Author
Bowtie Team
Updated on
2025-07-29
Disclaimer: This article is translated with the assistance of AI.
First aid can provide initial rescue and care for the injured, potentially saving lives. With numerous first aid certification courses available, those from St. John Ambulance and the Hong Kong Red Cross are the most popular. Curious about their fees and exam formats? The Bowtie team has rounded up details on Hong Kong’s top 6 first aid courses, comparing costs, content, and more to help you pick the perfect one!
Compare First Aid Course Fees and Hours in HK
| Hong Kong St. John Ambulance | Hong Kong Red Cross | Occupational Safety and Health Council | Auxiliary Medical Service | Hong Kong Society of Professional Medical Care | Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions | |
| *Course Fees | $290 | $280 | $595 – $1,190 | $991 – $1,173 | $500 | $780 |
| **Course Name | First Aid Certificate Course (AFA) |
|
Qualified First Aider Professional Certificate Course (AMS) | Basic First Aid Training Course | Occupational First Aid Training Course (OFA) | First Aid Certificate Course |
| Course Duration | 30 hours | 30 hours | 36 hours | 36 hours | 30 hours | 30 hours |
- * Course fees include various equipment and class supplies. Information updated as of July 1, 2020. For details, please refer to the information below
- ** Each course covers different scopes and contents. For details, please refer to the information below
St John Ambulance HK – Certificate in First Aid Course (AFA)
St John Ambulance Hong Kong has 12 training centers. Details of the “First Aid Certificate” course (AFA) are as follows:
| Details | |
| Enrollment Requirements | Primary 6 level and aged 13 or above |
| Teaching Language | Cantonese or English |
| Course Options | * 4-day full-day course, ** 3 hours x 10 sessions |
| *** Exam Content | First aid theory written test and practical test, such as bandage application and CPR |
| Class Locations | Hong Kong MacDonnell Road, Causeway Bay Tai Hang Road, Kowloon Ho Man Tin Hill Road, Sheung Shui, Aberdeen, Kwai Chung, Sha Tin, Tai Po, Tsuen Wan, Tuen Mun, Yuen Long |
| Individual Fee | **** $290 |
| Group Fee | Government or voluntary groups (20-30 people) $240 per person; Commercial organizations (20-30 people) $7,200 per class |
| Other Fees | First aid course manual $80, bandage pack $38, artificial respiration mouth shield $3/piece, first aid certificate $50 |
Interested in signing up? Give them a call at 2530 8020-8024 (5 direct lines) to inquire about enrollment procedures.
- * For a four-day consecutive course, at least three hours of self-study time is required before and after each class for preparation
- ** For a 10-session course, at least 1.5 hours of self-study time is required before and after each session for preparation
- *** Students must also allocate at least 37 hours of self-study time to prepare for the written test and practical assessment
- **** Includes registration fee, exam fee, certificate and mailing service, equipment maintenance fee, and one DVD on bandaging and CPR practice
- # Generally, students enrolling in the Hong Kong St. John Ambulance’s “Certificate in First Aid” course need to allocate at least 21 hours of self-study time before the course starts to watch the instructional DVD and study the textbook content from the First Aid Manual (Practical Edition).
- # Enrollees must achieve 80% attendance and pass the exam to obtain the First Aid Certificate. If failing one subject, a supplementary exam can be applied for (HK$130); if failing two or more subjects, the entire course must be retaken.
Hong Kong Red Cross First Aid Certificate Courses (SFA & SFAB)
Hong Kong Red Cross has 4 training centers, offering a total of 30 hours for the Standard First Aid Certificate Course (SFA) and 20 to 23 hours for the Blended Standard First Aid Certificate Course (SFAB). Details as follows:
| Details | |
| Enrolment Requirements | Aged 15 or above |
| Language of Instruction | Cantonese, Putonghua or English |
| Course Options | Standard First Aid Certificate Course (SFA): 4 full-day courses, 3 hours x 10 sessions; Blended Course (SFAB): 5 to 8 hours online learning + 15 hours practical course |
| ***Exam Content | Includes first aid theory written test (30 multiple-choice questions) and practical test, such as external bleeding first aid, fracture first aid handling, CPR, etc. |
| Class Locations | Tai Wo Hau, Sha Tin, Mong Kok, Hong Kong Island |
| Individual Fee | Cantonese or Putonghua: $280; English: $350 |
| Group Fee | Cantonese or Putonghua: $330; English: $400 (minimum 16 people, maximum 30 per class) |
| Other Fees | First Aid Manual $88, “Basic First Aid Skills” DVD $60, Bandage Pack $50, First Aid Certificate $50 |
Interested parties can call 3971 0288 to inquire about enrolment procedures.
