Leaving school before graduation: what the school reports and what it means for the residence permit

If you withdraw, are expelled, or simply stop attending, your school has a reporting duty: Article 26(2) of the Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Administration of the Entry and Exit of Foreigners (State Council Decree No. 637) requires the entity that has admitted a foreign student to report in a timely manner to the exit and entry administration authority of the public security organ of the local people's government at or above the county level once the student has graduated, completed his or her course(s) or study, has quit school, or has left the school ungraduated. Your permit is tied to study, and Article 34(3) of those Regulations provides that a residence permit shall be declared null and void by the issuing authority where the original purpose of residence has changed and the holder fails to report within the prescribed time limit, and fails to do so even after a public notice. Articles 26 and 34 of the Regulations and Article 37 of the Law do not fix a number of days you may remain after leaving school; ask the exit and entry office that handles your case.

What the school has to report, and to whom

Article 26 lists four circumstances. On discovering any of them, the entity that employs a foreigner or admits a foreign student reports in a timely manner to the exit and entry administration authority of the public security organ of the local people's government at or above the county level:

Article 26	Circumstance
(1)	A foreigner employed resigns or changes employment location
(2)	A foreign student admitted has graduated, completed his or her course(s) or study, has quit school, or has left the school ungraduated
(3)	A foreigner employed or a foreign student admitted violates the provisions on administration of exit and entry
(4)	A foreigner employed or a foreign student admitted dies, disappears or other serious circumstances arise

Two details matter for a student who leaves early. First, the duty covers both formal exits and informal ones: "quit school" and "left the school ungraduated" are listed separately from graduating and completing the course. Second, Article 26 gives the timing only as "in a timely manner"; Article 26 does not state a number of days.

The Exit and Entry Administration Law of the People's Republic of China states the same duty in general terms: Article 45 provides that entities that employ foreigners or enroll foreign students shall report relevant information to local public security organs in accordance with relevant regulations.

On the education side, Article 31 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, in force from 1 July 2017) provides that a higher education institution shall conduct its international student status management by reference to the student status rules for Chinese students, and that where the school decides on withdrawal (退学) or expulsion from student status (开除学籍), it shall carry out filing (备案) in accordance with the provisions of the education administrative department of the State Council. Order No. 42 is published in Chinese; this site's English wording of it is its own translation of the Chinese text. Under Order No. 42 Article 2, Chapters 2 to 5 of the Measures apply to higher education institutions, while recruitment, teaching and in-school management at schools providing pre-school, primary and secondary education follow the provisions of the province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government.

So two separate filings exist: a report to the exit and entry administration authority under Regulations Article 26, and a filing with the education authority under Order No. 42 Article 31. Regulations Article 26 and Order No. 42 Article 31 do not describe the same step, and neither of them states a time limit in days.

What can happen to the residence permit

Under Order No. 42 Article 36, an international student whose study visa notes that a residence permit is required after entry shall, within 30 days of entry, apply to the exit and entry administration department of the public security organ at the intended place of residence for a study-type foreigner's residence permit.

Regulations Article 34 sets out when a visa, stay permit or residence permit "shall be declared null and void by the issuing authority":

1. It is lost, damaged, destroyed, stolen or robbed.
2. The time limit for the holder's exit, repatriation or deportation from China has been decided, and the visa, stay permit or residence permit has not been confiscated or canceled.
3. The original purpose of residence has been changed, but the holder fails to report to the exit and entry administration authority of the public security organ within the prescribed time limit and fails to do so even after that organ has given a public notice on it.
4. Circumstances exist in which a visa or residence permit shall not be issued, as prescribed by Article 21 or Article 31 of the Exit and Entry Administration Law.

Article 34 adds that the issuing authority may declare a permit null and void on the spot or through a public notice.

Regulations Article 35 then covers cancellation and confiscation by a public security organ: where the issuing authority has declared the document null and void, or it is being used fraudulently by someone else; where it is forged, altered, or obtained by fraud or other illegal means; or where the holder has been decided on a time for exit, repatriation or deportation from China. The authority that decides on cancellation or confiscation shall, in a timely manner, notify the issuing authority.

Three points about how this reads for a student who has left:

• Article 34(3) is written in terms of a changed purpose of residence and a failure to report; it does not use the words "withdrawal" or "expulsion".
• Article 34 refers to a "prescribed time limit" for reporting the change, but Article 34 does not state how many days that limit is, and it does not state how long a former student may remain in China.
• Article 34 does not say that the school's report under Article 26 by itself ends the permit; the two articles describe distinct steps, and Article 34 places the decision with the issuing authority.

Law Article 37 sets the general rule that applies alongside this: foreigners who stay or reside in China shall not engage in activities not corresponding to the purpose of stay or residence, and shall leave China prior to the expiry of the prescribed duration of stay or residence. Law Article 37 does not set a period of days that begins when a student leaves school.

