Insurance for every international student: the rule and what happens without it
Yes. Article 40 of the Measures for the Administration of Schools Recruiting and Educating International Students (Order No. 42 of the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Public Security) requires international students to buy insurance under national rules and school requirements. Article 40 also sets the consequences for a student who does not buy it. See also Routes on this site.
What Article 40 says
Article 40 of Order No. 42 reads, in this site's translation of the Chinese text:
The school implements a full-coverage insurance system for international students. International students must buy insurance in accordance with the relevant national rules and the school's requirements. Those who have not bought insurance as required shall be required to buy it within a set time limit. Those who do not buy it by the deadline shall not be admitted by the school. For those already studying at the school, the school shall withdraw them or not register them.
The consequences in Article 40 are:
- A student who has not bought insurance as required shall be required to buy it within a set time limit.
- A student who does not buy it by that deadline shall not be admitted.
- For students already studying at the school, Article 40 provides for withdrawal or non-registration.
Article 40 does not give the length of the time limit, and it names no premium and no insurer.
The insurance line in the Quality Standards
Section 15.4 of the Quality Standards for the Higher Education of International Students in China (Trial), issued by Ministry of Education notice 教外〔2018〕50号, is addressed to higher education institutions. It says a university shall implement the full-coverage insurance system for international students under the Measures, ensure that international students receive insurance coverage meeting the prescribed requirements during their study period, and provide the necessary insurance assistance. Section 15.4 refers to the Measures for the insurance system and names no premium and no insurer.
Scholarship insurance: kept separate
The two scholarship guidelines below set insurance as a benefit of that scholarship. Each applies to that scholarship only. Neither is a general rule for self-funded students.
International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship
Appendix 1, item 4, of the Application Guidelines for International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship 2025 (Center for Language Education and Cooperation) says the comprehensive medical insurance is bought by the Host Institutions under the Ministry of Education's applicable regulations on overseas students. It gives these premiums:
- four-week study programme: RMB 100 per person;
- one-semester study programme: RMB 400 per person;
- study of more than one year: RMB 800 per person per year.
These are the 2025 guidelines. Read the guidelines for the current year.
Chinese Government Scholarship
Section III, item 4, of the Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship (China Scholarship Council, Campus China) gives comprehensive medical insurance of:
- CNY 800 per person per year;
- CNY 400 per person for programmes lasting less than six months.
Section III names no insurer.
| Document | Provision | Insurance stated |
|---|---|---|
| Order No. 42 | Article 40 | Insurance required; consequences for students who do not buy it |
| Quality Standards (Trial) | Section 15.4 | University duty to implement the insurance system |
| International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship guidelines 2025 | Appendix 1, item 4 | Insurance bought by Host Institutions; RMB 100, RMB 400 or RMB 800 |
| Chinese Government Scholarship guide | Section III, item 4 | CNY 800 or CNY 400 |
Sources
- Measures for the Administration of Schools Recruiting and Educating International Students (Order No. 42) — Ministry of Education of the PRC
- Quality Standards for the Higher Education of International Students in China (Trial) — Ministry of Education of the PRC
- Application Guidelines for International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship 2025 — Center for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC)
- Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship — China Scholarship Council (Campus China)
Checked 11 October 2026 (Order No. 42, the Quality Standards and the Chinese Government Scholarship guide) and 10 October 2026 (the International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship guidelines).
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