Top Up Study
Introduction
Hong Kong students who are able to study abroad are fortunate because many students with better academic performance than themselves do not have this opportunity. Understanding gratitude will help students appreciate and cherish their opportunities, while learning to be grateful.
We hope that every Hong Kong student studying in Canada can learn freely and happily. Knowledge changes destiny however, destiny does not only refer to one's own future. In a society that seeks unity, and in a community that shares fate, we hope that Hong Kong students can learn and extend a helping hand to other students and communities that are in need of care and assistance.
About us
We are a group of parents who come from Hong Kong and have been naturalized as Canadians for many years. As Canadians, we welcome Hong Kong students to come and study in Canada. We hope students can achieve academic success and create a bright future for themselves. We also hope they can use what they learn to make contributions to society.
Our Vision
When students leave their familiar learning environments to study abroad, they will carry certain expectations with them. Expectations need to be well-managed. Strive for the best. Prepare for the worst. Success only comes to those who are prepared and it is important to understand the educational characteristics of Canada. Know your strengths and weaknesses.
Set reasonable expectations and manage them well, reduce errors, and achieve success step by step.
Our vision is simple. We hope that Hong Kong students can cherish the opportunity to study in Canada, grow up in a free and happy learning environment, and utilize what they learn to help the underprivileged and contribute to society.
Our Mission
As parents who have gone through similar experiences, we hope to assist parents who are planning to send their children to study in Canada by helping them understand the important factors to consider when arranging such plans.
We need to think how students think. We do not aim to simply provide students an opportunity to study in Canada, but also strive to be their strongest supporter for their future development. We will provide qualified tutors and consultants to help students understand themselves, set learning goals, and make future career plans, while providing support and assistance during their learning process.
Our most important mission is to help students understand that studying in Canada is a blessing, as many students around them do not have the same opportunities. We hope that they can learn to be grateful, participate in volunteer activities in their spare time, and actively help other students and vulnerable communities.
Origin of the name "TopUp Study"
The term "Top Up" generally means to recharge or add value. Although there is still room for improvement, the Canadian education system is generally well-established. TopUp Study aims to provide additional value-added services for students in Canada, helping them to integrate into the Canadian learning environment and mainstream society more quickly, smoothly, and successfully, building on their existing education foundation.
Origin of the name "友加教"
Our consultants and tutors include educators, student counselors, social workers, youth psychologists, Canadian students studying in universities, and professionals from different fields who have graduated from universities. They are Canadian residents from Hong Kong. They will provide advice and support for students in need as mentors and friends, even becoming a bridge between students, parents, and schools.
"TopUp Study" belongs to "Canada Hong Kong Alliance", which operates as a non-profit organization. Our services mainly include pre-stage preparation (pre-departure preparation) and post-stage support (support upon arrival). These two services will be developed in stages according to actual needs.
Pre-stage preparation
"A good start is half the battle won".
We will establish an interactive platform where each Canadian consultant and tutor will have their own personal page. In addition to listing their background, education, strengths, philosophy, and aspirations, they will also share videos about studying, working, and living in Canada. Students or parents can directly contact them, ask questions, discuss collaboration, and fee details.
Students and parents can also use this platform to find a suitable consultants or tutors based on their requirements, such as grade level, subject, tutoring location, time, and special requests such as gender, language, or even religious beliefs.
We will hold seminars regularly and invite different guests to share essential information about studying in Canada and answer questions from students and parents.
We understand that even though students are about to study in Canada, they still need to focus on completing their current school curriculum before departure. Frequent extracurricular activities, tests, and exams have seriously drained students' mental and physical energy. After completing their semester, they will have to immediately prepare to move to Canada, which is a significant challenge for students who need to understand a new learning environment. Therefore, we will hold condensed courses for three to five days during the summer. Our experienced tutors will teach students the differences of Canadian learning in a short time and help them master the learning techniques so they can quickly build confidence in a new learning environment.
Another important function is for Hong Kong consultants and tutors to understand the strengths, weaknesses, personality, and requirements of each student to set up the necessary support for their learning or social life after arrival. We will pre-select suitable consultants and tutors in Canada to ensure that students receive immediate and continuous assistance after arrival.
