Is health insurance compulsory for international students in China?
Unofficial answer · Sources checked
Yes. Order No. 42, Article 40 requires every international student in China to be insured as national rules and the school require. A student who does not insure within the deadline is not admitted, and a student who is already studying is withdrawn or not registered.
What the rules say
Article 40 of Order No. 42 (Administrative Measures for the Enrolment and Education of International Students by Schools, issued by the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Public Security) makes three points. The school runs a full-coverage insurance system for international students. International students must insure according to national rules and the school's requirements. A student who has not insured as required is given a deadline to insure; if the student still has not insured by then, the school does not admit that student, and a student already studying is withdrawn or not registered.
Order No. 42 and the 2018 quality standards are published in Chinese only. The English wording on this page is this site's translation of the Chinese text.
Who sets the requirement
Article 40 leaves the detail to national rules and to the school's own requirements, so the university's notice is where a student finds what it asks for. The 2018 Quality Standards for Higher Education of International Students in China (Trial), section 15.4, tells the university to implement the full-coverage system under Order No. 42. It also requires the university to make sure international students have insurance protection that meets the required standards during their studies, and to give the necessary help with insurance matters.
Admission itself is decided by the school. Article 12 of Order No. 42 says the school decides admission of international students and must not admit a student who does not meet the admission conditions.
What the Chinese Government Scholarship pays
The Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship, section III, item 4, sets the insurance amount for recipients of that scholarship:
| Case | Amount under the scholarship |
|---|---|
| Standard | CNY 800 per person per year |
| Programmes lasting less than six months | CNY 400 per person |
These amounts are a term of that scholarship. They do not show what a self-funded student pays, and they do not change the rule in Article 40 for any student.
Where to check the rest
Article 40 names no insurer and sets no premium for self-funded students. It also gives no number of days for the deadline; it says only "within a deadline" (限期). Section 2.1 of the quality standards says a university's admission information should at least cover medical care and insurance. Order No. 42, Article 11 requires each university to make and publish its international student admission brochure, so the brochure is the place to look for the insurer, the premium and what the policy covers. If the brochure does not answer a question, ask the university's international student office.
Related questions
Does the Chinese Government Scholarship pay for insurance?
Yes, for recipients of that scholarship. Section III, item 4 of the scholarship guide sets comprehensive medical insurance at CNY 800 per person per year, or CNY 400 per person for programmes lasting less than six months. This is a condition of the scholarship and does not apply to every international student.
What happens to a student who does not insure in time?
Article 40 of Order No. 42 says the school does not admit a student who has not insured by the deadline. A student who is already studying is withdrawn or not registered.
Who decides whether an international student is admitted?
Article 12 of Order No. 42 says the school decides admission of international students. The school must not admit a student who does not meet the admission conditions.
Sources
- Administrative Measures for the Enrolment and Education of International Students by Schools (Order No. 42) — Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China
- Quality Standards for Higher Education of International Students in China (Trial) — Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China
- Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship — China Scholarship Council (Campus China)
Checked 11 October 2026
This page is an unofficial summary. It is not legal or immigration advice, it is not published by or affiliated with the bodies named, and if the official text differs, the official text and the instructions of the university, embassy or exit-entry office handling your case prevail.