(School Document [2018] No. 18)

General Provisions

Article 1 In order to standardize the status management of international students (undergraduate students), maintain a normal education and teaching order and protect the legitimate rights and interests of international students, in accordance with the Higher Education Law of the People’s Republic of China and Measures for the Administration of Acceptance and Education of Foreign Students by Universities and Colleges, Provisions on the Management of Students by Universities and Colleges and other relevant documents, these provisions are formulated.

Article 2 An undergraduate student hereof refers to the international student who has been approved by the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China or the Education Administration Department of Hunan Province and has been admitted with official student status (hereafter referred to as a new student(s) or student(s)).

Article 3 The department of teaching affairs of University of South China is the competent authority of the management of undergraduate student status and the international college of University of South China is responsible for the specific management of international student status.

Schooling Years

Article 4 The basic schooling years of undergraduate students are subject to the provisions of the Ministry of Education. Normally the schooling period will be 4 years and that of clinical medicine majors will be 5 years.

The credit system and the elastic schooling system are adopted in our University (school). Undergraduate students may apply for graduation in advance or deferred graduation. But the schooling period of clinical medicine majors shall be no less than 4 years and that of other majors shall be no less than 3 years. The schooling period of students who have deferred their graduation shall not be 2 years longer than that of basic schooling period (including suspension time and time of retaining student status).  An international student may complete his or her study by separated stages, but may not exceed the longest schooling period stipulated by the school.

Entrance and Registration

Article 5 An admitted international undergraduate student should register in the international college bearing the passport, visa, "admission notice", "visa application for study in China" (JW202 form) and "the foreigner health examination form". An international student who transfers from other universities in China should bear the "transfer certificate" issued by the management department of international students of the former university.

The international college will conduct a preliminary review of freshman admission qualifications. The one who has passed the qualification review may go through the registration procedure and his or her student status shall be registered. If one has been found out that his or her actual situations are inconsistent with the new student admission notice, candidates' information, or other proof materials or has violated the State or school regulations on the acceptance of international students, the international college is responsible for investigating, collecting relevant evidences and making corresponding recommendations to the school.

Article 6 The one who, due to some reason, cannot come and register on the date prescribed shall ask for leave from the international college. In the request for leave, one shall be with good reasons and the relevant proof materials. The request shall be put forward in an appropriate form such as in a written or email or other form agreed by the two parties. The period of leave shall be no more than four weeks. The international college is authorized by the school to review, approve and reply the request for leave. The one who does not ask for leave or leaves longer than the period approved is deemed as a voluntary waiver of the qualification of admission except for with force majeure and other justifiable reasons. After the matter such as force majeure is eliminated, if the student applies for admission and passes the review of the school, his or her enrollment qualification may be retained until the start of the next academic year.

Article 7 If a new student applies for retention of admission qualification with good reasons such as medical treatment and rehabilitation, compulsory military service, etc. a written request shall be made to the international college to explain the reasons with relevant proof materials. The school shall make an approval decision and reply the applicant within one month after receiving the application. The retention period of admission qualification shall not exceed one year.

Prior to the expiration of the reserved admission qualification, the new student shall submit a written application to the international college for entrance. The one who has passed the review of the school may go through the registration procedure; the one who fails to pass the review shall be disqualified from admission. The one who fails to go through the registration procedure within the time limit and has no such good reason as force majeure for delay shall be deemed as a waiver of the admission qualification.

Article 8 A new student should pay off tuition, accommodation fee, book fee and insurance fee and other fees payable for the academic year to the school within 15 days from the date of arrival. When the tuition and other fees for the academic year have been paid off, he or she may apply for the registration and the residence permit.

Article 9 After the freshmen have entered the school, the school shall organize the entrance education and examination within 3 months as stipulated, and review the admission formalities and procedures, admission qualifications, physical and mental health conditions, and professional level, and make review conclusions.

If one student is found out to be guilty of fraud, practice for favoritism, etc. in the review and is determined to be unqualified, he or she shall be disqualified.

If one fails to pass the entrance examination or one’s qualification for admission does not comply with the relevant regulations, his or her qualification for admission shall be revoked (for those who have been registered to obtain the student status, the student status will be cancelled). The one who meets the requirements for language students may be readmitted as a language student for a short-term language learning. After passing the examination and being qualified for admission, the student may choose a major at will and be enrolled as a next-year freshman according to regulations of the school.

