Rules on Foreign students' Enrollment in China's Colleges and Universities

Chapter I General provisions

Article 1 These rules are formulated in accordance with the Education Law of the People's Republic of China, the Higher Education Law of the People's Republic of China and the Law of the People's Republic of China on Control of the Entry and Exit of Aliens, for the purpose of enhancing mutual understanding and friendship between the Chinese people and people of all other countries, promoting international cooperation and communication among universities and colleges, and strengthening standardized management on enrolling and training foreign students to study in China.

Article 2 The higher education institutions as referred to in these rules are those higher-learning bodies authorized by the Ministry of Education to offer full-time schooling for higher academic qualification education. The foreign students as referred to in these rules are those foreign citizens with foreign passport who are registered in China's higher education institutions to receive academic qualification or non-academic qualification educations.

Article 3 The work on enrolling and training foreign students should follow the principle of 'deepening reform, strengthening supervision, guaranteeing quality, and developing in a positive and reliable step.'

Article 4 The higher education institutions accepting foreign students should possess prerequisite teaching and living facilities, and reach corresponding teaching and research level as well as management level.

Article 5 The higher education institutions, when enrolling and training foreign students, should follow the country's foreign policies, safeguard national sovereignty, security, social and public benefits.

Chapter II Management system

Article 6 The Ministry of Education manages the country's work on enrolling foreign students at Chinese Colleges and Universities in an all-around way, formulates the principles and policies on accepting foreign students, manages the 'Chinese Government Scholarship' in accordance with its administration scope, coordinates and guides the work on enrolling foreign students in all regions and all schools in China, and evaluates the foreign students management work in all regions and schools and their teaching quality.

The Ministry of Education entrusts the National Study-abroad Fund Management Committee to take charge of the work on state-planned enrollment of foreign students and the detailed management work.

Article 7 Higher education institutions, when enrolling foreign students, should be subject to examination and approval by the administrative department for education as well as same-level foreign affairs department and public security department under the people's government in each province, autonomous region and municipality, and submit it to the Ministry of Education for report. The enrollment of foreign students to enjoy the Chinese Government Scholarship should be examined and approved directly by the Ministry of Education.

Article 8 The administrative department for education under the people's government in each province, autonomous region and municipality shall be in charge of the coordination work on enrolling foreign students at higher education institutions in its administrative region. The competent local authorities, including foreign affairs department and public security department, shall assist the administrative department for education and higher education institutions to handle well the management work on foreign students.

Article 9 Higher education institutions shall take the detailed responsibility for the recruitment, education, teaching and daily management work on foreign students. The universities and colleges should entrust a president-level official to take charge of the work on foreign students in his institution. The institution should formulate management system on foreign students in accordance with relevant rules, and establish competent administrative agencies or entrust management personnel within the institution to handle foreign students affairs.

Chapter III Classification, recruitment and enrollment of foreign students

Article 10 Higher education institutions can provide foreign students with education for academic qualifications and education for non-academic qualifications. Higher education for academic qualifications includes special course education, regular course education and graduate program. Higher education for non-academic qualifications includes advanced education and research program.

Article 11 Higher education institutions should formulate recruitment measures for foreign students, publicize recruitment regulations and enroll foreign students in accordance with the regulations.

Article 12 The number of foreign students to be enrolled in higher education institution is not limited by the state-planned quota.

Article 13 The tuition items and fee standards collected by higher education institutions shall be formulated and publicized in accordance with the relevant regulations of the state, and shall be calculated and collected in Renminbi.

Article 14 The majors for foreign students enrolled at higher education institutions shall be those public-opened majors. New majors of academic qualification education specially established for foreign students should report to the Ministry of Education for examination and approval.

Article 15 The foreign citizens applying to study at higher education institutions in China shall acquire competent qualifications and meet the enrollment requirement, possess economic assurance and a warrantor in China.

Article 16 Higher education institutions shall provide qualification assessment, entrance test or checkup for foreign students. Higher education institutions can decide their own enrollment standard. Foreign students receiving academic qualification education in Chinese should take part in the HSK.

Article 17 The enrollment of foreign students is determined by higher education institutions. The state-planed enrollment of foreign students should take the first priority. Higher education institutions have the right to enroll foreign students under inter-school exchange programmes and self-paid foreign students.

Article 18 Higher education institutions can accept foreign students enrolled or transferred from other institutions upon permission from the latter.

Chapter IV Scholarship System

Article 19 The Chinese government establishes the 'Chinese Government Scholarship' for foreign students to study in China.

The Chinese Government Scholarship includes undergraduate scholarship, graduate scholarship and advance students' scholarship.

The Ministry of Education, in accordance with real needs, has established other scholarships for special research or training.

Article 20 The Ministry of Education formulates the plan on enrolling foreign students who receive the Chinese Government Scholarship, in accordance with relevant treaties signed between the Chinese Government and foreign countries and the need of exchanges between China and other countries.

