Zhejiang Normal University

[roddy]

This topic is for discussion and reviews of Zhejiang Normal University. Accommodation, courses, on-campus facilities and activities - anything to do with Zhejiang Normal University 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.
 

[Tyrion]

This thread will be all about life and study at Zhejiang Normal University (浙江师范大学) in Jinhua (金华市) China.

Rather than a touristy guide, I would rather it be a survival guide/crash course for noobs who are coming here (probably not by choice) on the CSC Scholarship, or whatever.

Arrival

I was notified in the acceptance packet that I was to notify ZheShiDa's International Office (ZIO) the number and time of my flight, and that I should arrive on SEPTEMBER 8TH by 4pm in order to be picked up from the airport. We were not informed until later that school wouldn't actually start until SEPTEMBER 20TH and that our scholarship money wouldn't arrive until sometime in OCTOBER.

The unfortunate students who arrived well before 4pm had to wait the entire day at the airport for the other students arrived. Once we were all together, we got on the bus for a 5-6 hour drive from Pudong Airport.

We arrived at our dorm in pitch dark, just before midnight. There are no elevators. They put us all foreign students on the highest (5th and 6th) floors...

They also notified us that if we don't pay for our water and electricity the next day, they will be shut off.

There were no sheets, pillows, soap, toilet paper, NOTHING, in the dorm rooms themselves. If you don't bring any with you, you'll have to improvise. I used one of my t-shirts to dry myself off after my late-night shower. I used the bottle of soap, left by my room's previous tenants (among other piles of garbage and filth they left behind).

Sign Up

The ZIO called all of us students in to sign up for school and bank accounts etc. No money needed here, but make sure to write in black pen, or you'll be re-writing everything over again. Also, bring like 10 passport photos of yourself. You need them for everything, and they won't go to waste.

They also give you your textbooks (for free if you are a scholarship student).

Meds

We had to get our medical exam done again. It cost more than 300 RMB and took an entire morning. Expect to pour your own pee into a tiny vial and then walk out of the bathroom in front of everyone and put the vial in a little tray. Oops! Don't spill any on the counter!

Money

You're going to want to bring enough money to live for a month (about 1000 Rmb should be more than enough) because our scholarship money (including the "moving in" money) didn't arrive until almost a month after we arrived. Mostly because our International Office (the ZIO) is terrible at telling people they need to come to the office to sign a sheet of paper (despite the fact that they have all of our contact info...).

The honorable? president of the university unilaterally decided that NO STUDENTS will receive ANY scholarship money until ALL students have signed the list.

ZheShiDa's International Office

The ZIO has poor communication skills, is unorganized, and in general resists providing any kind of information or assistance for international students. If you ask the ZIO employees for help with anything, you should be utterly grateful if they take one minute away from uploading pictures to facebook, chatting with friends on qq, or tending their Farmville farms. And even if they do try to help you, you shouldn't expect them to know any useful information or do any work in a timely fashion.

I think this was the biggest shock for me when I arrived here; just knowing that no one is on your side except your fellow foreign students who are in the same boat...

Food

You can eat at the North Gate (beimeun, 北门)of the school. Bring hand sanitizer and your own chopsticks, and don't mind the smell. I recommend going to the Muslim restaurant; they have big pictures and prices on the wall as their menu.

Shopping for necessities

Wal-Mart (or Tesco) is probably your best bet for buying everything you need. Take the 330 bus from the North Gate. It turns around at North Gate, so you can't ride it in the wrong direction. It costs 2 RMB to ride. It's about a 20 to 25 minute ride to Walmart. You will see the entrace (the store is underground) on your right, just before crossing a big bridge over the river. If you cross the river, no worries. Just get off and start walking back the way you came. When you come out of Walmart, the bus stop to get on the 330 going back to campus is diagonally to your front-right; across the big streets. It's in front of a park that has a huge video screen and a weird white tower. Hope you make it back!

Transport

You can ride the bus, but I recommend getting a bike. You can buy decent bikes at Walmart for around 200 RMB; though you have to ride'em home!

Communication

I recommend getting a cellphone. You can get cheap ones for 200 RMB or less, and they don't cost more than 100 RMB or so a month. It's a pay-as-you-go system...

More to come...............?

[gato]

Anything redeeming about the place? Why would anyone want to go there? What's Jinhua (金华市) like?

[Meng Lelan]

Wow. Uh, how was the classroom instruction?

[Brian US]

http://www.zjnu.edu.cn/eng/index.asp

Their website paints a pretty picture. First time I've seen a bathtub AND a washing machine in a dorm room. I assume this isn't for scholarship students?

