How to apply for university accommodation in China
Each university has a variety of room types and facilities and its own distinctive identity and social calendar. When you apply for accommodation you will usually be able to choose a college, let length and room type.
Key points to consider before you apply:
1. Spend time reviewing the facilities, price, payment installment and social life of each of the college accommodation.
2. Decide on at least two preferred combinations of college, room type, and let length because your first preference may not always be available when applying since the accommodation is usually allocated on a first-book-first-served basis.
3. Some universities locate accommodation when students arrive at the campus, that is to say, you don’t need to book the room in advance, while some other universities require you to book the accommodation before you arrive the university due to the limitation of rooms available, usually these universities will require deposit and will return to you after you arrive on time. So please make it clear about accommodation arrangement of the university.
4. For safety, most of universities don’t allow new undergraduate students to live off-campus, but for postgraduate students, you might be permitted to rent a room outside the university.
Some universities’ accommodation booking is managed through an online system and students can express a preference for a particular hall, however this cannot be guaranteed. For universities don’t have an online system, students can contact the university directly by email or phone call or contact their education agent to make an application on students’ behalf.
For students who will be studying in universities of China, you can apply for the accommodation on this site.
Accommodation type and fees in China’s universities
Each university has different types of rooms available to international students. The following information is for your reference.
Pre-arrival checklist
Check each of these off when you have completed them. This will help you to see what else you have left to do and help you to identify and seek help for any areas which might be troubling you.
Have you
â–¡ Confirmed any visa requirements that you may have?
â–¡ Booked accommodation and made any necessary advanced payments?
â–¡ Checked whether your country imposes any restrictions on taking money out of it?
â–¡ Ensured that you have sufficient cash or travellers cheques to live for a week or more while you open a China bank account?
â–¡ Checked restrictions on goods which can be brought into the UK?
â–¡ Booked a seat on a university-provided coach or arranged alternative travel arrangements from an airport to the University?
â–¡ Ensured you know the details of the University's orientation program for International students?
â–¡ Ensured that your hand luggage contains your passport, acceptance letter, documents such as qualification certificates, accommodation confirmation email and money?
â–¡ Arranged how you plan to communicate upon arrival in China?
â–¡ Ensured you know who to contact in case of an emergency?
â–¡ Arranged to bring any medication required as well as a doctor’s letter of explanation?
â–¡ Obtained any relevant medical records, including vaccination certificates?
â–¡ Arranged travel insurance for your property?
â–¡ Arranged medical insurance if it applies to you?
â–¡ Ensured you know your rights and responsibilities?
â–¡ Budgeted for any family members accompanying you?
â–¡ Made enquiries for school and nursery places if bringing children?
â–¡ Checked the support website for further information on culture, food, shopping, banking, healthcare, employment and student life at China?
How to open a Chinese bank account in China
International students are suggested to open a Chinese bank account when they arrive the university. In China, some universities will help international students open bank accounts so that students don’t worry about this; while in most cases, universities require students to open Chinese bank account themselves and hence it’s necessary for you to get the knowledge of how to open bank account in China. Here are some tips for your reference.
1. Where to open the Chinese bank account?
Generally foreigners can easily open a bank account in a Chinese bank. There are many Chinese banks in China, such as Bank of China, Agricultural Bank of China, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, China Construction Bank, China Development Bank and so on. You can open a Chinese bank account in any of these Chinese banks. The largest four banks in China are Bank of China, Agricultural Bank of China, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and China Construction Bank, which have many branch banks spread in different cities of China, so we strongly recommend students to open the bank account in one of these four banks. The relevant websites are listed in the end of this article.
Bank of China is the most internationalized and diversified bank in China and it provides full range of financial services in China's mainland, Hong Kong, Macau and other 31 countries, therefore, this bank that helps you wire money overseas might be your preferred bank. Its ways to contact overseas branches are also listed in the end.
2. How to open a bank account?
The procedure of opening a bank account is stated below
Step 1
Before you enter into the bank, you should prepare some materials. One necessary document you need to bring with is your valid passport, but in some cases, a residence permit is also needed.
Step 2
After you enter into the bank, you can ask the bank receptionist for help and they will guide you with the procedure of opening the bank account. They will ask you for the documents that are needed and help you print these materials. In most banks, the print is free of charge but in some banks, you will be charged five Jiao or one Yuan.
Step 3
After that, you will be given a form to fill in. Usually, there is a reference form presented on the clerk desk. You can take this form for reference and if you have any questions, you can ask the bank receptionist for help.
Step 4
With the printed materials and filled form, you should then get a queue number from the Automatic Number Machine and wait on the waiting desk (Sometimes if there are too many people are waiting in the bank, you can also get this number when you enter the bank and then do other things that mentioned in the above to save time). Please pay attention to the broadcast and electronic screen while waiting there.
Step 5
It’s your turn to deal with your business when your number is called. You should only give your printed materials and filled form to the banker who will help you open the bank account. To open a Chinese RMB account, you have to pay a deposit of 10-15 Yuan in most banks but the charge may be different in different banks.
