- Move comes after government said it would stop paying exam fees – which it had been doing since 2019 – for candidates in 2025 due to budget deficit
- Pupils from more than 350 eligible government and subsidised secondary schools should check with their schools for specific application procedures
There will be a cash handout of HK$3,300 for female students taking the Diploma of Secondary Education exams in 2025. Photo: HandoutMore than 15,000 female students preparing for the Hong Kong university entrance exam next year will each receive a cash subsidy of HK$3,300 (US$420) from prominent businesswoman Solina Chau Hoi-shuen.
On Monday, the H.S. Chau Foundation, established by Chau in 1996 to support women’s education and healthcare needs, announced a generous donation totalling HK$60 million. The donation aims to provide “unconditional and direct” financial support for girls attending government and subsidised secondary schools.
The fund is expected to cover students’ Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) exam fees for six subjects. The foundation aims to disburse the subsidy before the third quarter of this year so that pupils can “concentrate on exam preparation without worries”.
The DSE exam costs HK$3,356 for six subjects, with each language subject priced at HK$718 and the other subjects at HK$480.
In 2019, the government began waiving examination fees for all students; however, it recently announced this arrangement would end in 2025 due to a budget deficit.
Chau’s foundation hoped that its cash handout would provide continuous support to students and encourage them not to give up on taking exams. There is no restriction on the use of the subsidy, and pupils are encouraged by the foundation to flexibly use the funds to pursue their dreams and life goals.
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Students from more than 350 eligible schools are advised to check with their respective schools for specific application procedures.
Lee Yi-ying, chairperson of the Hong Kong Subsidised Secondary Schools Council, welcomed and expressed gratitude for the cash subsidy on the DSE examination.
“This subsidy is beneficial for the students as it can be used not only for their DSE exam fees but also for other costly learning resources, such as textbooks and tutorials,” said Lee, who is also the principal of Kowloon True Light School.
“The exam fee can be a financial burden for some students, especially considering the current economic situation in Hong Kong. With some parents struggling to secure stable jobs and income, this subsidy can alleviate their financial stress,” Lee explained.
The principal of the Protestant girls’ secondary school in Kowloon Tong believes that the DSE subsidy will motivate the pupils to pursue their dreams.
“Some students, particularly girls who may lack self-confidence and tend to be sentimental and introverted, may feel incapable of achieving their goals. However, this subsidy can encourage them by demonstrating how people genuinely care about their growth and cheer for them.”
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She added: “I hope that the girls who receive this support will be grateful and work even harder to live up to the expectations of the kind-hearted supporters. I also wish for them to recognise their worth and adopt the same mindset as the foundation, contributing to our society in the future.”
This year, 50,803 students applied for the city’s university entrance exam, 43,295 of whom were school candidates. Half of the applicants were enrolled in six subjects, and the exam results will be released on July 17.
The 2025 DSE applications will open in September.