Medical insurance is compulsory for every international student in China: Order No. 42, Article 40

Yes, insurance is a requirement, not an optional extra. 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) states that schools operate a universal insurance system for international students, and that international students must take out insurance in accordance with the relevant provisions of the state and the requirements of the school. The same article sets out what happens when a student has not bought cover: a deadline is fixed, and the consequences follow if it passes.

The English wording on this page is this site's translation of the Chinese texts cited in the Sources section.

What Article 40 says, step by step

The article is short enough to follow in order:

1. Schools operate a universal insurance system covering all international students.
2. Every international student must insure, under two heads: the relevant provisions of the state, and the requirements of the school.
3. A student who has not bought insurance as required is given a deadline to insure.
4. If the deadline passes without insurance, the school does not admit the student.
5. If the student is already studying at the school, the outcome is withdrawal or non-registration.

The last two points are separate tracks. One applies before you enrol, the other once you are on the books. Both are triggered by the same failure — being uninsured after the deadline set for you.

Where the article sits in the Measures matters for graduate students: Order No. 42 was signed on 20 March 2017 and came into force on 1 July 2017 (Article 48), and Chapters 2 to 5 of the Measures apply to higher education institutions (Article 2).

What you have to be insured under

Article 40 does not name a policy, an insurer or a sum. It directs you to two sources: the relevant provisions of the state, and your school's requirements. Because the school's requirement is written into the rule, meeting it is part of meeting the rule — which means the university you enrol at is where the practical detail comes from, and its own admissions material is where that detail is published.

This page names no insurer and no policy, and gives no premium for students who fund their own studies; the provisions quoted here do not cover those points.

What the university has to do

The Quality Standards for the Higher Education of International Students in China (Trial), issued with Ministry of Education notice 教外〔2018〕50号, address universities directly. Section 15.4 requires a higher education institution to implement the universal insurance system for international students in China in accordance with the Measures, to ensure that international students in China hold insurance protection that meets the required standards during their period of study, and to provide necessary assistance with insurance matters.

Section 15.5 covers what follows if things go wrong: universities must draw up assistance plans for major illness, accidents and other unexpected events encountered by international students within China, and actively assist rescue operations and medical care.

Both sections describe what the institution must set up and do; they are trial standards, and where they leave a matter to the university, they leave it there.

If you hold a Chinese Government Scholarship

Section III, item 4 of the Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship lists comprehensive medical insurance under scholarship coverage, at CNY 800 per person per year, and CNY 400 per person for programmes lasting less than six months.

That figure is a coverage item of that scholarship. The provisions quoted on this page do not state an insurance amount for students outside the scholarship. More on funding is on this site's /funding/ page — see /funding/.

One planning suggestion, not a requirement: treat insurance as something you settle before registration rather than after arrival, ask the university in writing which policy satisfies its own requirement, and keep the policy document where you can reach it during term.

Questions people ask

Do I have to buy insurance if I am paying my own fees?

Yes. Article 40 of Order No. 42 makes insurance an obligation of international students, and it attaches the consequences — no admission, or withdrawal or non-registration — to being uninsured after the deadline. The article does not divide students by who pays their fees.

What happens if I ignore the deadline?

Article 40 sets the sequence: a deadline is fixed first, and if insurance is still not bought after it, the school does not admit you, or, if you are already studying there, withdrawal or non-registration follows.

Does the scholarship pay for my insurance?

Under section III, item 4 of the Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship, comprehensive medical insurance is one of the items the scholarship covers: CNY 800 per person per year, or CNY 400 per person for programmes lasting less than six months.

Will the university help me with the paperwork?

Section 15.4 of the Quality Standards requires universities to provide necessary assistance with insurance matters, and section 15.5 requires them to maintain emergency assistance plans and to assist rescue and medical care.

Where do I find the exact policy and price I need?

The provisions quoted on this page do not cover it. Article 40 refers you to the relevant provisions of the state and to your university's own requirement, and this page names no insurer and gives no premium for self-funded students.

Sources

• Measures for the Administration of Schools Recruiting and Educating International Students (Order No. 42) — Ministry of Education of the PRC (moe.gov.cn)
• Quality Standards for the Higher Education of International Students in China (Trial), notice 教外〔2018〕50号 — Ministry of Education of the PRC (moe.gov.cn)
• Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship — China Scholarship Council (Campus China, campuschina.org)
• Ministry of Education press Q&A on Order No. 42, 2 June 2017 — Ministry of Education of the PRC (moe.gov.cn)

Checked 11 October 2026

This page is an unofficial summary, 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.