable.
Yes. Students who have received the NMTSS subsidy can change to another programme once and receive the subsidy. However, they would no longer be eligible for the NMTSS subsidy if they change to another programme more than once.
A mechanism has been put in place to monitor the annual increase in tuition fees of eligible programmes operated (e.g. allowing any increase of tuition fee up to the rate of Composite Consumer Price Index). For exceptional cases with full justifications for necessary improvements in teaching and learning, prior approval by the Education Bureau is required.
No, there is no age limit under the NMTSS. Nonetheless, students still need to meet the relevant eligibility requirements under the NMTSS.
The main objective of the NMTSS is to allow more secondary school graduates to be subsidised in pursuit of undergraduate programmes.
Sub-degree graduates who wish to pursue further studies will be subsidised when they articulate to eligible undergraduate programmes covered by the NMTSS.