CSC Scholarship - 2010

[shidiwen]

hey everyone, congratulations to all those who got the scholarship meanwhile!

i got mine too and i am wondering about the insurance. basic (as i heard very basic) health insurance is provided by csc for all foreign students. can anyone recommend a good add on insurance to that?

it'd be a great deal of help since i gotta find something from here in china ( i am already in beijing for a while (on a travel insurance) and i am not planning to go back to austria before uni starts...)

thanks in advance!

[wang]

Turns out I was approve a an PhD Course at Tianjin, but they assigned me to a Masters at USTB. I prefer the shorter course of masters, but it mess up the fact I already started getting my research stuff at Tianjin. Those who have or are doing a PhD understand it is just as important knowing the professors and your research plan as your actual research. So I end up loosing about 1 year of prep work by switching. The next problem is the amount of money you receive is higher under PhD and you also receive a single room. Like some others here I am married and the Master program seems to leave my wife out in the cold having to provide for all her own accommodations. Another thing that could be a factor is that USTB is not ranked (currently) as high as Tianjin, and in my circle of work (similar to what others have said here) Tianjin is about as low of a ranking that people in the west know about. I other words a PhD might be worth something back in the states from any of the top 100 Universities here. However it is unclear the value of the Masters from USTB. The comments posted about ones speaking highly of USTB is a start. Does anyone know if a University will accept it towards getting a PhD back in the States? From my calculations with cost of living differences and future earning abilities (2 years out), I will be paying out more money to attend USTB than if i was self funded at Tianjin. Looking at some of the reviews of Chinese graduates, it indicates that ones from Tianjin University earn an average of 50% more than USTB. I will try to find the link again and post it here. If I was just going for language studies and it was my first time in china then this would be fine.

Also I have seen a number of foreigners in Tianjin but not nearly as many as in Beijing. From my knowledge there is a couple of Americans paying to study at the University and two I think on scholarship there. While I am happy to be around foreigners, it means more people I have to compete against. So it seems at USTB will have several on Scholarship. Not that I don't want to be chummy with anyone, but I rather go where I am an oddity. Plus cost of living is much cheaper in Tianjin and if my wife is left out I can justify the living expense off campus.

@regarding where to learn the language? Beijing or someplace else?

As a gauge I attended BLCU a number of years ago (2003) and I found the farther outside of Beijing you are, is in some cases better as long as the teachers teach Putonghua. Dealing with a set dialect is better that the mishmash of Beijing, because you start to assume they might be speaking Putonghua. Anywhere else you assume they speaking their "dialect" and just stick to what you learn in class.

So like Richardo and Johnny mentioned, perhaps this scholarship stuff is for the those who don't have much reputation to risk or are not married or established.

I think by the time you get to your Masters and Phd here the University needs to be a better option than what you can get back home (which means its great if you are coming from developing countries) or like someone else mentioned, your studying something like Chinese medicine, language, or something China is well known for. After being in China a short time you will see how the incoming students [often to earn some money] basically whore themselves out by teaching English illegally. Of course being naive they do not realize that this destroys the whole English teaching market here [i know I was an English teaching whore when I came in 2003, So I apologize to all the real English teachers. I know that through my illegal work made it in turn allow Chinese and Foreigner to degrade your profession thus lowering the overall earning ability and increasing the number of profiteers and people willing to con you and basically make your life hell -Like chumming the waters for sharks.]. I see the same thing with the scholarship stuff, people not accepting it for what it really is. I think the language part is fine, but anything beyond that needs to be carefully weight to determine the real worth before just gulping down whatever it thrown your way. [Remember the Trojan horse should have been looked in the mouth!]

Anyway some random thoughts of things CSC could do to improve the out come of the scholarships. [as a note I think that if CSC improve the scholarship program by including the suggestions below, that they would get better candidates than me. In the end the CSC scholarship would indeed be a very precious opportunity. My remarks below are not meant of slight or undermine any particular group. Keep in mind I am also classify myself as part of this group that could be excluded if they adapt these changes.]

