Kunming University of Science and Technology

[roddy]

This topic is for discussion and reviews of Kunming University of Science and Technology. Accommodation, courses, on-campus facilities and activities - anything to do with Kunming University of Science and Technology goes in here. If there's a lot of discussion about any one particular topic we might split it into a new thread and leave a link here.

[Rin]

Hi,

I am planning to study Chinese here. Anyone have any experiences they can share with me?

[abcdefg]

I'll start it off by asking the same thing I asked Nath by private message yesterday: (Copy and paste.)

Hello Nath,

I remember some earlier discussion about where your KUST campus was located，since the university has several locations. KUST is actually 理工大学, isn't it? My recollection is that you had narrowed it down to somewhere in 五华区, but nothing more precise at the time.

Could you tell me where it actually is? What I mean is, street names, maybe with a major cross street and near what well-known landmarks, if there are any.

Glad you got settled in and I hope your studies go well.

[nath]

Apologies for the nearly year long reply to this- i really don't know how I missed it. I'll review the university in a minute, but to answer this question, the 莲花 (lianhua) campus is located on 学府路(xuefulu) near the 学府路 and 建设路 (jianshelu) intersection. At present this is where a lot of students are based, though I gather many are in dribs and drabs getting sent into exile, I mean chenggong. However, at present, self paying student are based here from what i gather.

[nath]

So, as for the review, (admin feel free to move this). 

 

I spent a year at Kunming Science and Technology University (昆明理工大学), and can honestly say it was a year of ups, downs, frustrations and improvements.

 

One, ups. The study is cheap (4,800) a term, with maybe 7-8 students MAX per class. These numbers get lower as the level of chinese goes up, and in the higher classes most were 3-4 students. The quality of teaching varies wildly, and I had great teachers, and not so great ones. The good ones knew how to teach the students who wanted to learn. More on this below. My chinese improved massively in 初级二, and again in中级二 (I skipped a level because I already passed HSK 4). However, my chinese improved because I wanted it to, and I had to sacrifice time and friendships for this (many lone hours in library, spent outside speaking to anyone and everyone).

 

Two, downs. The university office is up and down, and sometimes good at communicating, sometimes not. An example is the extra classes which are all free. To find out when and where these were I had to search high and low, and missed out on a lot because of this. However, they can be good, and are friendly enough to help you out if you treat them well. I particularly recommend Peng laoshi, head of the dept.

 

Problems in class are numerable, but to list the worst things I'd say a.) English spoken in class, b.) angry people being allowed to attend the wrong level and therefore shout at the teacher when they don't understand, c.) lazy arsed scholarships students who can't give a monkeys about Chinese. The last of these is actually a benefit- they can't speak English either, so hardly come to class, which meant I had one one one teaching for a lot of the time.

 

The dormitories are, well, what you think they'll be like. I had to move after a showdown with a guy intent on smoking in the toilet and the room. However, the guys I moved in with were cool, and non English speakers. There is no hot water in winter or heating, despite the snow. I froze. Also, the dorms are a good 25 minute walk from the classrooms, and on floor 7 mostly, with no lift. Get ready to lose weight.

 

Three, frustrations. Apart from the above mentioned annoying students, the main problem with Kunming is the local dialect, which will bug you after a while. I frequently misunderstood locals (particularly men) and 60% of male taxi drivers are a world of 'tingbudong'. However, the younger generation speak mandarin well.

 

 Four, improvements. As I said, I now consider myself to be advanced level, and there's no denying this was not down to the university. However, a lot of work was undertaken by myself to improve, and if you think you can just go to class, um, forget it. You need hard study to get through the first stage of learning Chinese, and a lot of library hours.

 

In conclusion. Would I recommend this uni? Yes, but with caveats. Firstly, unless your level is high enough to get into the intermediate class, get ready to put up annoying classmates whose level is behind yours, but they just can't go the beginner class. Secondly, get ready to put in the legwork for EVERYTHING, as communication is only by QQ, in Chinese only, and infrequent. Go to the office to find out what's going on. 

[abcdefg]

Interesting. Thanks for posting the information.

