JWSL[2007] No.1078

To the departments (commissions) of education of all provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the central government:

In order to meet the needs of the rapid development of international student education in China and improve the environment for international students, our department has formulated the Interim Regulations of Higher Education Institutions on Requiring International Students to Purchase Insurance (hereinafter referred to as the "Insurance Regulations"). We hereby distribute the document to you. Please forward them promptly to the relevant institutions within your jurisdiction and ensure strict compliance.

It is a common practice worldwide to require international students to purchase medical insurance. Since the medical insurance purchased from insurance companies in their home countries often varies in coverage and the insurer may not have a representative office in the host country, claims can be complicated or even impossible. For this reason, obtaining medical insurance in the host country is a basic requirement for international students in most developed nations.

Since September 1999, the Ministry of Education has been providing Chinese Government Scholarship recipients with group Ping An insurance, group supplementary accident medical insurance, and group hospitalization medical insurance (collectively referred to as "Comprehensive Insurance for International Students in China"). Experience has shown that requiring international students to purchase insurance in mainland China before registration is a necessary measure to protect their interests and improve the learning and working environment for them.

All departments (commissions) of education and higher education institutions should learn and understand the significance of the Insurance Regulations and recognize, from the perspective of maintaining campus and social stability, that insurance for international students is an integral part of institutions' mechanisms for maintaining campus stability, handling emergencies, and protecting their legitimate rights and interests. It is also a key measure taken by both the government and institutions to foster a better environment for international students in China.

All institutions should work closely with their selected insurance companies and, starting from this academic year, develop clear and feasible regulations (contracts) for international students from this September until the release of the 2008/2009 enrollment brochures, and incorporate them into the 2008/2009 enrollment brochures.

If any issues arise during implementation, please report them to our department promptly.

Contacts: Zhang Meng, Zheng Han

Tel: 010-66097660, 66097674

Fax: 010-66097369

Attachment: Interim Regulations of Higher Education Institutions on Requiring International Students to Purchase Insurance

The Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges, the Ministry of Education

September 14, 2007

Attachment:

Interim Regulations of Higher Education Institutions on Requiring International Students to Purchase Insurance

I.These regulations are formulated to meet the needs of the rapid development of international student education in China, improve the environment for international students, maintain stability in higher education institutions, improve emergency response mechanisms, and safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of international students (hereinafter referred to as "international students").

II.Starting from the 2008/2009 academic year, all higher education institutions must require international students who will study in China for more than six months (including students continuing their studies for more than six months according to the original plan) to purchase Group Comprehensive Insurance in mainland China and the insurance policy is one of the required documents for enrollment at the beginning of each semester.

Institutions may decide whether international students staying in China for less than six months need to buy such insurance.

III.To ensure that all international students at the same institution receive consistent insurance coverage, each institution must select a life insurance company approved by the China Insurance Regulatory Commission (http://www.circ.gov.cn) and purchase a group comprehensive insurance covering the following basic items:

1.Ping An Insurance (fixed compensation for death or disability), with a minimum death benefit of RMB 100,000;

2.Personal accident medical insurance, with a minimum coverage of RMB 10,000;

3.Hospitalization medical insurance, with a minimum coverage of RMB 400,000.

IV.Personal life insurance policies shall not be used as documents for completing enrollment registration or obtaining a residence permit in China.

V.Higher education institutions must include international student insurance under centralized management within their student administration system. The international student administration departments and their staff must keep precise records of the names, phone numbers and fax numbers of the selected insurance company's personnel to facilitate insurance claims for international students.

VI.Insurance matters for foreign students in primary and secondary schools in China may be handled in accordance with the provisions of this notice.