1.Give sooner notice. Professional conduct means a person needs to give their company 30 days notice. For me 60 days minimum to disconnect without dropping things and leaving a bad name. [Applies to me now, the first time I came to china I was looking for a reason to ditch work so it didn't matter]

2.Give a choice of schools. Work with the applicant if they are not approved at the school(s) they selected. Perhaps another schools is acceptable. Or provide a list of acceptable alternatives. Some non famous schools might be better depending on the applicant and might be acceptable. You don't know unless you ask.

3.Make accommodations to attract a variety of students.

Part of the purpose you state for the scholarship is cultural exchange.

Current arrangement seem to attract a very limited scope of individuals

seems good for the free unattached wandering soul.

Not good for experience professionals from developed countries. [prestige goes well for academia, prestige and money for career professionals]

Not good for married people. Both the above groups tend to more likely to be able to be married or have a established relationship.

So give a living accommodation stipend to live off campus, or provide suitable accommodations on campus.

If mate qualifies for the scholarship, don't purposefully not accept them just because mate has it (or if you do, don't hamstring other partners ability to utilize his/her scholarship)

Need to keep in mind the advantages this group brings to China.

ie:Those who are afraid of the marriage commitment might also be afraid of sticking thing through past the initial adventure in china.

Perhaps for them china is just another notch of been there done that.

The mindset is different, and back in the home country have much more sway with decision makers than young unattached individuals.

I do not think it is MOE intentions to isolate scholarship just to one group.

4.Keep in mind for non Chinese specialties The student coming is going to contribute more than they get. Thus as mentioned above - "free is not good enough".

ie: I have passion but it's still hard to justify giving up a good job ($130k) a year.

If I stay working one more year I could save enough to go to my school of choice on my own dime.

Like other Americans I found my mortgage underwater and even at $130k it took 3 years just to break even.

I could justify coming now by having a complete scholarship even though it means a lower living standard.

I good scholarship provide enough motivation to attract your defined audience. According to the requirements

the scholarship might not be enough how it is currently structured.

Anyway just my rambling thoughts at the moment. It just seems that CSC has a way of taking a great situation and altering it just enough to screw it up, like the fly in the soup.

Congratulations to all those who got the scholarship .

[Edit Notes: I edited the comment to clean and condense it down. I might be a good ideal that if we all combine our recommendations and perhaps we can come up with an open letter to CSC/MOE praising what they are doing and with a few suggestions on making the program an awesome arrangement.]

[Sarpedon]

I'm going to Dalian, so if anyone's there and wants to grab a beer or something in the future, send me a PM or whatever.

I've got my plane ticket and my visa, all I need to do now is pack! I can't wait.

[jayran]

And I am going to Tongji in Shangai.. Congs everyone who got scholarship

[ricardo]

Re: free insurance being basic

I just read the policy (http://en.csc.edu.cn/Laihua/3342176bc1134822a57c29632b2adb82.shtml). Seems like it covers everything except for outpatient treatment or hurting yourself/getting sick through stupidity (including hurting yourself while being drunk...). The other big thing it doesn't cover is your food (and telephone) while you're in hospital.

So does anybody have experience or advice on top-up insurance to cover outpatient services and hospital food? (to echo Shidiwen)

@ Sarpedon and jayran : Congratulations!

[Patpat]

There is STA Travel insurance: http://book.statravel.com/staglobe/InsuranceForward.do

International Students Organization: http://isoa.org/

Harbour Group: http://www.hginsurance.com/

CMI: http://www.cmi-insurance.com

These all seem remarkably affordable, esp. compared to the quotes I was getting for Aetna temporary insurance.

Interestingly, these plans also have exceptions for when an injury is caused by drunkenness. Maybe that's a standard clause in these plans?

[m000gle]

@ricardo

I had the same reaction when reading through the insurance information. It appears as if most things are covered as long as you don't need medical attention due to your own negligence. However, does anyone know how far the insurance coverage (100000RMB / 20000RMB / 400000RMB ... or roughly $15000 / $3000 / $60000 respectively) would actually go in China, should you need to visit the ER, get severely ill or even simply need to visit a physician? Also, do you know if it limits you to certain hospitals, or even ones within your city of residence?

