In January 2020, the Hong Kong government announced a one-off student grant of HK$2,500 for secondary day school, primary school and kindergarten students. These grants form part of the HK$19.1 billion relief measures announced by the Financial Secretary last year. It’s great news for families of all shapes and sizes. Here, we answer some FAQs from expat families and recommend some Hong Kong kids’ activities you can spend your grant on, Remember, many of the city’s SMEs are struggling and could use your support.
Are you eligible for the student grant?
According to this statement, the grant is non-means-tested. It says: “All students who, as of the date of application, study in secondary day schools, primary schools and special schools as well as kindergartens offering local or non-local curriculum in Hong Kong, are eligible for the grant.”
The statement clarifies that, “students of evening schools or private studies, holders of student visas for entry into Hong Kong for studies and holders of a form of recognisance issued by the Immigration Department are ineligible.”
How will student grant payments be issued?
Your school will be sent forms from the EDB. You will need to get a form from your school, fill it out, have it verified by school and then submit it to receive the grant. The grants will be distributed around six weeks after the form is submitted.
Fab kids activities to spend your student grant on
The grant has been issued to “alleviate parents’ financial burden by defraying educational expenses”. At Expat Living, we love supporting SMEs so we’ve put together a list of kids’ activities to consider spending your grant on. Your enrolment will help support both your child’s development and a Hong Kong-based SME, likely owned by another family. If you know of a great kids’ activity run by a small business, please contact our editor at editor@expatliving.hk and we’ll consider adding them in.
Island Dance
This dance school has all sorts of dance classes happening across Hong Kong. They also perform at events like Cathay Pacific CNY Parade, AIA Carnival and Disney. Madhu Kashyap, founder of Island Dance told us, “Dance is about more than just physical movement.” She says, “it’s about making friends, overcoming fears, and finding a way to express our feelings and share creative ideas in a supportive environment. And, for some young kids, dance changes lives. It’s everything!”
Active Kids
Kids from three to 17 years are catered for at ActiveKids. This company offers everything from a Chess Academy to coding camps, cooking classes and more. They also do great holiday camps if you’re here over CNY, summer or Christmas.
Hong Kong Institute of Languages
Learning a language will change your life. If you’re looking for language support, the Hong Kong Institute of Languages is a great place to start. They offer support at home and can even help tutor the whole family. Parents, there’s no excuses for being bad at Mandarin now!
Mini Mandarins
We all know that the best way for kids to learn is through play. At Mini Mandarins, that’s exactly what the kids do. They play using Chinese language. At this language centre, they’ve set up ‘Mini Metro’, a simulated real-world setting where kids can shop, have a meal and more, all while they speak Chinese. It’s a wonderful approach.
BartyEd
Jerome Barty-Taylor and his team support a plethora of kids across Hong Kong with their learning. At Expat Living, Jerome is our go-to tutoring expert when we are looking for advice about supporting kids with school work and university aspiration. He helps tweens and teens who have become disengaged with school work get back on track. He also helps students achieve their IB and graduation aspirations, including achieving a perfect IB score.
New to Hong Kong? Get handy tips in our Living in Hong Kong section.
Best Sunday brunches in Hong Kong
Staying informed about the Hong Kong protests
How to help Australia’s bushfire crisis
