Why does Tsinghua, a public university run by the state, need donations from the entire society?

Tsinghua University has been developing for 100 years thanks to state support. Since 1990s, the state started to encourage higher-education institutions to raise funds on their own. Today, appropriations from the state fiscal budget are inadequate for the university to grow into a world-class one and educate top-notch innovative people. Therefore, the university needs support from all walks of life. By making a donation, you will be part of Tsinghua's effort to rank among the world's best.

Can TUEF guarantee that donated money will be used in accordance with donor intent?

TUEF respects donor intent, regardless of the donated amount. We will sign a legally effective, formal donation agreement with the donor according to the donor's requirements. For each donation, we assign a person to be in charge of reviewing the use of the money to make sure that it is used in accordance with donor intent. We follow relevant laws and regulations to impose stringent oversight on how each sum of donated money is used. As agreed, TUEF and the person in charge of each donation send financial reports to the donor periodically. At any time, the donor can request information about how the donated money has been used or come to TUEF in person for such information.

What projects does Tsinghua need donations most urgently for?

Currently, Tsinghua needs financial support for student education funds, talent funds, infrastructure funds, department and school funds, and public-benefit funds. The university can allocate donated money for specific projects as per donor intent. You are welcome to talk to TUEF staffers about this. For more information, please take a look at the list of projects for which funds are being raised.

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What are the annual tuition fee and living expenditure for a Tsinghua student? What is the percentage of financially challenged students?

At present, a Tsinghua undergraduate student not at the Academy of Arts and Design needs RMB 5000 per year to pay the tuition fee and RMB 1500 for accommodation. The living expenditure is about RMB 700 per month. Students from poor families account for around 24% of undergraduate students at the university. Under the state reforms on graduate education, new regulations have been promulgated that require uniform tuition fees, effective from 2014. Specifically, the annual tuition fee is RMB 10000 for a doctoral student and RMB 8000 for a master student. Professional degrees are subject to different rules. The annual accommodation fee for a graduate student is RMB 1200, and the living expenditure is between RMB 700 and RMB 1000 per month. Tsinghua now has a total of around 40 thousand students, including 14 thousand undergraduate students, 16 thousand master students, and 10 thousand doctoral students (overseas students not counted).

Can the donor specify the purposes the money is to be used for?

We respect donor intent. The donor can choose to or not to specify specific purposes the money is to be used for. If the donor chooses to do so, we will sign a donation agreement with the donor to realize donor intent. If the donor chooses not to do so, we inject the money into Tsinghua President Development Fund so that the university's president can allocate the money where it is needed.

What procedure should I follow if I want to make a donation? Can I directly contact a department, school, or office?

You are welcome to contact TUEF first. Our staffers will provide patient and careful services. TUEF was founded in 1994 as a national non-public offering foundation registered with the Ministry of Civil Affairs. This is a 5A-rated social organization, which means the highest qualifications recognized by the state for a public-benefit organization. TUEF is the legal entity representing the university in receiving and managing donations from the entire society. Of course, you can also talk to a department, school, or office you are familiar with to learn about their conditions and needs. When you have decided to make a donation, TUEF staffers will provide follow-up services for you, for example, drafting a donation agreement, offering free taxation consultancy, and providing financial reports. If you want to donate money directly to a department, school, or office, it is deemed a donation for specified purposes and still needs to be transferred to a TUEF account. TUEF will set up a special fund for the department, school, or office to ensure that the money is used the way you desire.

I am willing to make a donation. Is there a requirement for the minimum amount?

Thanks for your benevolence. No matter how much you donate, it is a show of your kindness towards Tsinghua and a way to support Tsinghua. You are welcome to donate an amount you think appropriate.

Is a donation to Tsinghua tax-exempt?

Yes. TUEF is a public-benefit legal entity that is qualified for tax exemption. According to Article 9 in Chapter 2 of the Enterprise Income Tax Law of the People's Republic of China passed at the 5th Meeting of the 10th National People's Congress in March 2007 and effective as of January 1, 2008, if a company has made donations for the public good, the smaller between the following two amounts shall be subtracted from the corporate income tax base: (1) the total donated amount, and (2) 12% of the company's total annual profit.