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Attendance rules for international students in China and what universities report

Sources checked

Universities in mainland China strictly enforce attendance for international students. A university that finds a student below the pass standard shall report that student to the local education administrative department and the immigration and exit-entry administration authority (Quality Standards for the Higher Education of International Students in China (Trial), section 10.2). On the national level, leave must be approved in advance, and unapproved absence from teaching activities for two consecutive weeks is a ground on which the school may withdraw the student (Order No. 41, Article 19; Order No. 41, Article 30(4)). Poor attendance can therefore affect both your studies and, through separate reporting duties, your stay.

Where the official text is in Chinese, the English in this article is this site's translation of that text.

How attendance is set and enforced

Higher education institutions shall strictly enforce the attendance system for international students, define the pass standard for attendance, and report the information of students whose attendance does not meet the standard on time, in accordance with the requirements of the local education administrative department and the immigration and exit-entry administration authority (Quality Standards, section 10.2).

Order No. 41 is written for students in regular higher education institutions in general. Its Article 66 says schools manage international students by reference to these provisions, and Order No. 42, Article 31 says universities manage international students' student status by reference to the rules for Chinese students. A university therefore applies the Order's attendance rules to international students by reference; the university's own published rules for international students give the actual periods and procedure.

What counts as a breach

Students shall participate in the activities prescribed by the education and teaching plan on time (Order No. 41, Article 19). A student who cannot attend on time shall ask for leave in advance and obtain approval. A student who is absent without cause shall be given criticism and education under the school's relevant provisions, and in serious cases shall be given corresponding disciplinary sanctions (Order No. 41, Article 19).

The school may give withdrawal handling where a student has been absent without approval from school-prescribed teaching activities for two consecutive weeks (Order No. 41, Article 30(4)). Section 10.2 names no specific attendance percentage; the pass standard is the one the university defines in its own rules.

What universities report, and to whom

Under section 10.2, the university reports students whose attendance does not meet the standard to the local education administrative department and the immigration and exit-entry administration authority, on the schedule those authorities require.

Separately, schools have a reporting duty to the public security authority. Entities that employ foreigners or enroll foreign students shall report relevant information to local public security organs in accordance with relevant regulations (Exit and Entry Administration Law, Article 45). More specifically, the entity that employs a foreigner or admits a foreign student shall, in a timely manner, report to the exit and entry administration authority of the public security organ of the local people's government at or above the county level upon discovery of any of the following circumstances (Regulations on Administration of the Entry and Exit of Foreigners, Article 26):

  • a foreigner employed resigns or changes employment location;
  • a foreign student admitted has graduated, completed his or her course(s) or study, has quit school, or has left the school ungraduated;
  • a foreigner employed or a foreign student admitted violates the provisions on administration of exit and entry; or
  • a foreigner employed or a foreign student admitted dies, disappears or other serious circumstances arise.

For a foreign student, the reporting triggers are therefore graduating, completing studies, quitting school, leaving ungraduated, violating exit-entry provisions, death, disappearance, or other serious circumstances. Article 26 lists no attendance-below-standard trigger. Article 45 and Article 26 state no action the authority takes after receiving such a report.

Questions people ask

Can the university withdraw me for missing classes?

The school may give withdrawal handling if you are absent without approval from school-prescribed teaching activities for two consecutive weeks (Order No. 41, Article 30(4)). This is a national rule applied by reference to international students; the university's own rules give the actual procedure.

Does the attendance percentage come from the government or the university?

The pass standard for attendance is defined by each university in its own published rules (Quality Standards, section 10.2). Section 10.2 states no single national percentage.

Will the school report me if I drop out?

If you quit school or leave the school ungraduated, the admitting entity shall report this to the exit and entry administration authority of the public security organ in a timely manner (Regulations on Administration of the Entry and Exit of Foreigners, Article 26(2)).

Sources

Checked 11 October 2026

This page is an unofficial summary. It is not published by or affiliated with the Ministry of Education, the China Scholarship Council, CHSI or any university, is not legal advice, and the official text and the current notice of the university or authority handling your case prevail if they differ.

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