The 2010-11 school year Pre-primary Education Voucher Scheme will open for application on January 18.

Applicants must be Hong Kong residents born on or before December 31, 2007, who will attend classes in a local non-profit-making kindergarten eligible for the voucher scheme in the 2010-11 school year and who do not hold a certificate of eligibility for the scheme.

Kindergartens eligible for voucher redemption must be non-profit-making, offer a local curriculum and charge a tuition fee not exceeding $24,000 per student per year (for half-day classes) or $48,000 per student per year (for whole-day classes).

Newly-enrolled students or those transferred to a new kindergarten will receive a fee subsidy only when they are attending eligible local non-profit-making kindergartens. The list of kindergartens eligible for the scheme can be downloaded here.

The annual fee subsidy is $14,000 per eligible student in the 2010-11 school year. It will rise to $16,000 in the 2011-12 school year.

Parents can get application forms for assessment of eligibility for the 2010-11 school year from District Offices, Post Offices, the Education Bureau's Regional Education Offices, and the Student Financial Assistance Agency. Forms can also be downloaded here.

Those who wish to receive the certificate before the beginning of the 2010-11 school year should send applications and support documents by post to the Student Financial Assistance Agency, Tsim Sha Tsui PO Box 95161, Kowloon, or submit the documents via the drop-in box at the agency's office at 12/F Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices, 303 Cheung Sha Wan Road, by May 31.