Help! Don't know whether to directly enroll at Peking Uni, & PDF appl. not working

[Holly]

I am having a minor breakdown right now.

I had been planning on going through a program at my school to study at the China Studies Institute (http://www.studyabroad-china.net/) at Peking University. I wanted to do the immersion track, where you get about 24 hours of class time per week in very small classes, and get an apartment with a Chinese roommate. Speaking English outside of the classroom is also a no-no. I was planning on going for a semester, since I can not afford a full year ($21,000 - yikes).

A few days ago I came across someone at my school who studied for a year at Peking University. I asked her how she afforded it, and she said she directly enrolled there. Said it cost her around the same, if not less, than I would be paying for just a semester (9,400, not including health insurance)! I was devastated and totally confused, because I'm completely new to this whole studying abroad thing. I never knew direct enrollment was even an option. Sure enough, I go online, and they say tuition's about $4,000 per year for an international student. WHAT?! That doesn't include housing, food, and transporation of course, but...WHAT?!

So I tried to download the application for international students, and get this - their PDF application files are DOWN! I get an error message on every computer I try. The problem is on their end. I think, no problem, I'll email them. I got an automatic email back saying they're on break until Feb 25. APPLICATIONS ARE DUE MARCH 15, and I have no clue what applying would all entail!

I've already set my application for the China Studies Institute in motion, of course, as it's due March 1. But now I'm terrified I made the wrong choice, I just don't know what to do. I would appreciate any, ANY advice you can give me.

[chrix]

I've asked this in other threads before, but why would you pay American prices in China?

Unless it's affiliated with some renowned university that has integrates it in some way into their curriculum back in the States (many Ivy Leagues have this, and other private universities such as NYU), but if it's just a language course, I wouldn't pay that much.

If I understand the BCLU homepage correctly, the tuition for one year would be 23,200 Yuan, i.e. 2500-3000 USD. But maybe someone here can tell me why it might be worthwhile to actually spend 7 times this much...

[Holly]

Well, I do know that obviously you won't be able to apply for some scholarships. The program I might be going through offers some scholarships, and there's a Wisconsin study abroad grant I could also apply for, but not if I directly enroll in the university. Also, I was told you'd have to find housing on your own.

Peking University's Web site also mentions that if you don't get a certain score on the proficiency exam, you're "suggested to study Chinese in the International College for Chinese Language Studies for one or two semesters." I don't quite understand if that's a school within Peking University, or a different school with different tuition rates.

Wish I could see their dang application...

[chrix]

But you would be able to get it credited back home, so it wouldn't be a "lost year/term", or would that be the case either way? Because that's sometimes the justification for such high costs..

Do you have the links to the Peking University websites you've looked at so far, then we might be able to help you better...

[Holly]

I would earn transfer credits, and the grades wouldn't be factored into by GPA. Whether or not that means I can't use the credits toward my Chinese minor, I'm not sure. I still have to ask.

Here's the page for international students with all the dead PDF files: http://english.pku.edu.cn/Admission/InternationalStudents/HowtoApply/

[chrix]

I had a look at the Chinese language version of the website, but ran into a lot of dead links too. Maybe others will be more successful...

[Holly]

I just can't believe this situation. They're out of the office until the 25th on break, the pdf links are all dead, and application deadlines are coming up fast. Could it get any worse?

[scottishlaura]

Without wanting to seem dismissive Holly, chill out! You've got your application in for the CSI programme so if you can't get anything else arranged you will still be going to China. If you do get something else sorted you can always withdraw from that programme. And you will still have a couple of weeks once the break is over to put together your direct application so I would recommend you be a bit "zen" about it, China has a funny way of happening differently from how you planned!

[Holly]

Oh, I know. I'm the type who stresses out easily, and right now, I'm PRETTY sure my brain is on the verge of exploding. I need to take a step back and try to chill out! I am just sooo stressed from school (I'm in my senior year taking two capstone courses that are brutal), and this is just destroying my state of mind. I'm not made of money, my dad was just laid off, and the economy is still bleh, so this is a bad time to study abroad in general. And when I think I might be spending $10,000 for one semester when I could be going for a full year for about the same, well...

I just wish I could get some sort of feel for what the application requires. Because something like a letter of recommendation can't be gotten last minute. I have two teachers writing me letters of recommendation right now for the China Studies Institute program, so if necessary I could email them and tell them to change who the letter is address to (Peking University instead of CSI), but...

Maybe I'll go eat some chocolate. That always helps.

[roddy]

Could it get any worse?

You could have handed over $21,000 already?

If you want to apply directly, do some searches on here - I'm pretty sure others have done the same. Do watch out for getting credit transfered back home though - as pointed out, that's often part of the reason for high costs. And look at other agencies if you haven't - there may well be middle ground between whoever you've found already and a direct application.

[Xiwang]

Hi Holly:

Attached is a copy of last year's PKU Application Information handout for short-term international students. Since this document was printed, PKU has opened some new dorms across from the East Gate that are about equal in quality to what you would find in a typical American university.

If you send me a PM with an email address, I will send you a copy of the PKU Study Guide for International Students (2008-2009) that will give you a good idea about the placement test, courses, attendance requirements, etc. (The document is 2.5 megabytes, which is larger than I am allowed to upload.) Also, I think Roddy uploaded a PKU student manual last year that I had sent to him so that should be on the Board somewhere.

