Settle in.

Most first-year international students live in on-campus dormitories assigned by the university. Rooms are usually shared (two to four people), furnished with a bed, wardrobe, desk and a shared bathroom; newer campuses offer single rooms. Expect a simple setup — no kitchen in the room, meals at the dining hall, laundry in the basement machines.

Off-campus flats are common from year two. They are usually unfurnished, with a 6–12 month lease and a one- or two-month deposit; the contract is signed in Chinese. Once you've moved in, file a residence registration form (境外人员住宿登记表) with the local police within 24 hours — your international office will tell you exactly where. Bring passport photos, your admission letter and the housing contract.

Public transport is excellent in every city you'll study in. The metro is the fastest way across town and almost always reaches the main universities. Buy a rechargeable transport card, or simply tap your phone (Alipay or WeChat Pay) at the gate — cash is rarely needed.

Between cities, high-speed rail (高铁) is the default. Book on 12306 (the national rail app, English available) or via Trip.com; student discounts are common on second-class tickets. For the last mile, ride-hailing (DiDi) and shared bikes (Meituan, HelloRide) are everywhere. Carry your student card — it unlocks metro and bike-share discounts in most cities.

China is nearly cashless. WeChat Pay (微信支付) and Alipay (支付宝) are the everyday default — at restaurants, supermarkets, taxis, and even street vendors. Set both up within your first week and link a bank account or an international card (Alipay now supports Visa and Mastercard, with limits that lift once you've verified with your residence document). Open a Chinese bank account on campus — bring your passport, admission letter and residence permit; ICBC, CMB and Bank of China all have English-speaking counters in major university districts.

Cash (RMB, 元) is useful as backup but rare in daily life. Tipping is not customary. A monthly student budget of ¥2,500–¥4,000 covers a dorm, meals and transport in most cities; your university will publish a sample budget during orientation.

Campus admin, clinics, the dorm office and most shops run in Chinese — even at the most international universities. Learn the basics before you arrive: numbers, directions, ordering food, and the names of common apps (微信 WeChat, 支付宝 Alipay, 12306 for trains). Translation apps (DeepL, Google Translate, Pleco for characters) bridge the gap, and most younger Chinese people use them too.

For structured study, the CSCA includes a Professional Chinese paper — Humanities or STEM — that assesses academic Chinese. If you'll study in Chinese-taught classes, this is your exam; the Prepare section has the syllabus and a structured course. Don't worry about fluency on day one. Most international students settle into campus Chinese within a semester.

The academic year runs roughly September to July, split into a fall and a spring semester with a four-week summer break. First week is orientation: registration, residence permit, bank account, student card, campus tour. Semesters are 16–18 teaching weeks plus a 2–3 week exam window; attendance and participation count.

Your student card (校园卡) is everything — dorm door, dining hall, library, campus bus, printing, sometimes the gym. Top it up via the campus app or any self-service kiosk. Libraries are serious study spaces, often open 24 hours during exam season. Campus life is rich: clubs (社团), sports, student unions, city-wide events. Expect a structured but social rhythm, with a Wednesday-afternoon 'free time' for student activities on many campuses.