BLCU Spring Semester 2010

[MikeyNinja91]

Hey everyone!

Just wondering if anyone here was starting at BLCU next feb or march?

I am an Australian student just finished school and heading over there to improve my Mandarin- also do a bit of travelling before the visa runs out.

Would be cool to get in touch with anyone who is in the same boat as me so maybe we can discuss accommodation and other plans.

Mikey

[xuefang]

Not next spring but I'm maybe applying there autumn 2010. If my language skills are good enough I'll apply for BA program of Chinese language and culture. I'm sorry I can't help you, but when you get there, maybe you can share your thoughts with us who are going there later.

[wanderlust]

Hi MikeyNinja91, I'm currently a language student at BLCU and living off-campus, sharing an apartment with two others. Two of us might be leaving at the end of the semester, so we'd like to look for someone to take over the lease. The apartment is a 10-15min walk from BLCU. The main advantage to living off-campus is that it's cheaper than staying in a single room (or even a shared room in some cases) in the dorms on campus, plus you get your own private space. If you want details or have any other questions, send me a PM.

[MikeyNinja91]

Xuefang- I will definitely share some advice with you during/after my stay! There is such a lot of information from ex-students on the internet that has helped me, so I am more than happy to add to that.

Wanderlust- Thanks for the offer. I will PM you.

[Genova]

Well, as title sais.

I am accepted into BLCU for a short term study starting March 1.

Anybody of you going?

I'd like to make some friends to hang out with.

Im 23/male/Holland

[Genova]

ooh hey

I'm in the same boat:wink:

Drop me a line if you're still wanting to get in touch!!

[Maureen87]

I think am gonna be there for March 2010 too..

Hmm i was just wandering whether u too will have to pay your tuition fees upon arrival at BLCU?

until then c u

[Maureen87]

Hi everyone..

I may be joining in on March 2010 too... Just need to do the VISA..

Was just wandering hmmm we pay the tuition fees on arrival right? and the accomodation fees too?

Does BLCU provide us with the food or we have to look for them by ourselves..

My questions may seem quite stupid but its just that the information I got from them are so tiny and my acceptance letter too hold little information...

Answers will be of great help to me...

[Genova]

Hey Maureen, Well then it is likley that we will meet

I'm starting in March as well.

Here is some info (as far as I know it)

Tuition fee: pay upon Arrival (note: MUST bring the "admission notice" and the "jw202 visum application" form

Accomodation fee: I am unsure as I am living off campus, but after reading these forums I believe that you must pay this at the dormittories offices upon registration, and it's best to do this as soon as possible as rooms are limited. So BE FAST!!! (and be early)

Food: Unfortunatly no food for free. There are supermarkets/bar's/cafetaria's in and around BLCU. For you're own cost

Anymore questions, let me know

[Genova]

Oh BTW

Forgot to tell you that you can register at BLCU from 26-28 feb., best to do this soon...

And regarding you're visum. Dont wait till the last moment, thast never good:P

My visum is for 180 days, im leaving for Beijing 19 january. pretty early, doing some sightseeing before start

[Brian US]

Make sure to do registration early as it will take days. Be prepared to spends hours in line to get red stamps on your 15+ documents. Many of the booths will only be open for a few hours at a time and will close no matter how many are still waiting. You will pay tuition up front and if in the dorms a half semester rent. You will need 10+ passport photos, so keep them with all your documents where ever you go.

You will find yourself waiting in line to then be told to go wait in another line.

[MikeyNinja91]

Hey Maureen,

Which country are you coming to Beijing from?

Do you speak much Chinese already?

Yeah I think Genova and Brian were right, most of it is payed on the day. BTW Thanks Brian for the heads up, I'm expecting everything to be bit confusing in a country that speaks a different language so I guess being organised is the most important thing.

When is everyone going to arrive in China? I haven't booked my flights yet but I'm thinking around 22nd Feb. You think that's early enough?

[Maureen87]

Well I really do hope that I can make it to China..

Hmmm am from Mauritius which I bet many haven't heard of... wel its a small country in the Indian Ocean where you have people from different ethnics.. Chinese, creole, Indians and Muslims....

Am from chinese background and I studied Mandarin for approx 6 years. That's was because at school we were given the choice to study an oriental language (that's how we call it here) be it chinese, hindi or arabic... But what I studied is very very basic... I cant maintain a conversation in chinese with people nor can I grasp everything... I can only say a few words...

I really want to be fluent in that so am crossing my fingers that I can make it to China... Just hope that everything concerning applications will go fine... Hope that there in China everything too will be fine because its a different language and culture...

[Genova]

Hey Brian.

You say get stamps on 15+ documents...

What documents will I be needing then?

The only ones I know about are:

- Police registration (place of residence proof)

- JW202 form

- Admission notice

- Passport pics

- Need passport/

What else would I be needing?

[Brian US]

Everything is done by paper, so whenever you make a payment you will simply get a receipt. It has more or less been an inside joke that every receipt has a red stamp to make it "valid." The big ones will be your receipt for dorms and insurance payments. You will also get many smaller slips with your times for health inspection (1 year or longer stay) and placement exam.

You never know what documents you may need randomly, so it is best to just keep them all together. My health exam was kind of chaotic as they weren't going to let me on the bus because I couldn't find a random slip of paper that only told me where to meet the bus. After my health exam I waited in line for 30-45 minutes to turn in my final documents, but because I didn't have one passport photo I was told to go to the passport photo line to pay 20 kuai and wait for the camera guy. I think they forgot about me and I waited another 30 minutes to get my picture. After all this I was told to go back to the end of the line for another 30-45 minutes.

I turned in my passport after one week for the long term visa and they told me my student ID would be ready in two weeks. Yet, they refused to give me my student ID when it was done without my passport. They wanted me to wait another two weeks to get my passport to get my student ID. Yet, when I made a fuss they finally gave it to me. You need your student ID to go to the library, get a cafeteria card, and any student discounts.

Don't know if that answered your question as it was more of a rant. From what I hear returning students pretty much sign in once and are all set.

[johnconnor]

Hey Genova

I am going to apply this week for a 1semester program (March-July). Maybe I will see you there.

Michael from Holland

[MikeyNinja91]

hey guys,

Anyone know when we get our on-campus rooms?

Do we get the room once we register (26th-28th)?

Or do we get it once semester starts?

[Sirina]

Mikey, u get a room in a dorm once u register (26-28 Feb.), so don't worry.

I am from Athens, Greece and I will also attend the Spring Semester at BLCU.

If anyone needs any tips, I can . I was in BLCU last summer, so I am quite familiar with the (boring) procedures of registration.

Hope to meet you all at the campus!

[MikeyNinja91]

Thanks Sirina! Did you stay on campus last year? Which dorm?

[ShawnH]

Hey Mikey, I'll be coming over from California.

and I'm pretty sure im in the same boat as you.

if anyone else is interested in gettin an off campus apartment for cheap, let me know! maybe we can work something out too...