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Attendance, leave and student status: the management rules that apply to international students

Sources checked · Unofficial summary

Student status for international students at universities in mainland China is governed by Chinese rules. Article 31 of Order No. 42 says that schools manage international students' student status by reference to the rules for Chinese students, and Article 66 of Order No. 41 says that schools manage international students by reference to those provisions. These are Chinese ministry documents, not rules of India's National Medical Commission (India), the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council, Bangladesh's BMDC Act or the Nepal Medical Council, and this page describes only what those Chinese documents say.

For the other sections of this register, see this register's section page. This page does not describe any university's own rules.

The documents this page uses

Three official documents are used here.

  • Order No. 42: Measures for the Administration of Schools Recruiting and Educating International Students (学校招收和培养国际学生管理办法), issued jointly by the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Public Security. The promulgation text says it takes effect on 1 July 2017.
  • Quality Standards: Quality Standards for the Higher Education of International Students in China (Trial) (来华留学生高等教育质量规范（试行）), issued by Ministry of Education notice 教外〔2018〕50号, dated 3 September 2018. The standards are addressed to higher education institutions and are trial standards.
  • Order No. 41: Provisions on the Administration of Students in Regular Higher Education Institutions (普通高等学校学生管理规定), Ministry of Education Order No. 41. Article 66 applies these provisions to international students by reference.

The English wording below is this site's own translation of the Chinese text.

Registration each term

Article 12 of Order No. 41 says that at the start of each term, students shall complete registration as the school's rules provide. A student who cannot register on time shall complete deferred registration procedures. A student who has not paid tuition as the school requires, or who does not meet another registration condition, shall not be registered.

The same article says that a student from a financially difficult family may apply for a student loan or another form of funding and register after completing the relevant procedures.

Attendance

Article 19 of Order No. 41 says that students shall take part in the activities set by the teaching plan on time. A student who cannot attend on time shall ask for leave in advance and obtain approval. A student who is absent without reason shall receive criticism and education under the school's rules, and in serious cases a corresponding disciplinary sanction.

Article 19 does not set a number of days for leave. It requires the leave to be requested in advance and approved.

Section 10.2 of the Quality Standards says that universities shall strictly implement the attendance system for international students, clarify the qualifying attendance standard, and report on time, as the local education administration department and the immigration and exit-entry administration require, information on students whose attendance falls short. Section 10.2 does not give a percentage or a number of absences. It leaves the qualifying standard to each university to clarify.

Leave and the maximum period of study

Article 25 of Order No. 41 says that a student may complete studies in stages. Unless otherwise provided, the student shall complete studies within the maximum period of study that the school sets, including any period of leave and retained student status.

The same article says that a student may take leave if the student applies for it, or if the school considers that leave should be taken, with the school's approval. The school sets the number and length of leaves.

Article 25 gives no number of years for the maximum period. That number is set by the school.

Article 28 of Order No. 41 says that a student on leave shall complete the procedures to leave campus. During leave the school keeps the student's student status, but the student does not enjoy the treatment of students studying at the school. For medical leave, medical costs are handled under national and local rules.

Return from leave

Article 29 of Order No. 41 says that before a period of leave expires, the student shall apply to return within the period the school sets. The student may return only after the school's review finds the application qualified.

Withdrawal

Article 30 of Order No. 41 lists the cases in which a school may handle a student's withdrawal (退学处理). The six cases are:

  1. the student's academic results do not meet the school's requirements, or the student does not complete study within the period the school sets;
  2. the leave or retained student status has ended, and the student did not apply to return within the school's period, or the application to return failed the school's review;
  3. on diagnosis by a hospital designated by the school, the student has an illness or accidental disability that prevents continued study;
  4. the student has missed teaching activities set by the school for two consecutive weeks without approval;
  5. the student has not registered by the school's deadline and did not complete deferred registration procedures;
  6. other circumstances set by the school, in which the student cannot complete studies and withdrawal is to be handled.

Article 30 also says that a student may apply to withdraw. After the school reviews and agrees, the withdrawal procedures are handled.

Article 31 of Order No. 42 says that when a school decides to withdraw a student or to expel a student, the school shall file for the record in accordance with the regulations of the education administration department under the State Council. Article 31 refers to those regulations without reproducing them, and this page does not reproduce them.

Details set by each school

Several provisions leave details to each school. Article 12 of Order No. 41 refers to the school's rules for registration procedures. Article 25 leaves the maximum period of study and the number and length of leaves to the school. Article 29 leaves the return-application period to the school. Section 10.2 leaves the qualifying attendance standard to each university. The university's own handbook for international students is where these details are set out, and a reader should read that handbook alongside these rules.

Questions people ask

Which rules does a Chinese university apply to international students' student status?

Article 31 of Order No. 42 says that schools manage international students' student status by reference to the rules for Chinese students. Article 66 of Order No. 41 says that schools manage international students by reference to the provisions of Order No. 41. Section 10.1 of the Quality Standards says that universities shall implement the electronic registration system for international students' student status and academic records.

Does the rule set a number of days a student may be absent?

No. Article 19 of Order No. 41 says that a student who cannot attend on time shall ask for leave in advance and obtain approval. It does not set a number of days. Section 10.2 of the Quality Standards leaves the qualifying attendance standard to each university to clarify.

Can a school handle a withdrawal because a student misses classes?

Article 30(4) of Order No. 41 says that a school may handle a student's withdrawal where the student has missed school-set teaching activities for two consecutive weeks without approval. The provision says that the school may handle it. It does not say that the school must.

Sources

Checked 11 October 2026.

This page is an unofficial summary. It is not legal, medical or professional-licensing advice, it is not published by the bodies named, and it promises no admission, examination or registration outcome. If the official text or a regulator's own instructions differ from this page, the official text and the regulator's instructions prevail.

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