Fudan University

[Crainn]

Has anyone received their admissions packages yet ? The admissions portal just says bring my documents to registration but doesn't give any further information. 

 

Sorry for the double post, I put it in the wrong thread by accident 

[winzz]

nope, i'm also hasn't received it yet. in my account there is only said audit completion and no further update

[hungry_mallows]

Received mine a few days ago, but I can't sign up in their Unipus app. 

[hungry_mallows]

Thanks @Nnedi Ugo! But won't all the good accommodations be taken if I wait for school to start? 

[Nnedi Ugo]

@hungry_mallows  No not at all. I met a few that waited to arrive to China before they booked. I recommend that if you are picky when it comes to a place or looking for something in particular. Also its better for you get to see the place before you decide to book. Book an Airbnb for a week till you secure your place and move in from there. 

 

Like I said, look into staying in the Tonghe Apts. One is across from the International Student Dorm (older set of buildings) and the newer ones are a few blocks from the popular trainnstation in the area called WuJiaoChang. 

 

Or you can join a WeChat group when you arrive and see if anyone needs a roommate in a nearby spot. 

 

Good luck on your search. 

[rishid8]

Does anyone know what is the registration date for post graduates this year? 

[Jellyfish]

Hey, I'll be starting at Fudan on a CI scholarship in September and was hoping some former scholarship students (maybe @Nnedi Ugo ?) might be able to help with a question: When they give you the entrance test to determine your level and sort you into groups, is it a paper test or an online one? Basically my handwriting is awful and I'm wondering if it's worth trying to grind for a couple of weeks before I take the test - would hate to be let down by bad handwriting when my speaking, listening, vocabulary and typing (with pinyin input) is ok.

Thanks in advance for your help!

[Nnedi Ugo]

@Jellyfish Hey girl! The test is on the computer! They give you a time to come and take it so don't worry about it so much. Just make sure you don't miss it. They will place you in a class and you won't find out till after the big opening ceremony speech on Sunday. If you start the class and you feel like its too easy/too hard for you, you can ask for a slip to move up/down a class. If I am not mistaken, they give students 2 weeks to do that. And if you want to move up, you have to take a placement exam and pass with an 90+ to move up? Can't remember. I was there from 2015-2016 so idk how much has changed. Lol. 

[Jellyfish]

Thank you so much! That's so good to hear haha. Was panicking at the thought of having to hand write characters.

[artfullounger]

Just curious but what would you say are the nicest dorms at Fudan? Not including private accommodations, just within Fudan's dorm system.

[Nnedi Ugo]

@artfullounger They are definitely not the nicest. I would say they are subpar. There are a ton of issues we came about that the dorm staff would not bring up till after or during its occurance which caused stress for a lot of students who lived in the dorm. I did a video on the sub building look of it you can watch here https://youtu.be/lLOMAYNywa4 They are great for meeting other students who study at Fudan along with social gatherings but nothing more. I say if you don't mind the basic admennities, I would say go for it, otherwise you're better off finding a better and much cheaper accomodation outside the dorms 

[artfullounger]

I didn't ask if they were or not, I was asking which ones were the nicest at Fudan. Relatively speaking. Also I'm on the CGS scholarship so I'd have to pay out of pocket to live outside.

 

Sorry if that came out a bit rude haha.

[artfullounger]

Watched the video, seemed alright if a little small - I spent a year studying abroad at Beida at we didn't have private bathrooms or kitchens haha.

[Nnedi Ugo]

@artfullounger Getting snippy I see. I was on the scholarship as well and you can't choose where you live. Fudan makes that decision for you. They place all scholarship recipients in the sub buildings. You can opt in moving to the main building (which has its perks to the easy access kitchen, laundry room, lobby, and convenience store) but scholarship recipients have to pay the difference (which I have had friends do) for a very small fee. 

 

Which one is better depends on what you're looking for when it comes down to it. I honestly didn't mind the sub building. I have my own room, my own balcony and I share a bathroom with 1 other person. There's a table in the main area and 2 sinks available for cooking etc. It sucked walking up/down 6 flights of stairs to get to my room but I didn't mind so much.

 

In the main building, you can either share a room with one other person or have a room to yourself. The rooms are much larger but less personal space for yourself it needed be. Extra money has to be charged to your room if hot water/electricity runs out which happens every month or so. Same goes for living in the sub building but you have more control over it for they give you a card and you can easily check how much is left if you visit a machine or ask the front desk. 

 

Hope this answers your question 

[artfullounger]

Haha, sorry about that, just woke up. Thanks for the information, it was exactly what I was looking for. Do you know about how much was the difference paid?

 

What do you mean when you say there is less personal space in the main building? 

 

I might end end up trying both tbh, since I'll be there for two years. 

 

When I was at Beida, you had a very large and comfortable bedroom that you or may not have split with another person but there were communal baths and kitchens on each floor.

 

Lastly, do you know any wechat groups there for foreign students, a Western students union or American/European one? 

 

Sorry again for for being snippy haha

[Nnedi Ugo]

@artfullounger That's what they all say. 

 

My friend who is there now had to pay an additional 1000RMB a month to stay in her single room in the main building. She's still studying there so I would assume the price is still the same. 

 

When I say that's there's less personal space, I mean if you choose to share a room with someone else in the main building, you may not have space depending on if you bring/buy a ton of stuff or plan on doing a lot of things in your room. You have to coordinate that with the person you live with. But you'll figure it all out. 

 

I attended Fudan during the 2015/2016 SY and the group chats I was a part of have died down after school ended. The group chats on WeChat change each year so idk what will be the new one when you arrive. I recommend you go add Teejay @AdetunjiB on WeChat. He's very well known international student on campus at Fudan and would be able to help you and push you in the right direction towards WeChat groups and anything else in the latter. Or just wait till you get there. It doesn't take long to step on Chinese soil to be added to one. 

 

Good luck on your 2 years at Fudan. It will be fun, yet tough and eventful. 

[hungry_mallows]

Hey @Nnedi Ugo, thanks for all the replies to this post. It means a lot to us newbies who don't have a clue on what to expect there. 

 

Is there any way to find a job in Shanghai? I was thinking maybe something like English tutoring, but I'm also open to other suggestions. 

[Jesska Vel]

Hi @Nnedi Ugo! Am I allowed to try to reserve more than one room in case the other fails? 

[Nnedi Ugo]

@Jesska Vel what do you mean? Through the school dorm or elsewhere? 

[Nnedi Ugo]

@hungry_mallows No problem! I am here to help. 

 

In terms of jobs, there are a few ways to obtain them. English teaching will be your best bet. Any other job would be a bit much harder to get only because a lot of times they require a work visa (unless you work under the table) and/or you have to be proficient in Chinese or they don't pay.

 

To find one, the easiest is joining WeChat groups that advertise jobs by asking around for them as soon as you get there. Try meeting students who study at Fudan fulltime. They will know. And a lot of times around the dorm, people will post adverisements asking for tutors and in the main student dorm group, people will post for help. I would def ask around. Even teachers ask foreign students for tutors or they may know someone looking for a tutor. Ask around. 

 

You can also look on the shanghai craigslist and other chinese job websites that are mentioned here: https://www.justlanded.com/english/China/China-Guide/Jobs/Finding-a-job

 

Good luck!