If one fails to pass the health reexamination, his or her qualification for admission shall be revoked; if one has passed the health examination (the health certificate issued by the exit and entry examination center shall prevail) but he or she is suffering from the disease and is diagnosed by the hospital that he or she is not suitable in school, his or her qualification for admission shall be retained for one year. The freshman whose qualification for admission has been retained must go through the procedure for leaving school and depart for home country within 2 weeks. He or she shall not enjoy the treatment of schooling students.

Article 10 In the first week of each semester, students shall go through

the registration procedure (Within 15 days in the first semester of each academic year when all the tuition and fees have been paid off, students can be registered.). The one who cannot register with good reasons with the time limit must ask for leave and deferred registration by following relevant procedures. The one who fails to ask for leave shall be treated as absenteeism (the time of absenteeism will be calculated according to actual teaching time.). Anyone who does not pay off tuition and fees as prescribed or is not qualified for registration shall not be registered. The one who upon the expiration of the registration does not apply for deferred registration shall be deemed as a waiver of the student status and will be treated as a dropout.

Attendance and Leave

Article 11 Students must participate in the various activities prescribed in the education and teaching plan or uniformly arranged by the school, observe the study disciplines, be punctual, not leave early, not be absent from class, and complete study tasks on time.

From the first day of school, student attendance will be recorded. In the course study, attendance will be recorded daily. The monitor is in charge of the attendance. The record form of attendance shall be sent to the office of international student affairs of the international college weekly.

Article 12 The one who, with such good reasons as illness, cannot attend  education and teaching activities shall submit a written application to the counselor. After the application has been reviewed and approved by the counselor, it shall be reported to the international college and the college concerned for the record. Whether the request for leave is approved or not shall be informed to the course teacher concerned so as to keep the course teaching order. It will be used as one of the bases of evaluating one’s performance. The one who does not ask for leave or whose request for leave is not approved or whose leave is due but he or she does ask for extending leave or his or her request for extending leave is not approved shall be deemed as absenteeism.

Article 13 International students enjoy the official holidays of our country as well as winter and summer vacations of the school. But on the major festivals of international students’ dispatching countries and other foreign festivals they do not have a vacation.

On holidays, students are required to leave and return to school in accordance with the time prescribed by the school. The one who wants to leave school ahead of schedule or return to school late shall have to get the permission of the office of international student affairs of the international college. Otherwise, he or she shall be deemed as absenteeism. The truant shall be given a critical education or disciplinary punishment based on the length of absenteeism and his or attitude toward the absenteeism.

Article 14 An international student who desires to ask for leave shall go through the procedure in advance except for emergency or illness. The one whose cumulative leave period exceeds 1/3 of a semester shall be reported to the office of teaching affairs by the office of international student affairs. After being checked by the international college, he or she shall be recommended to suspend study and may not take part in the examination of all courses of the semester.

Due to illness or business, the one who has been absent from a course study for 1/3 of the course time or more shall not be eligible for the assessment of the course. After retaking the course study, he or she may take part in the assessment of the course.

Course Assessment and Recording

Article 15 International students should attend the education and the assessment of all courses or links (hereinafter referred to as courses) prescribed in the education and teaching plan by the school. The total credits required are no less than the minimum credits required to the same major of Chinese students.

Article 16 On the premise of ensuring the education quality, the university has adjusted the compulsory courses and elective courses for undergraduates according to the psychological and cultural characteristics of international students. The courses in the education plan have been adjusted as follows:

16.1（1） Introduction to China and the Chinese language are offered as required courses. Political theory is listed as a compulsory course for philosophy and politics majors. International students of other majors may apply for exemption. The credit shortage caused by the exemption may be made up by Chinese, Chinese survey or public elective courses;

（2）The one whose native language or official language is English can be exempted from College English courses. The one whose native language or official language is not English can select the College English course, subject to his or her will;

（3）PE course is an elective course, subject to students’ will.

Article 17 International students must complete their study of compulsory courses and elective courses and take part in assessments based on the arrangement of the school and their selection of elective courses. The assessment will be scored in the hundred-point system or the five-grade system (excellent, good, medium, pass and failure) and the scores will be filed. The one who passes the assessment will obtain corresponding credits. If the score of a course is marked in the hundred-point system, 60 points means pass. If the score of a course is graded in the five-grade system, 90-100 means excellent; 80-89, good; 70-79, medium; 60-69, pass; and below 60, failure.

Article 18 All international students should take part in the assessment of all courses on time and usually they may not apply for deferred assessment. If one, due to illness or other special reasons, cannot attend the course examination, he or she must fill out and submit the application form of deterring examination of international students of USC along with relevant documents to the office of teaching affairs of the international college ahead of the assessment. After the application has been approved by the office of teaching affairs and signed by the dean in charge of teaching, the application is valid. The application shall be filed in the office of teaching affairs of the international college. The one who gets the permission of deferring his or her examination shall attend the make-up examination held at the beginning of next semester on time bearing the deferred examination certificate. The actual score of a test paper shall be recorded then.

