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Moving between medical schools during the course: what Chinese rules and India's regulations each say

Sources checked · Unofficial summary

Under Chinese rules, a higher education institution may receive an international student who transfers from another school with the consent of the original admitting school (Article 13 of Order No. 42, in force from 1 July 2017). The 2018 quality standards add that the student applies for the transfer and that it is handled after the current school and the receiving school agree (section 10.5). Under the 2021 regulations of the National Medical Commission (India), which apply to foreign medical graduates who seek a licence or permanent registration to practice in India, the entire course, training and internship shall be done in the same foreign medical institution (Schedule I, paragraph 2(iii)).

This page covers only the documents named on it. It describes what those documents say and does not advise whether any student should transfer.

Other section pages of this register are linked from this register's section page.

The Chinese documents

The Chinese texts below are quoted in their original language. The English wording is this site's translation of the Chinese text.

Article 13 of Order No. 42

Order No. 42 is the Measures for the Administration of Schools Recruiting and Educating International Students, issued jointly by the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Public Security. Its promulgation text says it takes effect from 1 July 2017.

Article 13 says, in this site's translation: "A higher education institution may, with the consent of the original admitting school, receive international students who have been admitted by another school or who transfer."

Section 10.5 of the 2018 standards

The document is the Quality Standards for the Higher Education of International Students in China (Trial), issued by Ministry of Education notice 教外〔2018〕50号, dated 3 September 2018. Section 10.5 is titled 转学管理, transfer management. Its provisions, in this site's translation, are:

  • A transfer is applied for by the student and is handled after the current school and the receiving school agree.
  • If the student meets the conditions for transfer out, the current school shall fully and truthfully give the receiving school the student's academic results and conduct record.
  • The receiving school shall review the application on the principle that its standard is not lower than its entry standard for international students, that the student meets its training requirements, and that the school has the capacity to train the student.
  • The two schools shall handle student status, immigration and entry-exit formalities under national rules and their own responsibilities, and shall hand over copies of documents and archives.

Section 10.5 sets no time limit for a transfer.

Paragraph 3(3) of the 2007 notice

The notice is Ministry of Education notice 教外来〔2007〕39号, issued in 2007, which issued the Interim Provisions on Quality Control Standards for Undergraduate Medical Education in English for International Students. Its paragraph 3 covers schools that are not on the published list but had already accepted English-taught undergraduate clinical medicine international students before the notice was issued.

Sub-item 3 of paragraph 3 says, in this site's translation: "If international students already at the school request a transfer, the student applies to the receiving school himself, and the current school should not keep the student by force. If transfer formalities are needed, the school should negotiate actively with the receiving school under the original relevant rules and handle the matter properly."

The list notice and enrolment

The Ministry of Education General Office notice 教外厅函〔2023〕10号 is dated 15 May 2023 and was published on the Ministry's site on 30 May 2023. It covers the 2023–2024 academic year only. Its paragraph 1 says that the Ministry entrusted 44 universities to enrol English-taught undergraduate clinical medicine international students in 2023–2024. The annex lists the universities by their Chinese names, and the Ministry of Education list page on this site uses the same list.

Paragraph 2 of the notice says the following, in this site's translation:

  • Universities on the list shall continue to enrol strictly in accordance with the spirit of the Notice (《通知》).
  • Universities not on the list may not enrol international students for English-taught undergraduate clinical medicine.
  • Universities not on the list may not issue an English-version degree certificate for the MBBS programme, or any English-version degree certificate that contains the word "MBBS".
  • Universities not on the list may enrol only international students for Chinese-taught undergraduate clinical medicine, and their training standard may not be lower than the standard for Chinese undergraduate clinical medicine students.
  • Enrolling international students through a "bilingual teaching" model in disguise is strictly prohibited.

Paragraph 2 sets no penalty for breach. Paragraph 2 contains no transfer provision.

The Ministry's policy index, which this site read on 11 October 2026, listed no later edition of the annual list notice than the 2023–2024 notice. Confirm the current year's status with the university and the Ministry.

India's 2021 regulations

The document is the National Medical Commission (Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate) Regulations, 2021, published in the Gazette of India on 18 November 2021. Schedule I sets out the criteria for recognising foreign medical graduates applying for a licence or permanent registration to practice in India.

Regulation 5 says that the regulations shall not be applicable to foreign medical graduates who acquired a foreign medical degree or primary qualification before the regulations came into force, and to candidates who were pursuing their education in foreign institutions before then (regulation 5(1)(a) and (b)). Those graduates and candidates shall be governed by the erstwhile applicable regulations (regulation 5(2)). The Commission's FAQ gives 18 November 2021 as the date the regulations came into force (Q2 and Q4). The FAQ's own disclaimer says it "cannot be upheld in a court of law" and refers readers to the gazette notifications for legal validity.

The Schedule I conditions below are stated for the scope that regulation 5 sets. This page does not say whether any Chinese university or course meets these conditions.

Schedule I, paragraph 2(i)(b): internship

Schedule I, paragraph 2(i)(b) says that the twelve-month internship, in addition to the course, should have been completed in the same foreign institution where the primary medical qualification has been obtained.

Schedule I, paragraph 2(iii): location of the course

Schedule I, paragraph 2(iii) says that the entire course, training and internship or clerkship shall be done outside India in the same foreign medical institution throughout the course of study. It also says that no part of medical training and internship shall be done in India or in any country other than the country from which the primary medical qualification is obtained.

Paragraph 2(iii) sets no transfer procedure.

Schedule I, paragraph 2(iv): time limit

Schedule I, paragraph 2(iv) says that the total duration of the foreign medical graduation course shall be completed within ten years from the date of joining the course.

Summary by document

Document Issued by Date given in the document Point on transfer or same institution
Order No. 42, Article 13 Ministry of Education, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Public Security In force from 1 July 2017 A higher education institution may receive a transferring international student with the original admitting school's consent
2018 standards, section 10.5 Ministry of Education (notice 教外〔2018〕50号) Notice dated 3 September 2018 Transfer is applied for by the student and handled after both schools agree
2007 notice, paragraph 3(3) Ministry of Education (notice 教外来〔2007〕39号) 2007 Applies to unlisted schools that had accepted students before the notice
Schedule I, paragraph 2(iii) National Medical Commission (India) Gazette of India, 18 November 2021 Entire course, training and internship in the same foreign medical institution

Questions people ask

Can a Chinese school receive an international student who is transferring from another school?

Article 13 of Order No. 42 says that a higher education institution may do so with the consent of the original admitting school. The 2018 standards, section 10.5, add that the transfer is applied for by the student and handled after the current school and the receiving school agree.

Does India's 2021 regulation require the internship to be done in the same foreign institution?

Schedule I, paragraph 2(i)(b) says that the twelve-month internship should have been completed in the same foreign institution where the primary medical qualification has been obtained. Schedule I, paragraph 2(iii) says that no part of medical training and internship shall be done in India or in any country other than the country from which the primary medical qualification is obtained. Question 11 of the Commission's FAQ answers "No" to whether foreign medical graduates may transfer to an Indian medical college for internship and exams, and cites paragraph 2(iii).

Is there a time limit for finishing a foreign medical course under India's regulations?

Yes. Schedule I, paragraph 2(iv) says that the total duration of the foreign medical graduation course shall be completed within ten years from the date of joining the course. Under regulation 5, these regulations do not apply to candidates who were pursuing their education in foreign institutions before they came into force on 18 November 2021.

Sources

Checked 11 October 2026.

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

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