Several parents told Chinese news outlet Benliu News in mid-December that teachers at Xian Technology and Business College, a little-known institution in Shaanxi Province financed by Beijing Northern Investment Group, had privately contacted families whose children had failed exams and pressured them into paying hefty fees to avoid academic consequences.
According to one parent, their child failed four tests and was told they might have to repeat a year or drop out. But soon after, a teacher allegedly suggested an alternative, a 79,800 yuan “micro study abroad” program that would wipe the failing records and grant students priority for dorm rooms and scholarships. The parents were assured that signing up would “solve the problem quickly,” the South China Morning Post reported.
Only later were families informed that the programme did not involve travelling abroad, studying, or participating in any academic activity at all.
“The teacher told me there are no classes, no trips. Students just apply and the record is removed,” a parent said. After the payment was made, the money was reportedly transferred to a tech company in Xinjiang, not the college itself, and no receipt or invoice was issued.
When the story surfaced online, it exploded. Related posts have been viewed more than 10 million times, with thousands of comments condemning the idea of paying to pass. Many users accused the school of turning education into a transactional business.
“How is this even allowed? Grades shouldn’t be bought,” one user wrote. Another said authorities must “investigate thoroughly and punish those involved.”
State-run outlet gmw.cn published a sharp editorial on Dec. 15, warning that if exam scores can be altered through payment, then education fairness becomes a commodity with a price tag. The article also suggested the case could constitute fraud if the program was never conducted.
With public pressure mounting, the Shaanxi Education Department announced an official investigation on Dec. 16.
Officials have yet to release findings, but the incident has triggered a deeper debate about the integrity of private universities in China.
While most of the country’s higher education institutions are state-funded, only around 800 private colleges exist nationwide, and many face long-standing concerns over quality, transparency, and aggressive recruitment or fee-based practices.
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