Call me spoiled, but after having government/public health insurance my entire life, covering or heavily subsidizing anything deemed medically necessary, I'm fairly ignorant of the true cost of healthcare and not used having to think twice about when, where and for what I can be treated.

[ricardo]

@patpat - thanks a lot for those links!

@m000gle - I went to public hospital in Chengdu in 2006. I didn't stay overnight but I had to go there 3 times a day for 2 days to get an injection each time. Total cost, from memory, for the initial consultation, 6 visits (+ 6 injections) and the medicine was something along the lines of RMB 30 - 40 (from vague memory). It was a weird experience - during the consultation with the doctor, other people off the street just wandered in and out of the examination room while the doctor was performing the examination, and injections (for which I needed to partially strip off) were just given in the waiting area/foyer of the main entrance with no privacy at all. So be prepared for a total lack of privacy if you ever seek health care in China...

I also recall reading somewhere that the health insurance is at the university hospital. While it didn't say so explicitly, the way it was written implied that the health insurance was exclusively at the university hospital. I think that may have been written on my admission papers from the university that came attached to the JW-201.

For an example cost of medicine: this year in Beijing I bought a pack of pseudoephidrine cold and flu tablets (i.e. the same as what's sold as Sudafed brand in Aus/USA) from a pharmacy for about RMB 17. So suffice it to say it's *way* cheaper than medicine in Australia... as for major incidents, I read somewhere that they'll send you back home if you have to be in hospital for an extended time anyway (just *how* they'd send you home I don't know - I can't imagine they'd throw me on a plane for 12 hours if I had the plague or any other of the illnesses on the foreigner physical examination form).

I'm spoiled in that regard too - anything in Australia is completely covered or heavily subsidised by our "free" public health insurance.

Edit: according to the policy that I linked to above, the insurance is for any public hospital in China:

"Note: 1）All the foregoing medical organizations shall be limited to the public hospitals established within the board of the People’s Republic of China."

[yuyun]

hi, Ivana

I'm from Indonesia too. I also got the scholarship. But for Master degree. I wonder if we got the same scholarship.

Mine's called Chinese Government Special Scholarship - Postgraduate Program. Is it same?

Well, I haven't got the admission letter yet so I don't know whether is true or not

(I knew the notice from a university's homepage)

I tried to reach Chinese embassy to confirm this news, but unfortunately no one could answered my question.

Do you have any suggestion?

If you don't mind, here is my email: yuna_hikawa@yahoo.com

Please add me on YM too so we can keep in touch ^^

[randims]

@jayran hey, I got Tongji too, for 6 years.

where are you from? maybe we could meet up there. haha.

[crisgee]

I got the scholarship again!

I applied during the break when i went back home for a couple of weeks. Same procedure as last year, except that i also had to do the online registration, which was no biggie. I helped my Filipino classmate in applying and he also was awarded the scholarship. He will go to Shanghai this time. So my Pinoy friends, if you need help for next year just ask me. Once you know the people and do your requirements properly you'll get it. And it's possible to 1) re-apply and 2) apply while already in China.

So from BLCU, the CSC will now send me to Beijing Normal University. I was kind of surprised, but i did include it in my choices. I'm happy i will still be in Beijing, but sad that i'll have to say goodbye to Wudaokou!

Congrats to everyone!

[ivana]

@yuyun:

hello yuyun! it's nice to know you. and hey i just sent an email for you, check it oh btw congratulations for getting the scholarship! i'm happy for you. have you tried to contact the university yet? i think you shud contact them now because you dun have much time. if you are really accepted, i bet you'll have lots of things to be prepared. lol currently it's happening to me. most of universities will start their studies on the beginning of september, so at least you must depart on the end of august. like me, you have to book the flight, apply your visa, renew your medical examination, etc. it's confusing for me to do those things since i have to go there alone, and i'm still 18 as well lol. what i'm scared is the time when i'll get there, like.. i have to manage all things by myself. i just hope everything will be nice there. ah by the way, which university are you going to?

and to everyone in this forum, is there anyone who got the undergraduate scholarship? or can someone share your experiences when you arrived in China at the first time? thanks a lot!

