So I got a scholarship to study in China... (and a couple of questions...)

[Shadowdh]

Well today it was made official so I can go public about it... I have been awarded the embassy scholarship to study in China for a year... its a full scholarship and I am well pleased... I will be going to Wuhan 武汉 and studying at Huazhong shifan daxue 华中师范大学... I was told by my teacher that I would be awarded this a while ago but had to keep it a bit quiet and today as a part of the 30th anniversary celebrations for PCL language exchange between my uni and China I was given it by the councillor from the embassy and then went off to a reception which was pretty nice...

A few quick questions...

How does the scholarship system work... I mean do I show them at registration and they work it all out or do I have to do anything...??

How is the living allowance paid?

What is the learning materials bit?? is it just the books or is it more?

Thanks for any info...

[roddy]

No idea, but congratulations on your scholarship - hope you'll keep us updated on how you get on in Wuhan.

[Shadowdh]

Thanks Roddy,

I will certainly do that...

[ChineseSpeaker]

Wuhan is very near to my hometown. It is famous for its high temperature in summer

[stephanhodges]

I observed a large number of scholarship students at Jilin University last fall. The school took care of tuition and dorm expenses. You don't get much say about who you're going to be placed with, as I understand it, but if you already speak chinese, they'll probably be able to accomodate requests, etc.

As I recall, they also got their textbooks for free.

Consumable expenses (food, electricity, clothing, etc) are handled by you. If you're getting a stipend, then the way it was done at Jilin was that they gave each student a bank account card. They would deposit the stipend each month. A couple months, notably Oct and Nov, they were very late in depositing, and I had several students borrow money from me to cover food expenses.

So, try and keep a reserve of money available.

Could you outline the application process you went through, with a timeline of when things happened, etc? Also, what was the date you were notified (privately), not publically?

Congradulations too. It's impressive to get a full year scholarship.

[Shadowdh]

Wuhan is very near to my hometown. It is famous for its high temperature in summer

I have heard it can be quite warm in the summer... if you are ever in Wuhan when I am there then give me a shout and perhaps we can go for a quick 啤酒！

[Shadowdh]

I observed a large number of scholarship students at Jilin University last fall. The school took care of tuition and dorm expenses. You don't get much say about who you're going to be placed with, as I understand it, but if you already speak chinese, they'll probably be able to accomodate requests, etc.

As I recall, they also got their textbooks for free.

Consumable expenses (food, electricity, clothing, etc) are handled by you. If you're getting a stipend, then the way it was done at Jilin was that they gave each student a bank account card. They would deposit the stipend each month. A couple months, notably Oct and Nov, they were very late in depositing, and I had several students borrow money from me to cover food expenses.

So, try and keep a reserve of money available.

Could you outline the application process you went through, with a timeline of when things happened, etc? Also, what was the date you were notified (privately), not publically?

Congradulations too. It's impressive to get a full year scholarship.

Hi Stephan,

Thanks for the good wishes...

I will be booking a single but I have to pay the difference (which is 300元) mainly because sometimes I just like to chill on my own and its nice to get away sometimes...

I have since had an email from the office who will be taking care of me at the uni... It sounds like they give me the money directly as they said I would have no need for a bank account... though I may open one for the sake of convenience (?)... I will have a reserve of money available so late payments (if any) shouldnt be a problem...

As for application process... well I didnt actually apply... I was asked to speak with my teacher one day after class and she dropped the bombshell that I had been awarded this scholarship if I wanted it... and hell yes I did but had to chat with the wife first and then when we had worked it all out I jumped on it... I was told this about february time I think... and at the end of feb after much discussion and working out details (family stuff not scholarship) I told my teacher I could go... from then on its just been a matter of waiting till it was public... So I am not much help really with the normal way its done... sorry... I will be keeping updates of how it works and what its like in Wuhan on my blog though...

On a different note I go to get my (X) visa tomorrow... ooohhh so excited...

[adrianlondon]

On a different note I go to get my (X) visa tomorrow... ooohhh so excited..

