BLCU, Beijing Language and Culture University, Housing Info, and more

@ Greenarcher

Thanks much, that's an awesome help

@dak: Yea, they will just write down your name and nationality. From what I understand the rate for a day is 158. Long term either 135 or 110 depending on how long you stay.

@silencer: Cernet provides internet for every dorm on Campus. The rate is 120/month i believe as previously mentioned. Nowhere cafe that's located on the second floor of the conference center has free internet. But you have to spend something on drinks or food while you sit there. There are other spots on campus that have free wifi, but all require you to drink or eat something. There is a internet cafe next to the Mc Donalds on Chengfu lu. Right across of the Chaoshifa. If you look on the map it's on the corner of Chengfu lu and Xueyuan lu. I think that's the closest one.

@sarah: If you get a China Mobile "M-zone" card you can pay a monthly fee for free recieving. Just text ktdt to 10086. You will pay a monthly fee of 6 kuai and get free receiving. Even international calls en skype calls. Don't know about the other phone subscriptions.

@ XiaoBin - good to know, i just got to get myself a new sim card when i get to BJ.

Do you also know if the dorm rooms have fridges, i read somewhere that you may have to buy your own which is do able but how the hell would u get it to where you are staying. I guess the same goes for laundry and kitchen facilities, depends on which dorm you are staying at right? Oh and another thing, do you know if the dorms are super strict on people staying over because my boyfriend is coming over and pending on the space in the dorm be wonderful for him to stay with me rather than a hotel.

Hhaha and at the risk of sounding like a spazz, is there a map where the local stores are and so forth lol.

Cheers

If you pay per month, CerNet costs 140 CNY a month for unlimited use, not 120 CNY:

http://img3.tinypic.info/files/bpybbhoj8uyvtocszpu9.jpg

If you pay 6 months at a time you might get a discount, I'm not sure if they still have that promotion anymore. If you are a Chinese national it is much cheaper.

hi guys

thx for your help

hav juz reached blcu, staying at the conference centre:mrgreen:

to add on, there are 2 more plans on top of the unlimited plan

50 rmb for 40 hours

100 rmb for 120 hours

cheers

@Sarah

I think that all foreign student dorms have fridges, no need to worry about that. Laundry is in every dorm as well I believe. Kitchens not sure, I know that dorm 4 and 17 has them. Conference has a very small one on the 7th floor. Only a microwave and maybe 1 hotplate.

Dorm 17, 6 and 4 are very strict about people coming and going. You cannot enter 17 after 10pm weekdays and 11pm weekends without a key per person.

You're best shot is the conference center. People come and go as they please. Also the beds are a bit bigger then a single bed. Not really comfortable for 2 persons but doable.

As for the stores. You'll find them everywhere. There are several in campus. There is a Chaoshifa on the corner of Chenfu lu and Xueyuan lu. BHG in the basement of the U center located next to the subway station. Lotus center on Chengfu lu, across of the Microsoft building.

Things will become clear once you get here. No need to worry too much

to add on, there are 2 more plans on top of the unlimited plan

50 rmb for 40 hours

100 rmb for 120 hours

I went for the 50 rmb plan. Make it last longer by disconnecting your internet after loading a page. Also, if you are not downloading you can go for the public wifi downstairs, albeit slower.

The plans are also not strictly monthly, so say you go through 40 hours in 3 weeks you can just pay another 50 kuai for another round.

Hey yah

Thanks much, all appreciated!!

I just arrived yesterday and im in building 6 hahahaha so yeh they are super strict! They even rang me to check if my friend had left after she came to visit me yesterday.

Went to Cernet yesterday and got myself unlimited for 140...it was crazy time. The cue was out the door. Setting off to explore the rest of the campus later, haha will need to get myself a map outside of campus. My friend and i nearly got lost last night and in the freezing weather hehehe not good!

Will check with the person who guards the door downstair on where the laundry is..i saw a building that said Laundry but when i went in this lady there was telling me i think something like she does the laundry for a fee. Hhahaah no idea!

Anyway, class starts Friday..anyone else in zero level...i saw that there is an excursion to the Great Wall on Sat..who's coming

Hi to all of you

Amanda, thank you for starting this thread. I have been researching info for a family member who is coming over for a year in March and almost all of my questions have been answered through the various postings.

It has taken me the whole afternoon to basically recap all the posts and put these into some sort of categories. I would like to offer this 'back' as a big 'thank you' -

As I am new, my initial posts will be moderated, so here are the topics I wanted to offer:

• Dorms and Accommodation. I have added comments I found throughout to Yueni's superb description of all dorms.

• Info on Conference Centre and Dorm 17

• Accommodation Outside BLCU

• Internet and Mobile Phones

• Pocket Money and Eating on Campus / Food

• Library / Gym / Laundry / Bicycles / Taxi to Airport

• links to similar useful blogs

Hope that this will be as useful as it was to me, only that this time it will be taking others less to find the various threads as I have brought them together...

