[Continuing Education Fund - CEF] Click here!

[What is Continuing Education Fund?]

• The CEF subsidises adults with learning aspirations to pursue continuing education and training. Eligible applicants may submit unlimited number of claims for reimbursement of fees on successful completion of CEF reimbursable courses up to a maximum sum of HK$25,000. The co-payment ratios by learners (i.e. the percentage of fees to be borne by learners) for the first HK$10,000 subsidy is 20% of the course fee and that for the remaining HK$15,000 subsidy is 40% of the course fee.

[Student Eligibility]
New Enhancement Measures of Continuing Education Fund (Effective from 1 August 2022)

1. Applicants must be Hong Kong residents who have the right of abode or the right to land or to remain in Hong Kong without restriction, i.e. “A” (right of abode), “R” (right to land) or “U” (remain in Hong Kong without restriction) should appear below the date of birth on the HK Smart Identity Card, or holders of One-way Permit from Mainland China. For details of the meaning of symbols, please visit the website of the Immigration Department;
2. Applicant must be aged 18 or above* at the time when the CEF reimbursable course commenced;
3. Applicants have enrolled in and paid the tuition fee for the CEF reimbursable course; and
4. Applicants have not obtained any other public funds or assistance under any other publicly-funded financial assistance schemes [e.g. HKMU Loan, etc.] for the same course.

• * The application for fee reimbursement for course(s) which commenced during the period from 1 April 2019 to 31 July 2022 must be submitted within one year upon the successful completion of the course(s) and before reaching the age of 71. Late applications will not be accepted.

[Reimbursable Expenses and Other Conditions]
Applicable to CEF reimbursable courses commenced on or after 1 August 2022

1. Applicants who apply for CEF for the first time or applicants who have opened CEF accounts before 1 August 2022 (regardless of whether their accounts were closed in the past), they may submit claims for reimbursement of fees for CEF reimbursable courses commenced on or after 1 August 2022;
2. The maximum entitlement for new applicants is HK$25,000. For applicants who have opened CEF accounts before 1 August 2022, they are eligible for claiming the additional HK$5,000 subsidy and the unused balance (if any) of the original subsidy of HK$20,000. The co-payment ratios by learners for the first HK$10,000 subsidy is 20% of the course fee and that for the remaining HK$15,000 subsidy is 40% of the course fee; and
3. Applicants must be aged 18 or above when the CEF reimbursable course commenced and the application must be submitted within one year upon the successful completion of the course. Late applications will not be accepted.

Applicable to CEF reimbursable courses commenced from 1 April 2019 to 31 July 2022

1. There are no restrictions on the number of claims and validity period for applicants who have enrolled CEF reimbursable courses commenced from 1 April 2019 to 31 July 2022;
    
2. Eligible applicants may submit reimbursement applications in respect of different CEF courses within one year upon the successful completion of the courses up to the subsidy ceiling of HK$20,000. The co-payment ratios by learners (i.e. the percentage of fees to be borne by learners) for the first HK$10,000 subsidy is 20% of the course fee and that for the second HK$10,000 subsidy is 40% of the course fee. Please refer to the previously prevailing Guidance Notes for Application [SFO 312_E (2020)] for details of the requirements; and
    
3. Applicants must be aged between 18 and 70 (i.e. before reaching the age of 71) when an application is submitted and the application must be submitted within one year upon the successful completion of the course. Late applications will not be accepted.

[Applicable to CEF reimbursable courses commenced before 1 April 2019]

1. For applicants who have opened their CEF accounts before 1 April 2019 and the accounts are still valid* on 1 April 2019 (i.e. generally those applicants who have opened their accounts on or after 1 April 2015, have not reached the age of 66, have unused balance for the original HK$10,000 subsidy and have not reached the maximum number of 4 claims), they may submit applications for reimbursement of fees upon the successful completion of CEF reimbursable courses commenced after the opening of their CEF accounts and before 31 March 2019; and
    
2. For CEF-reimbursable courses that commenced before 1 April 2019, reimbursement claims will be processed by OCEF (Office of the Continuing Education Fund) in accordance with the requirements in force before 1 April 2019 (i.e. subsidy ceiling is HK$10,000, 4 years validity period, maximum number of 4 claims and upper age limit of 66, etc.).  Please refer to the previously prevailing Continuing Education Fund Guidance Notes for Application [SFO 191 (2015) Rev.]  for details.

• *If students have taken the course assessment or examination within the validity period but the examination result can only be released after the deadline of the validity period, students may approach LBEDU to apply for a copy of the "Certification of Course Examination Status". Applicants should submit to OCEF (Office of the Continuing Education Fund) the completed application form together with copies of supporting documents before the deadline. Please contact LBEDU Admin Office staff for enquiries.

[Points to Note]

1. To be eligible for consideration for fee reimbursement, the applicant must have completed the CEF reimbursable course in compliance with the CEF regulations, having passed it at the threshold prescribed by the Office of Continuing Education Fund which may not be the same as the Academy's pass threshold set for the course;
2. Applicants are advised to check the status and balance of their CEF accounts before enrolling in a CEF reimbursement course. A "subsidy calculator" is available on the CEF website to estimate the eligible subsidy; and
3. Please call 3583-1687 for CEF reimbursable course(s) provided by the Luster Beauty International Education and Training Academy.

[List of the Reimbursable Courses under CEF]

• Please check the LBEDU Courses. A list of reimbursable courses can also be obtained from the government CEF website. Applicants please check whether or not they should study the “mother course” to fulfill the specified requirement of a CEF reimbursable course. The Academy Registry will duly inform students of their registered course(s) eligibility, and the students concerned will receive the Academy's e-mail seeking their submission of hardcopy of “Consent for CEF Course Participant upon Enrolment (Consent Form)” during the commencement of the academic term. Please contact LBEDU Admin Office at 3583-1687 for enquires.

[How to Apply]

1. Please refer to "Guidance Notes for Application [SFO 312_E (2022)]" when filling in the application form.
2. Application form [SFO 313 (2022)] can be obtained from the LBEDU Admin Office, Office of Continuing Education Fund (OCEF), District Offices or downloaded from the CEF website. Applicants may also fill in the application form online in the website of GovHK and print the completed form.
3. Attention: When filling in Part B, please write "854" as the CEF Institution Code for LBEDU.
4. Applicants should submit the application form to LBEDU Admin Office* for certification first (either by post or in person). LBEDU Admin Office will return the certified application with LBEDU’s stamp and a "Proof of Successful Completion of Course" to eligible applicants within 2 weeks (by post) from the date of receipt of the application.
5. Applicants should submit to OCEF* the completed application form with LBEDU certification together with copies of supporting documents (including the above-mentioned "Proof of Successful Completion of Course"). Applicants may also place their applications in the drop-in box on 12/F, Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices or outside the OCEF..

• *LBEDU Admin Office: Flat C, G/F Wing Shing Building, Castle Peak Road 25-35, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR
• *OCEF Address: Units 07-11, 25/F., CDW Building,388 Castle Peak Road, Tsuen Wan, Hong Kong SAR

[Enquiries]
Office of the Continuing Education Fund (OCEF)
Website: https://www.wfsfaa.gov.hk/cef/en/index.htm
Address: Units 07-11, 25/F., CDW Building, 388 Castle Peak Road, Tsuen Wan, Hong Kong
Tel: 3142-2277（24-hour hotline）
E-mail Address: [email protected]