Rules & Regulations

The Institute constantly provides updates on the latest development to all members, graduates and students via email and/or the Institute’s website. All students must provide a valid and current email address to the Institute for communication purposes. This email will be used as the login name of your Institute’s user account for various online services. You are encouraged to check your email and the Institute’s website regularly for the latest information.

In order to maintain timely communication with the Institute, all students should promptly update the details set out below by logging in their user account:

• Home and business address and contact numbers
• Employment status, including official position if in employment, and
• Any other information that the Council reasonably requires, provided that requiring such information is not contrary to the laws of Hong Kong.

Rights

• Students are entitled to enjoy exclusive support and benefits offered by the Institute. Learn more about learning support and benefits.

Obligations

• Students are not members of the Institute. You cannot describe yourself as a member of the Institute, a Chartered Secretary, and/or Chartered Governance Professional.
• Students must abide by this Rules and Regulations as stipulated by the Institute from time to time.
• Students must undertake the appropriate course of study and it is under their responsibility as to how, when and where such study shall take place.
• Students must observe any deadline dates set by the Institute for examination entry and postponement, appeal for examination results and other matters related to their studentship affairs.
• Students must keep any information provided by the Institute and any correspondence with the Institute confidential.
• Students are responsible for any consequences arising out of the publication, loss or disclosure by them of their online registration information such as login ID and password.
• Students remain responsible for all fees and charges and must pay all such fees and charges as stipulated by the Institute.
• Students must not infringe and must take all reasonable steps to protect the copyright or other intellectual property rights of the Institute.

Students shall observe the highest standards of professional conduct and ethical behaviour in all their work and activities as if they were members and graduates of the Institute. Student shall strictly observe the standard of professional conduct and practice required by the Council and comply with any code of conduct, rules of professional ethics, practice directions, rules and regulations governing professional conduct and practice of members unless the Council or the Disciplinary Tribunal otherwise decide or they are otherwise inapplicable by the reason of their not having acquired the minimum years of experience, training or passing the prescribed examinations. Click HERE for details.

You must register as an HKCGI student before attending any of the Chartered Governance Qualifying Programme (CGQP) examinations.

All applicants must hold one of the following identity cards: (1) Hong Kong; (2) Chinese mainland; (3) Taiwan; or (4) Macao: OR hold a certification of right of abode in: (1) Hong Kong; (2) Chinese mainland; (3) Taiwan; or (4) Macao.

All fees paid for the studentship registration are non-refundable and non-transferable, even if an application is rejected by the Institute or withdrawn by the applicant.

All applications are subject to HKCGI’s approval and at its sole and absolute discretion. The Institute reserves the right to decline applications without assigning any reason thereof.

Regardless of the confirmation date of studentship, student status will be expired in the following 30 June. All students are required to renew their status with HKCGI annually. For details, please refer to the Renewal section.

Standard entry

Holders of recognised academic and/or professional qualifications are eligible to register as an HKCGI student.

You may register as an HKCGI student any time throughout the year. Application deadlines for the upcoming examinations are:

• 31 January (yearly) – for the following June examinations
• 31 July (yearly) – for the following November examinations

Late studentship applications shall pay a late administrative charge for enrolling in the upcoming examinations within 15 calendar days after the deadline.

Studentship application must be made online with certified true copies of all required supporting documents and the registration fee.

Applicants may apply for exemption assessment upon studentship registration. For details of exemption assessment, please click HERE.

Collaborative Course Agreement (CCA) programme entry

Students of CCA programme must register as HKCGI students within three months after the commencement of the CCA programme, otherwise a late studentship registration application charge shall be imposed from the fourth month until they register as HKCGI students during their CCA programme study. For details, please click HERE.

Studentship application submitted after the graduation of CCA programme may not be eligible for CCA full exemption.

Partnership Bachelor’s Programme (PBP) entry

Current Year 3 or Year 4 undergraduates of the PBP are eligible to register as an HKCGI Student(Conditional) throughout the year.

Student(Conditional) application must be made online with certified true copies of all required supporting documents and the registration fee.

Student(Conditional) is entitled to enjoy the same rights and obligations as other HKCGI students, subject to the following:

• Student(Conditional) may enrol the Institute’s CGQP examinations once he/she become a Student(Conditional).
• If a Student(Conditional) cannot complete the respective PBP, a grace period of two years from the expected year of graduation is allowed for the Student(Conditional) concerned to fulfil the entry requirement for HKCGI studentship (i.e. students).
• If a Student(Conditional) still cannot meet the entry requirement after the two-year grace period, he/she will be removed from the Institute’s student register and his/her CGQP examination records with the Institute (if any), will be permanently invalidated.
• All Student(Conditional) are required to declare their study status of the PBP with the Institute annually while remaining a Student(Conditional).