There might be people here who managed to download the current application before the PKU OIR website went down. If not, I'll ask a couple of friends who enrolled directly themselves for last academic year to see if they still have a copy of last year's form. That will tell you generally what is required. The hardest part of the form is probably getting the name of a sponsor who is an employed permanent resident of Beijing. (As discussed elsewhere on this Board, I don't know if the school ever checks.) There is then the minor hassle of getting the application fee in Chinese RMB over to the school.

If you enroll directly, you won't get a lot of the hand-holding that your fellow students will get. (But you'll probably learn a lot more Chinese that way.) They will also get to go on field trips that you might miss out on. However, the PKU learning environment makes it very easy to make friends so you won't lack for things to do and people to do it with. Also, with the money you save, you can eat out at the most expensive foreign restaurants in Beijing every week. (Maison Boulud à Pekin gives you free freshly baked Madelines to go with your dessert and coffee.)

Where did you get the March 15 deadline date? That's certainly earlier than the deadline for previous years. Nonetheless, I don't think that you need to panic. Unless you're set on Peking University, there are also other excellent fall-back schools with later deadlines. For example, the application deadline for BLCU is July 19.

PKU Short Term Application Information [2009].pdf

[roddy]

Also, I think Roddy uploaded a PKU student manual last year that I had sent to him so that should be on the Board somewhere.

Is that this one? If not, or if you've got a newer version, send it over again.

[Xiwang]

Is that this one? If not, or if you've got a newer version, send it over again.

@Roddy: Yes, that's it.

@Holly: On the matter of a possible "middle ground," I enrolled at Peking University through a company named China Study Abroad and was very happy with them. There were a few students who used CSA for the first semester and, being more confident about doing it themselves after that, did the second semester on their own in order to save money. For comparison, here is a link to their fees and deadlines:

http://www.chinastudyabroad.org/pekinguniv_fees.aspx

Interestingly, their stated deadline for PKU is June 15.

There are a number of other companies out there that do essentially the same thing. They should all be very happy to answer your questions. (Ignore WorldLink Education, which went out of business in December and stranded a bunch of students in China.)

If you enroll on your own or with the help of an independent company, you will be enrolling in the school's International College for Chinese Language Studies. (International students who come to China on Chinese government scholarships are also enrolled in this program.) Unlike the program you linked to (where the class sizes are five to ten students), the class sizes for this more general program will be about 15 students. It's still a good and manageable size.

[Holly]

Xiwang, thank you very much! I'll send you a PM.

How the heck would someone find a Chinese sponsor in Beijing?

The Web site says "Application Deadline for Fall semester, March 10th of the year before intended enrollment." But that's under the Exchange Student section. So maybe the deadline is later for "international students?"

Oh, and I meant to ask, I'm confused about what the site concerning entrance exams. It says if you don't get a certain score you have to study in the International College for Chinese Language Studies (which I assume has the same tuition rates and everything as it's a part of PKU), but isn't that where I'd be studying regardless of my score?

[roddy]

Xiwang, thank you very much! I'll send you a PM.

Would really be appreciated if any information of use to others gets posted in public, so it can help the future Hollys of the world

[Holly]

I thought the file was too big to post?

[roddy]

Read the posts, follow the links . . .

[Holly]

Sorry. Missed the post where he said it's the same one the other user posted. Thought he had a newer version.

[Xiwang]

Regarding the Beijing sponsor, my classmates who did it somehow got the names of friends of friends to list on the application and to write a short sponsor letter. BLCU doesn't ask for this so I assume that it is not a government requirement.

I think the part about having to take classes at the International College for Chinese Language if your Chinese is not at a certain level has to do with international students who want to take regular academic classes that are taught only in Chinese. For example, international students who want to enroll as undergraduates but who start off knowing no Chinese typically have to study Chinese for one or two years through the International College for Chinese Language Studies first.

[Holly]

Hmm...that Beijing sponsor could be a major problem. I don't know anyone in China.

If anyone knows someone who applied to Peking University for next year and may have a copy of the application PDF, please let me know. I still can't download it, and as the university is on their break right now, I can't get any response from them.

I'm starting to think I'm just going to have to drop the $10,000 or so for the semester through the China Studies Program. Because I don't think I'll have enough time to do the PKU application if they can't get it up until after Feb 25. My school requires I apply for a study abroad program (even if it's not through the school) by March 1... And y'know, the program is good. They'll set me up with an apartment with a Chinese roommate, have very small class sizes for intensive Chinese, and include two weeks of travel. Given the fact that I have a few health problems (chronic pain issues and a condition that limits what I can eat, nothing infectious!) a bit of "hand holding" might be good for me. I know I'm going to be quite nervous in the beginning. I've only traveled once in my life, and that was to Disneyworld! If I want to, I assume I can extend my stay by directly enrolling in the university for another semester when I'm actually there, which should be easier.

Of course, the $10,000 makes me cringe, as direct enrollment would be much cheaper, but...well, at least if I go through the China Studies Program I can apply for some scholarships.

Trying to think positively...

Edited February 12, 2010 at 02:14 AM by Holly