Question and Answers

Question and Answers For international students and scholars in China Xi’an Jiaotong University 1.Apply to Chinese universities Where do I get the information of the Chinese universities The information can be obtained by visiting the university’s website or simply contacting the School of International Education (SIE) at Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU) by E-mail. What is the Admission procedure Applicants must be non-Chinese citizens with a valid passport and need to follow the following steps: Step 1: Applicants should fill application forms for International Students of XJTU. Step 2: Applicants should send the completely filled Application Form, application fee and other related documents to the SIE by mail before the deadline. Step 3: Admission Notice, Visa Clearance Form (JW202) and Physical Examination Record form will be sent to students who have been admitted. Step 4: Admitted students should take Physical Examination Record to local public or private hospital to have physical examination. Result from private hospitals should be notarized. Step 5: Admitted students should take Admission Notice, Visa Clearance Form (JW202) and Physical Examination Record to the Chinese Embassy in their country to apply for visa (X visa and F visa). The original JW202 form must not be submitted to the embassy. Step 6: Admitted students should take Admission Notice, Visa Clearance Form (JW202) and physical examination record form to register at XJTU within the registration period written on the Admission Notice. Otherwise, one will be deprived of the student status. Exception can be made to student who has informed the school of their special reasons and whose delay has been permitted. Application documents are as follows: 1.《XI’AN JIAOTONG UNIVERSITY APPLICATION FORM FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS》with a student’s recent photograph fixed. 2.A photocopy of your valid passport (photo page). 3.Transcript of HSK 4.Graduation certificate and degree diploma (Students expecting to graduate should provide an official letter stating expected graduation date) These documents must be original or certified copies either in Chinese or English. 5.Two recommendation letters from your referees. The referees should be professors or persons with relevant academic title. At least one of them should have knowledge of your recent academic work. The format of the recommendation letter must be original documents either in Chinese or English. 6.Other materials are required by the specific school or department you are applying to. Note: Two copies of all application materials are required, one original and one duplicate. Please hand in personally or sent them by post to SIE. All the application materials would not be returned. Can I apply on line Yes. Your application can be submitted online but your application documents should also be sent in by regular mail. Can I pay application fee by credit card Unfortunately, credit card is not accepted at present. 2. Entering China How do I get my student visa to China Once admitted, the applicant will receive the university’s letter of admission and JW202 form. The applicant can apply for X visa at Chinese Embassy or Consulate General in his or her home country. When applying for your visa, please remember to take along with you your valid passport, the original copy of the university’s admission notification and a Visa Application Form for Foreign Students Studying in China (also known as the JW201/JW202 form). Do make sure that your letter of admission and your JW202 form is handed back to you together with your passport after obtaining your Chinese visa. You will need these documents to apply for your Residence Permit after your arrival in Xi’an. International Students who will be studying in China for more than 6 months are required to obtain a Student Visa, also termed as ‘X’ Visa. Important: The Student Visa/’X’ Visa will only be valid for 30 days after your arrival. You must apply for a Residence Permit within these 30 days in order to obtain a legal status in China at Xi’an Municipal Public Security Bureau (XMPSB). You are not encouraged to arrive in China much ahead of the short time limit of your visa. Furthermore, you are not eligible to apply for a Residence Permit until you are a registered student of XJTU, namely before the day of registration. Student Visa/’X’ Visa Students who will be staying and studying in China for less than 6 months may apply for a Visiting Visa, also termed as ‘F’ Visa. Visiting Visa/ ‘F’ Visa Important: Once you arrive in Xi’an, you must ensure the XJTU has your current address at all times. If, for any reason, XMPSB wishes to contact you they will reply on the address the university has for you. Is the university’s admission letter enough for me to apply for my visa No. In addition to the university’s admission letter, JW202 form is also needed. What necessary documents, forms or any required documents should I bring to China A completed physical examination form issued by a major local hospital. The physical examination form can be downloaded from Do I need to get any vaccine before I come No special vaccine requirement is needed. 