What should I do after I arrive in China?
Normally, international students come to China by air. It is also possible that they come by rail, boat, bus and other means of transportation. The first task after his/her arrival is to pass China’s border control.
1. China’s border control
China’s border control is divided into a variety of channels, including Chinese citizen channel and foreign citizen channel. International students should enter through the latter. Before entering the country, you must fill out the Application Form for Entry of Foreigners and hand it to the inspector of Customs Office. Inspectors may ask you about your travel purpose, contact and address in China. Please prepare your responses in advance and bring relevant documents with you.
After entering the country, you are forbidden to stay at the border control office. Baggage should be claimed as soon as possible. Please do cooperate in security check.
2. How do you get to school?
After entering China, you can take taxi, subway, bus and other means of transportation to school, and you may also need to take an inter-city train or a follow-up flight to the destination city. Please consult the school for details.
Where can I stay after arriving at school?
An international student usually stays in dormitory on campus, or rents an apartment outside school.
Please note that students who fail to register for dormitory within the deadline set by the school may need to arrange for their accommodation by themselves. Please double check with the school for details.
What do I need to know about freshman registration?
After a freshman arrives in China, he/she should promptly go to the relevant department to complete the registration procedure. For details with regard to the time, place and materials needed for such registration, please refer to the school’s Admission Notice.
1. The following documents are required in general for freshman registration:
l Original and photocopy of valid passport and visa (X1 or X2);
l Original and photocopy of Admission Notice;
l Original of Visa Application for Study in China (JW201 or JW202);
l Photo of the size in passport;
l Fees, including registration fee, tuition, medical insurance premium, accommodation fees; and
l Original of Physical Examination Record for Foreigners and Blood Test Report (which must be submitted by students who will study in China for more than 6 months).
*Please prepare and submit the materials according to the requirements of the school.
2. The procedures of registration usually include:
1) Accommodation: register for accommodation and move into dormitory;
2) Payment: pay tuition, registration fees and other related fees;
3) Medical insurance purchase: present a valid passport and the admission notice, and pay medical insurance premium;
4) Student registration: fill in relevant forms for student registration;
5) Physical examination: attend physical examination arranged by the school;
6) Visa interview: attend the visa interview arranged by the school for the first-time residence permit applicants; and
7) Residence permit: apply for a residence permit after obtaining your medical examination result and passing the visa interview.
*Registration procedures may vary from school to school. Please consult your own school for more details.
Do I have to take a physical examination?
According to the provisions of relevant laws and regulations of the Chinese government, international students entering China with X1 visa must take a health check. Alternatively, international students may choose to take physical examinations in their own country before coming to China, but they need to submit the original Physical Examination Record of Foreigners in Chinese or English at the time of student registration, and then go to the local Health Center of the Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau to have the aforesaid form reviewed. If the submitted document does not conform with the specifications or requirements or no medical examination has been conducted before entering China, they are required to re-take a health check at the Health Centre of the local Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau. Then the centre will issue the Certificate on Verification of Physical Examination Record for Foreigners, which is one of the preconditions for obtaining a residence permit in China. For physical examination, the following materials may be required:
l passport
l certificate of physical examination taken before entering China
l 2-inch bareheaded ID photo, which may also be taken at the site of physical examination
l admission notice (photocopy) or a certificate verifying admission issued by the school
Under normal circumstances, the school will arrange medical check-ups for students. If you miss the checkup, you need to go to the Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau to complete this procedure. A holder of X1 visa must apply for a residence permit within 30 days upon the date of entry; therefore it is necessary to complete the medical examination as soon as possible after entry. International students with X2 visa do not need medical examination.
Do I have to buy medical insurance?
According to the relevant regulations of China, international students whose duration of studies in China exceeds six months should purchase medical insurance in China. The school will provide students with advice and services for medical insurance purchase. Insurance liability please refer to: http://lxbx.net/tbzn/coverage2-e.html, Claims guide Scheme please refer to: http://lxbx.net/lpsm/claims2-e.html.
What is residence permit for foreigners? What should I pay attention to in this regard?
Residence Permit for Foreigner in the People’s Republic of China is issued to foreigners residing in the People’s Republic of China for more than one year. International students with X1 visa must change it to residence permit within 30 days upon the date of entry. The permit shall be applied for to the Exit-Entry Administration of the Public Security Bureau of his/her place of residence. For details, please refer to Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Administration of Entry and Exit of Foreigners and the relevant provisions promulgated by the local Exit-and-Entry Administration.
You may need to pay attention to:
When applying for residence permit, you need to submit Certificate on Verification of Physical Examination Record for Foreigners issued by the local inspection and quarantine department. Therefore, please complete the medical examination as soon as possible after entering the country and bring the necessary materials to the local Exit-Entry Administration Bureau.
The police station needs to check your original passport when handling your application for residence permit. At the same time, some other procedures may also require your original passport, such as applying for bank cards and mobile phone/Internet access. Therefore, please make relevant arrangement in advance.
What can I do if I cannot arrive at school before registration deadline?
If a student cannot arrive at the school before the registration deadline prescribed by the school, he/she should contact the relevant school administrator in advance to consult the alternative time for registration.