After you have gone through all these steps, you will be given a debit card or a bank book. With this card or book, you can deposit or withdraw money, exchange currencies and wire money overseas.
Several Ways for Foreign Students to Bring Money to China
Many foreign students and their parents are indeed troubled by the problem of remitting money from their own country to China, according to this situation, we collected some relevant information and compiled several ways of bring money to China, hoping to provide some guidance and help.
1. Western Union
Apply to people who need remittance for emergency. Western Union can guarantee that the remittance could reach to the recipient within minutes from the sender in the globe.
Advantages:
1. Instant exchange
2. No designated bank for depositing and withdrawing, services available in every agent.
3. The export amount equal to the amount remitted without deductions during the process.
4. No charges for transferring currency to remittance
5 Each transaction is protected by electronic security systems with both monitor password and optional password for verification; it can ensure remittances being delivered to the payees all in full in time safely.
6. No need of credit card, bank account, membership or proof of nationality
Disadvantages:
1It need the phone number to verify the recipient’s information in the first time, the sender also need to carry an ID card, monitor number and other relevant information
2. Not all the branches of Agricultural Bank of China and China Post can handle the business in China, it depends the Region orientation of the banks
3. Western Union charge the service fee in accordance with the amount of remittance fees, high service charge
4. The withdrawal in China only support USD and RMB
Suggestions: make remittance with USD or RMB is better; it can reduce the loss caused by exchange rate differential
2. Money Gram
Apply to people who studies abroad, travels abroad, investigates abroad, etc.
The sender and recipient must be individuals.
Advantages:
1. Fast speed of remittance, remittance can reach to the recipient in ten minutes generally.
2. Reasonable charge, no telegram charge or deduction in the middle process.
3. Simple procedures, no need of bank account
4. No charge for the recipient
Tips: service charge
Remittance of $ 1500 or less, $ 8
Remittance $ 1500 - $ 2500, $ 15
Remittance $ 2500 - $ 9000, $ 25
Remittances below $ 900 no need of any credentials
Remittance of $ 3000 or less needs valid identity card of mainland or other countries.
Remittance of $ 6000 needs the transactor to provide passport
More than 6,000 need work cards and ID
Single remittance shall not exceed 10,000 U.S. dollars.
3. To carry cash
Exchange in the airport
Licensed money changers in Beijing Capital International airport can provide currency exchange services, foreigners can exchange with passport in the luggage-arriving spot of airport Terminal T2 and the international arrivals and international departure of Terminal T3.
Advantages:
1. Service available in 24 hours generally
2. Convertibility of 16 currencies include U.S dollars, Euros, yens, etc.
Disadvantages:
1. It’s unsafe for taking along cash; you can hardly avoid the pickpocket or other accidents.
2. High commission charge（each case charge RMB50）
3. People are required to report to the customs when the amounts of the cash they carry with exceed the prescribed amount of the authority.
Exchange in the bank or other institutions
1. Generally, the office hours of banks are from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, the specific conditions depend on the difference of the region and which kind of bank it belongs to.
2. Most agencies can provide exchange service of US Dollar, Euro, Japanese yen, Hong Kong Dollar and the Pound.
3. Automatic currency exchange machine in some places can provide 24 hours exchange service.
Tips:
Non-residents who carry more than $ 5000 or other foreign currency equivalent enter into China, must to report to the customs and provide a written declaration and complete the register procedure, and then they are allowed to through the customs.
4. To carry international credit card Many kinds of cards issued by international credit card organizations can use in the ATM machine in China, but the most common cards are VISA and MasterCard.
Tips:
1. Other types of cards (American Express / Diners / Discovery / JCB, etc.) are relatively rare, it is recommended to carry VISA cards to come to China.
2. The cards issued by foreign banks cannot be used to get cash from the counter of Chinese banks; you need to go to the designated bank which could provide that service if you need a large amount of cash.
5. To carry travel check
Advantage:
Travel check is flexible and convenient to use. It has a fixed par value without limits about where and when to use. There are no need to worry about the problem of lost and being stolen.
Disadvantage:
It needs the signature of the transactor and high service charge. Usually, it is not suitable for remittance.
6 Telegraphic transfer, mail transfer and demand draft Applies to people have bank accounts in China.
1. Telegraphic transfer is a kind of remittance way which uses telegram or telex as the settlement tool. It has the characteristics of relatively faster receivable and higher cost.
The remitter need to pay the telegraph costs, usually, it is used in the urgent situation or large amount of money needed.
2. Mail transfer use the mail transfer power of attorney or the payment order as a settlement tool; demand draft use the bank draft at sight as a settlement tool.
3. The differences between demand draft and the other two ways are as below:
a. The bank charge the abouchement has no need to inform the payee to withdraw money, and the payee need to hold the withdraw ticket to take out the money.
b. Demand draft can be transferable or circulated if there are no restrictions while the other two cannot.
4. Mail transfer and demand draft are sent by post, the costs are relatively lower compare to telegraphic transfer, but the speed is relatively slower under the same conditions.
In short, you can choose a suitable remittance way according to the specific circumstances of yourself or your family and the some other relevant aspects
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