An offer arrives with a request for a deposit. You want to secure the place, but your scholarship decision is still pending, or another university has not replied. Should you pay, and what happens if your plans change?
First establish the payment’s purpose, whether it counts towards tuition and which refund terms apply. A deposit can be part of an institution’s normal procedure, but the name alone promises very little. Read the amount, deadline and next steps in your own offer and the programme’s official rules.
Make sure you are discussing the same payment
Several different amounts may appear in the same correspondence. Give each its own line in your notes.
| Term in the documents | What to establish |
|---|---|
| Application fee | Which process it pays for and whether rejection changes its refund status |
| Programme deposit | Whether it counts towards tuition and how it confirms acceptance |
| Advance tuition payment | Which period it covers and what happens if you withdraw |
| Accommodation deposit | Which booking, cancellation and refund conditions apply |
| Proof of funds | Whether you must provide a document or actually transfer money |
Keep tuition and accommodation payments separate in particular. One being credited to a later bill does not establish how the other works.
Look at the university’s own procedure
For a concrete example, XJTLU’s international undergraduate application page, checked on 24 October 2026, specifies a CNY 10,000 deposit for unconditional offer holders. It describes the amount as non-refundable and deductible from total tuition on enrolment.
That example belongs to the stated undergraduate route. It does not establish the payment for a master’s programme, another university or a future intake. It also shows why two terms need separate attention: an amount can count towards tuition while remaining non-refundable if your plans change.
If your letter merely says “pay the deposit”, find the full policy. If the letter and website appear to conflict, ask admissions to confirm in writing which conditions apply to your application.
Ask about refunds one situation at a time
“Is it refundable?” may be too broad. Ask about the condition that affects your decision:
- not receiving the scholarship you expected;
- a visa refusal;
- not meeting a language or document condition;
- transferring the payment after an approved deferral;
- cancellation of the programme by the university.
For any available refund, establish the request deadline, evidence required and calculation of the amount. Do not build a refund into your budget until the relevant condition is in the policy or confirmed by the responsible office.
If the amount is non-refundable, part of your decision is whether you can afford to lose it if you decline the place. A pending scholarship is not confirmed funding merely because you have passed an earlier selection stage. Examine what the funding actually covers separately.
Confirm the recipient and deadline
Open the university’s official website yourself and find the admissions or finance contact. Compare the instructions with your applicant portal. If the recipient, amount or payment method differs from the published instructions, ask for confirmation through the contact you found on the site.
Some universities use external payment services. An unfamiliar recipient name therefore needs checking rather than an automatic conclusion: establish that the university names that service for your payment. Instructions forwarded by an intermediary also need to match the institution’s procedure.
Check the currency, payment reference, application number and treatment of bank charges. Ask whether meeting the deadline means sending the transfer or having the money received. Avoid choosing the last possible day when the transfer time is still uncertain.
When the deadline comes before another decision
Ask for an extension before payment is due. The university may decline, but a specific request gives you more information than waiting silently. Adapt this enquiry with your own details:
I have received an offer for [programme], application number [number]. My deposit deadline is [date]. The decision on [scholarship / other necessary condition] is expected later. Could the payment deadline be extended to [date]? Please confirm whether my place would remain available during that period and which conditions apply if I cannot accept the offer.
Include the relevant section of your offer if it helps the reader identify the rule. Keep the question focused on your application. Our guide to applying without an agent explains how to keep track of the wider process yourself.
After paying, check what comes next
A receipt confirms a transfer; the university’s procedure determines the next step. Check whether you must upload it, wait for a status update or separately accept the offer. Keep the institution’s acknowledgement too.
Before transferring money, you should be able to answer four questions: what is it for, who receives it, which conditions apply and what happens next? If one is missing, send that exact question to the responsible office. You can then decide about your own offer without guessing a rule for every university in China.