Law Article 38 requires foreigners aged 16 or over who stay or reside in China to carry their passports or other international travel documents, or their stay or residence permits, and to accept inspection by public security organs; foreigners who reside in China shall also submit their residence permits for examination to the public security organ at the place of residence within the prescribed time limit.

Other school-side consequences in Order No. 42

Leaving school early is not only an exit-entry matter. Order No. 42 touches three related points:

• Fees: Article 14 requires higher education institutions to publish their fee items and fee standards for international students and their refund rules for withdrawal (退学) and transfer (转学), with fees and refunds denominated in renminbi. Article 14 states no amount, percentage or deadline for a refund.
• Insurance: Article 40 requires schools to operate a system of insurance for all international students and requires students to buy insurance in accordance with state provisions and school requirements. A student who has not bought insurance as required shall be given a deadline to do so; where the student still fails to do so, the school shall not admit that applicant, and for a student already studying, the school shall withdraw the student (退学) or refuse registration (不予注册).
• Transfer: Article 13 allows a higher education institution, having obtained the consent of the school that originally admitted the student, to accept an international student who was admitted by or is transferring from another school. Article 13 does not mention the residence permit.

Article 43 of Order No. 42 provides that international students who violate the Exit and Entry Administration Law, the Public Security Administration Punishments Law, the Regulations on Administration of the Entry and Exit of Foreigners or the provisions on religious activities of foreigners in China shall be handled by the public security and other competent departments according to law. That sits beside Regulations Article 26(3), under which the school reports a student's violation of exit and entry administration provisions.

Questions people ask

Does the school have to report me if I simply stop attending?

Yes, on the wording of Regulations Article 26(2), which covers a foreign student who "has quit school, or has left the school ungraduated" as well as one who has graduated or completed the course. The report goes to the exit and entry administration authority of the public security organ of the local people's government at or above the county level, in a timely manner. Article 26 does not state a number of days for making that report.

How many days can I stay in China after I leave school?

Regulations Article 26, Regulations Article 34 and Law Article 37 give no such figure. Regulations Article 26 does not state a number of days; Regulations Article 34 refers to a "prescribed time limit" for reporting a change in the purpose of residence but Article 34 does not state how many days it is; Law Article 37 requires leaving China before the expiry of the prescribed duration of stay or residence and does not set a period that starts when you leave school. Ask the exit and entry office handling your case.

Will my residence permit be cancelled automatically when the school reports me?

Regulations Article 34 lists the circumstances in which a visa, stay permit or residence permit shall be declared null and void by the issuing authority, including the change-of-purpose ground in Article 34(3). Article 34 says the issuing authority may do this on the spot or through a public notice. Article 34 does not state that a school report under Article 26 produces that result on its own.

Is there a form for me to fill in myself?

Regulations Article 34(3) refers to the holder reporting a changed purpose of residence to the exit and entry administration authority of the public security organ within the prescribed time limit, but Article 34 does not name a form, a procedure or a number of days. Order No. 42 Article 31 places its filing duty on the school, not on the student.

If I transfer to another school, does my residence permit carry over?

Order No. 42 Article 13 sets the condition for one higher education institution to accept a student admitted by or transferring from another school: the consent of the school that originally admitted the student. Article 13 does not mention the residence permit, and Regulations Article 26(2) does not address transfers between schools. Ask the exit and entry office what your permit requires after a transfer.

Can I get my tuition back if I withdraw?

Order No. 42 Article 14 requires higher education institutions to publish their fee items, fee standards and refund rules for withdrawal (退学) and transfer (转学), with fees and refunds denominated in renminbi. Article 14 states no refund amount or proportion; check the published refund rules of your own school.

Do I still have to carry my residence permit after I have left school?

Law Article 38 requires foreigners aged 16 or over who stay or reside in China to carry their passport or other international travel document, or their stay or residence permit, and to accept inspection by public security organs. Article 38 does not make an exception for a person who has left school.

Sources

• Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Administration of the Entry and Exit of Foreigners (English text published by the National Immigration Administration) — National Immigration Administration
• Exit and Entry Administration Law of the People's Republic of China (English text published by the National Immigration Administration) — National Immigration Administration
• Measures for the Administration of Schools Recruiting and Educating International Students, Order No. 42 (Chinese) — Ministry of Education

Checked 11 October 2026

This page is an unofficial summary of the official documents listed above; it is not legal or immigration advice, it is not published by the National Immigration Administration, the Ministry of Education or any embassy or visa application centre, and where the official text or the instructions of the visa office or exit and entry office handling your case differ from anything written here, the official text and those instructions prevail.