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Tuition for international students in China: what the rules require schools to publish

Sources checked · Unofficial summary

Under the Chinese rules described here, a school that recruits international students must publish its fee items, its fee standards and its refund rules for withdrawal and transfer. Article 14 of Order No. 42 sets that duty and states that fees and refunds are priced in renminbi. This register publishes no fee figure for any school, so the amounts are in each school's own published prospectus and fee notice. The admission, fees and study section is at this register's section page.

These are Chinese rules. Order No. 42 and the 2018 quality standards set out duties for schools in mainland China. They are not rules of the home-country regulators, and this page does not describe the requirements of those regulators. The English wording on this page is this site's translation of the Chinese text.

What Article 14 of Order No. 42 says

Order No. 42 was jointly issued by the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Public Security. The promulgation text states that it takes effect from 1 July 2017. Article 14 has two paragraphs:

  • Article 14, first paragraph: the fee items and fee standards that a school charges international students are carried out in accordance with national rules.
  • Article 14, second paragraph: a school shall publish its fee items for international students, its fee standards, and its refund rules for withdrawal and transfer.
  • Article 14, second paragraph: fees and refunds are priced in renminbi.

Article 14 sets no fee figure.

What the 2018 quality standards add

The Quality Standards for the Higher Education of International Students in China (Trial) were issued by Ministry of Education notice 教外〔2018〕50号, dated 3 September 2018. The standards use "shall" in addressing higher education institutions. Three provisions bear on fees and living costs:

Provision Subject What it requires
Section 2.1 Admission information Admission information shall at least include fee standards, payment methods and refund policies.
Section 13.1 Funding Fee policies and specific management measures for international students are formulated in accordance with national rules.
Section 13.2 Living facilities Chinese and foreign students shall use dining, cultural and sports facilities under equal conditions, management systems and charging standards.

Section 13.1 refers the fee policy to national rules and to each school's own management measures. Section 2.1 lists fee standards among the information a school provides to prospective students.

Where to find a school's fee figures

This register holds no fee data for any school. To find a school's fees:

  1. Open the school's published prospectus.
  2. Find its fee items and fee standards.
  3. Find its refund rules for withdrawal and transfer.
  4. Check that the amounts are stated in renminbi.

Each step follows Article 14 of Order No. 42 and section 2.1 of the 2018 standards.

Questions people ask

Does Order No. 42 set a tuition amount for international students?

No. Article 14 says that fee items and fee standards follow national rules, and the article itself sets no fee figure. A school's own fee figures are in its published prospectus and fee notice.

In which currency are fees and refunds priced?

Article 14 of Order No. 42 says that fees and refunds are priced in renminbi.

What must a school publish about refunds?

Article 14 of Order No. 42 says that a school shall publish its refund rules for withdrawal and transfer. Section 2.1 of the 2018 quality standards lists refund policies among the admission information a school shall at least include. Article 14 sets no refund percentage.

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. The official text and the regulator's own instructions prevail if they differ.

MBBS Register Desk