As a fellow Londoner, I advise you to either (a) get there at 8am for the 9am start, or get there around 11:30am and you'll get pushed in before they shut at 12pm.

Or pay some visa company 20 quid to queue up for you, if you'll otherwise lose salary.

[Shadowdh]

As a fellow Londoner, I advise you to either (a) get there at 8am for the 9am start, or get there around 11:30am and you'll get pushed in before they shut at 12pm.

Or pay some visa company 20 quid to queue up for you, if you'll otherwise lose salary.

Hi Mate... not to worry I have been there before and am pretty familiar with the routine... I will be getting there for about 0830 or earlier, queuing nicely and taking a good book and my mp3 player... I want to get the same day service as after tomorrow I will be moving out of London and it will be extremely difficult for me to collect it next week etc... I dont have to worry too much about the salary side of things as I dont actually work at the moment... thanks for the heads up though...

[seeds]

yeah, mega congrats, and have a great time

wow - you must be good

just picked up my letter for partial scholarship for blcu from our uni yesterday ....

( not impressive at all, everybody in my class had the opportunity to go if they wanted - which most of us did, although some of the boys who have been to china before decided not to - which seems a tad stupid, cos they weren't noticably brilliant in class last year - we're only first years - a few others aren't because they can't afford it - guess which group i'll be buying books for/ helping when i get home.......)

....and the form talks about 12 copies of your passport photo and a medical certificate and a blood test

i don't think the blood test applies to me cos i'm going for less than 6 months as my first toe in the water experience ;-)

but i think i'm right in saying it does apply for anyone staying over 6 months

obviously, it's to test for hiv...............i don't think they'd tell you you couldn't come if you had hep a,b or c or some other condition- but imagine

a.n.other student gets amazing opportunity - (whether funded or not), goes to get visa/ do bureaucracy - and suddenly gets told - no you can't come to china, and btw, you're going to die earlier than you should - not a great way to hear bad news

you talked about your partner - and i'm sure this doesn't apply to you or indeed most ppl, but i just thought i'd post it here, as i imagine this is going to be a v.v.v popular thread

there's something magnetic/ addictive about the title;-0

wuhan is meant to be great - the wuhanese have a rep for using a heavily emphasised version of tones, and so are considered quite in yer face by other chinese, but they're meant to be really really friendly

doesn't seem to be as much interest commercially in wuhan as in chongqing, but both cities have a rapidly changing social dynamic because of the attendent migration from the displacement of people from the 3 gorges dam

i hope to study in part of chongqing uni the year after next - look forward to reading your blog

[adrianlondon]

the wuhanese have a rep for using a heavily emphasised version of tones

Sounds good. I don't like the Beijing way of dropping the tone on most two-character words.

When I asked my Taiwanese partner about "hu2tu" (see another thread on here), although he couldn't help me with the characters as he knows traditional only, he immediately said "hu2tu2". Just sounds better to me.

[Shadowdh]

yeah, mega congrats, and have a great time

wow - you must be good

Thanks I will you can be sure, I am not that good really and there are others who are probably better (for sure in writing)...

If you get the chance and are able to go then it is a must I think, the difference between those who went and those who stayed was pretty big...

....and the form talks about 12 copies of your passport photo and a medical certificate and a blood test... but i think i'm right in saying it does apply for anyone staying over 6 months obviously, it's to test for hiv...............i don't think they'd tell you you couldn't come if you had hep a,b or c or some other condition- but imagine a.n.other student gets amazing opportunity - (whether funded or not), goes to get visa/ do bureaucracy - and suddenly gets told - no you can't come to china, and btw, you're going to die earlier than you should - not a great way to hear bad news

The forms have a typo I think... I only had 4 and they only took one at BLCU... I will take perhaps 4 with me just incase I need them (you know to give to adoring fans and the like )... the blood test is for those over 6 months... and I got tested for HIV, Syphilis and the hep series (all clear I am very happy to report) and if they had come back bad then I guess going to China would be the last thing on my mind... (divorce and death in that order would take priority )

Cheers