The China Helper
Your practical guide to studying, living and learning in China.
This is one of the most misunderstood topics among graduating students in China, so let us start with the sentence that saves people the most time: nothing converts automatically. Finishing a degree here does not roll your student residence permit…
Set up accounts, pay, read listings, track parcels and collect packages from lockers — a beginner's guide to shopping online in China.
One of the biggest surprises for students arriving in China is that winter is two different experiences depending on where your university is. North of the traditional heating line, buildings are warm enough that people wear t-shirts indoors in January…
Ask for 一水 in a shop and you will be understood; ask for 一个水 and you will be understood and instantly marked as a textbook learner. Measure words (量词) are the little words that sit between a number and its…
Almost every serious learner of Chinese has tried flashcards, and a surprising number have quietly concluded that they do not work — usually after several months of diligently reviewing 3,000 cards and still failing to understand a sentence. The method…
How to open a Chinese bank account as a foreigner: best banks, documents, the process, UnionPay card, and linking to WeChat Pay/Alipay.
CSC, provincial, university and Confucius Institute scholarships — types, amounts, eligibility, deadlines and how to write a winning application.
Book high-speed rail with your passport, choose seat classes, navigate huge stations, find cheap flights and survive holiday travel rushes.
How to register with a hospital, use your student insurance, see a doctor, fill a prescription and handle emergencies in China.
During enrolment week you are handed paperwork at speed, and somewhere in that pile are two things that quietly run your life for the next year or four. One proves you are a student. The other is effectively your wallet,…