[Tyrion]

BrianUS: Well, I have a broken washing machine 2 filthy fridges and 2 clean fridges on my floor. Actually, the doors of both fridges near my room do not shut properly so everything inside is room temperature from time to time...

We definitely don't have bathtubs; we have shower heads near our toilets. And I've never seen such spacious dorm rooms as they show in the pictures on the website...

Gato+Menglan: Actually the classroom instruction is pretty darn good; one of the university's redeeming points. Some other good points are 1) there aren't many foreigners in the city so you get lots of Chinese practice and 2) Prices are cheap, including housing etc.

It's unfortunate that I have to post so much negative material, but I just hope that any future students are less shocked on arrival than I was... ;)

[Brian US]

If students are willing to tough out the conditions, do you recommend this school for language teaching? Do you know how the degree programs are?

[rob07]

There was quite a long thread recently about an African student with HSK 3 who was studying for an accounting degree with Chinese students at this university. Accepting someone with HSK 3 into an accounting degree program taught in Chinese is not something every university would do.

Why would anyone want to go there? What's Jinhua (金华市) like?

Well Jinhua ham is China's answer to proscuitto or jamon.

[gato]

Normal Universities (Teacher Colleges in American English) are designed to train elementary and high school teachers. They probably do have better trained teachers for beginning language students than other type of universities.

[Gurui]

And what is your final opinion about Zheshida?

[TYF]

Does any one have some info of this university??? i just got accepted for the scholarship starting september 2012

[TYF]

HI!!! I just won the csc scholarship in Zhejiang Normal University one year chinesse language and 3 years MBA taught in chinese.

iam pretty confused and dissapointed, i didn't get the scholarship in any of the universitys i apply for, i apply for a MBA taught in english and this one is taught in chinese (i dont know any chinese and i I'm not sure if one year chinese language study is enough to be studying a MBA fully taught in chinese) and second i was looking for a 2 years master not a 3 years master, i think thats to long for a master and speding four years in china only studying could be to much.

And third Zhejiang normal university is not ranked any where, can any one tell me please if they know something about this university and if it is a good one for an MBA.

thkns

[Paradas]

Anyone's going to this university this coming semester? I just won CIS scholarship there. None of my friends is going there. And I don't know anyone in my country is going there. So I'm kinda alone and lonely haha.

I wonder if the university can accommodate me before the arriving date (just for a night). I e-mailed the university but they haven't replied me yet.

[Guest Karina]

Hey,Paradas! I was accepted by this university too! so you are not alone

I am arriving in Jinhua on the 7th of September and the university said that the rooms are arranged 1-2 days before the registration so it is ok to arrive a little bit early!

[Paradas]

Hey, Karina! Finally I found some company! I'm going to arrive China in the 7th too. But I'm not sure when I'll arrive Jinhua. Can you leave me your WeChat ID?

[Guest Karina]

Sure, it's Karinanovic

[Geju]

Hello

Karina and Paradas, how is this university ? Is it a good idea to choose this one to learn chinese during the summer (1 month) ? Where do you sleep, where do you eat, what do you do after the class ? Have you any ideas about the price ? 

Thank you !

[sabero]

Hi everyone, I am considering to study in this university next semester as well, I would like to know how is the accomodation, management and convenience in there. Is there anyone studying there now or have been there lately?

[roddy]

I've emailed Karina and Paradas and asked them to report back on their experiences. Hopefully we'll hear from them!

[Paradas]

Hello everybody!
Sorry for late reply.
I'd reccomend you guys this university. I'm making bachelor here, so I dont know much about Chinese language program. But I had chance to join Chinese language classes first 2 weeks in the University. And It was really nice. Almost all of the teachers are kind and friendly. And I like the way they teach a lot!

Talking about the environment, there are many foreign students here, but it's China, you always have chance to practice your Chinese. And there is very interesting and useful activity, 汉语加油站, which there are a lot of Chinese students who will help you improve your Chinese everyday.

The university  is quite small, there're 3 canteens. Most of foreign students often eat in Beimen walking street which is in the university area. If you're a muslim, you won't have problem with food at all. There are many Muslim foods here.

The city, Jinhhua is quite small, but you can find anything you want here. There is no metro. But it's convient to travel by bus. There are 2 bus lines from the university to the downtown area. Living expense here is quite inexpensive.

Dorm is pretty nice, 2 persons a room. I consider it pretty large. Anyway the rooms are different. My friends who are studying in Chinese language have smaller room with smaller beds, but still it's nice. there is kitchen and laundry room every floor in the dorm.Cost of utilities are quite expensive. you have to pay before using it.

what else to mention? raise some question, I'll always be ready to help

Welcome to 浙师大！