Upon Your Arrival

Updated:22/07/11 15:43:14 PM CST

After Landing

You can take a taxi to your university or the airport shuttle bus to the city center. Please take some cash that you can exchange into RMB (the currency in China) upon arrival at the airport.

Some cities like Beijing and Shanghai have high-speed trains from the airport to the city. Taxis are metered in China. You are not advised to take a ‘black cab’ (unlicensed, non-metered taxi). In big cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, taxis cost 40 US cents per kilometer on average. It is not customary to tip drivers in China. If your university has more than one campus, make sure you know which campus you are heading for.

Arrival at night

If you arrive at night, you might have to reserve a hotel before your departure. The warden of a student residence may not let you check-in before you’ve registered with the university.

Registration Procedures

Once you’ve arrived, you’ll have to register with both the university and the local police station. If you live on campus, the university should help you to register with the police. If you choose to rent an apartment off-campus, you may have to go to the police station with your landlord.

According to your admission notice, you may be asked to pay for the tuition when registering with the university. Please notice that many Chinese universities only accept tuition payment in cash in RMB. You should exchange money before the registration date.

Living off campus

Most universities will allow you to live off campus but you should check with them before you make arrangements. Local listings in English are typically available on expat community websites (a sample of which are listed below). Just be aware that most housing ads you find are posted by agents who may charge an agent fee when you sign the contract (typically one month’s rent) and who may not speak English. As with anywhere, rent various considerably depending on location and the condition of the apartment. Browse the listings first to get a sense of local prices, then try your hand at bargaining!

Websites with listings for housing:

echinacities.com
City Weekend
weliveinchina.com
Beijing: The Beijinger
Shanghai: Shanghai Expat

Culture Shock

When you first arrive in China, culture shock will be unavoidable. Homesickness is inevitable. Don’t worry. The majority of foreigners (or lǎowài, as the locals say) quickly come to embrace the quirkiness of life in China and fall in love with the very things that are most perplexing!

Don’t forget, you are always welcome to contact us for help. And we’d love to hear you share your experiences in China with us.