Looking forward to linking up soon,

Altea

Hi,

I read that Dorm 12 and 13 had been closed right now, perhaps permanently to foreigners and that they moved everyone out of 12 and 13 around March 2009. Rumour mill has it that the university is converting those two dorms to use for Chinese students. Is there any further news on this?

I also have read somewhere that Dorm 7 was closed. Any news on this?

Curious,

Altea

Wow, that went quickly!

Here is info from posts related to Internet and Mobile Phones:

Internet on Campus:

There's free wireless @ at the 17's lobby - hence a lot of students & their laptops like to hang out around there. Also @ the Nowhere cafe that's located on the second floor of the conference center but you have to spend something on drinks or food while you sit there. There are also other spots on campus that have free WiFi, but all require you to drink or eat something. Also in the stairwell at Dorm 4 up to the 2nd floor. (Not too good to sleep too near to this though… )

From XiaoBin: There is an other internet cafe with computers on campus. It's located across of the Yifu Building. It's not open 24/7 tho

Monthly Internet Service cost for unlimited usage is approximately 18 USD

Q: For the internet at CC or Dorm, how much bandwith do you get? A: China Unicom offers 1 and 2mbps. CERNET is around 2mbps.

Cernet provides internet for every dorm on Campus. The rate is 120-140/month/

Unlimited. Cheaper I think for longer staying students, cannot be shared using a router, not sure if available in the conference center) Their office is by the West Gate on campus, nr Dorm 17.

Each internet account is specific to your computer only. How is internet organised in double rooms? Are there two internet outlets for two computers which need to be paid for separately by the students?

This depends on the dorm. Some dorms have two sockets. Other dorms require that you get a router and then each get separate accounts. My dorm had only one socket, so I got cable, and my roommate got DSL. I don't know how much DSL costs or where the company is.

I checked Dorm 17 and the library, they both do have mixed sockets. I also asked a friend who lives at Dorm 4 and he says the sockets there are mixed as well. So maybe it depends on the (age of the) dorm.

China Unicom DSL (Price varies according to pre-paid card type - 2mbps is 120rmb/month unlimited plus 100rmb deposit for modem, you can avail this service on-campus, can be shared using a router)

If you pay 6 months at a time you might get a discount, I'm not sure if they still have that promotion anymore. If you are a Chinese national it is much cheaper.

to add on, there are 2 more plans on top of the unlimited plan

50 rmb for 40 hours

100 rmb for 120 hours

I went for the 50 rmb plan. Make it last longer by disconnecting your internet after loading a page. Also, if you are not downloading you can go for the public wifi downstairs, albeit slower.

The plans are also not strictly monthly, so say you go through 40 hours in 3 weeks you can just pay another 50 kuai for another round.

Internet Outside Campus:

There is a internet cafe next to the Mc Donalds on Chengfu lu. Right across of the Chaoshifa. If you look on the map it's on the corner of Chengfu lu and Xueyuan lu. I think that's the closest one.

Mobile Phones

China Mobile (add 12593 to any number for lower per minute rates then text some code I forgot so that incoming calls from anywhere will be free after an initial charge of 10rmb/month.

From XiaoBin: - China Mobile: the number you dial in front of it is not always necessary. It depends what kind of card you buy. I prefer the China Mobile M-zone card. This one has cheap standard rates and you can buy all kinds of packages. Like text bundles and check balance thought text message.

Second hand cell phones for around 60 RMB: two popular places to get grey market and second hand cell phones are at muxiyuan and xizhimen.

if you get a sim, and plan on making international calls, make sure you also get a prepaid calling card because it will quickly eat up your minutes.

ShawnH: I got a cell phone pretty cheap down the street near the u-center, just past the railroad tracks on the left...place says "china telecom". (sells both china unicom and china mobile, and they seem to be partial to neither). I got china mobile cuz its cheaper and loaded it up with Y100. cheapest phones are ~Y180.

Highly reccomend going with a friend who knows some chinese before u make this investment tho, u need to know exactly what youre gettin.

Sockets

are not mixed at all dorms, but you can buy extension cords at the friendship store on campus for pretty cheap that will allow you to plug in your European appliances.

I checked Dorm 17 and the library, they both do have mixed sockets. I also asked a friend who lives at Dorm 4 and he says the sockets there are mixed as well. So maybe it depends on the (age of the) dorm.

If anybody has updated info that would be useful. I saw that there was a thread elsewhere on sims and loads on phone stuff in general.

Greetings for now,

Altea

Mostly brought together from postings on this thread:

...this time on Eating on Campus, Food and...Pocket Money...

Eating on Campus

You should get a dining hall card as soon as possible after you register for class so you can eat conveniently in the very cheap dining hall that is near the South Gate. You have to get someone to show you where to buy the card; it's near the dining hall but I can't describe it easily.

