How to make a choice

Of course we can’t tell you what choice you should make, but here are some things you might want to consider.

There are now approximately 68,000 foreign students in China. China is planning to make arrangements to increase the number to 120,000 students by the year 2008. Of course this also implies China institutions will offer more and more programs suitable for foreign students.

The upcoming China has triggered more and more students into studying Chinese. This is reflected in the fact that most of the roughly 500 universities that accept foreign students have a language program. Apart from learning the Chinese language, there are many students who are studying the more cultural subjects China has to offer, for instance Arts, History and Chinese medicine. Most regular courses are open to foreign students, yet an HSK (Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi, test for Chinese proficiency) level 6 is needed. Many a student enrols into a language programme before continuing a regular long time study together with the Chinese students.

Some universities offer English taught programs. These are usually meant for Chinese students to increase their proficiency while taking a regular curriculum, thus preparing them for an international market, but these programs are of course also very suitable for foreign students.

Studying at a Chinese university usually implies studying Chinese, even if this is not your intention. If you do wish to study Chinese, there are a lot of options, since practically all universities that accept foreign students offer language programs. You can choose to study at a university with a lot of foreign students. Apart from the fact that your classmates are Non-Chinese, in the people you come into contact with will therefore probably be non-Chinese, and very often the lingua franca outside class will not be Chinese as well.

If you have acquired a bit of a vocabulary and you wish to interact with a lot of Chinese, your choice might be to study at a university with less foreign students, thus forcing yourself to make good use of the Chinese you have learned. The same goes for your housing. If you choose to live in a foreign students dorm together with 1700 other foreign students you’ll probably be talking English after class. If it’s any relief, a lot of the majority of the foreign students in China (Japanese and Korean students) often have a poor proficiency in English, so you will be talking Chinese. But living off campus might therefore be an option for you if you really want to mingle among Chinese. 

How to apply at a Chinese institution

Application procedures vary between institutions and courses. The following paragraphs will give you a general idea of the procedure. More specific information about applications will be given in the section about institutions and curricula. We also recommend that you check the university’s website for the most recent information. This section also provides the contact details for the university. It might be a good idea to contact the admission office or the foreign students’ office at the institution you are interested in.

Apply to the institution of your choice before the final application date. Usually this implies including a qualified copy of your highest diploma with a copy of the corresponding transcript. Also, submit the application form and a copy of your passport. Depending on the course you must also include proof of your HSK-level or TOEFL (for IMBA/MBA also GMAT scores). Application fees should be paid beforehand or include in the application. Registration fees can be paid at the time of registration.

Following submission of all necessary documents within a month or two the university will send you letter offering you a place at university, a Visa Application form and the Medical examination forms. The medical examination has limited time, so do not do it too early. After you have received the documentation, apply for a visa. When applying for a visa, make sure your passport is valid for at least 6 months after leaving China. You will also need the letter for a study visa.

After arriving in China, bring all the necessary documents to the registration. Upon registration you might also need to have proof of insurance coverage. Also, when registering often universities only accept cash.

When living off campus, you must register at a local police station. Universities can usually provide a list of housing possibilities and if you do wish to do this, it might be useful to make a reservation two months in advance.

Admission Requirements

Depending on the nature of your study plans you’ll need a copy and transcript of your highest diploma. Very often a proof of your HSK/TOEFL is required. Most programs other than language also require a study plan or research proposal and one or two letters of recommendation. A photocopy of your passport is needed as well.

Legalisation: visa and registration

To enter the People’s Republic of China, a visa is required. In order to study in China, a student visa is required. An X-visa is issued if you are studying in China for over 6 months, and an F-visa is issued for those studying in China for less than 6 months. When applying for a student visa, an admission notice from the receiving university is required, and also Form JW202 or JW 201, the Visa Application Form for Aliens to Study in China, issued by the Chinese Ministry of Education. Contact the Chinese university for more information about obtaining both of these forms.

