Self-financing Post-secondary Scholarship Scheme

Transcription

1 Annex I Self-financing Post-secondary Scholarship Scheme Guidelines for Nomination 1. Objective 1.1 The Self-financing Post-secondary Education Fund (the Fund) is established to support worthwhile initiatives and schemes that aim to enhance the quality of self-financing post-secondary education. The Fund will support the following schemes: Self-financing Post-secondary Scholarship Scheme Quality Enhancement Support Scheme Quality Assurance Support Scheme 1.2 The Self-financing Post-secondary Scholarship Scheme (SPSS) aims to give recognition not only to students with outstanding academic performance, but also those with achievements and talents in other non-academic fields. The SPSS also aims to help attract outstanding local and non-local students to pursue studies in self-financing postsecondary programmes. 2. Types of Scholarships and Awards 2.1 Outstanding Performance Scholarship (OPS) - Scholarships for students with outstanding achievements. For bachelor s and top-up degree students, the scholarships for local and non-local students are $40,000 and $80,000 each per year respectively. For sub-degree students, the scholarship for local or non-local student is $30,000 each per year. 2.2 Best Progress Award (BPA) - Awards to encourage and recognise students with significant progress and improvement. The award is set at $10,000 for a bachelor s degree or sub-degree student, irrespective of whether they are local or non-local students. 2.3 Talent Development Scholarship (TDS) - Scholarships to give recognition to students who have demonstrated achievements or talent in non-academic areas and provide support for these students to further develop their talent and potential. The scholarship is set at $10,000 for both bachelor s degree and sub-degree students, irrespective of whether they are local or non-local students.

2 2.4 Reaching Out Award (ROA) - Awards to support meritorious students who are nominated by institutions to participate in learning, internship or service programmes, as well as national, regional and international events and competitions that are conducted outside Hong Kong and organised/endorsed by institutions. The award is set at $10,000 for both bachelor s degree and sub-degree students, irrespective of whether they are local or non-local students. 2.5 Endeavour Scholarship (EDS) Awards to give recognition to deserving post-secondary students with Special Educational Needs 1 (SEN) in the pursuit of excellence in academic and other areas. The award is set at $10,000 for both bachelor s degree and sub-degree students, irrespective of whether they are local or non-local students. 3. Eligibility and Criteria 3.1 Participation of institutions is on a voluntary basis. Scholarships and awards will be offered to students pursuing full-time locallyaccredited self-financing sub-degree or bachelor s degree (including top-up degree) programmes at non-profit-making education institutions. 3.2 General Rules A student may only be awarded ONE of the scholarships or awards above in each academic year, but may be awarded with different scholarships or awards in different academic years A student may be awarded the OPS/TDS/EDS more than once throughout his studies of the relevant programme, and each nomination will be considered based on individual merits A student may only be awarded the BPA/ROA once throughout his studies of the relevant programme While there is no fixed percentage split between local and non-local recipients, a majority of the recipients should be local recipients. 1 SEN includes specific learning disabilities, intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder, physical disability, visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech and language impairment, and others. -2-

3 3.2.5 In granting scholarships and awards, priority should be given to those students who have not previously received any awards under the SPSS so as to allow more students to benefit. 3.3 Outstanding Performance Scholarship Scholarships will be offered to outstanding local and non-local students specified at paragraph 3.1 above, having regard to the following considerations: (d) high standard of academic performance; demonstration of leadership and good communication skills; valuable contribution to the institution/community; and/or strong commitment to the Hong Kong community The scholarships will be awarded based on merits and local and nonlocal students will compete on an equal basis. The scholarships will be awarded to students currently studying at all levels/years of the post-secondary programmes. Students who have graduated from the post-secondary programmes are not eligible for nomination For first-year students, institutions may nominate students who have outstanding academic results during secondary/ post-secondary education (including public examinations), whether inside or outside Hong Kong, or outstanding non-academic achievements such as awards/ recognitions in international/ territory-wide competition/ events For students at second year or above, institutions may nominate students who have demonstrated their outstanding achievements and capabilities in the four considerations as stipulated in paragraph to (d) above, either in the top 10% ranking of academic results of their programmes or with outstanding non-academic achievements such as awards/ recognitions in international/ territory-wide competition/ events Nominees should normally achieve a cumulative GPA of not less than 3.0 out of 4.0 or equivalent and exceptional cases will only be considered on a case-by-case basis and where fully justified e.g. students with academic performance slightly fall short of the cumulative GPA of 3.0 out of 4.0 or equivalent level but could demonstrate exemplary distinguished non-academic achievements. -3-

