Tsinghua University Fall/Autumn 2010

[Sinanthropus]

Hi folks,

I'm joining the fall language programme- will almost definitely be in the beginners class.

Got my pack yesterday, stamp indicates it was sent 28th June.

Thought I'd answer a few questions I picked up reading the thread (sorry if they've already been answered):

• Payment Options for Dormitory: Cash (RMB), China Debit Card, Visa or Mastercard (extra charges may apply depending on the card)
  
• Payment Options for Tuition fees: Cash ("USD, EUR, CAD, JPY, GBP etc") will be accepted by the FSAO only on registration days RMB thereafter, Cards of China Unionpay, Visa, Mastercard etc can be accepted (extra charges may apply depending on the card)
  
• You can arrive earlier at the dorm but you'll have to pay "Normal Room Price" which is double or more than the favourable room charge. Favourable room charges apply 1 week prior to registration.
  

Attached is a PDF of the term dates.

TermDates.pdf

[nazreal]

Well all my cunning plans are definitely on hold pending my new passport/visa NIGHTMARE that's putting everything back for like 3 weeks (don't ask - it's too crazy!)

You know the bit about favourable room prices only being available a week prior to registration? Does that mean after 1 week, the room prices go back to 170RMB eg for a single room? Or will it then always be at the favourable room price? Cos if not, I might just be in the financial shizzle....

ps. congrats to all who are receiving successful admissions notices

[natra]

You know the bit about favourable room prices only being available a week prior to registration? Does that mean after 1 week, the room prices go back to 170RMB eg for a single room?

I think he means that the discounted room rate will only begin 1 week prior to the registration date, which implies that it will be applied for students from then to sometime after the semester ends.

[mrJChan]

Hi everyone, congrats again to everyone here! I got my package on the 5th, which seemed kind of late...anyways.

Just a quick poll: Does everyone plan to live in the dormitories as their first option? Just curious. Judging from the video and pictures I found from a previous thread on chinese-forums, they don't seem bad at all ;)

youtube video of dorm

flickr pics http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=tsinghua+dorm

Oh also, have you guys been studying/brushing up your putonghua for the placement exam? I'm getting nervous haha.

[ScarlettWan]

Oh my days... >_<" Its already the 9th July and i still havent received my pack...I have until the 12th to receive all the info if not i'm going to have to change my flight as I won't get my visa in time...

Is there anyone else in the UK that hasn't received their pack yet??

@Sinanthropus Thanks for posting the term dates...but is it me or are there no christmas holidays? :S

@mrjchan I intend to stay in the student accom, at least for the 1st semester to get to know the area and to meet people...and the rooms seem quite nice ^^

[calif90071]

No there is no Christmas break but Christmas is on a Saturday this year so we won't have class then at least

[ScarlettWan]

O_O...i think im actually in shock....i guess at least we don't have to go to class on saturday..but still...

[calif90071]

Yeah...we do get over a month off for the Chinese New Year though, so that's alright

[jc2010]

Visa

I went to the China Visa Office in London - apparently an UK-issued F Study Visa (6 month) is single entry only. I believe you can get a multi-entry F Visa in USA, is that right?

She suggested I try Hong Kong (I'm there in Aug) - does anyone know if they grant a multi-entry F Visa?

[calif90071]

I finally booked my flight today...I will be arriving in Beijing at 11:40 PM on September 5. This whole thing is just now beginning to feel real for me haha

[Embla]

For those in the U.S. who don't live in D.C. or a city with a consulate, how do you plan on applying for your visa?

I remember someone mentioned (in an older thread?) that they would use mychinavisa.com but, uh.. Does anyone actually know someone that's used these courier services? Older Tsinghua/BLCU/etc students, your advice would be appreciated!

[calif90071]

@ Embla: Some of the professors at my university who need to go to China have told me that they used mychinavisa.com. I sent my stuff in to them a few days ago and it should be coming back to me this upcoming Friday. I've also read some really good reviews for them online.

[nazreal]

Hi,

Does anyone know when the Foreign Students Office is open/closed or is it now closed for the Summer? As I emailed them last week about a visa nightmare and no-one's gotten back to me....so I was wondering if I should call them (cue me groggily punching numbers into my phone at 4am) but then again....are they closed?!

Am actually panicking big time over my visa situation - do you reckon the university will be able to issue a new visa application form within a month?

nazreal

[dolldalera]

@Nazreal: They should be open and they should be replying. I understand where you're coming from. I only had my passport renewed late last month(after I had sent in my documents) as the passport processing here in my country is really slow. I only got my new/renewed passport last Thursday so the documents will be arriving late this week or early next week. Actually, it should arrive later this month since their snail mail is somewhat slow, but with the necessity to fix all preparations, I'm just going to get a courier to pick up the documents from the FSAO then send it to me by express mail. If you are really in a rush, maybe you can do the same thing I'm doing. Have a courier service pick up the documents from FSAO then have them mail it to their branch in your country, then just pay for the mailing fee.