Article 19 The one who fails to pass examinations can attend the make-up examination organized by the school once before the next semester. The one who is to retake a course or to attend a make-up examination must go through the relevant procedures as prescribed by the school.

Article 20 If an international student has been absent from experiment, practice, design, homework and so on for more than 1/3 of the total amount, or 1/3 of the total course time, or failed in the laboratory assessment, the school has the power to cancel his or her qualification for examination. The one who is disqualified for examination may not attend this course examination and will be recorded as failure.

Article 21 As for the course which is examined through writing a paper or report the writer should strictly abide by the academic ethics and no plagiarism is tolerated. Anyone who has been checked and verified of plagiarism will be punished and his or her score will be recorded as “0”. In case of serious violation of academic integrity, the school may impose a corresponding disciplinary sanction on the student, and may disqualify him or her for honors such as the outstanding student, the outstanding graduate and others.

Article 22 On attending a course examination, students must strictly abide by the disciplines and rules of examination. Whoever violates any of the rules or disciplines shall be given a disciplinary punishment in accordance with the provisions on the punishment of discipline violation by the international students of USC. The one who has been given a punishment of academic probation or a lighter one, may retake the course or take part in the make-up examinationon the condition that he or she has performed well after receiving criticism education.

Major Switch and University Transfer

Article 23 Normally an international student should complete his or her study as the major enrolled. An international undergraduate can only apply for major switch once during his or her study in school. Under any of the following conditions, the student may apply for major switch:

(1) After registration, one gets a certain disease which is not suitable for the study of the original major but still suitable for study diagnosed and verified by a hospital designated by the school;

(2) The one who has certain difficulties in continuing his or her study, which is recognized by the school and cannot complete the study of the original major courses;

(3) The one who is really interested in and good at other majors;

The one who, before the admission, has a definite agreement with the school that he or she can only apply for the major, may not switch his or her major.

Article 24 The one who wants to switch his or her major should apply in June each year, meet the relevant provisions on switching undergraduate majors and submit "the major switch application form of international undergraduates of University of South China". After being reviewed and approved by the relevant department, the department of teaching affairs and the international college, he or she will be transferred to the department applied for. He or she shall complete all course study and assessment according to the education plan and teaching syllabus of the switched major.

Article 25 An international student who desires to transfer to other universities shall follow the procedure as prescribed by the Ministry of Education and the Education Administration Department of Hunan province. Under any of the following situations, an application for transferring to other universities shall not be allowed:

(1) If his or her enrolment is less than one semester;

(2) If he or she is a government scholarship or school scholarship winner when being admitted;

(3) If he or she should withdraw or be expelled from school;

(4) If he or she is a junior or higher grade undergraduate;

(5) If he or she is without any good reason.

Suspension and Resumption

Article 26 If a student applies for suspension of schooling or the school believes the suspension is necessary, he may suspend his or her study after the approval of the college and the school. The one who applies for suspension, shall submit to the counselor of the international college the suspension application form of international undergraduates of USC for preliminary review. After being consented by the college concerned, it shall be examined and approved by the international college and the department of teaching affairs. The original application form shall be kept in the international college on file.

Article 27 The suspension of study usually takes 1 year as the counting unit. The cumulative suspension period may not exceed 2 years.

Article 28 The one who suspends his or her study should complete the suspension procedure and leave school and take the departure within 2 weeks. The school, according to the regulations, shall report to the public security department to cancel his or her residence permit. But his or her student status shall be retained. The cost of the round-trip and the medical expenses during the suspension period will be at his/her own expenses. The student treatment in school will not be enjoyed during the suspension period.

Article 29 To end the suspension, the student shall submit his or her resumption application form for international undergraduates of USC to the international college one month before the expiration of the suspension. After he or she has been reexamined by the hospital designated by the school and has been approved by the department of undergraduates teaching affairs and the international college, he or she may resume his or her study. The original resumption application form will be put in the international college for the record. The student shall go through the resumption procedure in the international college.

Upon the expiration of his or her suspension period, the one who does not apply for resumption, shall be treated as a drop-out.

Repeat and Drop Out

Article 30 If any of the following circumstances occurs, the international student shall fail to go up to the next grade (repeat his or her study):

(1) If the total academic credits obtained till the first semester of the second academic year are 20 or more less than those one should complete for graduation;

(2) If the total academic credits till the first semester of the third or later academic year are 25 or more less than those one should complete for graduation.

