Frequently Asked Questions

Please select a section below for more information.

Pre-Departure Information

1. Application to a program

China Unipath's Mandarin language programs are open to all applicants worldwide, provided that:

Here are the steps you should follow to apply for our programs:

And it's really just that simple! Once we have received your completed application form, documentation and payment, we will process your application immediately. During this time, we will make sure you are kept updated on the status of your application all the way from start to finish.

In order to be enrolled into any program provided by Chinese universities, you need to prepare and email full color high resolution electronic copies of the following documents to us at apply@chinaunipath.com.

It depends on several factors, such as the availability of the program during a certain period, the policies of different universities and most importantly, how long your application has passed the deadline. We will make the best effort to help you apply and enroll you into your desired program. Please take note here that a non-refundable 50 USD late application fee will apply in additional to the original service fee.

Upon receiving your application along with the required documents as well as the payment for the service you choose, we will begin to process your application and make arrangements for your trip, e.g. accommodation, airport pickup, etc. You will receive a series of emails from us updating you on a regular basis. You are also welcome to contact us to seek the latest information on your application progress via our Online Inquiry Form or send us an email at update@chinaunipath.com.

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2. Payment & Refunds

Payment for the service option of your choice must be made within three business days after you submit your application form along with the documents required. Please take note that application processing WILL NOT begin until we have received and verified your payment as well as all your required documentation.

There are two methods for making payment:

To make payments or to find out more information concerning payments, please click here.

As soon as we have verified your payment, we will notify you via email immediately. In addition to email acknowledgement, a sealed official invoice for the payment will be sent to you in the post along with the paperwork necessary for procuring a visa and other items prior to your departure.

Your payment covers the fee for your chosen service option only. Please note that airfare, program and accommodation costs are NOT INCLUDED. Detailed information about what different payment fees cover can be found in our Services section. To calculate your overall study abroad budget through China Unipath (inclusive of program, accommodation and services costs), check out our very useful Study Budget Calculator!

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3. Passport and Visa

The period of time for procuring a passport varies in different countries, ranging from two weeks to one month. Program applicants should take full responsibility for acquiring a passport and ensure that its validity covers your entire stay in China prior to your departure.

Securing an appropriate visa prior to your departure for China should be given the top priority while preparing for your study abroad experience. It is the responsibility of program participants to procure a proper visa in their nearest Chinese embassy with the visa application support documents we provide several weeks before flying to China. Please DO NOT LEAVE OBTAINING A VISA TO THE LAST MINUTE as the time it takes to issue the visa will vary from embassy to embassy.

Generally, visa application procedures outside of China takes four or five days, given that you provide the embassy with your admission letter from the Chinese university you will study at and the visa application form (JW202 Form). We will send you these documents as part of the pre-departure package.

Visa type is determined by the length of the program you intend to attend in China. If you attend a program shorter than six months, you need to apply for an F study visa. If you attend a program longer than six months, you need to apply for an X study visa. For more information on acquiring a visa, please visit our Visa Application Guidance section.

You need to go to your nearest Chinese embassy to procure an appropriate visa with the admission letter from the Chinese university and the visa application form (JW202 Form). These documents will be sent to you via UPS as soon as they are issued by the enrollment office of the Chinese university. To apply for an X study visa, some Chinese embassies require you to take a full physical health check in a state hospital or health quarantine clinic and present the medical report as part of your visa application. Please check with your embassy for more details.

Should you need to leave and re-enter China mainland to continue your studies, you will need to apply for a double-entry visa. Please take note that the double-entry visa is slightly more expensive than the single-entry visa. A list of fees for different visa types can be found in our Visa Application Guidance section.

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4. Insurance

Yes, you do need to buy insurance that covers the entire duration of your program in China in order to register at any Chinese university. We strongly recommend that you buy TRAVEL INSURANCE from a local provider in your country prior to traveling overseas and bring the proof of purchase receipt/paperwork along with you to China. Alternatively, travel insurance can be purchased while in China from Chinese insurance companies.

Foreign students are required to present the documents showing their insurance status to campus administration staff in order to complete their registration at a Chinese university. However, if you are not covered by any type of insurance when you come to China, you can buy foreign student insurance provided by Chinese insurance companies with the guidance of the university's Foreign Students Administration Office.

First of all, you need to consult your insurance provider at home about their reimbursement policies and required documents. While in China, should a medical emergency unfortunately take place, you need to pay for the related fees upfront and then acquire the certificate of diagnosis, subscription and receipt in English to claim for reimbursement from your insurance agent back home.