Article 21 Foreign students receiving the Chinese Government Scholarship to study in China should accept annual assessment on the scholarship qualification. The assessment work will be conducted by higher education institutions in accordance with relevant rules. For those foreign students who fail to pass the assessment, their qualification to enjoy the Chinese Government Scholarship will be suspended or canceled in accordance with the rules.

Article 22 Local governments and higher-learning institutions have the right to solely or jointly establish scholarships for foreign students in accordance with real needs. Upon obtaining permission from the higher education institutions and provincial administrative department for education, Chinese and foreign enterprises, institutions, social organizations or other social bodies and individuals can also set up scholarships for foreign students, with no irrational conditions added

Chapter V Teaching management

Article 23 Higher education institutions shall arrange courses for foreign students in accordance with the unified teaching curriculum formulated by the institutions, and conduct teaching activities by consulting foreign students' psychological and cultural characteristics. Under the prerequisite of ensuring teaching qualities, compulsory or optional courses for foreign students can be adjusted appropriately.

Article 24 Chinese and general introduction of China are compulsory courses for foreign students. Political theory is the compulsory course for those majoring in philosophy, politics and economics and is optional for other majors.

Article 25 Chinese is the basic teaching language for higher education institutions to train foreign students. Higher education institutions should provide language remedy for foreign students whose Chinese proficiency fails to meet the professional standard.

Higher education institutions can offer major courses in English or other foreign languages for foreign students in accordance with real conditions. For foreign students receiving academic qualification education in foreign languages, they should write abstract for graduation thesis in Chinese.

Article 26 When organising teaching internship and social practice for foreign students, the higher education institutions should follow the teaching plan and let foreign students join the on-campus Chinese students for the activities. The selection of places for the internship or practices should observe relevant foreign affairs regulations.

Article 27 Higher education institutions should provide necessary study surroundings for foreign students in accordance with teaching requirement. When using extra equipment or obtaining extra materials outside the teaching plan, the foreign students should offer application and receive approval from the higher education institutions in accordance with relevant rules and procedures.

Article 28 A system of student-status record on school roll shall be instituted by the higher education institutions, in accordance with relevant laws, on foreign students studying in China. Higher education institutions, when ordering a foreign student to suspend his/her study or canceling the foreign student's name from the school roll, shall report to provincial education administrative department for records. The higher education institutions shall send a written notification to the National Study-abroad Fund Management Committee if the punished foreign student is on the state-planned enrollment list.

Article 29 Higher education institutions shall issue graduation diploma (course-complete diploma, study certificate) or other describing-style certificates to foreign students in accordance with relevant rules, and confer degree diplomas to foreign students meeting the qualifications for academic degrees. The higher education institutions can provide non-Chinese version of the above diplomas in accordance with necessary needs.

Chapter VI On-Campus Management

Article 30 Higher education institutions shall launch education and management on foreign students in accordance with relevant State laws, rules and institutional regulations. The institutions should teach foreign students to abide by Chinese laws and regulations, school rules and discipline, and respect social morality, customs and habits in China.

Article 31 Higher education institutions generally are not encouraged to organize foreign students to take part in political activities. However, they can organize foreign students to join public welfare activities on a voluntary basis.

Article 32 Higher education institutions should permit and encourage foreign students to attend entertainment and sports activities organized by students union on the campus. Foreign students can also participate in the celebration galas held during major Chinese holidays on a voluntary basis. In cities and regions where foreign students live in concentrated community, the local competent departments and the higher education institutions shall organize physical and mental friendly activities for the foreign students.

Upon permission from the higher education institutions, foreign students may form their own union organizations on the campus, which shall conduct activities within the scopes defined by Chinese laws and regulations, and are subject to the leadership and management of the higher education institution. When establishing inter-school or inter-region organizations, foreign students should apply to competent authorities of the Chinese Government for approval.

Article 33 Higher education institutions shall respect the national customs and religious faith of foreign students, but are forbidden to provide places for religious rituals. Any missionary activities and religious gathering are forbidden on the campus.

Article 34 Upon permission from the higher education institution, foreign students can hold activities to celebrate their own major traditional festivals at designated places and within approved scopes. However, no content aimed at opposing and attacking other countries, or words and deeds violating public ethics are allowed.

Article 35 Higher education institution should provide necessary daily life service facilities, including boarding and lodging, for foreign students, formulate and publicize the operation and management system on the service facilities.

Article 36 Foreign students are not allowed to take up jobs, operate business, or engage in other business-related activities during their study in China. However, work-study activities in accordance with college rules are permitted.

Chapter VII Social administration

Article 37 Relevant administrative departments are responsible for the social management on foreign students studying China. Higher education institutions should cooperate relevant administrative departments to handle well the social management work on foreign students.

