This fall, 150 Chinese undergraduates from Sichuan province, which was hit with a devastating earthquake in May, will be studying at the State University of New York, free of charge.

In exchange, they have agreed to return home after the academic year ends to help rebuild the local economy.

The deal, which involves 22 SUNY campuses, was worked out between the university system and the Chinese government. Megan Galbraith, a SUNY spokeswoman, said the university planned to raise about $5-million from private donors to cover the students’ tuition and living expenses. The Chinese government has agreed to pay travel and visa costs.

The students, mostly sophomores and juniors, are all Sichuan residents and enrolled at one of four national universities or at colleges in Sichuan. Both their academic performance and English-language abilities were reviewed before they were accepted, SUNY said in a news release. Academics from China and SUNY matched the students to particular campuses based on their academic interests and available space. —Beth McMurtrie

Correction (8/1): Ms. Galbraith said this morning that she had provided an incorrect figure for the amount to be raised. The correct amount is $3.5-million, not $5-million.