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5. Vaccination and Physical health check

Vaccinations wihtin their recommended time periods for students coming to China are as follows:

A physical health check is only necessary for students coming to China for a program longer than six months, as students must apply for an X study visa (where a physical health check is compulsory). In other circumstances, it is entirely up to your own discretion or your doctor's advice.

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6. Flight arrangements

We strongly recommend that you start making flight arrangements several weeks prior to your departure. Once you are issued a proper visa to come to China, please put making flight arrangements as your next top priority.

It is the last but most crucial thing to do before you get onboard the plane. Your flight information is vital for us to make sure you are picked up on time from the airport (this applies for students on our Smart Service Package and Basic Service only) and to finalize your accommodation check-in date. Please send your flight information to arrival@chinaunipath.com.

While the common prohibited items applies to this answer (such as knives or any sharp object, etc), we would also like to remind you of the role and the power of Chinese censorship if you are to bring some books or other reading materials that are prohibited in mainland China. The banned books and items will be confiscated by airport inspecting authorities.

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7. What to bring

Here is a list of the items that we suggest you should bring to China:

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After Arrival in China

1.Accommodation

Please find a detailed list of the amenities provided in each accommodation option under the section Accommodation.

School dormitories and on-campus hotels are located within the university with proximity to all facilities, i.e. classroom, dining hall, sports centre etc. Inside BLCU, all facilities are within a five minute walk. Off-campus hotels and private apartments are no more than a 15 minute walk or cycle away from the university campus, the subway station and bus stops.

For school dormitories and on-/off-campus hotels, payments need to be made in a lump sum upfront. A non-refundable policy will apply in the event of checking out in the middle of your stay. Only RMB cash is accepted as payment in the above sites, with the exception of Xi Jiao Hotel which takes major international credit cards (Visa, MasterCard and American Express).

Students on the X study visa (i.e. staying for more than one semester) will need to register for a residence permit.

Laundries are provided in dormitory buildings and on-campus hotels using prepaid laundry cards. Off-campus hotels offer laundry services at relatively high prices. A washing machine is provided in all private apartments. Alternatively, cheap laundromats can usually be found within close proximity of all universities.

China Unipath is not responsible for providing a roommate in any of the accommodation options. In school dormitories, the roommate is assigned by school authorities and may be changed if sufficient reasons can be given.

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2. Getting around in China

There are basically four main types of transport frequently used to get around the city: bus, subway, taxi and bicycle. There are hundreds of bus lines taking you to almost every corner of Beijing, however, traveling by bus can be very tiring and always takes a long time due to the heavy traffic. There are three connected subway lines currently in use in Beijing: Line 1, Line 2 and Line 13. BLCU is within a 5 minute walk from Wudaokou subway station on Line 13

Taxis are everywhere in Beijing and are not only a convenient way to travel, but also a handy way to practise your Chinese with the Beijing taxi drivers. The bicycle is the most economical and efficient way for short distance traveling, but students should be aware of the high frequency of bike thefts around Beijing.

Public transportation in Beijing is very cheap. Bus tickets are 1 to 2 RMB. Subway tickets for Line 13 stations from Wudaokou station are 3 RMB while tickets to get to Line 1 or Line 2 stations from Wudaokou station cost 5 RMB. It costs between 25 to 35 RMB to get downtown by taxi from the universities.

In short, very busy and slightly disorderly in certain areas. Due to the recent rapid increase of cars on Beijing roads, traffic during peak hours can be a large problem for commuters on a tight schedule. Traffic lights sometimes are not sufficient enough to control pedestrians or cyclists rushing across roads. Therefore, putting yourself in a crowd on the street is always advisable. Precautions for buses coming into bus stops along the bike track should also be taken into account when riding a bike.

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3. Staying in touch

Telephones are provided in all the accommodation options. In order to make cheaper international phone calls, you need to buy an IP calling card to be used on landlines or on your cell phone. Students who are on our Smart Service Package or Basic Service will be given an IP calling card worth 100 RMB value upon their arrival to stay in close contact with their family and friends.

Broadband internet access is provided in all the accommodation options. For school dormitories, on-campus hotels and private apartments, individual account setup with the local internet service provider will be needed upon your arrival and the monthly fee ranges from 140 to 250 RMB. For students who select our Smart Service Package or Basic Service, China Unipath staff will assist you through the process of account setup and be responsible for the future communication with the service provider should any problems occur. If you do not wish to bring your laptop to Beijing, there are many cheap internet cafes around the universities that charge between 1.80 to 8 RMB per hour.

Local and domestic calls can be made on landline phones, which cost between 0.20 RMB (Local) to 1 RMB (Cross-province) per minute using IP calling cards. Calls on cell phones cost between 0.60 RMB (Local) to 1.60 (Cross-province) per minute.