3. How do I get to my university When I have my flight information to China, should I send this information to anyone in the university If pickup service is needed, the student needs to notify SIE by fax with detailed information of his/her time of arrival, flight number at least 3 days ahead of their expected arrival. How early can I get into the students dorm You may request of student dorm along with your application. Once being approved, you may get into the students dorm generally at least one week before the new semester starts. Can I ask for the airport pick-up upon my arrival Do I need to pay for this service Yes. The pick-up service is 160 Yuan/time. 4. Settle down in the university What is the registration procedure All students have to register on their designated day of registration. Students must bring the following documents and register at the SIE. 1. Admission Notification (original copy) 2. Visa Application for Study in China form/JW202 form (original copy) 3. Physical examination record and blood test reports 4. Passport 5. Photos in passport size (at least 6 copies) 6. Academic documents you have provided at the time of admission (Photo copies attested) Please keep in mind that no one can register on your behalf. Students must have cleared their tuition fees payment by the end of the day of registration. Otherwise, the registration process cannot be completed. If you are to arrive later than or after the day of registration, you must write a letter to SIE, informing the staffs of your late arrival and its reasons. Students who have not register after two weeks since their designated day of registration will be dismissed from the university. What do I need to do to get my student ID, ID for library, ID for student’s service You may apply for student ID and Campus Card at SIE. The campus card will offer you access to library and dining hall. How do I apply for Residence Permit Students who will be studying in China for more than 6 months and who possess a Student Visa/’X’ Visa must apply for a Residence Permit within the first 30 days of their arrival. To apply for the Residence Permit, students must first submit the following documents to the SIE: i. Student ID card ii. Valid passport and Student Visa/ ‘X’ Visa iii. Health Certificate certified by the Xi’an Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau. iv. Foreign Students Visa Application Form (JW201 or JW202) v. Admission Letter from Xi’an Jiaotong University vi. 1 passport size photo vii. Valid proof of students’ housing arrangement/Accommodation Certificate from the local police station. (Not required for the students living on-campus) Next, students are required to collect the ‘Visa and Residence Permit Form’ from SIE when all the above 7 documents are given back to you by the office. Finally, students must submit all the above documents including the ‘Visa and Residence Permit Form to the Xi’an Municipal Public Security Bureau to obtain their Residence Permit. Normally it takes 5 workdays to get the Residence Permit back. But during the peak season of registration i.e. September, you may get your passport with the Residence Permit back in over a month. How can I open my personal bank account You may open your bank account with your passport, its copy along with ten yuan cash at banks nearby. (US dollar account is only available at bank of China) The nearest branches of bank of China are as follows: 161 W. Yanta Rd .(West Campus), 39 E. You yi Rd. (East Campus) In addition to that, remember to apply or ask for a Union Pay Card. The Union Pay Card functions as a Debit Card, it enables you to transfer money from your saving/checking account directly to the recipient’s account and it is commonly used in Xi’an. Students are recommended to first open a bank account in Xi’an, convert foreign currencies into RMB, and then make their tuition fee payment to XJTU via Bank Card. Do I need to buy Medical/Health Insurance Xi’an Jiaotong University’s regulations require that all international students must be medically insured throughout their entire planned period of study. Students are required to purchase the Comprehensive Insurance Plan of Foreign Students provided by Ping An insurance company on the day of registration, which has been recognized and recommended by the Chinese Ministry of Education. Students who do not have valid medical insurance are not allowed to register. Can I pay my tuition and other fees by credited card No. Currently tuition and other fees can only be paid in cash or Yinlian bank card. Foreign currency or check is not acceptable. Can I buy public transportation card and take any public transportation service as the Chinese citizens Yes. You may buy a public bus card at local Commercial Bank. The card itself costs 15 Yuan and is refundable. You may make a certain amount of deposit to this card for riding public bus. A trip costs half a Yuan. The flight ticket may be reserved either by phone or online. The train ticket may also be reserved either by phone or online, and claimed at booking office nearby. Train ticket is difficult to be bought during peak seasons (January-February and July-August). 5. Start my new life on a Chinese campus Can I join any sport teams The university offers a variety of indoor facilities and numerous outdoor facilities, including five fields for soccer, 3 Synthetic Rubber Sports tracks, more than twenty courts for basketball, courts for badminton, volleyball, table tennis etc. In most of the cases, access to these facilities is free of charge to registered students. Please note that there may be charge for some facilities as it relates to staffing, special set-ups, extra clean-up, damages, and equipment needed. The international students are welcome and encouraged to join the sports club on the campus. SIE has organized international students’ basketball, soccer and volleyball teams. Please contact SIE or Student Union for more information. Can I join the Chinese students for any volunteer activities Yes. You may. Do international students have any student’s counselor Each class of international student has a student counselor for counseling service. 