[VeraR]

Hi everyone! I have just arrived to KUST almost a month ago. So far the impressions are totally the same as Nath has mentioned. No hot water even in September, due to constant cloudy weather. Dormitory is just terrible, but cheap, a room with 2 beds is 2800rmb/person a year. However, it's awfully dirty. I am still cleaning our room. We just managed to get rid of cockroaches. With my classes, I got lucky and most of my teachers are really good. They try to use mostly Chinese. However, I would recommend taking 10 classes, as I think that Comprehensive and Speaking are enough. Other classes just repeat all over again. If you buy books, it will be much faster to study on your own, and just ask your teacher what you have problems with. I honestly regret taking 20 classes. 

 

If there is anyone who wants to apply here or just to hang out, I will be willing to help with anything I can

[roddy]

Thanks Vera! Any before and after photos of the dorm 

[Chris Two Times]

nath and VeraR,

 

Many thanks for the write-ups! Such postings from those "on the ground" are invaluable to those of us considering Chinese uni. language programs here on the Mainland. Much appreciated!

 

Warm regards,

Chris Two Times

[Giuls]

Hi everyone! I wanted to ask Vera if she could post some photos of the dormitory. I saw some photos and they are scaring...so I thought about staying in the student Hotel...what do you suggest? Thanks a lot!

[VeraR]

Hi Giuls! Of course. For now I have only the pictures from when I first moved in. I would recommend yu staying in the dorm only if you want to save money. 

 

So here is the kitchen. No fridge, basically just a bunch of countertops and outlets:

This is the main entrance to the international students dormitory:

 

Bathroom:

 

Room:

 

 

I have not taken the after pictures yet. I'll definitely post them as soon as I take them.

[roddy]

Thanks, Vera! Classes still good?

[VeraR]

These gates are locked after 11.30pm, so to get back to your room you have to climb over if you stayed out late

[VeraR]

Hi Roddy! Classes are really good. I am lucky to have the teachers that are passinate about students. So far it's interesting to study here 

[Giuls]

Thank you so much VeraR, I don't think I'll enroll in this university.....it seems like a nightmare

[roddy]

Don't judge the place on its dorms - unless you're a scholarship student you can probably afford to live off campus in a shared apartment - Vera, do you know people doing that?

[Giuls]

Maybe you are right Roddy, but for me accomodation is really important! I saw that there are hotel rooms for student...does anyone as ever been there? I have another question for Vera: is it true that the university campus is far away from the centre of Kunming?

[abcdefg]

#17 -- Giuls --

"is it true that the university campus is far away from the centre of Kunming?"

 

See post #4 above. If you wind up at that campus, it is in Central Kunming.

 

KUST does, however, have several campuses, some of which are remote. All Kunming universities put some of their undergraduate students in facilities way out at Chenggong. 呈贡区

 

Vera, at which campus are you studying? What is the location? What streets is it near?

[VeraR]

All international students have to live the first year in the campus that is located on Xuefu lu street. The walk from the dorm to classes depends on how slow you walk. Normally I walk very fast and for me it takes 10 min. It takes 15 min to get to the city center on a bus from the dorm.

The other campus is for majoring students. They have classes over there and they live there. That campus in chendong, around 40 min away from the city center. There is subway that goes between two cities, for 6rmb you will get from chendong to Kunming center. I have been to their dorm it's just like ours, except there is more security.

As far as I heard from all the foreigners who study in different language schools here, KUST offers the cheapest program.

I know one French guy who lives in a student hostel. Basically you will have one living room with TV and Internet, one bathroom, and a balcony. All the two story beds are in the balcony. And you might live there for a 6 month, but your neighbors for 1-3 days. Chinese mostly. I believe there were 8 beds in one balcony. However, it was nice looking in the living room. I am not sure about all the details, though. That hostel was also the same walk from the campus.

[VeraR]

Yes, most of the scholarship students rent an apartment. I believe they get paid around 2000 or 3000rmb a month. If you go on GoKunming.com in classifieds section there are always ads for apartments, people looking for a roommate.

I had one major frustration here. Visa. Absolutely no communication. I gave my passport to them and they said 20 days to get you the residence permit, but it actually took 2 months!!! 2 months with no paper. There is such a thing that they call the yellow paper. Which basically verifies who you are and that you applied for the residence permit. But you need to beg them to give you that yellow paper. The lady in the office is so rude, you have to deal with her. She just shoos students away, like:"I will post everything in QQ, now you need to leave, I am working".