Tuition reimbursement for grads who work 3 years at grassroots level in central, western and remote areas

The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security addressed public concerns on Tuesday about the government's tuition reimbursement policy for college graduates serving in the nation's central and western provinces and remote areas with harsher working environments.

The ministry made its response on its WeChat public account, clarifying that graduates will get their tuition reimbursement after serving in grassroots positions for at least three years in the central and western provinces and remote areas. Graduates who had applied for a national student aid loan during their college years should use the reimbursement to repay their loan along with interest.

Back in 2009, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Education jointly released the tuition reimbursement policy for college graduates serving in grassroots positions for at least three years in 22 central and western provinces and remote areas including Xizang, Guangxi Zhuang and Inner Mongolia autonomous regions.

The grassroots positions include government agencies, primary and junior high schools in the countryside, and occupations in meteorology, seismology and those concerning promotion of agriculture technology and culture.

Under the policy, the tuition reimbursement standard is up to 6,000 yuan ($838.4) per year. The standard has been adjusted to up to 8,000 yuan per year for undergraduates and a maximum of 12,000 yuan per year for postgraduates starting from 2014.

The government pays one-third of the total tuition reimbursement each year and finishes the payment in three years.