Article 31 If any of the following circumstances occurs, the international student may quit school:

(1) If one voluntarily applies for a withdrawal;

(2) If he or she does not go through the resumption procedure within the prescribed time upon the expiration of suspension or he or she fails to pass health reexamination;

(3) If one’s injuries or disease is diagnosed by the hospital designated by the school that he or she is not able to continue his or her study;

(4) If he or she cheats in the exam again or participates in examinations for others or ask others to take part in tests for him or her;

(5) If he or she has left school or has not taken part in teaching activities as prescribed by the school for two weeks;  

(6) If he or she fails to register within the time limit prescribed and without good reasons;

(7) If he or she does not meet the requirements for graduation upon the expiration of schooling;

(8) Other circumstances that one should quit school occur.  

Article 32 With regard to the withdrawal of international students, a letter of decision shall be signed by the international college with its opinions, reviewed by the department of undergraduate teaching affairs and decided at the meeting of the school council. A dropout shall complete the relevant procedures including the school card and certificate procedure and the visa grant procedure within 1 week upon receiving the letter of decision. The one who voluntarily quits school shall not be given the certificate of completion of study or study certificate.

Article 33 A dropout, in principle, shall not apply for reentrance to our school.

Article 34 The criteria for refunding school tuition paid by a drop-out shall be separately formulated by the school in accordance with the relevant regulations of the State.

Graduation, Completion of Study and Incompletion of Study

Article 35  An international student who, within the number of years as prescribed by the school, has completed the content study stipulated in the education and teaching plan, passed the examinations, and obtained the credits required and the corresponding certificate of HSK test required by the State shall be permitted to graduate.

Article 36 An undergraduate student who has met the requirements for granting a bachelor's degree to international students of USC, shall be conferred a bachelor's degree. Colleges concerned are responsible for collecting and sending the name list of international students who will graduate from their colleges and apply for academic degrees to the international college. The international college will submit the entire name list in written form to the department of undergraduate teaching affairs for preliminary review. The list shall be examined and approved by the school academic degree committee and reported to the education administration department of Hunan Province for the record.

Article 37 For a student who has studied in school for one year or more before quitting school, the school will issue him or her the certificate of academic qualification; for one who has studied in school less than one year before quitting school, the school will issue him or her the proof of course study.

Article 38 An international student who, within the number of years as prescribed by the school, has completed the content study stipulated in the education and teaching plan but fails to meet the requirements for graduation, will be allowed to finish their study and issued the certificate of completion of study. After completion of study, he or she shall go through the procedure of leaving school.

Within two years after leaving school, a student may apply to the international college for re-retesting, re-taking courses, or remaking the graduation design, or rewriting thesis and defense. After the international college and the school concerned have jointly consulted with the decision, the student can come to the school to retake or remake relevant study content. The one who retakes courses or remakes study content shall pay relevant fees in accordance with the standards set by the school. When one has passed the remedial work, the school can confer on him/her a diploma and a degree certificate.

Article 39 The diploma, the degree certificate, the certificate of completion of course study and the certificate of course study and the proof of realistic study shall be uniformly issued by the school. If one has lost or damaged the diploma, the degree certificate, the certificate of completion of course study and the certificate of course study and the proof of realistic study, after his or her application, the school will produce corresponding proof documents. These documents have the same effect as the original certificates.

Article 40 The one who, with good reasons, applies for postponement of graduation shall go through the relevant procedures 3 months prior to the established graduation date. If one, due to personal reasons, applies for postponement of graduation, he or she shall pay the extension fee in accordance with corresponding standards of tuitions. If one’s postponement of graduation is resulted from the school schedule, he or she will be exempt from the extension fee.

Supplementary Provisions

Article 41 Decisions on the revoke of admission qualifications, the cancellation of student status, and the decision to withdraw from school shall be made by the meeting of school council. Prior to issuing a decision, the international college shall, on behalf of the school, inform the student the facts, reasons and basis of a handling, inform his or her the right to a statement and defense, and listen to the student’s statement and defense.

If an international student disagrees with the relevant handling decision, he or she may handle the matter according to the Measures for Handling the Complaints of Students of USC.

Article 42 Matters which are not included in these provisions shall be handled with reference to the regulations on the status management of the full-time undergraduates of USC in the credit system.

Article 43 These provisions shall go into effect on the date of promulgation. The International College and the Department of Undergraduate Teaching Affairs are responsible for the interpretation.