On April 7, the reporter learned that the Department of Education of Sichuan Province, the Provincial Development and Reform Commission, and the Provincial Administration for Market Regulation recently issued a notice. According to the notice, starting from the fall semester of 2026, non-government higher education institutions (HEIs) in the province will uniformly charge only four types of fees: tuition, accommodation, service fees, and agency fees.

According to the notice, tuition fees for both degree and non-degree programs at non-government HEIs in the province, as well as accommodation fees, will continue to be subject to market regulation, with specific rates to be determined independently by the institutions. For non-profit non-government HEIs, the specific rates for tuition fees for degree programs and accommodation fees should adhere to the non-profit principle and be determined independently based on a comprehensive consideration of factors such as operating costs, market demand, local economic development, and the affordability of residents. If a school plans to adjust its fee rates, it must publish the proposed adjustment plan and its justification on its official website 12 months before the enrollment of new students, and also disclose the audited cost information for the past three years. For non-profit non-government HEIs, the interval between adjustments to tuition fee rates for degree programs should generally be no less than three full academic years.

For tuition and accommodation fees, when a school adjusts its rates, it should apply the principle of "new rates for new students, old rates for returning students". If the adjusted rate is lower than the original, current students should benefit from the lower rate and the new standard shall apply. Tuition and accommodation fees shall be collected on a per-academic-year basis and may not be collected in advance across academic years. If a current student is granted a leave of absence, no fees shall be charged during the leave period. Any tuition fees that have been collected for courses not yet delivered may be settled upon the student's return to study. For current students who are admitted to undergraduate programs from junior college, or who are approved for transfer to another school or another major, the tuition fees shall be paid at the same rate as the students in the class they join. If accommodation is not provided during a student's internship, no accommodation fees shall be charged.

For service fees and agency fees, when a school collects agency fees or service fees for the convenience of students during their study and life on campus, it shall adhere to the principles of "voluntary participation, actual-cost-based collection, timely settlement, regular disclosure, and non-profit orientation". These fees shall be separately itemized on the receipt and shall not be conflated with tuition or accommodation fees. Any services that fall within the scope of educational and teaching activities or teaching management shall not be classified as service fees or agency fees. No fees under the names of internship fees, practical training fees, skills training fees, or school-enterprise cooperation fees, among others, shall be charged to students under the pretext of school-enterprise cooperative education. No organization or individual other than the school's finance department shall collect service fees or agency fees in the name of the school.