Tsinghua University Fall/Autumn 2010

[nazreal]

Ooh! I've not had any emails...I've asked them to post things to my parent's address which I'll be checking this weekend so will let you know if anything turns up...

Can't wait to just get things sorted +_+

[letsgo]

Hey all,

I just found out I was accepted to the language program this fall per the SNAIMS website. Huge relief! I haven't received any emails so I guess I'm in the same boat as far as waiting for the visa application/documents to arrive in the mail. Does anyone know if tuition/rent can be paid to the school by credit card once we arrive? Also do you know if medical insurance will be required and if that is something facilitated through the school as well? Looking forward to meeting everyone!

[nazreal]

Congrats letsgo! It certainly matches your name ^_^

Re. paying tuition/ reg fees/ rent with card, I would think, if anything, visa would be the way to go and I'm sure for such a large sum of money, card transactions would be the safest option?

I read in the Spring 2010 thread that you have to pay in cash (bit dodge if you ask me - I don't feel secure walking around with a wodge of cash on me to be honest) and that someone turned up with Euros and was told he couldn't pay with them. When I emailed about not having paid the registration fees, the university told me that I should pay with US Dollars or RMB so I think in terms of currency changing before heading out would be good too.

Hopefully the eagerly awaited documents will clear everything up *waves her magic wand....*

nazreal

[calif90071]

China pretty much deals exclusively with cash (excluding major international hotels and restaurants). People there even show up to car dealerships with bags full of cash. If you're going to expect to buy anything, you're going to need cash on you (they do have ATMs everywhere in China, so it shouldn't be too hard to obtain cash when needed). And yes, I'm definitely going to have plenty of RMB in my wallet before I set out (along with USD, surprised they will take that, but I'm not complaining B) )

Yes the "eagerly awaited documents" couldn't come any sooner, it seems like they should send them out much earlier...but I guess we'll still have two more months to get everything together (visa/health forms, etc.)

[Embla]

Hello all! I applied late to Tsinghua's program, so I just found out now that I've been accepted! I'm so excited!! We should all plan to meet up somehow. ... Or I'll be the one to stand up in class and ask who's a member of chinese-forums.com, hehe.

I too have questions about paying tuition. We pay it in whole once we arrive, right? Could anyone confirm with the FSAO whether it actually has to be paid in cash? I read somewhere else that we could pay (for housing...?) with card... I'm really nervous about the idea of carrying around a lot of money...

I guess I have money concerns in general. I've been abroad quite a few times, but all charges always went to a credit card. So, sorry if these seem like silly questions, but I'm completely clueless about this stuff... Can we use our atm cards? Can we usually charge things to a debit card? I read in an old thread that Unionpay has an agreement with Citibank and HSBC, so if we have accounts with either, we have some benefit...? (Actually, I'll start a new thread about these questions so people attending other universities can also learn / answer.)

EDIT:

Found the threads I read concerning money!

- http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/24841-chinese-bank-account-for-a-one-year-stay/

- http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/25442-bringing-money-into-china/

Seems like opening a Bank of America account is a good way to go.

Also, one of the old Tsinghua threads mentions that FSAO accepts Visa cards. Pretty sure I'd also read this in FSAO's new student guide... Unfortunately, FSAO is closed for the next couple days for the Dragon Boat Festival. If anyone has the chance to call them later this week and find out for sure if they'll take Visa (credit..? debit..?) and let everyone else know, that would be great!

2nd EDIT:

In case others will find this useful , a list of ATMs around campus:

http://www.tsinghua.edu.cn/eng/board1/boardlist.jsp?boadid=42&bid2=94&pageno=1

[calif90071]

@Embla: I've actually got a Bank of America debit card. Bank of America has some sort of alliance/partnership thing with several banks abroad, including China Construction Bank (I know nothing about this bank, but apparently you can use a BoA debit card in their atms with no fee). Also, withdrawing money with a debit/atm card should be no problem in China (esp in cities like Beijing) since atms abound, apparently (I've never been before, but this is what I've heard).

By the way, congratulations on getting in!

[dolldalera]

Hi! I'm still waiting for my "Completed" to change into an "Accepted". Tsing Hua received my documents sometime Wednesday last week so I'm hoping to get a positive reply soon. I'm getting a little jittery about it since my 3 other friends who applied somewhat earlier than I did, have already been accepted. It's either TsingHua or Beijing Hua Wen Xue Yuan, where I've already been accepted and where my brother was able to study at before, for 6 weeks.

My cousin attended TsingHua before and had discussed with me the experiences and life she's had in Beijing and TsingHua, so I'm really very excited about this. I was able to go on an exchange program to Sun Yat-Sen in Guangdong before, for 6 weeks, but it wasn't very helpful as I was with a lot of friends. It was very educational and interesting though, culture-wise.

