Outside services and admission: what the quality standards say

Under Article 12 of Order No. 42, the school decides whether an international student is admitted, and a school may not admit an applicant who does not meet the admission conditions. Section 2.7 of the 2018 Quality Standards for the Higher Education of International Students in China (Trial) says that admission "may not entrust any external institution or individual as agent." See also Routes on this site.

The Order and the Quality Standards are published in Chinese. The English wording on this page is this site's translation of the Chinese text.

Who decides admission

Article 12 of 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) says the following:

The school shall review the admission qualification and the financial guarantee certificate of each foreign applicant.
The school shall examine or assess the applicant.
Admission of international students is decided by the school.
A school may not admit an applicant who does not meet the admission conditions.

Section 2.7 of the Quality Standards

The Quality Standards are trial standards addressed to higher education institutions. Their section 2 says that institutions shall publish admission information accurately, truthfully and comprehensively, and shall uphold good faith in admission publicity and consultation.

Section 2.7, headed "External services", says two things.

Admission and enrolment of international students at higher education institutions shall strictly comply with relevant national provisions, and may not entrust any external institution or individual as agent.
Where an institution uses external services in providing admission information and consultation for international students, it shall, on the principles of prudence, standardisation, openness and transparency, strictly fulfil its supervisory responsibilities in accordance with relevant national provisions or norms. It shall also maintain educational order and protect the lawful rights and interests of international students.

Section 2.7 refers to "relevant national provisions or norms" for the supervision it requires, and does not list them.

Article 44 on violations by schools

Article 44 of Order No. 42 lists acts by a school in the recruitment and education of international students. For those acts, the competent education administrative department shall order the school to rectify, shall pursue legal liability under the relevant provisions of the Education Law of the People's Republic of China, and may restrict the school's recruitment of international students. Article 44 has six items. Items (1) and (2) read:

recruiting in violation of national provisions and of the school's own admission rules;
engaging in profit-seeking conduct in the admission process.

Questions

Who decides whether an international student is admitted?

Article 12 of Order No. 42 says the school decides. It also says a school may not admit an applicant who does not meet the admission conditions.

Can an external institution or individual act as agent in admission?

Section 2.7 of the Quality Standards says admission of international students may not be entrusted to any external institution or individual as agent.

Sources

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）), Ministry of Education of the PRC (moe.gov.cn)
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), Order No. 42, Ministry of Education of the PRC (moe.gov.cn)

Checked 11 October 2026.

This page is an unofficial summary, is not legal or immigration advice, is not published by the bodies named, and the official text and the instructions of the body handling your case prevail if they differ.