Food

On campus cafeteria: about 10kuai/meal

On campus restaurants: about 20-30kuai/meal

Off campus restaurants: about 50kuai/meal

There is a friendship store in BLCU...but it’s quite pricey. Outside and near to the West Gate is a fruit shop, also expensive, but just keep walking as if u were to go towards the junction of xijiao hotel and BLCU and there is a mini market there with some of the cheapest and lovely fresh fruits and veggies u will ever buy…

Tips from BrianUS: To get a cafeteria card you must have your student ID and 100 yuan. Go down the back alley next to the Muslim restaurant to find the office. 30 yuan will be a deposit and 70 yuan will be on your card. According to my roommate, the first floor east cafeteria was only for Chinese students. It is now open to all, but it seems most of the International students eat in the west cafeteria.

The food is roughly the same on both sides, but it seems most of the dishes are prepared only once before serving. This means if you arrive towards the end of the meal a lot of the food will be gone/cold. This seems especially true during lunch (I get out of class at 12:30pm as a beginner) in the Chinese cafeteria as many come at 11:00 am. For dinner I always go to the east side as the prices seem cheaper for some of the same food. I still don't understand why a meat dish is only 2.50 compared to 6.00 yuan on the west side.

A special night out can easily cost upwards of 400rmb, especially if you have a nice dinner and a few drinks, plus cab fare, entrance fees...

Pocket Money

Honestly, it really depends on what you want to do during the month. I'm a scholarship student, so I had 1700rmb given to me by the Chinese government each month. In general, it lasted me until the 3rd week of the month and then I supplemented that with my own money. However, I don't know what your spending habits are like and what you prefer to do and where you prefer to spend your money.

If you like to eat out at nicer restaurants, if you like to go out to the bars and clubs on the weekends for a good time, if you plan on travelling a lot, if you want to make sure you have a little more of the luxuries and comfort of home, you will spend a lot more than I did. Some of my friends easily spent 1700rmb in a week, if not the very same day they received it.

Personally, I'm not much for going out clubbing a lot, and I've been to a lot of the tourist attractions in Beijing already, so I don't spend money there. I eat pretty cheaply. Most weekdays, I spend around 20-30rmb for all my meals. I do splurge a little on the weekends, but I rarely spend more than 50rmb for a single meal unless it's a special occasion. I also didn't buy sheets and whatever else my roommates did to make the room more comfortable for them, because I was fine roughing it out for the year. All that obviously adds up, especially if you want stuff that's similar to what you're used to back home. I would suggest 2000rmb to be the minimum.

Most of my money went into the 4 week winter vacation where I dropped a good deal of cash travelling around southern China.

I simply keep going, so that it is all kept together. Thanks to everybody who has posted these. I have only gathered the info

This will be about:

Library / Gym-Sports / Laundry / Bicycles / Taxi to Airport / Tipping

Library

A few other things I would have liked to have known before I got here: you have to buy a card to use the library (and short-term students like me weren't even allowed to buy one!)

I ‘highly’ recommend buying the tapes (or CDs if they finally have them) that come with the textbooks, especially as the sound is so important. I think it's a great help in studying. The only drawback is that you might have to buy a tape player (or you could bring one, but remember the plugs are different so bring an adapter or plan to use batteries) or buy extension cord at the friendship store on campus for pretty cheap that will allow you to plug in your European appliances.

dictionaries...hhhmmm buy in zhonguancun not in BLCU over priced...

Gym

There's no free gym -- you have to pay to join it.

Tip from Brian US: They normally run special offers at the end/beginning of the semester for 800 kuai for a year. I did not know it was a limited offer and a day after the offer expired I was quoted at 1,000 yuan for the gym. I think 500 for a semester special and the normal price is 1200 for a year. This does not include using the pool or other facilities.

Maybe someone who already uses the gym can go into more detail about the activities, because the price put me off from joining. My friend says dance classes and cycling are included in the gym membership. He puts down a 10 kuai deposit to reserve a bike for cycling. You can also get a personal trainer, but I forgot the prices.

Another friend told me of a smaller, yet cheaper, gym just North of campus for about 550 for a year. I am going home this month and I'll compare both places next month to see which is a better deal.

Pool

BrianUS: If I just wanted to use the pool for the year it was 1,600rmb. You can also get a 20 pass card to the pool for 200 kuai. I did have a friend who was quoted at 900 yuan and made a fuss about the 800 yuan offer until they gave in. Look for deals at the beginning of the semester and feel free to haggle.

Badminton

A friend told me he pays around 30 to use the badminton courts for an hour.

Laundry

Most buildings have a laundry room on each floor with coin-operated washing machines. While there are often two machines on each floor, there might be only one dryer for the whole building. Be prepared to fight for the dryer and do have a clothesline in your room, one for each roommate. We both hang our clothes to dry. The bathroom is not only the most obvious room but also the warmest room. It's 4RMB for the washing machines and 8RMB for the dryer. The machines are operated by special coins that you have to buy from the reception in your dorm. There are also laundry services on campus that will wash and dry your clothes for you. They cost around 20-30RMB. A few of my friends swear by them.

It is probably recommend to be there during the washing cycle (reading a book) as, like everywhere else, sometimes clothes are stolen...though nobody made any mention of this.