I really do hope I get a positive reply soon.

Congrats to everyone who has already been accepted.

[hindenis]

hello everyone,

I am planing to study in China, I want to improve my chinese lvl because i am planning to live there, i am a first year undersgraduating student, studying chinese and english as foreign laguages in FRANCE, actually i want to start studies there in the spring semester, is it so early to send them the application, tsinghua is my first choice, but i did some reseach on internet and so many people are satisfied with BLCU as well, what i want to do is to do a semester of studying chinese, and then to pass HSK and then start my undergraduating degree,

so I have some questions to ask,

is that I have to pass the HSK before applying to tsinghua?

when can i apply for the spring semester2011?

anyone of you did chinese language program there?

Please feel free to put any comments , suggestions, or information

Thank you guys!!

[ScarlettWan]

I finally got my confirmation!!!! ^^ now all i need is my exam results =.=

Has anyone else received the email in regards to the buddy system thing? Anyone else thinking of signing up?

[MGMT]

Congrats ScarlettWan!

Buddy system? Nope, didn't get anything. What is it?

[calif90071]

Yeah I haven't been getting these emails that people are talking about...are they saying anything really important?

[alfie84]

I've just been accepted on the language course. Congrats to all those who have been accepted as well.

We should all plan to meet up closer to the start of the term. I contacted the FSAO and they indicated the registration date is 6-8th of September. However I am not sure when I should arrive as I believe the dormitories are a 'first come first serve basis.'

When is everyone thinking of arriving? I was thinking maybe 3rd Sept....

Also concerned with how long it takes for the pack to get sent to us. I am going backpacking for 1.5 months at the beginning of next month so I am cutting everything extremely fine without knowing the full details of the course!

[ScarlettWan]

^_^" All this time i thought i was doing the language course..but tuns out im on the exchange programme...that goes to show how clear the info is that we're given =.=

Erm...as for the buddy programe thing..i've copy and pasted the email i received

Dear international student, Welcome to Tsinghua University for the exchange program! We are from Tsinghua Zijing Student Volunteers Association. In order to help international students settle down and adjust to life at Tsinghua, we pair new exchange students with local student volunteers who offer warmly welcome, helping hand and new friendship to you. Your buddy can:· Answer your questions about Beijing’s living life before your arrival· Show you around the university campus after your arrival· Introduce you to his or her friends or to student organizations which he or she belongs to· Help you with housing registration and class enrollment· Locating banks, restaurants and grocery stores near the University· Assist you in logging into and navigating the school’s new learning web site and library catalog web site· … If you’re interested and would like help from us, please fill in the attached application form and send it to thubuddyprogram@gmail.com <mailto:thubuddyprogram@gmail.com> before July 4th, 2010.A welcome letter from your student volunteer will be sent to you in early August. When receiving an email from a volunteer, please reply directly to his/her email address. If you don't receive your volunteer's email by then, you can send email to thubuddyprogram@gmail.com <mailto:thubuddyprogram@gmail.com> . Thank you! Buddy Program Group

I wanted to ask..does this mean we cannot apply for accomodation until we actually get there?!

I also received another email from my tutor..and it says our registration is on the 8th-9th sept...i was thinking getting there a week beforehand to settle down...what about everyone else?

[nazreal]

Yet again - no emails! nope! haven't got a single one! and it's 5 days until the 30th...still no sign of these documents...it's a mystery to me!

But then again, I'm not doing the exchange program - just straight up language program. It would be nice to have a language buddy/ general buddy though

So registration starts 8-9th sept? for some reason I thought it was much earlier but that could be just me - I'm definitely going a week before registration to sort out accommodation, get my bearings, trip to ikea for bits and bobs - you know; settle in!

I JUST WANT THESE DANG DOCUMENTS!!! *sigh

[calif90071]

...so I think I am doing the exchange program, but I got no such email Hopefully the mystery packages that should be coming in 5 days or less will clear all of this up

[ScarlettWan]

These documents...travel ones right?....My other email said tsinghua were going to get them sent out by July...which is bothersome....still need to get the visa's etc =.=

[mrJChan]

So, no one from the Language Program has received their packages in the mail yet? I'm getting antsy, and we have to buy plane tickets soon!

[eurasianinjapan]

I feel the same. I've been anxiously waiting for the package so I can actually plan things.

Looking forward to meeting you all!

Are there any other Eurasian Brits out coming for the Language course this Autumn?

[Laurent2222]

Still haven't received them either. I can't believe they send them so late. If there's any problem, we probably won't even have time to apply to a different school

[eurasianinjapan]

I received mine today. I live in Japan, so not sure how much difference, if any, this makes. So they should be on their way!