To: Education Departments of Provinces, Autonomous Regions, and Municipalities
The following document is issued to you, and you are requested to promptly forward it to the relevant institutions within your jurisdiction for strict implementation.
Requiring international students to purchase health insurance is a common practice worldwide. Insurance purchased from students’ home country insurance companies often varies in coverage, and these companies may not have branches or representatives in the host country. This could lead to complicated claim procedures or, in some cases, the inability to make claims. Therefore, requiring international students to purchase insurance in their host country is a fundamental requirement in most developed countries.
Since September 1999, our department has arranged for the purchase of student group safety insurance, student group accident medical insurance, and student group hospitalization insurance for Chinese Government Scholarship students (collectively referred to as Comprehensive Insurance for International Students in China). Our experience has shown that requiring international students to purchase insurance within mainland China before registering for their studies is an essential measure to safeguard their interests and is a key element in optimizing the environment for international students in China.
Each education department (or education commission) and each institution should carefully study and understand the significance of the “Insurance Regulations.” From the perspective of campus stability and social stability, they should recognize that student insurance is an important component of China’s higher education institutions’ emergency response mechanisms for handling sudden incidents, protecting the legitimate rights of international students, and optimizing the study abroad environment in China.
We request that each institution collaborate closely with the selected insurance companies. Starting this academic year, make full use of the time between September and before the 2008/2009 academic year’s enrollment brochure is released, to formulate feasible and convenient regulations (contracts) for international students, and include this information in the institution’s 2008/2009 admissions brochure.
If you encounter any issues during the implementation process, please report them to our office promptly. Contact persons: Zhang Meng, Zheng Han.
Attachment: Interim Provisions on Requiring International Students in Higher Education Institutions to Purchase Insurance
Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges, Ministry of Education
September 14, 2007
Interim Provisions on Requiring International Students in Higher Education Institutions to Purchase Insurance
1. In order to meet the needs of the rapidly growing international student sector in China, optimize the environment for international students, maintain stability in higher education institutions, improve the emergency response mechanisms for handling unforeseen incidents, and protect the legal rights and interests of international students (hereinafter referred to as “students”), these provisions are formulated.
2. Starting from the 2008/2009 academic year, all higher education institutions must require international students (including those who continue their studies for more than six months under the original study plan) to purchase group comprehensive insurance in mainland China if their study period in China exceeds six months. This insurance must be one of the essential materials for completing the new semester’s enrollment procedures. Institutions may decide whether to require international students studying in China for less than six months to purchase group comprehensive insurance.
3. To ensure that all international students at the same institution enjoy consistent insurance coverage, higher education institutions must select a life insurance company recognized by the China Insurance Regulatory Commission. They must choose a group comprehensive insurance plan that includes the following basic coverage:
(1) Accident insurance (fixed compensation for death or disability), with a death benefit not less than RMB 100,000;
(2) Personal accident medical insurance, with a coverage amount not less than RMB 10,000;
(3) Hospitalization medical insurance, with a coverage amount not less than RMB 400,000.
4. Personal life insurance policies cannot be used as documents for enrollment registration and residence permit applications in China.
5. Higher education institutions must include student insurance under the management system for international students. The relevant department and staff responsible for student management must accurately record the names, phone numbers, and fax numbers of the relevant personnel from the selected insurance company to assist in claims processing in case of an accident.
6. The insurance matters for foreign students at primary and secondary schools can be handled in reference to the guidelines outlined in this notice.