[Tianjin42]

Can I just check: what dates do you guys actually start at your respective universities?

[Brian US]

Can I just check: what dates do you guys actually start at your respective universities?

My acceptance letter for Renmin University says I need to register before September 7th.

[Tianjin42]

Cheers Brian. I'm meant to be completing my MA (here in Britain) on the 8th of September but my uni hasn't let me know when they need me out there yet so just getting an idea when others are expected.

[Sarpedon]

My admission letter says I need to arrive and register between the 27th and the 31st of August.

[Patpat]

Went to apply for my (X) visa today in DC and was asked for my physical exam forms...which are out of date. :/ My school's clinic is already booked out to Aug 26 (which is wayy too late for my Aug 31 departure). 囧

I'm booked at a travel clinic for Monday to get physical, blood, and EKG done (probably for an insane amount of $), but I can't even imagine how much MORE insane the X ray will be, since I have to get referred somewhere else. Last time I paid $400 for it, and I think that was the insurance-negotiated price... Any suggestions?

[Tianjin42]

@ Patpat

My experience in this case is with a Z visa but I think it will be a similar situation. I decided not to get it done in the U.K. (where it isn't that expensive - especially compared to the U.S., but was still a bit pricey) and then had 30 days to get it done at one of the government centres in China. As it happens, I was working for a school and they paid for the medical but informed me that it was considerably cheaper than if it were done in at home (as you'd expect). I am returning to China in September so I am going to do the same again and do the medical there.

[Patpat]

@Tianjin42 it's good to hear that worked for you, and for so many others. I think I will just go back tomorrow and try again as if nothing happened today, but today she asked for it and said I couldn't get the visa without it. crossing my fingers!

[Helios]

Sorry for being away from this forum for so long, but all of the waiting talk made me anxious, and I had to step away until I was notified about my scholarship status, or I was going to go crazy. I'm back now!

In other news, I received the CSC Scholarship, and I will study at BLCU.

Regarding Health Insurance in China

Last year, I enrolled in IMG's health insurance: http://www.imglobal.com/img-insurance/international-health-insurance/global-medical-insurance.aspx

I never used IMG while in China, and cannot speak for or against it.

However, this year, I will most likely apply for medical insurance provided by International SOS: http://www.internationalsos.com/buymembership/

The good thing about International SOS is that they have clinics in select cities in China (Beijing and Nanjing, to name a few), and it's kind of like using a PPO. At least, that's how I understand it. Also, another good thing about International SOS is that they own their own evacuation jet and it's parked in Beijing. So, if things go really bad, you would most certainly have to be evacuated to medical facilities in Hong Kong as the facilities in China aren't on par for certain problems. I feel like this insurance is a good fill-in for the basic insurance that is provided by the CSC Scholarship. Does anyone have any experience with this company?

@PatPat

Went to apply for my (X) visa today in DC and was asked for my physical exam forms...which are out of date.

I went to the LA Consulate on Tuesday and they actually refused my medical forms. I brought them the original and a copy, and they took neither. I'm pretty certain that you will have a medical exam in China prior to receiving your residence permit. I think the DC embassy is trying to ascertain if you are medically sound before you get to China, but I don't think it is required to provide a medical exam prior to visa approval. Or, maybe, the LA Consulate is lax on enforcement.

Questions

@Xauner: Do you mind if I ask, were you admitted to PKU as a one-year or two-year language student?

@Crisgee:

I got the scholarship again!

Really? It's possible to apply for and receive the CSC scholarship more than once? Did you apply for the same category of scholarship both times (for example, the language training program)?

I'm a first-time recipient of the CSC scholarship, and I want to apply again for either a master's degree or for another language learning program, as I am only signed up for a single year right now.

Congratulations to everyone!