The purpose of pre-stage preparation is to assist Hong Kong students in preparing for studying in Canada while spending the least amount of time managing their current school curriculum.
Post-Stage Support
Post-stage support is essential for international students who arrive in Canada to pursue their studies. It provides a proactive and targeted approach to addressing the challenges that students may face in their new environment. The following services will be provided:
- Intensive pre-semester preparation upon arrival
Our consultants and tutors will provide pre-semester preparation for students who are new to Canada, particularly those who do not have family or friends nearby. This will include an introduction to the school environment, orientation to the start of the semester, and preparation for first-term courses. We will also seek the assistance of senior students to help build a network of friends, ensuring that students do not feel alone in a new environment and receive support in both their academic and social lives.
2. Academic follow-up and exam preparation during the semester
We will offer phone, online, and in-person tutoring services to assist students with their homework and exam preparation.
3. University or college admission consultation
Entering a well-known university or professional college and studying the ideal subject is the goal of most parents and students pursuing studies in Canada. Our consultants and tutors have graduated from renowned universities in Canada. They will first share their experiences in attending university and college with students and parents. Then, based on the students' requirements, they will provide assessments and recommendations. In addition, students and parents can directly provide feedback to the consultants and tutors to discuss the cooperation details and pricing models.
4. Future career planning
We will provide targeted services on the job market, and which job has the best prospects for the future. In addition to holding regular seminars, we will also invite guest speakers from different industries to explain the employment situation and requirements of the industry. Once students and parents have selected their desired career path, they can directly contact the relevant guest speakers to discuss cooperation details and pricing models. We believe that having a consultant who is recognized and trusted by students and parents, and works in the relevant industry, will be the most direct and effective method of providing counseling and assistance to students.
Another important function of post-stage support is to become a bridge between students, their guardians, and schools in Canada. Respecting the privacy of students, we will regularly report to parents, especially those who are overseas, to keep them informed about their children's progress and living conditions in Canada.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. What are the differences between education in Hong Kong and Canada?
Education in any country or region can be good as long as it is not politicized, respects teachers to impart correct knowledge to students, respects parents to provide care and encouragement to their children, and respects students to learn in a free environment. Enhancing competitiveness should not only focus on academic achievements but also accepting universal values to establish an international perspective.
2. When was Top Up Study (友加教) established, and how does it operate?
Top Up Study is a program under Canada Hong Kong Alliance Association (or CANHK) and was registered on July 21, 2021, under the Canadian Society Act (Society Registration Number S0074089) and operates in a non-profit form.
3. What is the background and ideologies of the founding members of Top Up Study, and how many are they?
Canada Hong Kong Alliance Association was founded by two Hong Kong-born Canadian citizens and one Canadian citizen on July 21, 2021, under the Canadian Society Act and operates in a non-profit form. Although they have different religious beliefs, they all agree on universal values. Their ideology is to help Hong Kong friends who plan to study, work, immigrate to Canada or those who are ready to return to Canada to smoothly and successfully integrate into Canadian mainstream society. Their common goal is to care for the Canadian society and help people and families in need who are in difficult situations.
4. What is the philosophy of Top Up Study?
Top Up Study believes that success only comes to those who are prepared. When students and their parents prepare to study in Canada, Top Up Study will provide services from qualified Canadian tutors and consultants, introduce the characteristics of Canadian education to parents, compare the differences between the education systems in Hong Kong and Canada, provide pre-admission preparation, academic follow-up, college and university admission preparation, and future career planning services.
5. Top Up Study's birth is rooted in the emergence of Hong Kong's social movements.
At that time, there were many Canadian citizens and permanent residents in Hong Kong planning to return to Canada, many families planning to move overseas, and many young people planning to study abroad.
We do not encourage immigration or overseas education, nor do we discuss politics. We are only concerned that acting hastily, without a clear understanding of the unique characteristics of Canadian education, and without sufficient preparation to learn in a completely new environment, may bring unnecessary pressure or impact on students or young people.
