Visa China

Admission Notice
Once you're accepted, your Chinese university will send you (probably via global EMS or airmail) a document packet containing:

• Original JW202 Form (Foreign students visa application form)
• Letter of Acceptance from your Chinese School (Admission Notice)

You will need to take both of these documents to your nearest Chinese consulate or embassy to apply for your Chinese student Visa (X-Visa). You can't download a JW202 form since the school has to fill it out in Chinese, stamp it (nothing is official in China without being stamped) and sign it themselves. Therefore, if you haven't received your JW202 form yet from your school and your departure date is approaching, you should get in touch with them to find out what you have to do to finish processing your Chinese student Visa.
After receiving the university's Admission Notice and the JW202 Form, you may begin preparations for studying abroad in China.

Visa
Applicants who will study in China need to apply for visa. Foreign students studying in China are required to hold an ordinary passport and student visa (X-visa) (issued to foreign students who will study for more than six months in China) or F-visa (study period of 6 months or less). Those who will study for less than 6 months should apply for F-visa holders. If you enter China on a visa which is not a student visa (e.g. a tourist visa), you will be required to change your visa into a student visa after entering China.

Where do I apply for a Chinese visa?
Applicants may apply for a Chinese visa from the nearest Chinese Embassies and Chinese Consulates.

Materials needed in visa application:
1) Passport

2) Visa Application Form (available from your nearest Chinese Embassy or Consulate)

3) Original Admission Notice

4) Original JW202 form (Foreign students visa application form)

5) Foreigners Physical Examination Record (in some cases, see below for details)

Medical Examination

All foreigners who come to China for study are required to undergo a medical examination either before or after they enter China. In some cases, you must pass the medical examination before you apply for a visa (and submit the Foreigners’ Physical Exam Record with your visa application). Check with your nearest Chinese Embassy or Consulate. If you are not required to undergo the examination in order to apply for a visa, you will have to do it in China in order to obtain your residence permit. This will cost about 100 U.S dollars (may differ depending on the city).

Download: Physical Examination Record for Foreigner.pdf

Money Affairs

Please be reminded that many Chinese universities only accept tuition payment in cash in RMB (the abbreviation of Chinese Currency, Ren Min Bi). Students should change money before the registration date.  You are required to present your passport to change money/travelers checks etc.

• Cash: All the universities accpet cash in RMB. It is possible to exchange cash at most banks in China.
• Traveler's cheques: Some universities accpet travelers' cheques as a tuition payment method. If you want to pay tuition by traveler's cheque, please check with the school in advance. Don't worry if you take traveler's cheques, Bank of China can cash traveler's cheques sold by international commercial banks and traveler's cheque companies.
• Credit/ debit cards: Some universities accept payment by credit card, but a 3%-4% service fee will be charged when using these cards. Cash withdrawals from ATMs are available on most common credit/debit cards e.g. American Express/Visa/MasterCard/Cirrus, but this facility is not available from all ATMs in China and a service fee will usual apply. Check with your credit/debit card provider for specifics before leaving your home country.
• Money Wire Transfer: Western Union money transfer allows instant money wiring to and from 100 countries. Receivers can withdraw either RMB or USD.
• Chinese bank account: If you plan to stay in China for a long period of time, you might want to consider opening a bank account with a local bank. This is relatively straightforward, just make sure you bring your passport. You can then transfer money from a bank account in your home country and withdraw RMB using your Chinese ATM card.