CHINA

CHINA: State aid for students up 18% last year

China spent 34.72 billion yuan (US$5.1 billion) on financial aid for college students last year, up 18.21% from the previous year, a Ministry of Education official has revealed, reports the official agency Xinhau. The aid included scholarships, stipends, loans and allowances, said Cui Bangyan, a senior ministry official in charge of financial aid for students.

Also, tuition fees were cut for students from certain groups, such as the disabled or ethnic minorities, Cui noted. Governments at all levels, financial institutions, universities and colleges all increased their investment in student assistance last year, Cui added.

College students in 23 provinces and regions can now apply for education loans in their home towns and 622,000 students received the loans last year, 239% more than in the previous year.
Full report on the Xinhaunet site