Bicycle

If you are buying a bike invest in the extra kuai and get yourself a good lock...i learned the hard lesson of getting my bike stolen since i had a cheapass lock. U can get good bikes that are 2nd hand, i suggest (if u can read and/or bold enough) go ahead and browse the tsinghua uni BBS http://www.newsmth.net/frames.html in this site are many post about their 2nd hand bicycles. However, u dont need a bicycle to get around BLCU as everything is walking distance.

Taxi from Airport to BLCU (June 2009)

Taxi from the university to the airport (and vice versa) will cost between 100-150rmb. I think I spent about 89rmb the last time I took the taxi to the airport, but this was also at like 11pm at night and nobody was on the roads. It is about a half hour cab ride. But during rush-hour this is a different story.

Tipping

No tipping! No one expects it -- not even the taxi drivers nor the restaurant staff. Obviously people will be delighted , but will not be expecting it.

XiaoBin: Tipping: never tip! I heard from locals that it means that you think they look poor and need more money.

In regards to gyms around campus:

They normally run special offers at the end/beginning of the semester for 800 kuai for a year. I think 500 for a semester special and the normal price is 1200 for a year. This does not include using the pool or other facilities. I think they quoted me 1600 for just the pool and a friend told me he pays around 30 to use the badminton courts for an hour. You can also get a 20 pass card to the pool for 200 kuai.

Maybe someone who already uses the gym can go into more detail about the activities, because the price put me off from joining. My friend says dance classes and cycling are included in the gym membership. He puts down a 10 kuai deposit to reserve a bike for cycling. You can also get a personal trainer, but I forgot the prices.

Another friend told me of a smaller, yet cheaper, gym just North of campus for about 550 for a year. I am going home this month and I'll compare both places next month to see which is a better deal.

Thanks Brian, that would be appreciated. Wishing you a lovely time with family and friends

Will keep going, so that those looking for info can find a good amount in this and next posts regards accommodation. As I said, this is NOT my original information, but taken from previous posts and brought together, in order to give easier access and a fuller picture.

This post will be about...Dormitories As this is a long post I have decided to break this down.

This one will be specifically related to the dormitories used for Chinese and students with scholarships and some related info.

Dormitories

The most expensive thing is housing. Generally on campus single rooms are about 100-150RMB/day depending in which dorm you live. However, the older dorms (list below) cost about half that price.

Yueni did a superb posting on the dorms. I have merely added comments I found throughout these 17 (?) pages. Her post is dated October 2008 and currently on page 8.

Dorms 1 : Shared bathrooms and squatting toilets. Generally considered to be the lowest quality dorm in BLCU. Mainly male scholarship students are placed here, though there are some females on scholarship too. I've not seen these dorms, but from what I hear, the place is old, and it shows.

Dorm 2 is also reserved mainly for scholarship students.. Chinese students live here only. It's 4 to a room, shared (squatting) toilets, no bathrooms in the entire building. They use public bathrooms to shower that are not in the building. First 6 floors are for female students, above those for male students. There is no A/C and sometimes only 1 elevator/lift works. Rooms in 2 don’t seem to have a fridge.

Dorm 7: I did not find info on this dorm. It seems to be closed now for renovations, so keep an eye out for this one, as it could become the 'newest' one. A post wrote I stayed in building 7, which DOES have single rooms and the amenities are totally acceptable.

Dorm 9: It's basically building 1 for the girls, though there are also some guys here. I live here, so here's the down low on this building. The rooms here are smaller in size than 1, but the quality is better (this is what I've been told). Toilets and bathrooms are communal. There are two public restrooms per floor (total of 6 squatting toilets), and two bathrooms (total of 4 showers available). There are approximately 20 rooms per floor, 2 people per room. There are a few single rooms, but most of them are on the first floor. It costs 35RMB/day to stay here.

It’s 5 stories and does not have an elevator. It is about 10-15 minutes from the main classroom building. It might be less if you're a short term student and use a different building than the one long term students go to.

I stayed in dorm 9, and didn't find it super bad or anything. It's definitely not the best place I've ever stayed in, but it worked out fine for me.

Dorms 10 & 11: Female Chinese students live here. 4 to a room, etc. etc. Basically all that Yueni wrote for Dorm 2 applies here too.

Dorms 12 and 13: closed for renovations. This is previous feedback: The buildings aren't brand new, but the rooms are fairly decent. 2 to a room, you have your own bathroom (western toilet), and the rooms are larger than building 7. I don't know how they compare to 4 & 6 though. I'm not sure which office runs it. It might be under the same office for 4 & 6. No scholarship students live here, and you will probably lose your scholarship if you move into these dorms.

However, dorms 12 and 13 are closed right now, perhaps permanently to foreigners. I used to be in 13, but they moved everyone out of 12 and 13 at the start of this semester. (March 2009) Rumour mill has it that the university is converting those two dorms to use for Chinese students. I am assuming that these might be renovated and Dorms 1,2,10,11 or 15 basically destroyed to give way for new modern buildings, as it seems that those dorms are most needing to be replaced. (Just a guess)

Dorm 15: Male Chinese students live here. See Buildings 2, 10, 11 etc...

