1. Why is ESF introducing the Non-refundable Capital Levy (NCL)?
NCL is introduced to replace the existing Refundable Capital Levy (RCL) to build up a sufficient capital funding stream to finance redevelopment projects of ESF schools.
2. Who needs to pay NCL?
Parents of students who are enrolling into ESF schools from August 2015 (i.e. 2015/16 academic year) will be required to pay NCL, alongside with admission deposit, when they accept an offer of a school place. NCL will replace RCL from 2015/16 onwards.
3. If my child enrols in an ESF school in November 2014, do I need to pay NCL?
No, the child will not be required to pay NCL as the scheme is yet to be effective in November 2014 (midway of the school year 2014/15). NCL will apply to all new students from August 2015 (2015/16 academic year) onwards. However, the student will be required to pay RCL as the RCL scheme is still applicable in November 2014.
4. Will there be any concessions on NCL for large families?
NCL will be charged in full, as per the sliding scale table, for the first two children of a family. For the third and subsequent children of a family, parents will only be required to pay 40% of the sliding scale provided that the first two children of the family have already paid full NCL and they are still in ESF schools when their sibling enrols.
If a family has more than two children enrolling in ESF schools within the same school year, the concession will apply to the third and subsequent children attending the highest year group.
For students who are eligible for sibling concession, they are required to pay the full NCL upfront upon enrolment. After the information regarding NCL payment history or sibling concession as declared on the enrolment form has been validated, the refund will be arranged within three months after the school start day.
5. If I have already paid RCL for my first two children and my third child is joining an ESF school in August 2015, will the sibling concession on NCL be applicable?
No. The child has to pay NCL in full. NCL and RCL are two separate schemes and their concession rules operate independently of each other. Sibling concession on RCL is not applicable in this case.
6. I have already paid RCL. Will I have to pay NCL later?
All students who have RCL on account are not required to pay NCL. When a student in primary school reaches Year 7, the student will not be required to pay NCL as long as RCL is still on account.
7. If I have paid NCL for my child when he is studying in an ESF primary school, will I have to pay NCL again when my child reaches Year 7?
No. NCL is a one-off levy.
8. My child is studying at Renaissance College. Will I have to pay NCL if he joins an ESF school in August 2015?
Yes. Students studying in PIS or ESF kindergartens are required to pay NCL if they join ESF schools from 2015/16 onwards.
9. My child is currently studying in an ESF school. Will I have to pay NCL if he joins another ESF school in August 2015?
No. Internal transfer within ESF schools will not require additional NCL.
10. If I accepted a place in an ESF school and NCL is paid but my child subsequently withdraws from the school before commencing the school year, will I get a refund on NCL?
No. NCL is non-refundable.
11. If NCL is paid, but my child subsequently withdraws from the school, will I have to pay NCL again if he enrolls into an ESF school again in later years?
Yes, all students will have to pay NCL on enrolment. As NCL is a one-off levy, once it is paid, the student will be exempted for the rest of his time with ESF schools. Parents have to indicate this information in the enrolment form upon re-enrolment for verification. Once the information is verified, ESF will arrange a refund within 3 months after the commencing of school. This arrangement is also applicable to the leavers who have paid NCL before and re-enrol in ESF schools again.
12. I paid RCL for my child who has already left ESF. He is now going to re-enrol in an ESF school in 2015/16. Will I have to pay NCL?
Yes. The student has already left the ESF system and never paid NCL before. You will be required to pay NCL when he re-enrols in the system.
13. Will I have to pay advance fees (i.e. advance payment of tuition fees for September) given that NCL is paid?
For students newly enrolled in ESF schools, advance fees are already paid by means of an admission deposit. They will not be required to pay advance fees. For the rest of the students without RCL on account, they will be required to pay advance fees, regardless of NCL is paid or not.
14. Will ESF Financial Assistance Scheme be applied to NCL?
ESF Financial Assistance Scheme is the scheme for eligible students who are already in the ESF system. NCL is the levy charged to new students only. Financial assistance on NCL is not applicable.