It is not easy to decide to study abroad, which requires careful consideration and choice. From your determination to study in China to your successful application for a visa to China, the time can be long or short. So how long usually will it take to apply for universities in China? When’s the best time to apply for a Chinese University? Don't worry, I'll solve your questions.
# Select Target Universities and Programs: 1 Week
# Documents Preparation: 2 to 4 Weeks
# Track Application Result: 1 Week to 5 Month
# Waiting for Admission Letter
Select Target Universities and Programs: 1 Week
When you choose a Chinese University, you should consider the following questions:
1. What are your favorite majors?
2. What are your requirements for university ranking or reputation?
3. Your requirements for the city?
4. Do your grades meet the admission requirements of the university?
5. Can you afford to study at this university?
6. Can you accept online study?
7. When is the best time to apply for the university?
8. Which universities do you want to apply for at the same time?
9. If you don't succeed in getting the scholarship of the University, are you willing to study at your own expense?
It will take you at least one week to consider these problems. You may need to collect information about Chinese Universities online or consult an agency.
Documents Preparation: 2 to 4 Weeks
After you decide the University and major you intend to apply for, you can start preparing your application documents according to the requirements of the University. You may need two to four weeks to prepare the following common application documents:
1. Passport - If you don't have a passport yet, just apply for it as soon as possible. Try to avoid missing good application opportunities due to the lack of a passport.
2. Passport-sized Photo with white background, without hat/scarf.
3. Language Proficiency Certificate - Some schools require to provide English certificates of IELTS/TOEFL or HSK. You should prepare in advance or communicate with the school whether you can use other certificates if you don't have the standard one.
4. Non-criminal Certificate - Provided by the local police office which is generally valid in 3~6 months (documents in languages other than Chinese or English should be translated into Chinese or English and be certified by notarization. And both translation and original documents should be provided).
5. Recommendation Letters - If the school requires letters of recommendation, just prepare them according to the school's requirements.
6. Physical Examination Form - Designed by the Chinese Quarantine Authority which will usually be valid for 6 months only. In most cases, the Physical Examination Form is a necessary document. You can refer to this process on how to get a standard Physical Examination Form.
7. Highest Education Graduation Certificate or Pre-graduation Certificate - Documents in languages other than Chinese or English should be translated into Chinese or English and be certified by notarization. And both translation and original documents should be provided.
8. Academic Transcript - Documents in languages other than Chinese or English should be translated into Chinese or English and be certified by notarization. And both translation and original documents should be provided.
9. Bank Statement/Financial Guarantor Letter - If the school requires this document, it is better to keep the balance on your bank card no less than the amount of tuition in the first year.
10. Research Proposal/Study Plan - If you are applying for a master's degree, you may spend more time and energy optimizing your Research Proposal. If you are an undergraduate applicant, you can refer to this advice on how to write a standard study plan.
11. Supervisor Acceptance Letter - If you apply for postgraduate programs, then try your best to get this letter will be most helpful for your application. You can contact the supervisor through the school's official website and the information provided by the agency to strive for their acceptance.
The documents listed above are for reference only. In actual operation, we should find the complete list of documents required from the latest enrollment brochures of the target school and prepare according to it. For those documents with timeliness, such as certificate of no criminal record and medical examination form, you don't need to apply early, so they will not expire when the school reviews your documents.
Track Application Result: 1 Week to 5 Month
The application can be completed within an hour, but the announcement of the admission results depends on the school's schedule. For example, some schools have a regular process and time for processing applications, so you may receive feedback within a week after submitting your application. However, some schools may wait until they have collected a sufficient number of applications before uniformly reviewing the application materials. For example, the application time of a school is from January to May. The school may wait until the application deadline to uniformly process all applications or publish the application results. If you apply in January, it may take a long time or even months to get feedback. Should the application be submitted later? No, if the application is late, there may be fewer seats. Therefore, we should not only apply early, but also track the admission timely, and start other plans when necessary.
The best application time for Chinese Government Scholarships is from early January to the end of March, and the scholarship result usually come out in July.
The commonly suitable application time for Autumn intake is from March to May.
The commonly suitable application time for spring admission is from November to January.
However, it doesn't mean that if you miss these good times, it will be difficult for you to successfully apply to Chinese universities, but there will be fewer schools for you to choose from. For specific schools, international students should reasonably arrange their application time according to the school Enrollment Brochure.
Waiting for Admission Letter
Before the outbreak of the COVID-19, If you are admitted to your target university, the school will usually deliver you the Admission Letter and Visa Application Form within a certain time (usually 1 to 2 months before class starts). However, during the pandemic, international students cannot enter China. Many Chinese universities will not send you the paper admission documents, but give you the electronic documents first. When the Chinese border is open, they will send you the paper admission materials.