Question often posed : if one is a scholarship student can one upgrade, change dorm? If you're a scholarship student, can you choose a single room at dorms 4, 6 or even Conference Center and pay the difference that your scholarship wouldn't cover? (usually that would make about half of the actual price, or a bit more) -

Answer : I'm a scholarship student, as are some of my friends. I am currently living in Dorm 8, I was in 13 before. I've had friends go from 7 to 4. We are all paying the cost of the dorm MINUS the 30kuai or so that the scholarship takes off for staying in Dorm 1 or 9. This does not apply to the Conference centre, and I don't have any information on whether or not it works for 17, but all of the other dorms that are run by the housing office will remove the 30kuai.

Though it works out to be more like 1/3 of the cost they take off. For Dorm 8, it's originally 90kuai, which goes down to 60 as a scholarship student. I know friends who where allowed to move to dorms 7 and 8 and pay the difference.

Next post will be about the other dormitories though Dorm 17 and the Conference Centre will get a separate post, as their admin identity is different from the other dorms that are administered by the BLCU Housing Centre.

For almost all BLCU dorm payments you have to go to the building behind Yifu Lou (Building...2 I think?), then go to your dorm building to finalize the reservation. For CC and 17 you go directly to those buildings.

Arriving a few days early should not be a problem, if rooms are available. Worse case scenario, you'd have to stay at the conference centre (right on campus) for a night or two.

What I have NEVER found (apart related to dorms 6 & 17) is anybody writing where the dorms are actually located. I think that this would really be helpful as different people have different needs and hobbies. Anybody up to providing this info?

Altea

Nice summary Althea, you've done the thing I haven't had time to do yet! Thanks!

- Dorms: there is some construction going on. I think a couple dorm buildings are temporary closed for that. There will be a new "community building" in BLCU. From what I heard there will be foreign stores in there like KFC, Mc Donalds, KTV place etc. There should be an underground taxi stand, so cabs can drive into BLCU. It should be up and running my coming semester.

As a scholarship student you can change dorms but you have to pay extra. Not sure how it works exactly.

As for the location. BLCU Campus is not that big, you can cross campus within 15min. I don't think that the location will be an issue but can provide some more info if needed.

- Tipping: never tip! I heard from locals that it means that you think they look poor and need more money.

- Internet Cafe's. There is an other internet cafe with computers on campus. It's located across of the Yifu Building. It's not open 24/7 tho

- China Mobile: the number you dial in front of it is not always necessary. It depends what kind of card you buy. I prefer the China Mobile M-zone card. This one has cheap standard rates and you can buy all kinds of packages. Like text bundles and check balance thought text message.

Yuk, had created a whole post when computer crashed. Lost it all.

XiaoBin: Thanks for the precious updates, much appreciated! It's often these little things that make a BIG difference

So, here we go, again:

Dorm 4

This dorm is near the Southern Gate, so just 3-4 minutes from class-room. It is near Runrun Shaw Building and very central (convenient). Hope internet café/restaurant downstairs (you can leech off it in the stairwell on the 1st & 2nd floor, sometimes the 3rd floor) - They don’t lock the doors when it’s past curfew - Some of the fuyuans (cleaning ladies) are nice - Newly installed security cameras - Buzzing with international students. It has a communal kitchen. I discovered super huge dorm rooms here. Laundry rooms are located at 4th and 8th, I believe. You have to get a token. It's 30kuai for 10 credits. Wash 1 credit, dryer 2 credits. If you decide to stay in Dorm Building 4, you might try and avoid the first floor as it is quite noisy.

They don’t seem to have male/female floors here, as in other dorm buildings.

Don't think they have single rooms. Dark furniture in each room and all the basic but don't expect everything to be working.

I stayed at Dorm 4. It was ok and much closer to the classes than Dorm 17 is (quite important when you have to wake up at 7:00 to go to class after a... long night! )

Renovated around 2006. However, one person complained in 2006: I stayed in dorm 4 and it was terrible, dirty, and uncomfortable. I cannot imagine scholarship students' dorms. (Maybe this was before the renovation???)

MrBobn: I'm in Building 4 room 202. The cellings are high, the bathroom isn't great but it does have a toilet and hot water with good pressure. Sleeping on the bed is the equivalent of sleeping on a board, and the air conditioners are actually pretty damn good. You can also get a non wireless internet contection in your room as well. The desks are also pretty nice and large, the TV is okay but there are several english, and one spanish language channels. Also they have maids that come in and take out your trash. Hope that helps. The place is actually pretty nice, and other than the crappy bed, I really like it. I think the school does a great job of accomodating all varieties of people from those who are serious to those who really just want a vaction with a little chinese.

The housing cost MUST be paid in RMB, I originally misread that and thought that I could also use my CC to pay it, so I had to do a large cash advace to cover that fee. Don't make that mistake, oh and get your money converted in China. Most CC's have a 3%-4% surcharge, so I am NOT USING any CC's overseas if at all possible!

Dorm 6

This dorm is located next to the basketball courts, certainly more posh than Dorm 8.

