The Dummies’ Guide to Surviving your First Semester (In Fudan,
This is a three-part special feature! Hopefully prospective Fudan Freshmen, or shall we say, FUSSA-ians, who googled can chance upon our page and get prepared for their exciting years in
The Dummies’ Guide promises to cover all aspects to guarantee your survival through your first semester in Fudan!
Table of Contents:
Pre-departure:
1) Don’t get stuck at the airport
2) How’re you feeling today?
3) Howdy Neighbor—what’s the cost?
4) My knapsack on my back—what’s HOT and what’s NOT?
Upon Arrival:
1) Nong-hou
2) Say hi to your counselors!
3) One way ticket to the….
4) Hungry tummy
5) Fashion woes
6)Money matters
7) Par-tay?
8) Livin’ it up
9) Our spiritual side
10) FUSSA—your
Pre-departure
Chapter 1: Sheesh! Don’t get stuck at the airport!
What do you need to prepare to actually leave home soil? Jot this down! Your passport and a valid visa for entry to
Ok, firstly, we don’t actually need a visa to enter
Firstly, wait for your admission package! (Right, that part is worrying, because they always only send that in SO late)
You will need:
1) Your 入学通知书(JW 201) (with photocopy)
2) Passport (with photocopy, make sure it has at least a 6-months validity)
3) Foreign health examination report (with photocopy, just the first double page will suffice)
4) 1 passport sized photo
5) Cash
Fill in the form and check under the X-category. You’ll need to return 4 days later to collect your passport with your visa in it.
VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: The embassy ONLY files application in the morning, collection is ONLY in the afternoons.
*Address: Chinese Embassy in SingaporeAmbassador: Zhang Xiaokang Address: Embassy of the P. R. China in
*Helpful websites for your air tickets: http://www.fare.net/, http://www.zuji.com/, http://www.ctrip.com/ (but I always recommend looking out for hot deals in the newspapers!!)
Chapter 2: How’re you feeling today?
Yes, you’ve to do a health check! Yikes! I personally hate blood tests; they just can’t seem to find my veins.
Ask for the foreign health examination at SGH. You’ll have to call in advance to make an appointment.
What should definitely be inside your report: HIV test and X-ray.
It takes around 2 weeks (or more) from the time you call to make your appointment to the time you collect your report, so make sure you work your schedule carefully!
*
Appointment Tel: 63214377
Chapter 3: Howdy Neighbor—what’s the cost?
Trying to decide where to live can be stressful, especially since you probably don’t even know how WJC/Pentagon (五角场) looked like.
Most scholars are sponsored to live on-campus. However, most of us now live off-campus; flat-sharing is generally cheaper than living in dorm.
This is how it’s going to look like to live on-campus (留学生公寓@武东路):
1) 200rmb (deposit) + 60rmb/day (double) or 90rmb/day (single), including water and electricity bills.
*For CSC scholars, 1st & 2nd year sponsored double room; 3rd & 4th year sponsored single room（北）
(You can choose to top up 30rmb/day to upgrade to a single, rental applies for holidays)
2) TV cable: 78rmb/semester
3) Fridge: 150rmb/sem or 600rmb (new)
4) Laundry card: 20rmb deposit (Remember to hold on to your receipt to get your deposit back at the end of your 4 years) 30rmb prepaid, 3rmb/wash
5) Laundry service: 15rmb/bag
6) Dry clean: 7rmb-15rmb/piece at nearby shops
7) Internet: 68rmb for 200hrs (valid 1 month)/ 38rmb for 50hrs?
8) Intranet: Free! With movies/TV!!
And living off-campus?
1) Approximately 1000-1500rmb/month per person for flat-share. That makes it approximately 4500rmb/month for a three or four-bedroom. (If you found your apartment through an agent, be prepared to pay another 30% of a month’s rent for his commission). We usually pay 3+1months (deposit) rent for the first time and pay quarterly after that. Charges apply during holidays too.
2) Broadband is 130rmb/month (split according to the number of people)
3) From my personal experience, it’s around 150rmb/month per person for all other utilities, depending on the season. It’s usually cheaper during summer than winter. (You pay at the convenience store before 4pm everyday or at the post-office before it closes everyday.)
4) Things to note when looking for the apartment: safe surroundings, direction (matters a lot during the harsh winter winds), furniture inclusive, all appliances working, air-conditioner/heater, 24hour hot water bath etc.
5) Try not to look for housing online, but you can do some research first. Always look at the real place before deciding. Some websites that may be of help: http://www.Shanghai.Anjuke.com, http://rent.sh.soufun.com, http://sh.ganji.com/fang/
Other costs we (eventually) have to bear:
1)SIM card(with prepaid value): approximately 120rmb (use the guidebook to subscribe to the plan that best suits you. I’m using 神舟 16rmb/month which allows free-incoming call. I also subscribe to the 1rmb/month 12593 service where I can call
2) International calling:
1. Call from dorm (outgoing to
2. Call from mobile (International calling card; 0.40rmb/minute)
However, FUSSA-ians have noted that it is cheaper to call from
*International calling cards
a) Little
b)
3) Mail: 5.5rmb (7 days); parcel sending is quite expensive
4) Household necessities: around the same price as
What’s in our neighborhood?
1) Supermarts! Walmart is just beside school and 大润发not too faraway.
2) Eateries and fast-food restaurants, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Western, mostly cheap and affordable. We even have Breadtalk and Bee Cheng Hiang right beside school! Bak kwa!!
3) Banks—Bank of China, Agricultural Bank of China, Construction Bank, Commercial Bank, Merchant’s Bank. ATM machines for Citibank and HSBC too!
4) Train and Air ticketing office
5) Convenience stores—Lawson, Family Mart, Kedi, Quick
6) Pharmacies-雷允上, Watsons
7) Wet markets (for those who cook)—国年路菜市场,国定路菜市场
8) Computer one-stop center-EGO (like our
9) DVD stores, Book stores, KTV, Shopping malls (Yes! IN the neighborhood!)
Chapter 4: My knapsack on my back—what’s HOT and what’s NOT?
What TO pack:
Here’s a short (or some might consider long) list, but recommended!
- Personal medication, that means Panadol, Poh Chye Pills etc if you have a preferred brand (you can consider getting a travel kit from the Polyclinic which will set you back around $24)
- Passport-sized photos (you’ll need them for registration and application of the residence permit)
- Medical report AND your X-Ray
- Admission notice and all other relevant documents
- IF you MUST use foolscap paper, please buy in
- Your electronic chargers. Don’t worry about the adaptors, you can get them in
- Your favorite Singaporean food/ mix packets. Do note the expiry date though. There’s Milo in
What NOT to pack:
A very short list.
- Winter clothes. Seriously. TOO bulky. You can definitely get cheaper and PRETTIER ones in
- Toiletries like shampoo or bath-creams.
- Don’t bring pots and pans and especially not kitchen knives! We don’t want to wave you goodbye from the other side of the departure windows!
**Just check with us if you are not sure!
(To be continued....) *Click for Part II
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