Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is the application deadline?

A.  For long term students on a semester or academic year program then applications should be made 6 weeks prior to classes commencing. This leaves enough time to obtain your F or X visa before you come to China. Students whom wish to apply for a long term study programme within 6 weeks of classes commencing can still apply for a place but if their application is successful they will need to obtain a travel/short stay L visa to come out to China and then we can help them to convert their visa once they are here in Dalian.  For short term students studying for less than a full academic semester applications should be made 4 weeks prior to coming out to China. All short term students need to obtain a short stay L visa to come out to China. We may be able to convert this to an F visa once you are here in Dalian depending on the length of your study and the visa arrangements the Chinese government has with your home country.  

Q.  What are the admission requirements?

To come and study on a Chinese in China study programme you should be

l        Be over 17 year of age.

l        Have completed high school in your home country.

l        In good health (Multiple entry F-visas and all X-visas require a medical check-up)

If you have any questions please contact application@chinese-in-china.com

Q. How do I pay for my study programme?

A.  All programmes require a course deposit to confirm your place. The deposit is US $250 for long term study programmes and US $150 for short term study programmes. This you can pay by one of two ways. The first is to make an international bank transfer to our UK Chinese in China business account. The second way is to pay by Paypal to our UK business account. The balance of your programme fee you pay here in Dalian after you arrive. The best way to do this is to bring Travellers Cheques with you here to Dalian which we can help you to change at a bank close to campus.

Q.  What Academic Credit can I receive?

A.  Many students studying at our partner universities are receiving academic credit towards their undergraduate or postgraduate studies. If you would like to receive academic credit while studying then this needs to be approved by your home university before you come to Dalian. Students at our partner universities study 4 or 5 hours of class each weekday, 20-23 hours per week. Thus by the US system students usually earn 12 - 16 semester credits for each semester completed. By the British system this would be you could study here as part or all of your 3rd year of a 4 year Bachelors or Undergraduate masters programme as long as your course tutor approves.

It is rare for students to receive credit for summer course programmes or other short term study programmes of less than one semester. This has happened in the past but most home universities generally only give credit for programmes of a semester or more in length.

Q.  What other fees will I have to pay that are not included in the programme fee?

A. All students will have to pay a visa application fee. This varies from US $70 for a 60 day L visa to US $200 for year long multiple entry X-visa. Generally the longer stay visas cost more than short stay visas and multiple entry visas cost more than single entry visas. Long term students staying in either shared or private apartment accommodation will need to pay their own water and electricity bills. For shared apartments students should budget US $5-$10 a month and for a private apartment US $10-$15 a month.

Q.  How quickly will my Chinese improve?

A.  The rate at which your Chinese improves will depend a lot on your overall study approach and the number of Chinese speaking friends that you make. The classes themselves are quite rigorous and a minimum of 2 hours self study each day would be required to get through your classes. If you hold this level of study and have a few Chinese speaking friends (which might include Korean or Japanese classmates whom cant speak English) then a typical student would master around 1000 words each semester, which is broadly equivalent to 2 HSK levels. So a beginner student with a reasonable study approach should master about 2000 words and be able to reach HSK level 4 at the end of 2 semesters of study. Students whom live in homestay accommodation, whom self study for several hours a day and have many Chinese speaking friends could master up to 1600 words a semester and reach HSK level 5 after one year of study.

 

Q.  How easy is it to access the internet?

A.  The private and shared apartments all have the internet connected and it is free to use. The hostel charges 80Y a month for ADSL connection. If you are staying with a host family and require the internet, providing you let us know 4 weeks or more in advance, we can arrange this for you.

 

Q.  I am currently studying in Beijing or Shanghai, if I move to Dalian what will my likely impression be?

A.  You'll notice a blue sky most days of the year and ease with which you can move around the city. You'll see other foreigners around but not as frequently as Beijing or Shanghai. You'll find there are several nice beaches, 5 'western standard' gyms and about 10 good bars/clubs. Coming from Beijing, you’ll find the local pronunciation almost identical and from Shanghai, it will seem more like the 'putonghua' you hear on Chinese language tapes. Coming from either, after 2 months, you'll find that with a similar lifestyle you’ve saved US $1000-$2000.

Q.  How much does food and drink cost?

A.  Around the university you would usually spend about 10Y for lunch and 15Y for dinner. Tsingdao costs 10-12Y, if you get a cocktail at a bar it will cost 25-30Y.

Q.  What insurance do I need?

A.  We strongly recommend international travel or study insurance to come to China.

The following providers are recommended:

l        www.internationalstudentinsurance.com

l        www.statravel.com

l        www.worldnomads.com

l        www.studentbiz.net

If you do not get medical insurance then there is the risk of a Chinese hospital not giving you full care in the event of an accident.

Q.  Can I get a Job while studying?

A. Many students do find work as foreign language teachers while studying with pay of 90-140Y an hour. You can probably find work by asking at some of the English schools or talking to some of the foreign teachers you meet around the city. We can tell you the location of the schools and which bus to take to get there. From a visa point of view the Chinese government  currently has no clear legislation and foreign students make up a large percentage of teachers at private language and government run schools without their work being clearly defined as either legal or illegal.

Q.  What do I need to bring to China?

A.   Dalian has numerous large shopping centres including Walmart and Carrefour. At these you can buy almost all of the products that you would be able to buy in a western shopping centre, including western foods and cosmetics. Good quality clothes/shoes can also be bought at relatively low prices around the city. If you like reading you must however bring a few good books to China, as the supply of English language books is quite small. Electronics in China as are not much cheaper than in western countries so if you are planning to buy a laptop computer around the time that you come to China you might be better to buy it in your home country as the warranty you receive on it is likely to be better and of more use to you. Lastly if you particularly like cooking or making sandwiches then you might want to bring with you the  flavourings or spreahs you like most e.g. Marmite. It could be a taste of home on a rainy day.

Q.  Do I need to take a Physical Examination to obtain an X-Visa?

A.  Yes, once you have paid the course deposit we will send you the examination form and you can arrange to take the physical at a public hospital in your country. You must make sure the exam covers all sections of the examination form. Otherwise it is possible you may be asked to retake the examination after arrival in China.