The China Helper
Your practical guide to studying, living and learning in China.
China is, by most measures, a safe country to live in — violent crime against foreigners is rare and walking home late is unremarkable in most cities. The risks that do exist are different from what you may be used…
If you entered China on an X1 visa, you are not finished with immigration paperwork — you have just started it. An X1 is a single-entry visa that only gets you through the border; it does not let you stay…
Chinese tones are the part beginners are warned about and the part most self-taught learners quietly skip. That’s a mistake, because tone errors cost you more comprehension than any accent: get a consonant slightly wrong and people still understand you;…
Chinese grammar has a reputation for being impossible. It isn’t — it’s just unfamiliar. There are no verb conjugations, no plurals, no gender, no articles and no tense endings. What actually trips up English speakers is not complexity but a…
Why the first months feel hard, how to make Chinese and international friends, unwritten social rules, and where to find your community.
Book high-speed rail with your passport, choose seat classes, navigate huge stations, find cheap flights and survive holiday travel rushes.
How to read a Chinese lease, what your deposit should cost, which clauses are red flags, and how to get your money back when you move out.
What international students are legally allowed to do, where to find internships, how to build a Chinese-style CV, and how to convert to a work visa.
CSC, provincial, university and Confucius Institute scholarships — types, amounts, eligibility, deadlines and how to write a winning application.
Set up accounts, pay, read listings, track parcels and collect packages from lockers — a beginner's guide to shopping online in China.