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Scheme for Subsidy on Exchange (SSE) for Post-secondary Students 2021/2022

Introduction

SSE is set up by the Education Bureau (EDB) of the HKSAR to subsidise financially-needy students who are Hong Kong permanent residents and are enrolled in full-time locally-accredited top-up and full-degree programmes of CityU SCOPE to participate in outbound activities endorsed by the School, which comprise substantive teaching and learning elements.

Objective To ensure that no post-secondary students will be denied access to exchange programmes due to a lack of financial means, and to encourage and support local students to go on exchange activities.
 
Eligible Students ONLY local full-time students (Top-up and Full-degree programmes) who are in receipt of means-tested student financial assistance from Student Financial Office (SFO) of the Working Family and Student Financial Assistance Agency (WFSFAA) OR whose families are in receipt of the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA). Applicants of the Extended Non-means-tested Loan Scheme (ENLS) are not eligible for the SSE.

(For application purpose, students should provide the latest approval letters from SFO in respect of their means-tested grants and loans applications. For applicants who are family members of CSSA recipients, the School will coordinate with the Social Welfare Department via EDB, with the consent of the concerned CSSA recipients, for verification of their CSSA status.)
 
Eligible Activities

Activities that meet the following criteria are eligible for SSE –

  • An outbound activity comprising substantive teaching and learning elements;
  • To be held after the SSE application is approved and on or before 31 August 2022 for the 2021/2022 academic year;
  • Organised and/or endorsed by CityU SCOPE; and
  • Lasting for at least 14 days.
Remarks:
✔ The hosting institution must be a recognised educational institution / body in the home country. For those activities hosted by professional / specialised bodies in a particular field, they will be considered by the EDB on a case-by-case basis.(Here are some study tours / activities for student's information.)
 
✔ Travelling time back and forth between Hong Kong and the exchange destination should NOT be counted towards the duration of the exchange activity. (A student should start the outbound activity and arrive at the destination on or before 31 August 2022 for the 2021/2022 academic year.) 
 
✔ Each student will only be eligible for assistance under SSE ONCE throughout their study in programme(s) at the same level of study in Hong Kong.
 
✔ CityU SCOPE reserves the right to withdraw the SSE subsidy from students who fail to fulfill the funding conditions and criteria set by the School and the EDB.
 
Amount of Subsidy

The maximum amount of subsidy varies according to the destination and duration of the exchange activity.

(A)

Destination SSE Subsidy Amount (A)
Asia
(including Middle East)		 HK$3,000
Africa HK$7,000
Oceania & Europe HK$8,000
North America HK$9,000
Central & South America & Caribbean  HK$15,000

(B)

Duration SSE Subsidy Amount (B)
13 days or below N.A.
14 – 28 days HK$6,000
29 – 90 days HK$10,000
91 – 180 days HK$25,000
Over 180 days HK$45,000

Calculation:

For each exchange activity, the maximum amount of SSE subsidy to be granted to the student is calculated by adding up the subsidy under (A) and (B) above, then discounted by his / her level of student finance (in terms of percentage of full grant) approved by the SFO.  

For example, if a student receiving 50% of full means-tested grant from SFO joins a language immersion programme in the UK for 2 weeks (i.e. 14 days), the maximum amount of the subsidy to be granted under SSE to the student will be $7,000 (i.e. [(A) $8,000 + (B) $6,000] x 50%).

In individual cases where the level of student finance approved by the SFO is lower than 50%, the financial assistance level to be adopted in the calculation of the maximum amount of subsidy for the student under the SSE will be adjusted upward to 50%.


Remarks:

✔ The maximum amount of subsidy to be received by the student for SSE is HK$60,000, discounted by his / her level of student finance approved by SFO throughout his / her study at CityU SCOPE.
 
✔ The School may, at its full discretion, adjust the actual amount of subsidy to be granted to the student downwards from the maximum amount. In principle, the amount of subsidy granted to an eligible student under the SSE should not exceed the direct costs arising from his / her participation in the concerned activity.
 
✔ Students receiving funding from other sources (including Government and private ones, e.g. Talent Development Scheme, Reaching Out Awards and sponsorship offered by UK university, etc.) may receive assistance under SSE to jointly cover expenses in connection with the same activity. However, the combined assistance a student may get is capped at the maximum as stated by the above discount formula.
 
✔ Higher priority will be given to students who have not received any subsidy under scholarship / sponsorship / subsidy schemes wholly or partly funded by the HKSAR Government.
 
Selection Criteria

Eligible students will be selected through a merit-based mechanism with at least all modules passed at time of application and their ability to complete the exchange activities.
 
Application Deadline  29 April 2022 (Fri)
 
Application Procedures

Students who have met the above criteria are invited to submit the following documents in soft copy (pdf or word format) to mswg@scope.edu

  1. The completed Application Form (Click Here to download);
  2. Supporting documents from SFO / CSSA;
  3. Details of the Exchange Programme, e.g. Pamphlet / Leaflet, etc.;
  4. The latest academic transcript; and
  5. The written consent for verification of CSSA status (for CSSA recipients only).

Applications will be processed on a rolling basis upon receipt of all the required supporting documents.

It normally takes 10 working days to process an application.  Applicants are advised to submit the applications with all the required documents at least 3 weeks before the commencement of the proposed activities.

When necessary, the applicant may be interviewed to explain his / her case.

Applicants are reminded to check with the travel insurance coverage conditions concerning the places involved in their journey. The should also check the travel alerts involved. 
 
Reimbursement Process

Upon completion of the SSE activity, students are required to submit a Reimbursement Application Form (Click Here to download) to CityU SCOPE within TWO weeks after returning to Hong Kong. The form will report on:

  1. the activities student participated in during the exchange programme;
  2. the respective expenditures; and
  3. reflections of student.

Briefing Session

A briefing session will be held to introduce the SSE.  Interested students may join the following briefing session to obtain more information about the SSE via  https://www.scope.edu/seminar/SDU-SSE-2021-22

Date: 7 February 2022 (Mon)

Time: 2:30pm - 3:30pm

Delivery Mode:  Zoom

Meeting Link, ID and Password: To be emailed later

Registration Deadline: 27 January 2022 (Thu)

 

Notes on Personal Data

The personal data collected through SSE will be used by the CityU SCOPE and EDB to monitor the operation of the Scheme and any other related purposes. The provision of personal data by the applicants / awardees is voluntary. CityU SCOPE will comply with the relevant provisions of Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (Cap. 486), including seeking consent from applicants / awardees on provision of personal data for the purpose of implementation of SSE.

Enquiry

Tel: 3442 7408

Email: mswg@scope.edu