Shower-room in 6 is bigger than in 17. The beds in 6 are softer than 17 (read: less hard, I get a normal mattress which is a bit hard by my standards - theirs (at 17) are about two inches thick and about as soft as wooden planks. ) By the way, here's the number for Dorm 6: 82303308

Dorm 6 is much more strict about visiting times than Dorm 17 though. They will come and knock on your door to make the visitor(s) leave when it's time. Technically 17 has the same visiting hours, but they don't enforce it as strictly.

Dorm 6 is a lot smaller, more soundproofed, has no lounge/study area (although there are some tables outside nearby at the friendship store) and I can go days without seeing anyone else save the receptionist

6 has been recently renovated (around 2006). I have heard from friends in more recent classes that Building 6, even after renovation, is still mosquito heaven.

Xanie wrote in April 2009 -on page 8 - Dorm 6 has more ancient-looking black (painted wood and stone) furnishings with a generally older look.. I get the feeling that not so much thought was put into how the rooms in 6 work as a study space. Another person: My desk has shelves that aren't spaced widely enough to put books on, and a glass top that is way inconvenient if you have an optical mouse as I do.

However these photos: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=photos&gid=2225420973 show light furniture. Can anybody explain this apparent 'divergence'? Can it be that only some floors in 6 have been renovated? If so, which floors? Clarification would be much appreciated!

Dorm 8

An older building. Single rooms have own private bathroom (western toilet). The rooms are small but serviceable. This is where all the scholarship PhD students stay. IIRC it's ~95RMB/day to stay here, but don't quote me on this. I saw a single room here. Seemed quite small. There’s a rumour that there was a death in one of those rooms at the beginning of 2007. Beware, the elevators can jam up. You might not want to stay on the top floors, I was on the 3rd floor which seemed to be low enough to use the stairs when the elevators were off or out of function.

I am quite happy in Dorm 8 and in 2008 I paid 90RMB per day. Basic, but it has it all, TV, fridge, shower and toilet, and later to prove essential, air-conditioning. About the lowest price available for a single room. (photo www.kevinmunns.com/index_files/BLCU.htm)

Recap

It is therefore understandable that Dorm 17 is such a great hit as there are basically only 3 other (and older) Western-style dormitories on campus, these are 4,6 and 8.

Booking

When I phoned (i phoned 3 times to make sure I heard it correctly (+86 10 823 03300) the man I spoke with said I that I needed to wire 4800 RMB, fax my admission form AND the wire receipt to them and they would reserve a room for me and that I needed to bring the same documents with me when coming to see them after registration. However, if the dorm I spoke about would be actually the one they put me in I don't know. I suggest people write add that clearly on a separate piece of paper to the admission form. Will try and find the Housing centre's fax number and add this to the post.

Water to your Room: Some (all?) dorms will deliver a large jug of water to your room for 14 yuan. In dorm 17 you pay a 50 yuan deposit at the dorm store and take the receipt to the front desk. When done early enough, the water will be delivered within the day. Thanks Brian US for the tip!

As accommodation on campus is pretty expensive it makes sense that people are tempted to rent and share an apartment outside campus.

There are still a question that need answering here related to what has been renovated in Dorm 6 and any other comments that might be a) more up-to-date B) needing corrections and c) adding to - especially as these relate to the only 3 western-style dorms on campus...

Ciao for now,

Altea

And now to... Dorm 17

Okay, we know now why this one is so popular: there are only 3 other dorms that offer en-suite rooms with western-style toilets: these are 4, 6 and 8. Dorm 17 is the newest one.

Please note that Dorm 17 and the Conference Centre are administered by a separate administrative entity. These two places can also be booked in advance, though when I telephoned the BLCU Housing Centre (intl+86 - 10 - 8230 3300) I was told I could book through them as well, with a deposit and an advance on the fee of 4800rmb. The receipt was then to be taken to the building behind Yifu Lou (Building...2 I think?), then go to your dorm building to finalize the reservation. For CC and 17 you go directly to those buildings.

Dorm 17

Dorm 17 is the most popular and most difficult to book. It is universally acknowledged that dorm 17 (the new international dorm) is the best dorm on campus. It is one of the most popular dorms, the newest, the cleanest, because it opened in 2006. 17 is a lot prettier and looks more modern, with nice sanded wooden furniture. It is located outside the BLCU West Gate. Most Westeners, Koreans and Japanese stay here. Not all people seem to study at BLCU however, as I read that some of the Koreans work at SK. It is usually booked solid at any time during the year.

It is generally assumed that Dorm 17 has bigger rooms though many are disputing this. However, in general, Dorm 17 gives a feeling of there being more space. 17 is a lot busier; there are more people, and plenty of people hanging out in the lobby or studying on the tables just outside. But this is also because there is free wireless @ 17's lobby, hence a lot of students & their laptops like to hang out around there.

Pros: It’s newer (clean) - The fuyuans (cleaning ladies) are nice - It’s “off campus” - Closer to Wudaokou and train station - Private gate keepers - Buzzing with international students - Dorm 17 can be booked in advance. However, Dorm 17 does not offer refunds to students who wish to move out early.

