Study in China · 到校
First week at a Chinese university: documents, registration, and the phrases
The first week is paperwork and survival Chinese, not a campus tour. Carry the documents, find the right office, and ask one question at a time.
Written October 20, 2026. The arrival rules below come from the named program pages and the national entry law.
Your first week at a Chinese university is mostly a sequence of offices. You report to the school, register your documents, get a dorm room or an address registered, take a placement test, and buy insurance. The language barrier is real, but the tasks are predictable. Use the office names below to ask for the correct desk, then get language help when a document or requirement is unclear.
Start with the school's own arrival checklist. Peking University's summer program, for example, requires a valid study visa or permanent resident card, insurance valid in China before arrival, and registration with the local police if you live off campus. Tsinghua's Chinese Language Program supports an X2 visa and lists on-campus housing at RMB 30 to 40 per day. The exact order is the school's, not a national template.
The first-week tasks, in a workable order
| Task | What to bring | The Chinese you need |
|---|---|---|
| Report to the school | Admission letter, passport, visa | 报到 (bàodào), 录取通知书 (lùqǔ tōngzhīshū) |
| Register | Passport photos, registration form, insurance proof | 注册 (zhùcè), 保险 (bǎoxiǎn) |
| Move into housing | Passport, housing confirmation | 宿舍 (sùshè), 住宿登记 (zhùsù dēngjì) |
| Register your address off campus | Passport, lease or host documents | 住宿登记 (zhùsù dēngjì), 派出所 (pàichūsuǒ) |
| Take the placement test | Pen, passport, maybe a photo | 分班考试 (fēnbān kǎoshì) |
| Get a campus card | Student ID or registration receipt, photo | 校园卡 (xiàoyuánkǎ) |
| Buy insurance | Passport, admission letter | 保险 (bǎoxiǎn) |
| Handle the visa or residence permit | Passport, admission letter, photos, school letter | 居留许可 (jūliú xǔkě) |
| Get a phone number and a bank account | Passport, student ID, address | 手机卡 (shǒujīkǎ), 银行卡 (yínhángkǎ) |
The sentences for each office
The pattern is simple: the office name plus 在哪里 (zài nǎlǐ, where is it), or 我要办理 (wǒ yào bànlǐ, I want to process). You do not need a full sentence for every step. You need the noun and the verb.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 国际学生办公室 | guójì xuéshēng bàngōngshì | International students office |
| 请问国际学生办公室在哪里？ | qǐngwèn guójì xuéshēng bàngōngshì zài nǎlǐ? | Where is the international students office? |
| 我要报到。 | wǒ yào bàodào. | I want to report for registration. |
| 我要注册。 | wǒ yào zhùcè. | I want to register. |
| 这是我的录取通知书。 | zhè shì wǒ de lùqǔ tōngzhīshū. | This is my admission letter. |
| 这是我的护照。 | zhè shì wǒ de hùzhào. | This is my passport. |
| 宿舍在哪里？ | sùshè zài nǎlǐ? | Where is the dormitory? |
| 我要办理住宿登记。 | wǒ yào bànlǐ zhùsù dēngjì. | I want to register my accommodation. |
| 分班考试在哪里？ | fēnbān kǎoshì zài nǎlǐ? | Where is the placement test? |
| 校园卡在哪里办？ | xiàoyuánkǎ zài nǎlǐ bàn? | Where do I get a campus card? |
| 我要买保险。 | wǒ yào mǎi bǎoxiǎn. | I want to buy insurance. |
| 我需要办理居留许可。 | wǒ xūyào bànlǐ jūliú xǔkě. | I need to apply for a residence permit. |
A registration exchange
You arrive at the international students office and say: 你好，我要报到。 (Nǐ hǎo, wǒ yào bàodào. Hello, I want to report for registration.) Put the admission letter and passport on the desk. If the officer asks a question you do not understand, say: 请说慢一点。 (Qǐng shuō màn yìdiǎn. Please speak a little slower.) If you need the dormitory, ask: 宿舍在哪里？ (Sùshè zài nǎlǐ? Where is the dormitory?)
If you live off campus, ask the office: 我要办理住宿登记。 (Wǒ yào bànlǐ zhùsù dēngjì. I want to register my accommodation.) The office will tell you whether the school handles it or whether you go to the local police station. Article 39 of the Exit and Entry Administration Law puts the 24-hour duty on the guest or host when the stay is outside a hotel, so do not leave this for the second week.
What to carry every day
Carry your passport, the admission letter, two passport photos, and the insurance proof in a plastic folder. Keep a digital copy in your phone and in an email to yourself. Chinese offices often ask for a physical copy, and a photo on a phone is not always accepted. A small notebook for room numbers and office hours is more useful than a translation app in a queue.
If you need a SIM card or a bank account, bring your passport and the school registration receipt. A bank may ask for a Chinese phone number; a phone shop may ask for your passport. Do these tasks after the school registration, not before, because the receipt is the document that proves your status.
If you cannot say it
Show the document. Point to the office name on the school map or the checklist. Use a translation app for the officer's question, and ask the officer to write the answer on paper. If the queue is long, ask another international student for help; the first week is the one time when everyone is in the same position.
Do not sign a document you do not understand. Ask for an English version or a translation. Ask who can explain the document before you sign; do not assume an English version is available.
What comes after the first week
Once the paperwork is done, the language work starts. If you are in a language program, the placement test puts you in a class; if you are in a degree program, the first lectures will show you which listening skill is missing. The language program page compares the routes, and the China travel phrases page covers the first days outside campus.
Questions that still sit on the table
What happens in the first week at a Chinese university?
Most of the first week is paperwork: school registration, accommodation registration, a placement test, insurance, and possibly a residence permit. The exact order depends on the school. Ask the international students office for a checklist before you arrive, and carry your passport, admission letter, and insurance proof.
Do I need to register with the police if I live in a dorm?
The school usually handles the registration for on-campus housing. If you live off campus, Article 39 of the Exit and Entry Administration Law says you or your host must register at the local public security organ within 24 hours of moving in. Ask the international office which system applies to your address.
What documents should I carry in the first week?
Passport, admission letter, visa or entry document, insurance proof, passport photos, and the school's registration form. Keep a digital copy as well. Some offices ask for a physical copy, so print two sets before you leave home.
Do I need a residence permit?
Ask the international students office which visa or residence-permit process applies to your admission and entry documents. A short CLP notice and a longer degree program can point to different processes. Get the required documents and deadline in writing. Follow that instruction before making plans based on another student's experience.
What Chinese do I need in the first week?
The names of the offices and the verbs for registration: 报到 (bàodào, report for registration), 注册 (zhùcè, register), 宿舍 (sùshè, dormitory), 校园卡 (xiàoyuánkǎ, campus card), 保险 (bǎoxiǎn, insurance). The line 请问国际学生办公室在哪里 (qǐngwèn guójì xuéshēng bàngōngshì zài nǎlǐ) asks where the international students office is.
Sources
- Peking University, “Chinese Language Summer School 2026”, read 20 October 2026.
- Peking University, “Spring Four-week Chinese Language Studies Program”, read 20 October 2026.
- Tsinghua University, “Admission to Chinese Language Program in THU”, published 20 August 2026, read 20 October 2026.
- 《中华人民共和国出境入境管理法》 Article 39, English translation, Hunan government portal, read 20 October 2026.
Version 1. Recheck when a named program changes its arrival instructions, or every six months.