Two main perks for college students joining the military: up to 20,000 RMB per year for tuition, and two years of academic status protection plus a special postgraduate admission track

No out-of-pocket expense. After discharge, you simply submit the required paperwork to your school — usually just one or two visits.

In 2024, four government agencies — including the Ministry of Finance — issued a notice outlining three key benefits for eligible students: tuition compensation, repayment of any federal student loans used for tuition, and tuition waivers. Repayment essentially means the state settles those loans on your behalf. The new limits apply from the autumn 2024 semester: undergrads may receive up to 20,000 RMB per year, while graduate students may receive up to 25,000 RMB per year. The actual amount awarded equals whichever is higher — your actual tuition paid or the total loan principal plus accrued interest. Any sum exceeding these caps is not covered. Regarding academic status, the Law on Veterans’ Affairs stipulates that active-duty personnel who were already enrolled in a university retain their admission or student status throughout service; they may re-enroll or resume studies within two years of discharge and even switch to other majors per national regulations. Universities may also reserve separate admission slots for veterans through targeted recruitment initiatives. For postgraduate entry, the 2026 Ministry of Education directive established the “Special Scheme for Discharged College Veterans.” This program allocates a fixed number of places within the overall national postgraduate quota, exclusively for discharged veterans; participating institutions set their own minimum entrance scores — typically no higher than those required for regular applicants in the same field. Priority is given to candidates with longer periods of military service. In 2026, 532 universities participate in this scheme; the list changes yearly, with 523 institutions involved in 2025. The tuition rates were set at 8,000/12,000 RMB in 2019, then adjusted to 16,000/20,000 RMB in 2023, and finally raised to 20,000/25,000 RMB in 2024. The earliest official figures date back to 2022.

财政部、教育部、中国人民银行、金融监管总局 (2024). 关于调整完善国家助学贷款有关政策的通知（财教〔2024〕188 号）. https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/202411/content_6984812.htm；财政部等五部门 (2019). 学生资助资金管理办法（财科教〔2019〕19 号，第五条）. http://www.gov.cn/gongbao/content/2019/content_5421553.htm；全国人大常委会 (2020). 退役军人保障法（第三十四、三十五条）. http://www.mod.gov.cn/gfbw/fgwx/flfg/16048597.html（国防部刊登）；教育部办公厅 (2025). 关于做好 2026 年退役大学生士兵专项硕士研究生招生计划招生工作的通知（教学厅〔2025〕8 号）. http://www.moe.gov.cn/srcsite/A15/moe_778/s3261/202512/t20251211_1423174.html；退役军人事务部 (2022). 退役士兵教育培训政策 23 条：「从2022年招生起，高职（专科）毕业生及在校生（含高校新生）应征入伍，退役后完成高职（专科）学业的，申请专升本，免于参加文化课考试」（依据教学厅〔2021〕8 号）. https://www.mva.gov.cn/sy/xx/bnxx/202201/t20220107_55052.html；教育部 (2026). 2027 年全国硕士研究生招生工作管理规定（教学〔2026〕2 号，第二十二、二十四、二十五条），研招网刊登. https://yz.chsi.com.cn/kyzx/jybzc/202609/20260924/2293971511.html；教育部 (2024). 2025 年全国硕士研究生招生工作管理规定（教学〔2024〕4 号，第二十二条）. https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/202410/content_6978684.htm

There are two other pathways. First, exemption from the academic subject exam for top-up programs (Junior College to Bachelor's): Junior college students who serve in the military and complete their junior college studies after discharge can apply for an exam-free top-up program, where admission is determined by merit following a vocational skills assessment by the university. This policy has been implemented since the 2022 enrollment year; please refer to the specific regulations in your province's notice for that year. Second, an additional 10 points on the postgraduate entrance exam initial test: For retired college student soldiers, if they take the postgraduate entrance exam within 3 years of discharge, 10 points will be added to their total initial test score. If you have applied for a specialized program, no additional points will be granted; these two benefits cannot be enjoyed simultaneously. Those who have been awarded a Second-Class Merit or higher can apply to skip the initial test for postgraduate studies. The list of universities recruiting for specialized programs changes every year; in 2025, there were 523 institutions. The tuition standard has been adjusted twice: in 2019, it was 8000/12000, in the autumn of 2023, it was changed to 16000/20000, and in the autumn of 2024, it was changed to 20000/25000. The 2022 summary from the Ministry of Veterans Affairs still uses the earliest version; do not copy it directly.