We have heard peers say that immigration is for the next generation to obtain better education opportunities, and we have heard friends say that sending children to study abroad is to hope that they will succeed and stand out. We have seen students suffer from anxiety and have to give up their studies to receive treatment in Hong Kong after going to Canada. We have seen students suffer from anorexia and their parents rush to Canada overnight to save them.
"Top Up Study" is not designed for top-performing students with high IQ and EQ. We are here to provide assistance to students and parents who are concerned about academic difficulties or social challenges. Going to Canada for further education requires preparation from both students and their parents. According to statistics, 10% of overseas students encounter different difficulties. "Top Up Study" was born for these 10% of students.
6. Top Up Study's Development
The concept of Top Up Study took us a year to analyze and research from the perspective of Hong Kong parents and overseas students, without commercial considerations or pursuit of profits.
We aimed to avoid students feeling frustrated and giving up their studies or even distancing themselves from the community due to unfulfilled expectations. We also aimed to equip students with confidence and help them succeed in their studies in Canada.
More importantly, we wanted parents to understand that their children's education abroad should not be solely based on their own ideas and decisions. After all, students are required to leave their familiar learning environment and face a completely unfamiliar learning and living environment. If successful, all family members will be happy to share the joy. However, if unsuccessful, only the students will have to face it alone.
We had originally planned to launch the service in mid-2020, but with the outbreak of the pandemic and travel restrictions, we had to put our plan on hold temporarily.
We began to reflect on the real reasons for sending our children to study in Canada. Is it to escape the Hong Kong education system or do we truly appreciate the Canadian education system, its universal values, and hope that our children will pursue knowledge while upholding the principles of fairness and justice and contribute to society, especially to disadvantaged communities.
Over the past few years, we have continuously reflected, explored, and exchanged ideas with peers engaged in youth education and counseling, hoping to optimize the entire plan.
One of our board members successfully registered the trademarks "Top Up Study" (Trademark No. 305589770 Class 41) and "友加教" (Trademark No. 305589299 Class 41) with the Hong Kong Intellectual Property Department on April 12, 2021. We provided the trademarks to the Canada Hong Kong Alliance free of charge and provided funding to promote its development on July 21, 2021.
7. Target audience
Our services mainly target Hong Kong students and parents who are interested, planning, or are already studying in Canadian secondary schools. Due to limited resources, we prioritize providing services to Canadian citizens, permanent residents, prospective immigrants, international students, workers in Canada and their children, as well as friends who have close connections to Canada and are affected by political, financial, and/or family issues.
8. Funding sources
The "Canada Hong Kong Alliance" was registered in Canada on July 21, 2021, and operates as a non-profit organization. We insist on not discussing or getting involved in politics, not attaching or leaning towards any political or business groups, and not accepting any financially conditional assistance. To date, all operational funds have been contributed by one of the founders on a voluntary basis.
9. Operation mode and fees
All website construction and management, seminar organization and related expenses, institutional administration and promotion costs are contributed by one of the directors on a voluntary basis. We do not charge any management fees to students or parents, nor do we charge any referral fees to consultants or teachers.
10. Will we apply for assistance from the Canadian government?
During the pandemic, we witnessed a large number of Canadians losing their lives and their jobs. However, we also saw the Canadian government selflessly taking care of local residents and helping Hong Kong friends to study, work, or even settle down in Canada.
Our vision is to bring together a group of selfless friends who regard helping others as their duty, encourage, tolerate, help and support each other. We wish to build and maintain a harmonious society in Canada, not just a small circle of Hong Kong people but a diverse cultural society that attracts us to Canada.
We hope to use our resources to help Hong Kong friends so that the Canadian government can free up more resources to assist local disadvantaged communities and those in need.
11. Are you worried about not being able to continue providing services due to financial problems?
We have considered this issue since the inception of our concept. Therefore, we have always been committed to allowing students, parents, and consultants and tutors contact each other directly without referral fees. Our structure allows students to access excellent tutors and consultants without our approval. We are simply here to assist and make referrals.
12. What are our needs?
We need talent. If you are engaged in education, social work, youth counseling, or interested in dedicating yourself to the charity industry and are willing to assist Hong Kong students and young friends, please contact us. We will work together to help Hong Kong students studying in Canada through direct employment or cooperation.