Article 38 Foreign students can live outside of the campus, after registration at the local public security agencies in accordance with relevant rules.

Article 39 Relevant departments shall provide convenience to foreign students for their normal study and social practices, offering the same charge standard as with Chinese students.

Article 40 Foreign students shall obey China's laws and regulations when conducting activities of publishing, association, assembly, procession and demonstration in the Chinese territory. When attending religious activities in China, the foreign students should abide by the Regulation of Aliens' Religious Activities in the Territory of the People's Republic of China.

Article 41 Foreign students shall obey relevant Chinese rules when bringing or mailing articles to enter or exit China

Chapter VIII Entry and Exit, and Residing Procedures

Article 42 Foreign students generally should take private passports, 'X' or 'F' visas with them to register for study at higher education institutions. For those who plan to study in China for more than 6 months, they can apply for 'X' visas from Chinese embassies or consulates abroad and other resident agencies, by bringing the Visa Application Form for Aliens to Study in China (form JW201 or JW202), the Admission Notice from the institutions and the Physical Examination Record of Aliens. For those who intend to study in China for less than 6 months, they can apply for 'F' visas by bringing the Visa Application Form for Aliens to Study in China (form JW201 or JW202) and Admission Notice from the institutions. Those coming to China in groups for short-term study can apply for 'F' group visas with the Invitation Letters or Telegrams from the authorized institutions.

Article 43 To study or have refresher courses at Chinese higher education institutions, aliens who hold foreign diplomatic passports, business passports, official passports or special passports, or come to China on Chinese diplomatic visa, business visa or courteous reception visas, shall deliver a note from diplomatic agencies of his/her own country declaring giving-up of privilege and immunity while study in China to China's provincial-level foreign affair department for approval, and then go to the entry-exit department of the public security bureaus to exchange for 'X' or 'F' visas with the approval of the foreign affairs department. Aliens, who hold foreign diplomatic passport, business passport, official passport or special passport and come to China with exemption of visas in accordance with bilateral agreements, shall switch to private passport and apply for 'X' or 'F' visas from the entry-exit department of the public security bureaus. Aliens who come to China with non-'X' or 'F' visas on their private passport shall exchange for 'X' or 'F' visas at entry-exit department of the public security bureaus if they intend to study or have refresher courses at Chinese higher education institutions.

Foreign affair department and entry-exit department of the public security bureaus shall check the Visa Application Form for Aliens to Study in China (form JW201 or JW202), Admission Notice from the institutions and the Physical Examination Record of Aliens when dealing with the applications of the above-said personnel.

Article 44 Family members of the foreign students studying in China can apply for companion-study 'L' visas from Chinese embassies and consulates abroad with the Invitation Letter of the schools. Upon arrival of the official letter from the school receiving the foreign student, the entry-exit department of the public security bureaus shall conduct the visa postponement for the companion-study family member of the foreign students. The term of the companion-study family member's stay in China can not surpass the validity period of the foreign student's residence certificate.

Article 45 Foreign students who arrive China for study of more than 6 months shall go to the local hygiene and quarantine office for the confirmation of the Physical Examination Record of Aliens within the required period. Those failing to provide the Physical Examination Record of Aliens shall have physical checkup at the local hygiene and quarantine offices. Those who were confirmed to carry entry-forbidden diseases by Chinese laws shall leave China for home immediately.

Article 46 Foreign students holding 'X' visas to come to China must apply for Residence Certificate at the entry-exit department of the local public security bureaus within 30 days upon entering the Chinese territory. During the study period, any changes to the items at Residence Certificate must undergo modification procedure at the entry-exit department of the local public security bureaus within ten days.

Article 47 Foreign students, when transferring to another city for study, must first go to the entry-exit department of the local public security bureau to apply for a move-out formality. Upon arrival at the target city, they must go to the entry-exit department of the local public security bureau to go through a move-in formality within ten days.

Article 48 Foreign students, when undergoing a temporary exit during school time, must apply for a re-entry formality before exit. For those who intend for further study or stay in China after their visas or residence certificates expire, they must apply for postponement formality before their visas or residence certificates expire.

Article 49 Foreign students must exit within the scheduled time after they graduate from school, wind up their studies, graduate without a diploma, or quit school. When foreign students were ordered to quit school or dismissed of student status from the school roll, the higher education institutions should inform the entry-exit department of the local public security bureau in time. The entry-exit department of the local public security bureau will take over their Residence Certificate for Aliens or curtail their stay period in China in accordance with the law.

Chapter IX Supplementary Provisions

Article 50 The education organizations, which are outside of the higher education institutions offering full-time schooling for higher academic qualification education, must obtain approval from the Ministry of Education when receiving foreign students. The relevant rules will be formulated additionally.

The Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China

The Ministry of Public Security of the People's Republic of China