Downside: furtherest away from Building 1 (the main study building), this means waking up extra early in the mornings to get to class just before 8 am or even buying a bike and lock (highly recommended) - the walls are pretty thin there and you can hear whatever goes on around the floor.

I am very happy with dorm 17 and would encourage anyone to spend the extra. Having a double helps with the wallet.

For those sharing a room: I'm in Dorm 17. While it is reasonable, I wouldn't say that the bathrooms aren’t that great. A curtain separates the shower from the toilet, and the bathrooms are very easy to flood. I have a pair of sandals that I use when I go to the bathroom. The beds are also very hard, not that I mind.

The main benefit of dorm 17 is the bedding configuration. Instead of the standard side by side beds as seen in hotels, the beds in dorm 17 lie back to back and are separated by a small partition, giving abit more privacy.

Somebody else: I went inside once and it was fabulous. I heard it's almost impossible to book a single room there.

I'd only say that dorm 17 is marginally better than dorm 4, and is priced accordingly at an extra Y4 more a day (Y60 compared to Y56). What sealed the deal for me was the bedding configuration.

Tip from Brian US: In dorm 17 you pay a 50 yuan deposit at the dorm store for a large jug of water and take the receipt to the front desk. When done early enough, the water will be delivered within the day. Thanks Brian

The Conference Centre

The Conference Centre (CC) is bang in the middle of campus, central to everything. Only about 3-4 minutes to the classroom. They have separate rooms for long term stay and short stay. Rooms for long term stay might not always be available, as they are booked fast. This is because the conference center is the only on campus accommodation you can book about a month in advance. (Dorm 17 can also be booked in advance, but it is just outside the BLCU West Gate) The fees will go down if you stay longer. Conference Centre is 115 RMB/day if you stay over 150 days (on the website, that is 5 months...). However, I corresponded with Karen L at Unipath, and she wrote "115 RMB per night paid in advance for each semester" The fees include daily buffet style Chinese breakfast with buns, congee, eggs etc. The rooms are cleaned daily (ie bathroom cleaned, rubbish removed), vacuumed once a week and sheets changed once a week.

The CC has a Chinese Restaurant, Korean/Japanese Restaurant, Café with 'free' Wifi (you need to buy drink), a little shop selling snacks and various supplies, and a hairdresser The restaurants are very handy on a rainy or cold day especially if you don't want to go out. There are 2 laundry rooms that use tokens (30kuai for 10 tokens/credits, wash 1 token/credit, dryer 2 tokens/credits).

Let me first clarify that the BLCU Conference Centre is NOT a dorm, it’s meant to be for short stays (like a hotel) but there are students who use it for long term use. You can probably meet more people at Dorm 17 because it’s bigger, but the Conference Center is practically a dorm AND it’s China (= busy) The CC is a bit higher standard too, a higher price, which leads too that it's packed with Koreans , Westerners and almost no Chinese people.

Pros: The CC can be booked in advance by calling them or let someone go there and book it for you. You will need to speak Chinese, as it appears people at the front desk won't be able to speak english (blog Aug 2009). They will offer refunds to students who wish to move out early. For those who need a feeling of 'safety' the CC (as it is on Campus) will feel safer than venturing outside campus. There is free Wifi in the lobby.

While Dorm 17 locks its gates at 11pm (need to wake up guard if you come in later), the CC is open all the time (because it operates like a hotel).

Downside of CC: Rooms are relatively small and don’t have a lot of storage space. Some of the bathrooms seem to flood, advise is to take short showers! the don’t have a real kitchen, just two heating rings (hotplates) and maybe a microwave on the 7th floor.

If you want to arrive earlier, the CC is also the place to come to prior to registration, allowing you to explore the campus and start orientating yourself; again, because it operates like an on-campus hotel.

Personally I would go for the Conference Center because I’m lazy and I like my sleep

Raymond23's super thread is to be recommended:

http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/2-favourite-chinese-musician3907

Unfortunately I have never been able to open the youtube link (am getting another video)

'ferrarii' gave super tip regards CC: ....went to the dorm but was full. I got into CC quite easy as there were still a several or a lot of rooms left when i came. If u stay in CC try to get the 'west' facing rooms as the other side does not give good views.

Conference Center

Pros: Very well lit rooms, provides great atmosphere for studying

Close to classroom as it is situated in the middle of the campus.

FREE BREAKFAST EVERY MORNING

Cons: Rooms are smaller than Dorm 17

No Microwave or Kitchen

Dorm 17

Pros: New Building for foreign students only.Easy to meet others like you studying aboard

Rooms are large and comfortable

Microwave and Kitchen

Cons: You can't be 100% sure that they will assign you to Dorm 17

The farthest of all Dorms and CC to classrooms.

These some points I can think of now. Anyways feel free to reply and ask questions about these. Hope these are helpful to you guys.

For more info about the Conference Center - 008610 8230 3778

http://www.blcu.edu.cn/conference/kfjsh.html#2

I can not stress this enough. I only have gathered info here that was already posted by others, others caring enough to clarify things for those who are hoping to arrive but still unclear of this big 'unknown' - Hope this was of help.

