CEF subsidizes adults with learning aspirations to pursue continuing education and training courses.

Applicants should submit their applications for opening a CEF account before the commencement of the first course for which reimbursement of fees is to be made. Late applications will not be accepted.

Applicants should note that each applicant may obtain approval for ONE CEF account once a lifetime only. If you had / have an account (irrespective of whether the validity period for reimbursement as stated on the account approval letter has expired), applications for a second CEF account will not be accepted. You can click here for the procedures and documents required for reimbursement of fees.

To be eligible to apply for the CEF, applicants must fulfill the following criteria -

1. are aged between 18 - 65 at the time of application and on seeking reimbursement of their fees; and
   
   
2. are Hong Kong residents who:
   • have the right of abode, i.e. “A” should appear below the date of birth on Hong Kong Identity Card (Note 1); or
   • have the right to land, i.e. “R” should appear below the date of birth on Hong Kong Identity Card (Note 1); or
   • have the right to remain in Hong Kong without restriction, i.e. “U” should appear below the date of birth on Hong Kong Identity Card (Note 1); or
   • are holders of one-way permits from Mainland China; and
     
     Note 1: For details of the meaning of symbols on Hong Kong Identity Card, please contact the Immigration Department.
     
     
3. have enrolled in and paid the tuition fee on equal monthly instalments basis (Note 2) for an approved reimbursable course before the course commences when they submit their applications (i.e. on the date of receipt of the application by the Office of Continuing Education Fund); and
   
   Note 2: All CEF course providers are required to collect the tuition fees of CEF courses on an equal monthly instalments basis except those which have been granted exemption by the Secretary for the Labour and Welfare Bureau. For the list of the exempted courses, please refer to "Reimbursable Course List".
   
   
4. have not obtained any other publicly-funded financial assistance for the same course (Loans for tuition fee payments obtained from the publicly-funded Non-means Tested Loan Scheme administered by the Student Financial Assistance Agency are not subsidised loans. If such loans are borrowed towards the payment of fees for a reimbursable course of study recognised for the purpose of CEF, the fees may be eligible for reimbursement subject to all other criteria being met); and
   
   
5. applications are submitted before the course commences (Date announced by the institution/course provider is taken as the course commencement date).

If you fulfill all of the above criteria, please click here to learn more about the required procedures and documents.