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 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 passports who are registered in China’s higher education institutions to receive academic qualification or non-academic qualification education. 

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 China Scholarship Council (CSC) 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 record. 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 open to foreign students. New majors of academic qualification education specially established for foreign students should be reported 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 establish 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-planned enrollment of foreign students should take the first priority. Higher education institutions have the right to enroll foreign students under inter-school exchange programs and self-financed 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 has established 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 agreements 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 education 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 taking into account foreign students’ psychological and cultural characteristics. Under the prerequisite of ensuring teaching quality, 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 medium of instruction for higher education institutions to train foreign students. Higher education institutions should provide remedial Chinese language courses for foreign students whose Chinese proficiency is not up to 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 organizing 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 be made according to relevant foreign affairs regulations. 

Article 27 Higher education institutions should provide necessary study surroundings for foreign students in accordance with the teaching requirement. When using extra equipment or obtaining extra materials outside the teaching plan, the foreign students should submit 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 record. The higher education institutions shall send a written notification to the China Scholarship Council (CSC) 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 when necessary. 

Chapter VI  On-campus Management 

Article 30 Higher education institutions shall provide 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 physically and mentally beneficial activities for the foreign students. 

With permission from the higher education institutions, foreign students may form their own on-campus organizations for promoting friendship, 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 institutions. 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 beliefs 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 With permission from the higher education institutions, foreign students can organize 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 shall be allowed. 

Article 35 Higher education institutions should provide necessary daily life service facilities, including board 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 in China. Higher education institutions should cooperate with relevant administrative departments to handle well the social management work on foreign students. 

Article 38 Foreign students can live off campus, after registration at the local public security organs 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 Regulations on the Supervision of the Religious Activities of Foreigners in 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. Those who plan to study in China for more than 6 months can apply for “X” visas from Chinese embassies or consulates abroad and other foreign-based 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. Those who intend to study in China for less than 6 months 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, business, official or special passports, or come to China on Chinese diplomatic, business or courtesy visas, shall deliver a note from diplomatic agencies of his/her own country declaring giving-up of privileges and immunities while studying in China to China’s provincial-level foreign affairs department for approval, and then go to the exit-and-entry department of the public security bureau to exchange for “X” or “F” visas with the approval of the foreign affairs department. Aliens, who hold foreign diplomatic, business, official or special passports and come to China with exemption of visas in accordance with bilateral agreements, shall switch to private passports and apply for “X” or “F” visas from the exit-and-entry department of the public security bureaus. Aliens who come to China with non-“X” or “F” visas on their private passports shall exchange for “X” or “F’ visas at the exit-and-entry department of the public security bureaus if they intend to study or have refresher courses at Chinese higher education institutions. 

Foreign affairs department and exit-and-entry 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 exit-and-entry department of the public security bureaus shall conduct visa extension for the companion-study family member of the foreign students. The duration of the companion-study family member’s stay in China cannot exceed the validity period of the foreign student’s residence certificate. 

Article 45 Foreign students who arrive in 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 exit-and-entry 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 exit-and-entry department of the local public security bureaus within 10 days. 

Article 47 Foreign students, when transferring to another city for study, must first go to the exit-and-entry department of the local public security bureau to go through a move-out formality. Upon arrival at the target city, they must go to the exit-and-entry department of the local public security bureau to go through a move-in formality within 10 days. 

Article 48 Foreign students, when undergoing a temporary exit during school time, must apply for a re-entry visa before exit. Those who intend to do further study or stay in China after their visas or residence certificates expire must apply for an extension before their visas or residence certificates expire. 

Article 49 Foreign students must exit within the time limit prescribed in the visas 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 exit-and-entry department of the local public security bureau in time. The exit-and-entry 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  Ancillary Provisions 

Article 50 Education institutions other than higher education institutions offering full-time schooling for higher academic qualifications, when enrolling foreign students, should be subject to examination and approval by the Ministry of Education. The relevant rules shall be formulated separately. 

The present Rules shall be promulgated by the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Public Security and come into force as from 31 January 2000.