Handbook for International Students UIC International Development Office 2018 Table of Contents PAGE Preparing for your visit 1 Preliminary Contact 1 Personal Arrangements 1 Visa 1 Travel 4 Medical 5 Financial/Banking 6 Personal Belongings 7 Arrival and Settling 9 Housing Academic Information 16 Telecommunication 20 Registering with Your National Consulate in Guangzhou 20 Transportation 20 Day to Day Living 21 Fitness Opportunities 21 Local Shopping 22 Food 23 Insurance 23 Studying 24 Scheduling 24 Campus Resources 24 Traveling in China 28 General Consideration 28 Flights 29 Trains 29 Buses 30 Hotels and Hostels 30 Budgeting 32 General Tips 33 HOSPITALS AND DOCTORS in Zhuhai, Macau and Hong Kong 34 Contacts 35 Preparing for your Visit Preliminary Contact The first thing is to determine if you and UIC are a good fit. You can visit our website at www.uic.edu.hk to see what programmes we have to offer and get an overview of the institution. Once you make the decision and decide that you wish to study in UIC, for degree seeking students, you should contact Jessica Xiao directly at [email protected]; for exchange-in students, you should contact your home institution first, if you have any questions about your study in UIC, you can also contact Jessica Xiao at [email protected]. Personal Arrangements Visa Once your decision has been made, you will need to complete the process for securing a visa. The type of visa you apply for will depend on the specific details of your study. The International Development Office (Jessica Xiao <[email protected]>) will work with you in this process. Once IDO has indicated the type of visa for which you should apply, visit the Chinese Embassy website: http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/ and begin the process. You must have a passport that has an expiration date for 6 months beyond the date you anticipate returning to your home country, and have a sufficient number of blank pages in the passport for visas and stamps. Apply for a new Visa There are two types of student visa: - Long term study visa (X1) issued to those who study in China for more than 6 months, which must go through residential formalities in the local Entry-Exit Administration of Public Security Bureau within 30 days of entry into China. Please see Residence Permit part bellow. - Short term study visa (X2) is for students studying in China for less than 6 months. Required documents for student visa application: --Current Passport with at least 12 months of validity and at least one blank visa page --One complete and signed Visa Application Form with one passport photo --An approved Foreign Student Visa Application Form (JW202 Form) issued by the Chinese Ministry of Education (UIC will help to prepare the JW202 Form for students) --The admission letter from the university, both the original and one photocopy (the original will be checked and returned to the applicant). 1 --Medical certificate (Please check with local Chinese embassy if you need medical certificate or not. If you have done this in your own country, please bring the medical result and X-ray Chest result with you when you come to China.) We suggest that you contact your local Chinese Embassy or Consulate for further information. For a list of Chinese Embassies, click here. (http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/wjb/zwjg/2490/default.htm) Registration in the local police station Once international students settle down in UIC, they need to be registered with the local police station. It should usually be done very soon after you arrive at the College. Please submit the original copy of your passport to IDO for police registration purposes. Residence Permit The holder of long term X1 visa must go through residential formalities in the local Entry-Exit Administration of Public Security Bureau within 30 days of entry into China. A fine of 500RMB per day will be applied for late lodgement of residence permit application. IDO will organize a trip to take students to the Zhuhai Entry-Exit Administration of Public Security Bureau to apply for the Residence Permit, please make sure you prepare relevant documents and submit them to IDO before the trip. Required documents for Residence Permit application: --Completed “Visa or Residence Permit Application Form” (Fill out in black ink) and one recently-taken 2-inch hatless full face color photograph (This picture is required to be taken within Zhuhai city, IDO will arrange a student helper to take you to the photo studio after you arrive.) --Valid passport, visa or residence permit, and the original page with chop showing the last entry into China. --The original copy of offer letter, copy of “Enrollment of Notice”, the white and yellow pages of JW202 form. --Certification for health issued by the Zhuhai Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau (only on the first year and application for residence permit for a period longer than one year and applicants over the full age of 18 years.) --“Registration Form for Temporary Accommodation” from local police station Usually it takes 15 workdays to get the residence permit. The residence permit fee* is: --400RMB for residency of one year or less than one year --800RMB for more than one year to three years (including three year) --1000RMB for more than three years to five years (including five years) * The fee should be paid by the student. 2 Notes: The duration of your residence permit is generally the same as the duration of your studies at the College. The residence permit will not be effective beyond the expiry date of your passport. The residence permit can also be used as a multiple-entry visa which means you can go out of China and come back without any limitation on the number of times you enter and leave China, as long as the residence permit is valid. IDO is only responsible for advising and organizing the trip to Zhuhai Entry & Exit departments of Public Security Bureau in order to reduce students' possible difficulties and troubles and is not responsible for the final result of the visa that will be issued. The right of the final decision of the type/duration/price of student's visa is on the Entry & Exit department of Zhuhai Public Security Bureau. * The charges above are current prices and subject to change by the Public Security Bureau Health Certificate The Entry-Exit Administration of Public Security Bureau requires health certificates for foreign nationals seeking residency in China. To obtain one, you need to have a complete physical examination which shows you are in good health and free of any communicable diseases (including an HIV test, a chest x- ray, ECG, etc). You can get the form of Physical Examination Record for Foreigners from your Chinese Embassy or Consulate. Take this form to the Chinese Embassy/Consulates designated hospital or medical institution to have the medical check. The medical result should be authenticated by the Chinese Embassy or Consulate. You should bring the original manuscript of the Form and all the Tests Records/Results to China. The medical check can also be done in China and the fee is about 390RMB. IDO will organize group health check for all international students during the orientation week. Students should prepare following documents and bring with them to the designated hospital. --2 Passport Photos --390RMB cash --Original Passport --Passport Copy --Original manuscript of the Form and all the Test Records/Results (if you did a health check in your own country) Address: 珠海市国际旅行保健中心 地址： 珠海市拱北桥光路 133 号 电话：0756-8892427 Zhuhai International Travel Healthcare Center 3 No. 133, Qiaoguang Street, Gongbei District, Zhuhai Phone: 0756-8892427 Travel Once your UIC arrival dates are determined, you will be able to make your travel arrangements. It is suggested that under normal circumstances, you arrive one week prior to the start of the semester in order to settle your living arrangements. For departure, you may set the date according to the semester end and your personal needs which may include additional time and travel in China. (This will affect the length of time of your requested visa). To get to Zhuhai, you have two options. Your choice will ordinarily depend on current airline prices. These two options are via Hong Kong, or via Guangzhou. UIC will commonly send a student helper to Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport and direct you to the campus in Zhuhai or you could take the express bus from Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport to Tangjia, Zhuhai, and take a taxi from Tangjia to the campus. If you arrive in Hong Kong, you also have two options. First, try to book a flight that gets you into the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) in the morning and enables you to have your luggage moved directly on to a ferry for the 50-minute sail to Zhuhai. There are four ferry sails for Zhuhai (Jiuzhou Ferry Port) everyday, departs on 12:15, 14:05, 17:00 and 20:00. Tickets are always available upon arrival so no reservation is needed. Be sure to look for the Mainland Transfer sign before you get to HK immigration. The ferry counter will process all your checked in luggage. This is the easiest and least stressful method of getting to Zhuhai. Follow the transfer sign and go to E2 zone, show the staff your passport and boarding pass, tell them you have luggage on the airplane, and the airport staff will transfer your luggage directly to the boat. Boat ticket costs 260HKD, if you don't have HKD, you can use your bank card.