- # Applicants must achieve 80% attendance and pass the exam to obtain the first aid certificate. If failing one to two subjects, they can apply for a supplementary exam (HK$150 per subject, HK$250 for two). If failing three or more, they must retake the entire course.
OSHC Qualified First Aider Certificate (AMS)
Occupational Safety and Health Council ‘s Qualified First Aider Professional Certificate Course (AMS) is a 6-day full-time program totaling 36 hours. Details below:
| Details | |
| Enrollment Requirements | Ability to read and write Chinese |
| Teaching Language | Cantonese |
| Course Options | 6-day full-time course |
| Exam Content | First aid theory written test and practical test |
| Class Location | North Point |
| Individual Fee | $1,190 |
| Green Cross Member/OSHA Ambassador Tuition | $1,070 |
| SME Fee | $595 |
Interested parties can call 2739 9000 to inquire about enrollment procedures.
- # Applicants must achieve 85% attendance and pass the exam to obtain the first aid certificate.
- # Not applicable for individual online enrollment
AMS Basic First Aid Training Course
Auxiliary Medical Service has 5 training centers. The first aid classes are mainly for government department employees, with remaining spots open to the public. Details below:
| Details | |
| Enrollment Requirements | Civil servants; if spots remain, open to the public |
| Teaching Language | Cantonese |
| Course Options | 4.5-day full-time course, Tuesdays to Fridays |
| Exam Content | First aid theory written test and practical test |
| Class Location | North Point |
| Individual Fee | AMS Training Centre: $991; Applicant Institution Training Centre: $1,173 |
| Civil Servants | Free |
| Other Fees | First Aid Manual $140 |
Interested parties can call 2762 2020 to inquire about enrollment procedures.
Hong Kong Society of Professional Medical Care – Occupational First Aid Course (OFA)
Hong Kong Society of Professional Medical Care ‘s Occupational First Aid Certificate Course details are as follows:
| Details | |
| Eligibility | Aged 13 or above |
| Language of Instruction | Cantonese, Mandarin or English |
| Course Options | 30 hours |
| ***Exam Content | Written test (30 multiple-choice questions) and practical test, including CPR, external bleeding first aid and fracture first aid assessment |
| Class Locations | Prince Edward, Lai Chi Kok |
| Individual Fee | * $500 |
Interested parties can call 2728 9814 to inquire about enrollment procedures.
- * Includes practice CPR mask, exam and certificate
- # Enrollees must achieve 80% attendance and pass the exam to obtain the first aid certificate. If failing one to two subjects, supplementary exam can be applied ($250/subject); if failing three or more subjects, the entire course must be retaken.
HKFTU – First Aid Certificate Course
Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions (HKFTU) Continuing Education Centre collaborates with the Hong Kong Red Cross to offer the First Aid Certificate Course, details as follows:
| Details | |
| Eligibility | Aged 16 or above, able to read and write Chinese |
| Course Options | 3 hours x 10 sessions |
| *Exam Content | First aid theory written test and practical test, such as CPR, external bleeding first aid, fracture first aid |
| **Fee | $780 |
Interested parties can call 2712 9165 to inquire about enrollment procedures.
- * Exam at the training center two weeks after the course ends
- ** Includes registration fee, exam fee, Hong Kong Red Cross First Aid Manual (Chinese), “Basic First Aid Skills” CD, bandage pack (including 1 dressing, one roll each of 2-inch and 3-inch elastic bandages, 3 triangular bandages, and 1 pair of disposable gloves), 6 practice CPR face shields (for student practice and exam), and certificate.
- # Enrollees must achieve 80% attendance and pass the exam to obtain the first aid certificate.
The above first aid certificates are generally valid for 3 years. Within 6 months after they expire, you can enroll in a refresher course to renew them for another 3 years upon completion. Remember to sign up within those 6 months, or you’ll have to retake the whole course from scratch!
If you face a serious situation you can’t handle on your own, we suggest calling an ambulance right away or heading to the emergency department of a private hospital for treatment.
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