This article provides background on the education of ethnic minorities in China, as well as education in Tibet, and is followed by a review of the origin and development of boarding schools for Tibetan students. The article also examines the experiences and reflections of Tibetan students and their families. Data are partially derived from the oral history recollections of Tibetans who graduated from nonindigenous boarding schools. Along with other data about the origin and development of "neidi" schools, the oral histories contribute to an understanding of how the Chinese government continues to sustain these schools, despite the experiences of Western countries. (Contains 29 footnotes.)