Year Abroad in China
University regulations stipulate that students of Chinese Studies spend their third year in China. In order to maintain control of the students’ programme in China, the Faculty has arranged that students study at either Ocean University of China in Qingdao, or Peking University in Beijing. It is perhaps worth emphasising that both programmes are the same in content and are taught by highly competent teachers. Beijing is the capital city of China, and Qingdao is a medium-sized city (according to the Chinese standard) located on the east coast of China.
The Study Abroad Co-ordinator for Chinese Studies is Dr Boping Yuan.
I. Costs
Airfares from London to Beijing currently run to about £800 for a round-trip ticket (although tickets may be found for lower prices by booking far in advance or not taking direct flights), and an air ticket from Beijing to Qingdao (one-hour flight) costs about £80. Below is the information about the tuition fees for 2013-2014 and other estimated costs.
Peking University in Beijing
| Tuition | £2400 |
| Registration | (included in the tuition fee) |
| Accommodation in the campus: | |
| A single room in Shaoyuan foreign students’ dormitory | approx. £300 - £390 per month |
| A flat outside the campus (depending on the location, the size, the condition, etc.): | |
| Low rent | approx. £300 per month |
| Mid-rate rent | approx. £400 per month |
| High rent | approx. £600 per month |
(plus a deposit (approx. one-month rent), water/electricity/heating bills, and a commission charge (approx. one-month rent) if via an agent |
|
Ocean University in Qingdao
| Tuition | £1200 |
| Registration | (included in the tuition fee) |
| Accommodation in the campus: | |
| A single room in a foreign students’ dormitory | £160 - £190 per month (57-60 yuan/day) |
| A flat outside the campus (depending on the location, the size, the condition, etc.): | |
| One-bedroom flat | £130 - £160 per month |
| Two-bedroom flat | £180 - £220 per month |
| Three-bedroom flat | £230 - £280 per month |
(plus a deposit (approx. one month rent), water/electricity/heating bills, and a commission charge (approx. one-month rent) if via an agent |
|
Each student will have to obtain a resident permit from a local public security bureau within 30 days of their arrival in China, which may cost £50 for a permit within 12 months. Students should contact their chosen Chinese university first when preparing all documents for resident permit application.
If students are travelling in China prior to starting their courses at university, they will still have to obtain a residence permit within 30 days of arrival.
Students need to apply for an "X" visa. The "L" and "F" visa may not be changed to the "X" visa in China
Students will be required to have a health examination (if they have not done so in their home country before going to China), which may cost approximately £50. The costs for food, travel, and daily necessities are relatively inexpensive and vary with individual students. Students are encouraged to talk to fourth year students who studied in China to get useful information from them.
Students are encouraged to take out medical and travel insurance. They should also be made aware that visitors need a passport valid for six months after their date of departure before they will be able to apply for a visa.
Students will be required to sign a form [download here] agreeing to pay the fee to the Chinese university in full upon arrival, agreeing to abide by the arrangements and agreeing to reimburse the Faculty should they discontinue the course after their return from China.
The Study Abroad Coordinator, Dr Boping Yuan, will be happy to answer questions about the period abroad.
II. Course Arrangements for Studies in China
A. OPTION 1: Peking University (Beijing Daxue)
Contacts and correspondence address:
Ms. L1 Ke
International Students Division
Office of International Relations
Shaoyuan Building 3, Room 117
Peking University
Beijing, 100871
People’s Republic of ChinaEmail: etolike@pku.edu.cn
Tel: ++ (86-10)-627 58203
Fax: ++(86-10)-6275 9754
B. OPTION 2: Ocean University of China
Contacts and correspondence address:
Mr. CHEN Zhixi or Prof. NING Aihua
International Education Centre
Ocean University of China
23 Eastern Hong Kong Road
Qingdao, 266071
The People’s Republic of ChinaEmail: iec@mail.ouc.edu.cn or iec@public.qd.sd.cn or irisning@ouc.edu.cn
Tel: ++86-532-5901666, ++86-532-5901555
Fax: ++86-532-5901868
C. Period of study
The courses at both Peking University and Ocean University of China start around the beginning of September and finish around the end of June in the following year. There are breaks for Mid-Autumn Festival (30th September 2012), National Day (1st-7th October 2012), Spring Festival (10th February 2013, holiday should last from the middle of January until the middle of February), Qingming Festival (April 4th 2013) and Dragon Boat Festival (June 12th 2013).
D. Courses
There are 15 hours of teaching per week at both Peking University and Ocean University of China:
- Readings in Classical Chinese (i.e. texts specified by Cambridge)
- Readings in Classical Literature (i.e. Hong lou meng, San guo yan yi, Shui hu zhuan, Xi you ji, etc.)
- Modern and Contemporary Literature
- Newspaper readings
- Chinese aural and oral
- Chinese writing
- English-Chinese Translation
Dissertation guidance/advice (upon request)
E. Attendance and examinations
Students must attend all classes and take all the examinations, unless they have good reasons not to do so. There are exams in the middle and at the end of both the autumn and spring semesters. Peking University and Ocean University of China send the University of Cambridge a report of each student's academic performance, class attendance and examination results for the courses.
F. Paying fees
Students should pay their tuition fees and registration fees in full to the Chinese university upon arrival (within one week of the registration). This can be done in cash, by bank transfer (be aware that many banks impose fees or restrictions on international payments), or by card if students choose to set up a Chinese bank account. Students who choose to set up a bank account in China will need to provide both their passports and residence permits.
G. Preparation for study in China
1. Students should fill in an Application Form for Foreign Students Wishing to Study in Peking University/Ocean University of China, which can be downloaded at Peking University (www.isd.pku.edu.cn/upload/2012011201385163703757.doc) and Ocean University of China (iec.ouc.edu.cn/haida/shenqingbiao.HTM). (Website: iec.ouc.edu.cn)
The completed form must be handed to Dr. Boping Yuan no later than Tuesday, 23rd April, 2013.
2. Peking University and Ocean University of China are expected to send each student, in June, a notice of admission and necessary documents for a successful visa application at the Chinese Embassy in London. Students should then apply for the visa as soon as possible.
3. The University collects the tuition fee at about half the normal rate while the student is abroad. In general, Colleges do not charge College fees for students of Chinese while they are abroad but it is the responsibility of the student to confirm this with their own college.
4. The University may make a contribution towards tuition fees for approved courses upon production of valid receipts. The confirmation will be announced by the Faculty Office in due course.
5. Students eligible for tuition fee or maintenance loans who are spending the year overseas with the agreement of their institution may be entitled to an increased maintenance loan and half the regular tuition fee loan (paid directly to the home institution). Students should log into their student finance account to change the details of their next year's application (specifying that they will be living outside the UK for all three terms) as soon as possible to avoid late arrival of loan payments. Students may also be entitled to a travel grant; see here for more information.
Students' finance is a tutorial matter and is not dealt with by the Faculty. Students must be aware that it is their responsibility to ascertain what level of support they can obtain.
6. It is also the student's own responsibility to secure a visa for China. The official website of the China Visa Application Service Center can be found at www.visaforchina.org
7. Students are advised to take out medical insurance in their home country before going to China. Specialised "year abroad" packages for students are available from some insurers.
Students preparing for their year abroad may find the following, student-written, guide to some of the practicalities helpful: Chinese YA Guide (your Raven password will be required to download this PDF file from outside the University).