Students must settle the student renewal fee in order to renew their studentship and enrol the CGQP examinations. For students studying the Collaborative Course Agreement (CCA) programme, they must maintain their studentship at all times during their study of the CCA programme.

The Studentship Renewal Notice will be emailed to all students at the beginning of each financial year (i.e. 1 July) and must be settled for student renewal by 30 September. Failure to settle the renewal fee will constitute a ground for studentship removal from the register.

Renewal of studentship can be done online via logging into their user account.

The Institute reserves the right to remove students from the register without refund of fees in the following circumstances:

• Students who do not settle the annual student renewal fees by the deadline; or
• Students who have not attempted the qualifying programme examinations or completed the qualifying programme within 10 years from the date of first registration or 1 January 2020, whichever is later.
• Non-compliance with the Institute’s student rules and regulations, including these rules, the instructions to candidates to be observed during the qualifying programme examinations and the instructions of examination invigilators; or
• Breach of CGI Charter and Byelaws, Institute’s Articles of Association and/or code of professional conduct; or
• Any other reason which, in the opinion of the Institute, justifies such action.

Once removed from the register, they cannot enrol in examinations or apply for exemptions. They are no longer entitled to use the Institute’s services until they successfully re-registered.

• The following only applies to Student(Conditional):
  There is a time limit on completion of PBP for Student(Conditional).
  • If a Student(Conditional) cannot complete the respective PBP in the expected year of graduation, a grace period of two years will be granted to him/her to fulfil the entry requirement for HKCGI Studentship (i.e. holder of recognised academic/professional qualification).
  • If a Student(Conditional) still cannot meet the entry requirement after the two-year grace period, he/she will be removed from the Student(Conditional) register, and his/her CGQP examination records with the Institute (if any), will be permanently invalidated.

If a student wishes, for any reason, to resign from the student register, he/she should complete and submit the Studentship Resignation Form to notify the Institute.

Where disciplinary action is being considered against a student, he/she shall not lapse his/her studentship until the procedures are completed.

A student who has been removed from the register may re-register as HKCGI student within 10 years from the date of his/her first registration or 1 January 2020, whichever is later.

Application must be made online with all required supporting documents and the re-registration fee. The successful applicant could reinstate his/her previous studentship records.

For students who re-register after 10 years from the date of his/her first registration or 1 January 2020, whichever is later, their exemption/examination records will be permanently invalidated. In such case, they must register as new students.

The Institute reserves the right to offer or reject any re-registration application and decision is final.

Regardless of the confirmation date of studentship, student status will be expired in the following 30 June. All students are required to renew their status with HKCGI annually. For details, please refer to the Renewal section.

The following only applies to Student(Conditional):

If a former Student(Conditional) ceases his/her conditional studentship and wishes to reinstate it, he/she should contact the Institute to check his/her eligibility for re-registration. Reinstatement of his/her previous CGQP examination and exemption records with the Institute is subject to the Institute’s approval.

Students are required to complete the qualifying programme examinations within a period of six years from the date of first registration or 1 January 2020, whichever is later. Students may extend for a maximum of four years in completing the qualifying programme.

The 10-year period is effective from 1 January 2020 onwards for all students on the register. No studentship extension is allowed beyond ten years.

Entering examinations

• HKCGI students are eligible to enter any CGQP examinations, except students studying the Collaborative Course Agreement (CCA) programme.
• Students may enter more than one module at each examination diet.
• Students are required to submit the online application for the CGQP June or November examinations. The examination timetable is published on the Institute’s website. Late application will not be accepted.
• No changes will be accepted after examination application has been confirmed.
• HKCGI reserves the right to accept or reject any examination application, and the decision is final.

Admission to the examinations

• Students will receive the notice to download their Examination Admission Slip by email around two weeks before the date of the examinations.
• Students should check their Examination Admission Slip carefully and contact the Institute immediately for any incorrect information.
• Students who do not receive the Examination Admission Slip five working days before the start of examinations should contact the Institute immediately.
• Students must bring along the Examination Admission Slip together with their personal identity card as well as other required document by the Institute when entering the examination centre.
• Students must read and comply with the Institute’s Instructions to Candidates.

Examination postponement

Click HERE for more details.

Examination results

Examination results are released on the students' Institute account only. Candidates may apply for a review of their examination results within 10 working days after the release of results.
Click HERE for more details.

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.

Click HERE for more details of exemptions.

Collaborative Course Agreement (CCA) programme students
The Institute has developed collaborative courses with several local universities, successful completion of which leads to full exemption from the Institute’s Chartered Governance Qualifying Programme (CGQP). Click HERE for more details of CCA programmes.