Your First 30 Days in China: Airport to Campus Card
By CSC Path Editorial — checked against official CSC and university sources.
1.What do I need in my hand luggage before I board the plane?
Anything you cannot afford to lose goes in your carry-on. In one folder, keep the originals of: your passport with X1/X2 visa, JW201/JW202 admission form, the university Admission Notice, your Foreigner Physical Examination Form with lab reports, your notarised highest diploma and transcripts, and printed copies of your CSC Scholarship Approval Letter if you have one.
Also carry: two passport photos on white background (universities often ask for them at registration), around USD 300–500 in cash converted to Chinese yuan at the airport for the first week (banks take time to open), and a printed copy of your university pickup instructions with the international office phone number.
Do not check in the medical form. Do not check in the JW201/JW202. If a suitcase is lost, you must be able to register at the university with only what you carried.
Pack a small phrasebook or offline translation app; airport Wi-Fi in China often blocks Google, so download Pleco (dictionary), Baidu Maps or Amap (navigation), and Google Translate's offline Chinese pack *before* you land. See our Phone & Internet chapter for the full app list.
2.What happens at the airport and how does university pickup work?
At immigration, present your passport with the X1 (long-term study) or X2 (short-term) visa. Officers may ask which university you are joining: know the answer in English and in pinyin. After passport control, collect luggage and clear customs. Undeclared cash over USD 5,000 equivalent must be declared.
Most universities offer free airport pickup during the official arrival window (usually late August through mid-September). Confirm the exact dates and the pickup point (Terminal, Arrivals gate, or a hotel meeting point) with the international office *before* you fly. The pickup team usually holds a sign with the university name.
If you arrive outside the pickup window or take a later flight, the university will not send a car. In that case: - Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu: metro is cheapest and quickest. - Other cities: take an official airport taxi from the taxi rank (never touch drivers who approach you in the terminal) and show them the university address in Chinese characters on your phone.
Screenshot the address in Chinese from the university website before you land. Data-roaming may not work on arrival, and Google Maps is blocked.
3.What does registration week actually involve?
Registration happens at the International Students Office (ISO) on campus, usually over 2–5 days. Bring the originals of every document listed above plus your two passport photos.
Typical steps, in this order: 1. Report your arrival at the ISO and hand over your passport for 5–10 working days so they can process the residence permit (see below). You will receive a temporary receipt: keep it on you at all times. 2. Pay any fees the CSC does not cover: usually a CNY 400–800 application/registration fee at self-funded universities, or nothing at fully covered CSC placements. Some universities also charge a small insurance top-up. 3. Sign your accommodation contract and pay the dorm deposit (usually CNY 500–1,000, refunded on move-out). 4. Collect your campus card (yīkǎtōng, one-card): this is your ID, dining-hall card, library card, and gym pass. Top it up at kiosks or, later, through the university WeChat mini-program. 5. Attend orientation for CSC scholars and international students.
Registration is also when you will be asked whether you need a medical re-check (see below). Do it in the same week if the university requests it; delays cascade into the residence-permit process.
4.What is the 30-day residence permit deadline?
Your X1 visa is only valid to *enter* China. Within 30 days of arrival you must convert it to a Residence Permit for Study (居留许可) at the local Exit-Entry Administration Bureau (公安局出入境管理局). Missing this deadline triggers fines (CNY 500/day up to CNY 10,000) and, in serious cases, deportation.
The university's ISO handles the paperwork for you — this is the main reason they take your passport in registration week. They collect: - Your passport with X1 visa - JW201/JW202 admission form - Admission Notice - Foreigner Physical Examination Form with lab reports (see the Documents & Medical chapter) - Registration Form for Temporary Residence of Aliens (issued when you check into the dorm; hotels issue it automatically) - Passport-size photos on white background
The permit is usually issued in 7–15 working days. It replaces the X1 visa as your legal status for the whole degree, is valid for 1 year at a time (renew annually) and lets you re-enter China after trips abroad without a new visa.
Do not travel out of China until the residence permit is issued: leaving on an X1 visa cancels it, and you will have to apply for a new one from your home country.
5.Do I need a medical re-check in China?
You are legally required to submit a valid Foreigner Physical Examination Form (境外人员体格检查记录) before the residence permit is issued. The form you completed at home is accepted *if* it meets three conditions:
- Issued within the last 6 months on the official Chinese form (available from the embassy website; universities also send a template).
- All required tests completed: chest X-ray, ECG, blood tests (HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B), and a general physical.
- Doctor's signature, hospital stamp, and photo stamped across the corner so the photo cannot be swapped.
If any test is missing, or the form was issued by a clinic the university does not recognise, you will be sent to the local International Travel Healthcare Center (国际旅行卫生保健中心) for a re-check. Typical cost: CNY 400–700, results in 3–5 working days. Fast, but you pay out of pocket unless the university covers it.
Tip: even if your home form looks perfect, complete it at a large hospital and get *every* test done. Missing a single blood test is the most common reason students end up paying for a re-check.
6.What is the dorm check-in like, and what do I need to buy?
CSC-funded students almost always live in the international student dormitory on or next to campus. Rooms range from single (CNY 1,200–2,000/month) to twin-shared (CNY 400–900/month) depending on the city and university tier. Bathroom is usually en-suite at newer buildings; older buildings have a shared floor bathroom.
At check-in you sign the contract, pay the deposit, and receive your key or key card. What is usually provided: bed frame, mattress, desk, chair, wardrobe, AC, hot-water shower, Wi-Fi router. What you almost always need to buy in the first week: - Bedding set: pillow, quilt, sheets (CNY 200–400 at Taobao/Miniso) - Towels, toiletries, slippers - Kettle, mug, bowl, chopsticks, cutlery if you plan to eat in the room - Power strip with universal sockets (Chinese sockets take Type A, C, and I) - Voltage converter only if you brought devices under 220V
Most items are cheapest on Taobao (once you have Alipay set up — see Money Setup) but the campus supermarket or a nearby Miniso is fine for the first week. Budget CNY 800–1,500 for the initial setup.
Curfew and visitor rules vary. Read the dorm rules on day one so you are not locked out at 11pm.
7.How do I use my campus card day to day?
The yīkǎtōng (campus card) is central to daily life. You will use it to: - Swipe into the dining hall and pay for meals (often at a 5–15% discount vs cash) - Enter the library, gym, sports facilities - Access dormitory buildings after curfew - Print/photocopy at campus print stations - Ride campus shuttle buses on larger campuses
Top it up at self-service kiosks (usually in the canteen lobby or dorm reception) or through the university's WeChat mini-program once your Chinese bank account is linked. Most students keep CNY 300–500 on the card at all times; the dining hall alone will consume around CNY 400–700/month even if you eat sparingly.
If you lose the card, report it immediately at the ISO or on the mini-program to freeze the balance. A replacement typically costs CNY 20–30.
By the end of your first 30 days, you should have: your residence permit in your passport, a working Chinese bank account (usually opened in week 2 or 3 — see Money Setup), a Chinese SIM card, and a fully topped-up campus card. That is the point where daily life stops feeling like paperwork and starts feeling like being a student.