4 3.3.6 Nominations for renewal of scholarship will be considered on the basis of consistent high merits and fulfilment of the criteria set out in paragraphs to above. Same as other new nominees, the nominations for renewal should be submitted for consideration at every exercise and will be counted against the total quota allocated to the institutions. 3.4 Best Progress Award A smaller number of awards will also be provided to students who could demonstrate their efforts in striving for significant improvement in their studies Students to be nominated should have already completed two consecutive academic years in their study of the post-secondary programmes. To maintain a certain level of academic attainment, students to be nominated should have achieved a total cumulative GPA of not less than 2.5 out of 4.0 or equivalent level at the time of nomination The awards will be nominated with reference to the following criteria: the intensity of academic improvement of at least two consecutive academic years; and the cumulative GPA at the time nomination The student who has been awarded of BPA should not be nominated again in the same programme of study. 3.5 Talent Development Scholarship The TDS will be offered to students specified at paragraph 2.3 above, who have demonstrated talent or potential in at least one of the following areas (d) Sports and games; Music and performing arts; Culture, arts and design; or Innovation, science and technology. -4-

5 3.5.2 The TDS will be granted based on merits, and local and non-local students will compete on an equal basis. The scholarships may be distributed to students studying at all levels / years of the postsecondary programmes. Students studying in post-secondary programmes in the streams of paragraph to (d) may also be nominated under the TDS To be eligible for the TDS, the students should normally be able to demonstrate track records in the past three years of active participation in any of the above areas and continuously striving for improvement and excellence. In addition, nominees should at least receive awards in territory-wide, national or regional competitions / performances; represent institution or relevant association in such competitions / performances; or have good recommendation / assessment by the institution or relevant organization on the capability or talent The nominees should achieve satisfactory academic attainment. For first-year students, institutions may nominate those who have satisfactory academic results during secondary/ post-secondary education (including public examinations). For students studying in the second year or above, institutions may nominate students who should normally achieve a cumulative GPA of not less than 2.5 out of 4.0 or equivalent at the time of nomination Nominations for renewal of scholarship will be considered on the basis of consistent high merits and fulfilment of the criteria set out in paragraphs to above. Same as other new nominees, the nominations for renewal should be submitted for consideration at every exercise and will be counted against the total quota allocated to the institutions. 3.6 Reaching Out Award The ROA will enable students to participate in learning, internship or service programmes which are mainly course or placement related as well as national, regional and international events and competitions that are conducted outside Hong Kong. -5-

6 3.6.2 The outreaching activities should either be organised or endorsed by the institutions. The award aims at equipping students with an international vision, broadening their exposure to multicultural environment and enhancing their communication skills in English, Putonghua or other languages The award is not on reimbursement basis but may cover whole/ part of the expenses incurred during the outreaching activities, such as tuition fees, airfare, accommodation and other incidental expenses Nominees should achieve reasonably good academic attainment. For first-year students, institutions may nominate those who have satisfactory academic results during secondary/ post-secondary education (including public examinations). For students studying in the second year or above, they should attain at least a cumulative GPA 3.0 out of 4.0 or equivalent The student who has been awarded of ROA should not be nominated again in the same programme of study The ROA encourages the awardees to share their outreaching experiences with other fellow students. On completion of the outreaching programmes, each awardee is required to submit a reflection report on the activities participated and the learning experiences and benefits acquired to the institution, which should pass on the report to EDB upon request Institution should not charge the awardee any administrative fee for organising the learning, internship or service programme The award money should be returned to the Government by the awardee who finally fails to participate in any of the proposed outreaching activities. 3.7 Endeavour Scholarship The EDS will be provided to give recognition to deserving postsecondary students with SEN (as specified in Footnote 1 of paragraph 2.5 above) in the pursuit of excellence in academic and other area The EDS will be granted based on merits, local and non-local students will compete on an equal basis. The scholarships may be distributed to students studying at all levels/ years of the sub-degree and undergraduate programmes. -6-

7 3.7.3 The nominees should achieve satisfactory academic attainment. For first-year students, institutions may nominate those who have satisfactory academic results during secondary/ post-secondary education (including public examinations). For students studying in the second year or above, institutions may nominate students who should normally achieve a cumulative GPA of not less than 2.5 out of 4.0 or equivalent at the time of nomination Nominations for renewal of scholarship will be considered on the basis of consistent high merits and fulfilment of the criteria set out in paragraphs to above. Same as other new nominees, the nominations for renewal should be submitted for consideration at every exercise and will be counted against the total quota allocated to the institutions. 4. Allocation of Scholarships and Awards 4.1 For each academic year, a sum of money for the scholarships/ awards except EDS, will be allocated to participating institutions offering full-time locally-accredited self-financing sub-degree and bachelor s degree (including top-up degree) programmes for nominations on a pro rata basis with reference to the enrolment of such programmes, provided that the total enrolment of the institution in the current academic year is not less than 50. For EDS, the allocation of scholarship money will be on pro-rata basis with reference to the enrolment of students with SEN of full-time locally-accredited selffinancing sub-degree or bachelor s degree (including top-up degree) programmes. 5. Selection Mechanism 5.1 The principles of openness, fairness and competitiveness should be adopted during the shortlisting stage by institutions. To enhance transparency, participating institutions are recommended to: publicize the SPSS to students; form an independent selection panel to assess the nominations; and announce the selection mechanism and final results to the students. 5.2 Participating institution shall follow the selection criteria set out in paragraph 3 above. -7-