Contemplating continuing education and applying for funding assistance?
The Consumer Council has this advice for the prospective consumers. First and foremost, check whether the course or programme intended falls in the scope of one of the public financial assistance schemes for continuing education.
Second, in the case of the Continuing Education Fund (CEF) look for the CEF Course Codes since not all courses are eligible for application of the scheme.
Third, beware of claims of low tuition fees AFTER deduction of the reimbursed sum from CEF. You may need to first pay the full amount, complete the course, and pass the course assessment as required by the course provider BEFORE you can claim the amount.
Furthermore, consumers are reminded to check the following before they enroll into any course:
- The pre-requisites / entry requirements.
- Whether the course has been assessed by the Hong Kong Council for Academic Accreditation and is recognized by the Education and Manpower Bureau. If you are planning for further studies, the award of the course should also be accepted by other academic institutes. If the pursuit is to serve career advancement or employment purpose, you should also seek recognition from your current or prospective employer.
- Whether you are ready financially, physically, and psychologically; and exercise sound time management to chart your progress and seek support from your family.
The Consumer Council reserves all its right (including copyright) in respect of CHOICE Magazine and Online CHOICE ( https://echoice.consumer.org.hk/ ).