It usually takes 4 working days to complete the issuing. The costs for a single entry visa are € 42, € 64 for a double entry, € 85 for a multiple entry visa, valid for 6 months, €130 for a multiple entry visa valid for a year. If you are in a hurry, you can use the one day service, then your visa will be ready in an hour, but then an additional € 33 fee is charged. Click here for more info.

After arriving in China you must register at a local police station.

If you are not returning to your former address in the Netherlands and/or your post address does not remain the same for more than 8 months then you must deregister at your local town hall.

Medical Examination Record for Foreigners

According to China’s quarantine regulations, foreign students who are planning to study in China for more than 6 months must submit copies of the Physical Examination Record for Foreigners, and a blood test report. The complete examination record is only valid for 6 months after the date of examination, so do consider the date you want to start your study in China and then decide upon the date you want to take the test accordingly. The medical examination form will be sent to you by the Chinese institution where you have been enrolled. You can then have the medical examination at for instance your Local Health Authority (GGD).

Insurance

You might find that some universities offer insurances, but these do not cover all expenses. We therefore strongly advise to be well insured before heading for China.

There are two companies that offer complete policies with a worldwide coverage. The Lippmann Group offers the IPS, Insurance Passport for Students, which can be used during your study, but also when you are planning to travel in succession of your study abroad. For more information about the IPS, contact Lippmann directly or check their website.
　

Scholarships

The scholarship possibilities are limited. Thanks to a Cultural Agreement between China and the Netherlands, the NUFFIC provides 25 full scholarships for Dutch students to study in China. The scholarship includes tuition fee, housing, insurance, a return ticket, you will receive 800-1100 RMB/month pocket money and you will receive a single EUR 55 fee for extra luggage. These scholarships are meant for students who want to go to China in order to study the Chinese language and culture. Therefore, one needs a basic knowledge of Chinese (Mandarin) before qualifying to apply. A number of scholarships has been reserved for students Languages and Cultures of China from Leiden University, and a number is reserved for students studying Chinese at the Interpreter’s College in Maastricht.

For students who are not directly interested in studying the Chinese language, yet who are wishing to study at a Chinese top-university, there are still a few options. In all cases, the Chinese Ministry of Education (MOE) provides several scholarships via the China Scholarship Council (CSC). These include:

1 Chinese Government Scholarship Scheme

2 China/UNESCO Great Wall Fellowship Scheme

3 Distinguished International Students Scholarship Scheme

4 HSK Winner Scholarship Scheme

5 Chinese Cultural Research Fellowship Scheme

6 the short-term Scholarship Scheme for Teaching Chinese as a Second Language

For more information about Chinese scholarships and how to apply, please see the website of the

Chinese Ministry of Education

Also, keep in mind that some studies/scholarships might require you to take Chinese classes. The rest of your classes can be taught in English.

More information about scholarships at specific universities in question can be found in the section of the corresponding university.

Housing

Chinese universities are campus-based. Since almost all universities are open to foreign students, therefore most dormitories will be open to foreign students as well. The foreign students (1-3 students share a room, usually with television and telephone) offer more luxury than the dormitories for Chinese students (4-8 in a room, most of the time no air-conditioning). Simple dorm rooms are available from EUR 2,5-3,5/a day, based on a shared room (2 students) with use of public facilities. Most of them are fully furnished, which means bed, closet, desk, chairs, television and phone. Often, universities offer different classes of rooms, single/shared, with or without private bathroom, with or without air-conditioning etc. The average fully furnished shared room with air-conditioning, private bathroom and sometimes even a fridge will cost you between EUR 14-28.

In most university areas it has become quite common to live off campus. For the same reason the rent in that area might be slightly higher than the average. As a foreigner always expect to pay a bit more for rent then for a local. It’s up to you whether you find it worth it or not to live off campus. A simple three room apartment might cost between EUR 250-290 a month, excluding approximately EUR 25 extra charges for water, gas, electricity and a phone line.