Chinese cell phones work on a GSM cellular network. Please consult your local service provider on whether your cell phone will work in China. We strongly suggest you bring a usable cell phone to China and save our emergency contact number so that you can get in touch with our staff right after landing if necessary.

Family and friends can send you letters and packages with the address of your accommodation written in either English or Pin Yin. For students who select our Smart Service Package, the China Unipath office can receive fax documents on your behalf and our staff will forward the fax to you in person.

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4. University classes

Tuition is paid on the day of registration at the university to the bank on campus in RMB cash or to the account office (BLCU only) which accepts major international credit or debit cards at a 4% service fee charge. Traveler's Checks can be exchanged at the bank on campus. For students who select our Smart Service Package or Basic Service, China Unipath staff will guide you through the whole process of registration through to tuition payment. We strongly recommend using credit or debit card to pay at BLCU simply because when there are hundreds of students paying by cash or by Traveler's Checks to limited bank staff during the three-day registration period, hours of queuing is expected. If you choose to pay via credit or debit card, please ensure that your card has no daily withdrawal limit .

There are usually less than 15 students in each class. The actual number varies depending on the number of the students on the same level. Class numbers are finalized two weeks into the program after all necessary student transfers take place.

All programs start with a placement test. This test is required for every student and is designed to enable the school to evaluate your Chinese level and select the most suitable class for you. If you have not learnt any Chinese before, all you need to do is to sign your name in English and say hello and goodbye to the teacher.

The placement test consists of two parts: writing and speaking. In the writing part, papers are given out to students to fill in the blanks of sentences, match meanings and words, writing Pin Yin for given words and answer certain questions after reading a short paragraph, etc. Please be aware that only simplified characters are used in the test. In the speaking part, the teacher starts a conversation with the student by greeting them and asking basic personal information and will continue on in accordance with the student's performance.

For the regular programs, there are four hours of classes Monday through Friday starting from 8 am. For the intensive programs, there are six hours of classes Monday through Friday, split between four hours in the morning from 8 am and two additional hours of classes in the afternoon from 2 pm.

Beyond the language programs, other departments (i.e. Physical Education Department and Arts Department) also offer a variety of extra-curricular courses including: Tai Ji Quan, San Da, Chinese calligraphy, Chinese painting, Er Hu and other Chinese traditional musical instrument courses. For students on our Smart Service Package or Basic Service, our staff will provide you with the information of elective courses upon your arrival and assist you in getting enrolled.

The class is evenly focused on four elements: writing, speaking, listening and reading. For short-term programs, the following major subjects are taken: Comprehensive Chinese (the main subject introducing new words and grammar structures), Speaking, Listening and Character Writing. Simplified characters are taught and used in all classes.

For beginner streams, English is used sparingly by teachers if additional clarfications or explanations are required. Essentially, however, mainly Chinese is used in class to fully immerse students into an all-Chinese environment. Teachers in Intermediate and Advanced streams speak in Chinese only.

Character writing and grammar practice exercises are included in the textbook and will be assigned as homework.

For programs longer than three months, there are exams in the middle of the course and at the end of the course.

Whether you obtain credit or not can only be determined by your home university. You will be provided an official sealed transcript and certificate from the Chinese university upon successful completion of your course. Please confer with your home university about the procedure and conditions of credit transfer prior to your departure.

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5. Money

There are four major commercial banks in China: Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), Bank of China, Construction Bank of China and Agriculture Bank of China. Major foreign currencies and Traveler's Checks can be exchanged and cashed in at all branches of the above mentioned banks which are widely located around Beijing. There is an ICBC branch on BLCU campus and Agriculture Bank of China 200 meters away from campus.

There are ATMs throughout campus or off-campus that accept all major international credit and debit cards (MasterCard, Visa, Cirrus/Maestro).

International credit and debit cards are not widely accepted in stores and restaurants in Beijing except exclusive western stores like Lufthansa Center, three-star and above hotels, and higher class restaurants.

Yes, you can. But first, you need to open a Chinese bank account. The four major commercial banks are recommended. For students on our Smart Service Package or Basic Service, our staff will take them to the bank and provide interpretation and assist them in opening an account.

We recommend opening a bank account for money transfer purposes, so that you are able to deposit your money in a safe place, and just simply for convenience's sake. This is especially important if you are planning to travel during or after the program.

