The Chinese Foundation for Prevention of STDs and AIDS announced, on Thursday, it would provide financial assistance to 15 newly recruited college students, living with HIV, through a fund to help recipients complete their college study.

The students are from the Linfen Red Ribbon School, in Linfen, Shanxi province, which is the only school in China to specifically recruit students with HIV. A total of 16 senior middle school students at the educational facility undertook the college entrance exam this year, according to Guo Xiaoping, principal of the school.

"Of the 15, two students have entered a four-year study program at colleges which award bachelor's degrees, and the remainder of the studentshave gone to three-year junior colleges at the beginning of the month, in cities including Beijing and Taiyuan," said Yuan Jizheng, deputy director of the foundation's general office.

The foundation will provide more than 1.5 million yuan ($231,000) to the students, in order to cover their tuition fees and living expenses during their entire college study, according to Yuan Jizheng, deputy director of the foundation's general office.

"Most of the students are infected through mother-baby transmission and had lost one or both of their parents, making them difficult to afford the college on their own," she said.

"Most of the money comes from donations from entrepreneurs," she said.

"Beijing Leadingpharm Medicine Technology Co, a pharmaceutical research and development company in Beijing, pledged to donate 1million yuan for the fund on Thursday."

Inthe past 10 years, the Chinese Foundation for Prevention of STDs and AIDS has delivered more than 1,000 assistances to women living in poverty affected by HIV, and more than 23,000 assistances to children living with HIV, Wang Yumin, president of the foundation, said.