Daily life

Life in China is cheap. Although this is not always reflected in bars and nightclubs, the daily necessities are quite affordable. You can get a cheap yet tasty meal in the campus cafeteria starting from 50 Eurocents, but also outside the campus you will be able to order dishes starting from EUR 1 for a vegetable dish or EUR 2.5 for a meat dish. If you tire of Chinese food, you will have to spend a bit more for a western meal, but a bit more than EUR 10 will already be sufficient for a large steak. These prices mean cooking at home is not very attractive. Even for Chinese students it is very common to eat out; some dormitories do not even have a kitchen.

Another advantage of living in China is the cheap public transport. Buses can get you to the other side of the town for less than half a Euro. One disadvantage is that in most cases neither the driver nor the woman who sells the tickets will speak a word of English. If you do not mind an overcrowded bus, speak a bit of Chinese and are stay alert to where you have to get off, the bus can get you places within the city. Taxis are also very convenient. The starting fare is 10 RMB when the meter goes down (about EUR 1) in Beijing, or even less in some other cities. This buys you the first three kilometres and every kilometre after that costs an additional 16 eurocents. Some drivers do speak a bit of English but a note in Chinese with the address you want to go to usually suffices.

If you like to go out, most cities offer a large variety of possibilities. Many Chinese like to go to KTV to sing karaoke. If you wish to do like the Chinese, most KTV’s also offer a lot of English songs. Going to bars and discos is also getting more and more popular among Chinese but expect to pay prices almost comparable with back home. You might have to spend EUR 25-3.5 on a beer in a fancy bar where you would spend not even half at a local Chinese bar. And of course there are areas, bars and discos that can be labelled “Chinese” or “Western” where the music matches the crowd. In general China seems to have a liking for R&B, yet in the larger cities a wide range is out there you just need to find the right place for you.

Chinese Teaching methods

In a Chinese classroom you might find that the teacher seems to have absolute power and that education is more or less one-way traffic; the teacher speaks, the students listen. Students sometimes have to repeat after the teacher and some tests are even recitals. But as education in China modernizes traditional methods are being gradually replaced. But on international courses, where the teacher has usually spent part of their studies at a foreign university, the teaching methods are more modern and interaction between teacher and students does take place in class. In most language centres the teachers are used to foreign students and their habits and the teachers are usually open to comments from students.

Language proficiency

The programs we mention in this brochure do not require any Chinese proficiency. Some do require that you take Chinese classes during the program. When enrolling into an international program a certain level of English is required, usually expressed in a TOEFL score or some kind. This is the Test Of English as a Foreign Language. In the Netherlands there are only two places to take the TOEFL test; Arnhem and Lelystad. More information about TOEFL can be found here. It is also possible to register for a test via this website. The test takes four hours and an appointment must be made at least 3 days in advance. Individual appointments can be made in real time via the website. In case you want to retake a test, remember you can only take the test once a month. Click here for more information on test preparation.

When enrolling in regular courses, a decent level of Mandarin proficiency is required. Although the standards may differ per university, usually an HSK level 6 is required. HSK is the “Hanyu shuiping kaoshi”, a test of Chinese proficiency. Although not very well-known in Europe, it is a common requirement if you want to work or study in a Mandarin speaking country. In the Netherlands they recently started offering HSK exams in Leiden University. Click here for more information about the HSK and the test in Leiden University.

Vaccination

Depending on the duration of your stay and the location some vaccinations are recommended, few obligatory. For more information contact your local Area Health Authority (GGD). Keep in account that you might have to start taking vaccinations half a year in advance.

Currency                          

The currency of the People’s Republic of China is the Renminbi/Yuan. The average exchange rate with the Euro is 1:9.51 A foreign bank card with a Cirrus/Mastercard logo can be used in most ATM’s of the Bank of China. Moreover, as more and more Chinese banks are modernising, foreign bank cards are more and more accepted at other banks. Credit cards can be used at the larger hotels, department stores and restaurants, but do not expect to be able to pay with them at smaller establishments.