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6. Safety issues

Generally speaking, Beijing is a very safe city, especially given the strengthened security policies that have been implemented due to the approaching Olympic Games in 2008. The Chinese government has also taken active measures to ensure safety in the university area, which is densely populated by tens of thousands of Chinese and foreign students. Although pickpocketing is still an occurrence, safety will not be a major concern during your stay in Beijing.

If you are living in a dormitory on campus or a room in the on-/off-campus hotel, your room is cleaned everyday by employees of the accommodation provider, who are governed by strict hotel regulations. As such, you can feel confident to leave your daily necessities, such as laptop, cell phone, camera and other electronics securely in the room. However, we recommend not leaving your passport and large amounts of cash out in the open.

It is safe for foreign students to go out to clubs or meet friends at night. However, just like everywhere else in the world, try to avoid walking alone on an empty street at three in the morning. We suggest that you go out with a group of friends at night and bring your cell phone with you wherever you go.

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7. Food

Chinese cooking uses most meats, poultry, fish and vegetables known to the western palate but also includes some exotic ingredients. Due to varying weather conditions, environment, tastes and products, there are about 56 regional styles of food in China, among which the most famous ones are namely Cantonese food, Si Chuan food, Xiang (Hu Nan) food, etc. There are also numerous methods of cooking such as baking, boiling, braising, deep-frying, poaching, sautéing, scalding, simmering, smoking, steaming, stir-frying, barbecuing and blanching that produce many varieties of mouth-watering dishes.

You can enjoy delicious authentic Chinese foods while keeping your food budget comparatively low at the same time. Generally, 8-10 USD is sufficient for a student to have three decent meals every day on campus. There are also other options that can bring this cost further down.

There are dining halls on campus providing a variety of foods to Chinese and foreign students at very cheap prices. There are both asian and western restaurants in and next to the universities.

Yes. There are many Chinese dishes that are cooked only with vegetarian ingredients. However, when ordering we suggest you confirm this with the waiter or waitress.

Yes. There is never a shortage of foreign restaurants in Beijing. At BLCU alone, there are several quality western restaurants which many students frequent. More in downtown can be found from the restaurant directory in the Beijing periodicals that we provide for you.

Usually, tap water is not purified in China. Please do not drink tap water in any of the accommodation options, with the exception of Xi Jiao Hotel. An electric water kettle is provided in all accommodations and purified water in 50-liter barrels can be ordered directly to your room.

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8. Recreation & Fun

If you select our Smart Service Package, a free guided one-day tour in Beijing is included. For students who are on our Smart Service Package, China Unipath staff will assist them in making travel or weekend excursion arrangements, including information gathering, ticket purchasing and hotel room bookings.

Beijing's bustling nightlife sees hundreds of nightclubs, bars and lounges all over the city entertaining thousands of club-goers on a nightly basis. Each establishment caters an excellent variety of people, music and drinks. Whether you are looking for a jazz club, or the techno or rave scene, or just a lounge or cafe to chill at, you are sure to find it in Beijing.

Here is a list of just some of the tourist sites recommended by us:

Yes. There are several outdoor skiing resorts in the suburbs of Beijing about 40 minutes to one hour drive away from the university area.

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9. Weather & Climate

Beijing's climate can be divided into four seasons: Very hot and dry summer, very cold winter, and pleasant fall and spring. During summer, the temperatures can reach as high as 100°F (38°C) and in winter, drop to 14°F (-10°C). The hottest months are July and August, and the coldest months are December and January. Beijing is at its best in late spring and autumn, particularly during the months of May, September and October when people can enjoy bright sunshine and blue skies.

Five years ago, sandstorms caused serious pollution problems in early spring and late autumn. However, after Beijing government enforced effective environment protection actions in recent times, sandstorms are rarer nowadays. Despite the occasional occurrence, Beijing is no longer seriously incovenienced by heavy sandstorms.

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10. Emergencies

The first thing to do in a medical emergency is to call China Unipath staff. We strongly recommend you to bring your credit or debit card, cell phone and the emergency contact card that we provide for you wherever you go.

For students on our Smart Service Package, our staff is reachable 24 hours a day 7 days a week by telephone. Please give a call to our staff after you get in a taxi to guide the driver to bring you back to your destination. If you select our Basic Service or Economy Service, you can show the taxi driver the emergency contact card which will lead you back to the university.

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11. Medical care

University-owned clinics are on campus in all Chinese universities. However, the doctors in the clinics on campus generally do not speak English. If you select our Smart Service Package, you will be escorted to the hospital by a China Unipath staff member who will act as your interpreter.

Yes. There are several internationally acknowledged western hospitals in Beijing downtown, which are fully staffed by English-speaking employees and doctors from western countries. Prices can be expected to be more or less at the same level as in your home country.

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