Programmes fulfilling all the specified criteria are eligible for enlisting as recognised programmes.

Study Sponsorship

Recognised programmes are classified into four categories, which are (1) Arboriculture and Tree Management Programmes, (2) Tree Work Programmes, (3) Training Programmes in Tree Risk Assessment and (4) Arboriculture Vocational Assessment - Chainsaw Operation.

For (1) Arboriculture and Tree Management Programmes and (2) Tree Work Programmes:

• Qualified programmes are full-time or part-time programmes at Level 2 to Level 5 of the Qualifications Framework (QF) related to arboriculture, tree management and tree work (e.g. chainsaw operation and tree climbing), which have not been covered by other forms of government subsidy to the students. Programmes already covered by existing government subsidy schemes, such as the Study Subsidy Scheme for Designated Professionals/Sectors, VPlus Engineering and sponsorship and allowance schemes under Employees Retraining Board will be excluded to avoid double sponsorship.
• Programme Providers are required to submit application to the Greening, Landscape and Tree Management Section (GLTMS) of Development Bureauto recognise their programmes under the Scheme

For (3) Training Programmes in Tree Risk Assessment and (4) Arboriculture Vocational Assessment – Chainsaw Operation

• Qualified programmes are the training programmes in tree risk assessment accepted by GLTMS as the training qualifications of 'Inspection Officer' in the Guidelines for Tree Risk Assessment and Management Arrangement and 'Tree Risk Assessor' under the Registration Scheme for Tree Management Personnel; and arboriculture vocational assessment for undertaking tree pruning works involving the use of chainsaw; or their renewal examination
• Programmes Providers are not required to submit application to GLTMS to recognise their programmes under the Scheme

Scholarship

• Recognised programmes are full-time programmes at QF Level 5 related to arboriculture and tree management
• Programme Providers are required to submit application to GLTMS to recognise their programmes under the Scheme

Each applicant is entitled to study sponsorship for recognised programmes for a maximum of FOUR times (regardless of programme categories).
(Reimbursement record before 1 June 2025 will also be counted.)

To be eligible for study sponsorship, an applicant must satisfy the following criteria:

1. being a Hong Kong resident, i.e. a person who have the right of abode or the right to land or to remain in Hong Kong without restriction, or a holder of one-way permit from mainland China;
2. (i) has successfully enrolled in one of the recognised programmes (arboriculture, tree management and tree work programmes at Level 2 to Level 5 of QF) listed on the Scheme's website (Categories (1) and (2)); or
   (ii) satisfactorily completed / successfully passed one of the professional training and assessment (Categories (3) and (4)) or its renewal examination listed on the Scheme’s website on or after 20 June 2024;
3. has not been granted any subsidy and will not receive any other subsidy or financial assistance from any other existing Government subsidy schemes (e.g. the Continuing Education Fund) or any other financial support (e.g. from employers) for the same programme; and
4. has passed the end-of-programme examination / satisfactorily completed the recoginsed programme (Categories (1) and (2)).

To be eligible for scholarship, an applicant must satisfy the following criteria:

1. being a Hong Kong resident, i.e. a person who have the right of abode or the right to land or to remain in Hong Kong without restriction, or a holder of one-way permit from mainland China;
2. has successfully enrolled in one of the recognised programmes (full-time arboriculture and tree management programmes at Level 5 of QF) for scholarship listed on the Scheme's website;
3. (i) has attained 20 total grade points or above in his/her best five subjects in the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) Examination; or
   (ii) being nominated by Programme Provider, high-calibre students attending recognised programme in any particular academic year;
4. has passed the academic assessments required by the Programme Provider (if applicable); and
5. agrees to join the arboriculture and horticulture industry within six months after certification by the Programme Provider for completion of programme, and provide related proof of employment.

Applicants should not submit more than one application form for the same programme at any one time.