Intensive Chinese programmes: what to check in the brochure
Article 9 of the Measures for the Administration of Schools Recruiting and Educating International Students (Order No. 42) names no category called "intensive". A university recruits under the conditions and procedures of its own published brochure (Article 11), so the brochure is the document to check. See also Routes on this site.
The Chinese texts are quoted here in this site's own English translation.
What Order No. 42 says about programme types
Article 9 lists the categories of international students a university may admit. For degree education, the categories are specialised-track students, undergraduate students, master's students and doctoral students. For non-degree education, they are preparatory students, advanced-study students (进修生) and research scholars.
Article 10 says a university sets its own international student admission plan and majors according to its conditions and training capacity, unless national rules provide otherwise.
Article 11 says a university formulates and publishes its own international student brochure under national admission rules.
Article 45 defines the length of study. Short-term study is study at a Chinese school for no more than 180 days (inclusive). Long-term study is study for more than 180 days.
What the Quality Standards say the brochure should include
The Quality Standards for the Higher Education of International Students in China (Trial), issued by Ministry of Education notice 教外〔2018〕50号, are written as what a university shall do. Section 2.1 says the admission information a university provides shall include, at least:
- basic information about the school, such as the city and the school's conditions;
- programme information, such as the level of study, training objectives, length of study (学制), degree awarded, and rules on transfer and change of major;
- admission procedures and requirements, such as application deadlines and methods, entry standards, examination or assessment methods, financial guarantee requirements, rules on violations, and the admission timetable;
- financial rules and policies, such as fee standards, payment methods and refund policy;
- campus life, such as accommodation and how to apply for it, meals, medical care, insurance, transport, sports and clubs;
- contact details and complaint channels.
The standards leave the detail of several of these items to each university.
Fees and refunds
Article 14 of Order No. 42 says a university's fee items and standards for international students follow national rules. It also says a university shall publish its fee items, fee standards, and refund rules for withdrawal and transfer. Fees and refunds are priced in Renminbi.
Section 2.1 of the Quality Standards lists fee standards, payment methods and refund policy among the financial rules a brochure should include.
This page gives no fee or refund amount.
Where to find the study period
Two rules bear on the study period. Section 2.1 of the Quality Standards lists the length of study (学制) among the programme items. Article 45 of Order No. 42 divides study at a Chinese school into short-term study of no more than 180 days (inclusive) and long-term study of more than 180 days.
| Item to check | Where the rule is | What the rule says |
|---|---|---|
| Length of study (学制) | Quality Standards, section 2.1 | Programme information shall be provided. |
| Study period against 180 days | Order No. 42, Article 45 | Short-term is no more than 180 days (inclusive); long-term is more than 180 days. |
| Fee items, fee standards, refund rules | Order No. 42, Article 14; Quality Standards, section 2.1 | The university shall publish them; fees and refunds are in Renminbi. |
| Admission procedures and requirements | Quality Standards, section 2.1 | Admission information shall include them. |
| Basic information and admission brochure | Order No. 42, Article 23 | The university shall make public its basic information, its admission brochure, and its rules for managing and serving international students. |
Questions
Is "intensive" a category under Order No. 42?
Article 9 of Order No. 42 names no category called "intensive". The categories it lists are set out above. Article 10 leaves each university to set its own plans and majors.
Does a programme of 180 days or less count as short-term study?
Under Article 45 of Order No. 42, short-term study is study at a Chinese school for no more than 180 days (inclusive). A programme of 180 days or less is short-term study under that article.
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
Checked 11 October 2026.
This page is an unofficial summary. It is not legal or immigration advice and is not published by the Ministry of Education or any other body named here. If the official text, or the instructions of the body handling your case, differ from this page, the official text and those instructions prevail.