Graduate study in China?

[Tsunku]

Hello all

I've been thinking about applying for graduate study at the Beijing Film Academy sometime in the near future. I majored in Film and Asian studies as an undergrad, and I've always intended to get a higher degree. Film school here in China seems like an interesting option. Does anyone have any experience studying subjects other than Chinese at a Chinese university? The BFA website wasn't particularly informative, although it did say a HSK 6 score was required for admission, and an "above average" score on some specialized admissions test which I haven't a clue about.

Anyhow, any thoughts on graduate study in general, and film study in particular?

-T

[Jive Turkey]

Are you sure they only require a 6 on the HSK for grad study? That is what most universities require for admission to an undergrad program. Most liberal arts grad programs will require at least a 9 (advanced C); I've heard of some non-arts grad programs that will take a high intermediate HSK score. Make sure when you enquire that they understand that you are applying for graduate study. A lot of grad programs have never taken a foreign student before and probably have no idea what standard to look for. I guess that could work for or against you.

[Tsunku]

They've got a website here http://www.bfa.edu.cn/bfa_english/international.html which says the HSK score required for graduate study is a 6. Undergrad only requires a 4, perhaps because film is more of a technical major, requiring more hands on training than book-learning? It seemed a bit low to me too, but there ya go. I think that BFA, being a fairly prestigious film school internationally, has had a fair number of foreign students studying there.

Thanks for the reply though. I'm still in the very beginning stages of hashing out this plan, and it helps to get input.

[niubi]

hey tsunku, you might find this interesting reading: memoirs from the beijing film academy: the genesis of china's fifth generation. i read it this summer.

i have toyed with the thought about going to BFA to study. while it is expensive by chinese university tuition standards, its a hell of a lot cheaper than NYU, USC, etc.

[Tsunku]

Exactly my thoughts.

My more free thinking Chinese friends think that going to BFA would turn me into a tool. However, freedom of expression issues aside (I think, as a foreigner, I could probably manage to express myself without ruffling feathers. I don't really need to make political student films), BFA would teach me the same technical skills as a school 5x it's cost in America, and a degree from BFA would be well respected abroad.

I'll check out that book, I've been meaning to read it myself.

[niubi]

putting together piles of books i would like to take to china with me....jesus f christ. i have a box of chinese cinema books, a few boxes of chinese art books i want to take...along with many others. damn. i was thinking of doing the M-bag thing through the US postal service, but they don't offer insurance on that option (its so cheap though - 66 bucks for 66 pounds of books or other printed matter to china!). if i am going to ship a small library of books to china, perhaps i had better send it with insurance.

[Tsunku]

Yeah, when I moved to Kunming I brought one whole suitcase that was practically nothing but books of all sorts. Now, 8 months later, I've just about read them all, and getting good English language books in this city is not easy. Bring as many with you as you can, it is bound to be cheaper than buying them here, not to mention the selection here is crap.

Are you moving back to Kunming, by the way, or elsewhere in China?

[doumeizhen]

I did a language semester at the BFA, and about half of my classmates have moved on to study film there. The Chinese requirements are not all that high, and I think as long as you can do HSK 6 they will let you through. They are quite flexible. If you cannot pass it, they might ask you to take a semester of their langauge course before you start.