In recent years, millions of disadvantaged college students have benefited from the country's financial aid system.

As of June last year, more than 2.4 million students had received loans totaling more than 20 billion yuan ($2.6 billion), since the system was piloted in 1999.

Currently, about 1,500 of the country's more than 1,700 universities use the loan system.

However, for many students such loans are like the moon in the water, tempting but unattainable.

Of all the students to have applied for a loan since 1999, 27 percent were rejected, mostly due to the fact that universities in small or underdeveloped cities have failed to implement the system efficiently.

Under the system, students from poor families can apply for financial aid in a number of forms, including loans, scholarships, grants and reduced or waived tuition fees.

However, to do so they must provide a family economic situation certificate, which can be hard to obtain in some rural areas.

The government earmarked 9.5 billion yuan this year for student scholarships and grants, more than five times that of last year. Next year it has promised to provide 20 billion yuan.

"Our goal is to enable every poor student to benefit from the aid system. However, when I conducted a survey in Gansu, Ningxia in west China and in Henan in Central China this summer, I found most students and parents were unaware of the policy. I deeply hope that through better media coverage, the system can be made known to and provide cover for every student in need."

Wang Xuming, spokesman for the Ministry of Education

"The student aid policy is quite good, but we need detailed information to make it work. The newspapers, TV stations and online news providers have tried to spread information about the policy, but in some remote areas, people have no access to these media. And even when people heard about the system they had no idea how to apply for it or who to ask for help. Policymakers and those implementing it should put themselves in the shoes of the disadvantaged people. The policy should not be a notice in a newspaper, but something reachable, such as a 24-hour student aid hotline, or brochure given to every student."

Hong Chengwen, a professor at Beijing Normal University

"I am expecting an enrolment letter from a college this summer. As my parents are both dead, my family lives on a government allowance. I have a job selling vegetables in a market and hope to save enough money to cover my travel expenses. I hope I can get aid when I get to college."

Liu Huicheng, a high-school student from Gansu

"My wife and I have to support the whole family as my son and daughter-in-law are seriously ill. My first grandson was in college two years ago and my second grandson was accepted by college this year. However, I do not know how to let him go to college. My family can't make ends meet, we have no money to buy bus tickets, let alone tuition fees. But no one will tell me how to figure it out. I feel desperate."

Grandpa Gao, a farmer in Ningxia