Two main benefits for college students joining the military: up to 20,000 RMB per year for tuition, two-year extension of student status, and a special postgraduate admission program

4. Two main benefits for college students joining the military: up to 20,000 RMB per year for tuition, two-year extension of student status, and a special postgraduate admission program

Cost: No out-of-pocket expense. After discharge, students must submit required documents to their school; this typically involves one or two visits.

In plain terms: Undergraduate, graduate, and incoming freshmen who enlist receive tuition coverage from the state for the duration of their studies. The maximum annual amount is 20,000 RMB for undergraduates and 25,000 RMB for graduate students. Only the actual tuition paid is reimbursed. Student status is preserved for two years. Additionally, there is a dedicated postgraduate admission program exclusively for discharged college veterans.

Benefit: In 2024, four government agencies including the Ministry of Finance announced three key benefits for eligible students: tuition reimbursement, repayment of national student loans, and tuition waivers. Repayment of loans means the state settles the outstanding balance on behalf of the student. The maximum annual limits are set at 20,000 RMB for undergraduates and 25,000 RMB for graduate students, effective from the autumn 2024 semester. The actual amount awarded equals the lower of either the actual tuition paid or the student loan balance. For instance, a student paying 5,000 RMB per year receives the full 5,000 RMB. The total coverage period matches the length of the original academic program, not the length of military service. According to the Law on Veterans’ Affairs, student status remains intact during service and for two years after discharge, allowing students to transfer to other majors if desired. Universities are also required to reserve spots for veterans through separate admission tracks. The “Special Postgraduate Program for Discharged College Veterans” guarantees dedicated slots at 532 universities nationwide, with admission criteria slightly relaxed compared to regular programs.

Evidence grade: A

Sources: Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Education of China, People's Bank of China, State Administration of Financial Supervision (2024). Notice on adjusting and improving policies related to national student loans (Caijiao [2024] No. 188). <https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/202411/content_6984812.htm>; Ministry of Finance and other five departments (2019). Measures for the Management of Student Financial Aid Funds (Finance Science and Education [2019] No. 19, Article 5; Years of financial aid for enlistment: "If you have completed the specified number of years of study before joining the army, it will be the number of years for tuition compensation or national student loan reimbursement; if you continue to complete the specified remaining number of years of study after retiring and returning to school, it will be the number of years of tuition exemption." For graduates, "the number of years of tuition compensation or national student loan reimbursement shall be calculated according to the corresponding academic system stipulated by the state"). <http://www.gov.cn/gongbao/content/2019/content_5421553.htm>; Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (2020). Law on the Protection of Veterans (Articles 34, 35). <http://www.mod.gov.cn/gfbw/fgwx/flfg/16048597.html> (published by the Ministry of National Defense); Ministry of Education of China General Office (2025). Notice on the enrollment plan for the special master’s degree program for retired college students and soldiers in 2026 (Teaching Hall [2025] No. 8). <http://www.moe.gov.cn/srcsite/A15/moe_778/s3261/202512/t20251211_1423174.html>; Ministry of Veterans Affairs (2022). Retired Soldiers Education and Training Policy Article 23: "Starting from the enrollment in 2022, higher vocational (junior college) graduates and current students (including college freshmen) who are recruited into the army and who have completed higher vocational (junior college) studies after retirement can apply for junior college promotion and are exempted from taking the cultural exams" (according to the Teaching Office [2021] No. 8). <https://www.mva.gov.cn/sy/xx/bnxx/202201/t20220107_55052.html>; Ministry of Education of China (2026). 2027 National Postgraduate Admissions Management Regulations (Teaching [2026] No. 2, Articles 22, 24, and 25), published on the Research and Recruitment Network. <https://yz.chsi.com.cn/kyzx/jybzc/202609/20260924/2293971511.html>; Ministry of Education of China (2024). 2025 National Postgraduate Admissions Management Regulations (Teaching [2024] No. 4, Article 22). <https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/202410/content_6978684.htm>

Notes: Two additional pathways exist. First, veterans with an associate degree may be exempted from entrance exams for bachelor’s programs; selection is based on vocational assessments. This policy has been active since 2022. Second, all eligible applicants receive a 10-point bonus on their postgraduate entrance exam scores, though this benefit cannot be combined with admission under the special program. Those with meritorious service may be exempted from exams entirely. The list of participating universities changes yearly; in 2025, 523 institutions are included. Tuition limits have been adjusted twice: from 8,000/12,000 RMB in 2019 to 16,000/20,000 RMB in late 2023, and finally to 20,000/25,000 RMB in late 2024. Older documents from 2022 must not be used as a reference.