For the holidays thing, I heard from my cousin who had gone to TsingHua last year that they don't have the same normal holidays as us so we don't really get a Christmas vacation. Luckily as you guys mentioned, Christmas falls on a Saturday so we don't have to feel bad about going to class on Christmas Day. But I think we have no classes for January 1, so we can be grateful for that. Oh wait, that's a Saturday too. Oh well.

As for me, I'll be arriving in Beijing about end of August as my uncle invited me and my dad over to tour around and such. I can't wait to meet everyone. My friends who are going with me want to find an apartment but I'm trying to convince them to let us dorm for a while as we're from a country that has no Winter or Fall so that's something we have to get used to.

Quite relieved though as I thought my passport problems would cause me not to be accepted into TsingHua. Glad that part's over.

[nazreal]

Hiya,

Yeh thanks for the advice - I called Tsinghua this morning and went into a total flap when the lady on the phone said to me that if I renewed my passport and tried to use the 'old' visa notification, I wouldn't be able to get a visa AND furthermore, they would NOT re-issue a new visa notification!!!

Cue me (during a frazzled lunch break at work) being on hold for 25 minutes to the Chinese Visa Centre and then being told (luckily) after 15 actual minutes of waiting that....(unluckily) the Chinese Embassy will refuse all old documents and that I will have to go to HK and risk not getting a visa or risk getting one!

So THEN cue me rushing over to the UK Passport office to get them to hold off actually chopping my passport and renewing it! Managed to get there in time and now have my original passport that syncs with the visa notification but the UK Passport office have very kindly taken my £77 fee despite doing.....nothing....

BUT it does mean I'm back to square one with my visa application but at least I now know I can enter the country *phew* flap over...

[letsgo]

Hey,

I'm getting in at 11:10 pm on Sept 2. Does anyone know if the dorms/student office are open that late so I that I can check in and have a place to stay? I thought I read somewhere that they are open 24 hours but wasn't sure if that was true or not. If not, does anyone know of any fairly inexpensive places to check into for the night?

I'm in the US and will need to use an agent for my visa since we don't have a Chinese consulate in my city. I was going to use ABriggs.com but after doing more research it looks like mychinavisa.com may be pretty legit as well (thanks calif90071). They're both around the same price but it looks like there is more info/reviews for mychinavisa.com. Good luck to everyone!

[Posche]

@Irumi

I´m going for the international relations master too! Just got my admission letter this week! Not all that much exciting information in that actually...

Hey but good to know that here is still someone else studying that stuff, I was worried I might end up being the only one! So when will u be in Beijing?

[Irumi]

@Posche

Glad to know my coursemate beforehand!

I haven't received my letter yet, but the office confirmed me in email that it has been sent out. I guess it'll reach here late this week or early next week.

I haven't booked my flight to Beijing yet, but I think I would most possibly be arriving on 27 or 28 August. How about you?

And where are you from? Already curious about my new coursemate! ^^

On another note, does anyone here apply for Tsinghua University Scholarship? Wonder who gets it! I just got bad news from office via email that I did not get the scholarship. I'll have to work out a back up plan now...

[MGMT]

@Irumi and Posche: nice to see other non-language students here! And Irumi, I applied for the Tsinghua Scholarship but didn't get it (they nominated me for the CSC instead). But I know someone else who did, and he was notified in April that he got it. Did they only tell you last week? I'm sorry. My friend was told he had until April 30th to confirm he was coming and accepting it, so I thought everyone would be told in May at the latest.

[4leaf]

Hi everyone

i decided last week that i'm going to do the chinese course in tsinghua

contacted tsinghua directly and recieved my package today yeay !

thats the luck of the irish for you ( as i am from ireland )

anyway can't wait, it should be a really good year.

good forum, just read through the whole thing, u all seem like a nice bunch.

im already in beijing with a work visa and accommodation so im not really too worried bout things.

been here 4 months now.

i know a bit about living in beijing if anyone wants to ask,

about living, eating, shopping, travel, banking, culture differences, anything, u name it

ud be surprised how fast you settle into beijing

though you will always be a laowai, haha

i have just one question about the course though if anyone knows,

there are 4 levels on the website, ( beginner, intermediate, intermediate/advanced and advanced )

my chinese is not great.

i get the impression that i'm between beginner and intermediate

i feel the intermediate might be too advanced for me,

yet i would definitely be above the beginners level.

does anyone know how much you should know to be accepted into intermediate ?

what is the structure of the placement test ? how long ? is there reading ,writing, listening and speaking ?

or does the tutor just try and chat to you for a bit ?

cheers for reading and hope someone can clarify