TLDR:
- Solina Chau to give HK$3,300 to each female student taking university exam
- Chau’s foundation donates HK$60 million to support female students due to government stopping exam fee payments
Hong Kong businesswoman Solina Chau Hoi-shuen, co-founder of a venture capital firm backed by tycoon Li Ka-shing, will provide a HK$3,300 cash handout to over 15,000 female students taking the city’s university entrance examination in 2025. The donation comes after the government announced it will no longer pay examination fees for candidates due to a budget deficit. The H.S. Chau Foundation’s donation aims to support female students sitting the Diploma of Secondary Education, covering the examination fee for taking six subjects. The handout is expected to benefit over 15,000 girls studying in local subsidised or government schools. There are no restrictions on how the subsidy can be used, and students are encouraged to use it flexibly to achieve their goals. The cash will be disbursed before the third quarter of the year.
Chau, known for co-founding investment firm Horizons Ventures, established the foundation to support women’s education and healthcare needs. The decision to provide financial support to students echoes the spirit of the foundation’s ‘decide well, spend wisely’ programme. The Li Ka Shing Foundation, where Chau previously served as director, previously launched a similar programme benefiting students with a cash handout.
This move by Chau’s foundation comes amidst cuts in the 2025 financial budget, which saw the removal of various subsidies and allowances due to a ballooning deficit. The support provided by the foundation aims to fill the gap left by the government’s decision to stop covering examination fees for students.
