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Exemptions

Holders of relevant recognised university degrees and/or professional qualifications will be eligible for exemption upon assessment by the Institute. Relevant qualifications include law, accounting, finance, management and corporate governance.
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For enquiries regarding studentship, please contact the Education and Examinations section or read the FAQs:
  • Contact us
  • Visit the FAQs
 

 Modules

 

Non- relevant studies

CCA graduate
(Note 1)

PBP graduate (Note 2)

Law degree (Note 3)
/
Qualified Lawyer (Note 4)

Accounting or Finance degree (Note 3)
/
Qualified Accountant
(Note 4)

Management
/ 
Business degree
(Note 3)

Fast Track Professional

(Note 7)

Other degree with relevant courses studied

Master's degree

 Cores

Case-by-case basis

 

 

 

 

Case-by-case basis

 

 

 

 

1

Corporate Governance

NO exemption

FULL exemption

 

 

 

   

2

Corporate Secretaryship & Compliance

 

 

 

 

 X

3

Hong Kong Company Law

X

X

    X 

4

Interpreting Financial & Accounting Information

X

 

X

   X

5

Strategic
Management

X

X

X

X
(Note 6)

 X

6

Risk
Management

 

 

 

 

 

 Electives (Choose one module only)

 

7A

Boardroom Dynamics

NO 
exemption

FULL 
exemption

 

 

 

   

7B

Hong Kong
Taxation

X
(Note 5)

X

X

   X
 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
  Note:
  1. Refer to the masters degree programmes listed under the Collaborative Course Agreement (CCA) between HKICS and respective universities.
  2. Refer to the Partnership Bachelor degree Programmes (PBP) that have been pre-assessed by HKICS.
  3. Subject to relevant course(s) taken.
  4. Block exemption for recognised professional qualifications, with less than five years’ relevant post-qualifying experience.
  5. Exemption from Module 7A may also be considered in lieu of Module 7B, upon satisfactory assessment by HKICS.
  6. One (1) additional exemption may be granted for Module 3; OR 4; OR 7B, subject to relevant course(s) taken.
  7. Competency assessment on case-by-case basis for qualified lawyers or accountants with more than five years’ relevant post-qualifying experience. The Fast Track Professional route effect from 1 January 2021.

All exemption applications are subject to the final decision of the Institute.

   
 

Additional remarks:

Category 2 – Collaborative Course Agreement (CCA) programme entry

Click HERE for details

Category 3 – Partnership Bachelor's Programme (PBP) entry

Click HERE for details


 Category 4(A) – Law degree; Qualified Lawyer

  1. Bachelor of Laws and Juris Doctor degrees from recognised universities in Hong Kong, Mainland China and overseas are considered to be relevant legal qualifications for exemption assessment.
  2. Relevant legal qualifications for exemption assessment purposes refers to those qualifications (e.g. Bachelor of Laws and Juris Doctor degrees) whose holders are eligible to take the Postgraduate Certificate in Laws (PCLL) examination.
  3. Qualified lawyer of recognised professional body with more than five years’ relevant post-qualifying experience may apply for Fast Track Professional route, with effect from 1 January 2021. Please click HERE for details.

 Category 4(B) – Accounting or Finance degree; Qualified Accountant

  1. Relevant professional accounting qualifications refer to qualified members of: 
    1.Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants (HKICPA)
    2. Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)
    3. CPA Australia
    4. Chinese Institute of Certified Public Accountants (CICPA)
    5. American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
    6. Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)
  2. Membership of the Association of International Accountants (AIA) is NOT considered to be a relevant accounting qualification for exemption assessment purposes.
  3. The Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) qualification is considered to be a relevant finance qualification for exemption assessment purposes. 
  4. Qualified accountants of recognised professional body with more than five years’ relevant post-qualifying experience may apply for the Fast Track Professional route, with effect from 1 January 2021. Please click HERE for details.

Category 6 – Fast Track Professional

Click HERE for details.

   
Exemptions applications    
 
  • Students are required to apply for exemptions immediately upon studentship registration.
  • Exemptions will be granted only upon successful completion of an academic/professional qualification; and exemptions will not be granted in respect of incomplete academic/professional qualifications.
    If extra supporting documents are requested by the Institute, applicants must re-submit the information within a period of three (3) months. Failure to do so will result in the cancellation of the exemption application.
  • Unless further and better information is provided, the same qualification will not be used for the purpose of another exemption application.
  • The latest highest qualifications are accepted for exemption application for students who previously failed a CGQP module.
  • All exemptions granted by the Institute are a concession, not an automatic right, and the Institute reserves the right to withdraw or amend any aspect of the exemption policy at any time, and without prior notice.
   
Further exemption applications     
  Students are required to apply for exemptions immediately upon studentship registration if applicable. For any newly acquired qualifications subsequent to the studentship registration, further exemption applications should be made within 6 months from the conferment of the newly acquired qualification. (Effective from September 2019) Additional administrative charge will be applied to ALL late further exemptions’ applicants. Click HERE for details.
Exemption appeal    
  Students who apply for an exemption but are not satisfied with the result may appeal. Students should complete an Exemption Appeal Form and submit it with further and better supporting documents (e.g. course outline or syllabus) to justify their claims.

An applicant who is not satisfied with the decision may appeal against the decision within two months from the date of the notification being issued, The Education Committee shall be responsible for considering and deciding on the exemption appeal and its decision shall be final.  

Students must provide originals and/or certified true copies of transcripts, certificates, and diplomas supporting their exemption applications. Copies must be certified from the originals either by:-

  1. An Institute member or Secretariat staff; or
  2. A certified public accountant; or
  3. A lawyer; or
  4. An official of a Government District Office.

Students may be required to request the institutions from which they obtain the qualifications to send information directly to the Institute for assessment. Applications without supporting document(s) will not be processed.

   
Exemption forfeiture    
  All approved exemptions statuses will be forfeited if students fail to settle their exemption fees within the 1-month from the issue date of the relevant first exemption confirmation notice.    
Exemption re-application    
  If the exempt subject(s) are forfeited, students are allowed to apply for an exemption re-application (with an additional administrative charge) within 2 years of the issue date of the exemption confirmation notice. 

Additional administrative charge will be applied to ALL exemption re-application applicants. Click HERE for the details.

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