6.How to spend my holidays Can I travel on my own in China during the holidays The international student may travel on his or her own to the places that are open to the foreigners during the holidays providing he or she provides the ISO with his or her travel plan and contact information. Will I get any social benefit with my student ID as an international student In some cases, discounts are available to student ID holders while shopping. How do I book my hotels in other places in China Hotels could be reserved online or simply by phone call. Can I invite my family members and friends to come to China during my holiday Yes. How can I help them to get the visa The SIE may provide you with the letter certifying your status of student of the university. 7.Intern in China Can I do my intern in China during my holidays Yes. If needed, SIE may arrange placement of internship for international student. Students are not allowed to do their internship randomly. Do I need to get the school permission to do the intern Yes. 8.Student support Whom should I ask for help if I am in trouble outside campus For emergency, you may call Police at 110 for assistance. 9.Can I take an intensive Chinese language course Yes. You may apply for it after arrival. 10.Does the university offer housing for international students Yes. The university housing is available on the basis of first come first served. Please submit your request for university housing along with your application. How do I apply for it Your application may be submitted by mail, phone call or fax. When does each semester start and finish Spring semester: March-July; Fall semester: September-January of next year. 13.Currency How much money should I take Should I exchange money before I get to China Should I take travelers checks Many banks in Xi’an accept American Dollar Traveler’s Checks and drafts; however, bank drafts take more than 40 working days to process the checks. If you are planning to wire-transfer funds/money to your Xi’an bank account, do prepare some “on-hand” cash to cover the expenses needed for short-term housing, meals…etc. To be on a safe side, we recommend students to carry the amount of cash that is enough to cover their monthly living expenses as it takes several working days for the money-transfer to be completed. Our estimation for the average cost of living per month in Xi’an is 3,000 RMB Yuan (housing, food and transportation included). Will I be able to use ATMS Yes. ATMS are widely available on and off the campus. 14. Dress Code What kind of clothing should we take You may take a suit for formal events and some causal clothes along with you. Please note that it may be under 0°C in Xi’an in winter. How should we dress for classes Business causal is acceptable. Are there other things we will need for classes that we don’t need here No. 15. Lodging What will my dormitory room be like Students are required to arrive in Xi’an no later than the day of registration (the registration date is written on your admission notification). You are suggested to arrive in China no earlier than 2 weeks before the day of registration. Those who will be arriving late (no later than 2 weeks after the day of registration) must write a letter to the SIE via fax or email , informing the staffs regarding the reasons of their late arrival. On-campus housing at East Campus and West Campus student Dormitory will be available to students on the day of registration. Note: There are a limited number of places for international students who want to live on the University campus. You may find accommodation off-campus by visiting local real estate agents, checking newspaper advertisements or notice boards. It takes a student, on average, between two and four weeks to find suitable accommodation. You can book temporary accommodation at any local hotel of your choice while you look for something more permanent. Below are a few recommended guesthouses and hotels on or around campus where students may make arrangements for short term/temporary housing: On Campus: Nanyang Hotel (XJTU’s Academic Exchange Center) Students may search for other short-term housings at these search engines, Should I take my own blankets and sheets No. It is generally unnecessary. We suggest that students to pack only the essentials and also pack as lightly as possible. Keep in mind that most things, ranging from stationeries and household items to computers, can be purchased in Xi’an. We recommend that you purchase your daily necessities (such as paper folders, cooking utensils, mirrors…etc) in Xi’an after you have settled in, as you will then have a better idea of what you actually need. If possible, do consider packing with you a towel and a set of sheets from home. You might need them to “settle-down” with on the day you arrived in Xi’an. We strongly suggest students bring along the things that will make them feel at home, such as posters, photos and cultural items from your country. These mementos from home may help make you feel comfortable in your new home away from home at Xi’an and also minimize cultural shocks as well as homesickness. Can I take my electronics Yes. Please note that the voltage in China is 220V and additional adaptor may be needed. Will I be able to use my laptop Yes. Please note that the voltage in China is 220V and additional adaptor may be needed. 16. Getting Around How will we be able to get around town You may get around town by taking bus or taxi. Subway is under construction and will be in operation in 2012. Are buses easy to use if you don’t understand Chinese It can be handled. You may slide your bus card when riding buses that are not staffed with conductor. Please ask your student or teacher to write down your destination in Chinese before riding minibus. Are taxis affordable(US students rarely use taxis, because in the US they are very expensive) The taxi fare is affordable in Xi’an. Standard rate: 6 RMB Yuan upon entry, 1.5 RMB Yuan for every additional 3 Km Night surcharge, 7 RMB Yuan upon entry, 1.5 RMB Yuan for every additional 3 Km