Altea

And if there is no Accommodation at BLCU ??

Other dorm-style Accommodation and Apartments - outside BLCU Campus

Other dorm-style Accommodation

You could try to call the Beijing Foreign Student Activities centre on +861051971888 - its not far from BLCU and its a nice place... They have standard rooms, luxury rooms and studio rooms. Studio rooms come at 150rmb a day.

http://www.iscbeijing.com/accommodation_fees.htm

However, I read somewhere, that like Unipath, they require a fee/joining fee. Unipath charges a US$150 fee for booking (am not sure if this is a one-off or repeat fee) and CSI charges a one-off fee of 10'500rmb (154US$) to join the CSI Club.

Beijing Foreign Student Activities Center

No. 3-1 Zhixinxi Rd; Haidian District Beijing 100083

8610-51971888-8888 or 62399884 0086-10-6232-0450 E-mail: info@iscbj.com

From another post:

Beijing Foreign Student Activities Center (now called International Students Center/ISC): Where I stayed, about 15-20 minutes walking, 5 minutes on a very convenient bus line or taking a taxi - they provide a free shuttle bus every morning to campus so you only have to take the bus home.

If you decide to go to where I lived, I know they offer great discounts to those who stay over two months and pay upfront. If you get a roommate it's even cheaper. If I had stayed over two months I would have paid about $10 per night for my single room, the girls down the hall from me paid for two months and were only paying about $5 each per night, same as on campus but you get your own bathroom. In the room you get your own private bathroom (western style) and TV, a/c unit, water cooler base (you buy the water at 15 kuai for a large bottle), refrigerator, desk with chair, some small shelves, nightstand and bed, small closet, and some rooms you can have internet access for $15-18 per month. The laundry machines are free to use. Depending on the amount per night you pay you either have free electricity or pay once every few weeks (a very nominal fee). The bus to campus is 1 kuai (15-20 cents) and the shuttle in the morning to class is free. You can also easily get a bike and park it downstairs, they have a large area for this.

The place I lived is more comparable to a long term stay place in other countries, where they take your trash and provide you with repair support and all the in-room amenities you'll need, but other than that you have to clean your own bed sheets and your bathroom etc. I actually preferred having my privacy and not having someone in my room every day (they won't enter your room unless you're there). If I go back to Beijing to study at BLCU again (and I probably will) then I'll stay here again because I got a single room with my own bathroom and a desk -- the two things that enabled me to be comfortable and have privacy when I needed it the most (e.g. to study for exams).

I will agree with the previous poster regarding the cheap apartment opportunities except for one thing: I have heard mixed reviews of apartment living. Basically, you don't exactly know what you're getting into when you rent a place in a foreign country, particularly in a place like China. Be aware that problems may arise with the landlord or with neighbors and you have very little rights in a place like that. On the other hand, at a place like the Conference Center or where I stayed, you wouldn't have to worry so much about a lot because someone else is taking care of it for you. For instance, you have to register yourself with the local police station, which the hotel places or campus will do for you but I doubt a random apartment place will do that. Then there's the matter of phone, internet, electricity, and water bills, again which can be handled easily by where you're staying, or you can try and battle it out with a landlord or on your own with a Chinese company. (If you're new to Chinese this is not a good option because these people will most likely not speak a lick of English.)

Apartments outside BLCU

Comment: If u ask me I think all dorms at BLCU are overpriced and should be avoided. I payed less than 2000/month 9each person) for our 150sqm 3bedroom apartment at WuDaouKou (split with two others) and I'm planning to do the same this time around. If you're here for a year, renting an apartment may be the best value for your money. I have a friend who lives in a big complex behind my hotel with a Chinese roommate, and I think their 2-BR apartment is 2400/month, so it's about 40/night for each of the two people living there. You get a LOT more space than in the dorm rooms. The location is not quite as convenient as living in the dorms, but it's only a 20-minute or so walk to class for her. The cheapest is to find an 3br apartment so if you know anyone else who's interested we should get a 3br one. it will be around 2000 each.

Pros and Cons: like any apartment living anywhere in the world.

I will not write more on this as there are many posts and the situation changes often as so many students come and go and some stay longer term and others shorter term. I have already seen many posts with people coming in for this next term (March 2010) being offered an apartment space as there are students that are leaving. Those leaving will also leave paying rents and as this needs to be payed no matter what then other students need to take their place. Therefore those in apartments with empty rooms are keen to attract room-mates. Probably best bulletin boards at BLCU are by the friendship store. Other links: www.beijing.asiaxpat.com There are plenty of offers on campus, make a few choices and go and see the place. Staying off-campus not only allows financial savings but this also offers a more direct contact with the Chinese citizen and will force students to practice their Mandarin

You might want to visit MikeyNinja91's thread at

http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/23067-blcu-spring-semester-2010

Info on apartments: Roddy posted a useful link at

http://www.chinese-forums.com/bj/chinhous.html

Obviously, there is also the option to stay at hotels near the campus but I have not looked into that. Will leave that to others. While going through the posts I have not gathered this info, nor on the teaching.

Ciao for now,

Altea