Listen to this articleIf you are a Korean student, and you want to study in China, you will want to know whether studying in China is good or not and whether China is suitable for you to study. Today I will share some cases of Korean students studying in China, about why they choose to study in China, what majors they study, how to apply, and so on. I believe you will have the answer after reading it.
Data of Korean students studying in China
In 2018, a total of 492,185 foreign students from 196 countries and regions studied in 1004 institutions of higher learning in 31 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) in China, an increase of 3,013 from 2017, an increase of 0.62% ( The above data does not include Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan regions). Nearly 60% are from Asian countries, countries along the Silk Road. The total number of Asian students is 295,043, accounting for 59.95%.The top 10 rankings by country: South Korea, Thailand, Pakistan, India, the United States, Russia, Indonesia, Laos, Japan, Kazakhstan. We can see that South Korea has the largest number of students studying in China.
In 2018, the total number of Korean students studying abroad was 220,930, of which 63,827 were studying in China, accounting for 28.9%.
The learning process of Korean students in China
Why choose to study in China
Some people come to China to study because of Chinese medical skills. 11 years ago, South Korean student Piao Rongshuo came to China to seek medical treatment and study medicine. He visited Beijing, Qinghai, and Gansu. Now he has become a postgraduate of Gansu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. “Seeking medical treatment” made Piao Rongshuo “linked” to Chinese medicine. The 24-year-old was suffering from liver disease. Although western medicine treatment has relieved, a chronic drug-induced liver injury made him feel tired and insomnia. The focus shifted to Korean medicine and Chinese medicine. In 2010, he did not speak Chinese and came to Beijing to work in an international school and came to Qinghai, China in 2011, and then started an “ascetic”-like learning journey of Chinese medicine. After professional studies, in 2015, he became a foreign student of Gansu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine as he wished.
He said that Chinese medicine has saved his life. To let more people enjoy Chinese medicine, he traveled thousands of miles to Gansu to learn real Chinese medicine. “Gansu Province is a place with history and culture. If you want to learn Chinese medicine, you have to learn not only medicine but also ancient Chinese philosophy, history, and culture. So I came to Gansu to study. I felt that I could learn real Chinese medicine.”
Some people come to study in China because of Chinese culture. Jun Yang, an international student from South Korea, said that she chose to study in China because he liked Chinese culture. She said that he likes watching Chinese TV dramas and is very interested in Chinese culture and Chinese characters. She thinks that Chinese culture is very beautiful, especially ancient Chinese poetry, but because there is no learning environment, it is very difficult to learn Chinese by himself. Choose to study in China. Of course, China is now developing rapidly, and its economic and educational achievements are getting more and more attention in the world. This is also the reason why many Korean students are attracted to study in China.
Major selection
It is worth noting that the distribution of subjects for international students in China is more reasonable. The number of students studying liberal arts is still ranked first, accounting for 48.45% of the total number; the number of students studying engineering, management, science, art, and agriculture has increased significantly, a year-on-year increase Both exceed 20%.
In China, Zhejiang University, Peking University, Tsinghua University are ranked high in natural sciences, Peking University, Nanjing University, Zhejiang University are more famous in science, and Tsinghua University, Zhejiang University, Harbin Institute of Technology are ranked high in engineering. Among other things, agronomy is relatively famous in China Agricultural University, Nanjing Agricultural University, Northwest A&F University, and so on.
There are a lot of majors in Chinese universities. You can search for majors in Chinese universities and choose the ones you are interested in.
How to apply to a Chinese university
The categories of foreign students enrolled by the university include language students, undergraduate students, master students, doctoral students, general scholars, advanced scholars, research scholars, and various types of short-term study class students. For detailed enrollment information about Chinese universities, you can find them on our website “university”.
Application materials
Before you decide to study in China, you should first check the websites of your school and majors, understand the regulations and requirements of admission, and start preparing materials. The basic materials are as follows:
- Application Form
- Highest degree certificate and transcript
- Letter of Recommendation
- Study Plan
*Please prepare and submit specific materials according to the requirements of the applying school.
How to learn in China
Piao Rongshuo said frankly that his knowledge of traditional Chinese medicine is too rich, and his biggest headache is classical Chinese books, ancient prescriptions, etc., which cost four times as much time as Chinese students. He had to bring a dictionary with him at any time to consult his teachers and classmates. He also said that Korean and Chinese have common features, and Korean people have relative advantages in learning Chinese and traditional Chinese medicine. It is difficult to imagine the difficulty of learning traditional Chinese medicine for students from other countries.
I couldn’t understand that lesson. I spent eight hours reading a page of the content of the translation, and when I read it again, I still couldn’t understand it. It’s really hard for foreigners like us to learn. In fact, some words in Korean are Chinese characters, so the concept is similar. However, if people from other countries in Europe and the United States not only have to memorize the word but also understand the concept, it is not easy for them. Therefore, Korean people have great advantages in learning Chinese medicine reading.
Korean students’ learning feel in China
“There is no problem with Chinese spelling, but Chinese characters are too difficult to write. I recite and copy Chinese medicine textbooks most stupidly, but as soon as the exam is over, I forget all of them. I need to repeat and practice them constantly.” Piao Yung Shuo said that the five-year study of traditional Chinese medicine was “a joy in pain” and “the knowledge of traditional Chinese medicine is too rich. The headache is classical Chinese books, ancient prescriptions, and so on. I have to bring my dictionary with me at any time to consult my teachers and classmates.”
In the past few days, the library has become an intensive “punch-in place” for him to prepare for exams. The beautiful and powerful Chinese characters are densely annotated in the books. If there is no class, he will visit famous Chinese medicine doctors in Lanzhou and “ask them” the essence of Chinese medicine. Dunhuang medicine and traditional Tibetan medicine have all become part of his passion for oriental medicine.
Jun Yang, an international student from South Korea, said that studying in China is a very good experience. The learning environment in China is particularly good. Everyone loves to learn, and her classmates are also very friendly and kind. In short, she loves China more and more.
Li Zhiyuan, a Korean student studying in China, said that his experience of studying in China is a good memory for him. China’s learning environment is particularly good. China is rich in educational resources. He can learn a lot in China that he can’t learn in his motherland. The Chinese students around him are also very friendly, warm, and polite. They teach them Chinese and invite them to join the social circle of Chinese students. Not only the students but also the Chinese teacher is very good. Chinese teachers are like “parents” and “friends”. They not only pay attention to their study but also provide very careful help in life, which brings them a lot of warmth.
Experience sharing of Korean students studying in China
China’s preferential policies
For many years, China’s higher education institutions have had relatively low thresholds for recruiting “foreign students”. Generally speaking, as long as the Chinese proficiency has reached HSK Level 4, plus a complete high school diploma, you can participate in the interviews of major colleges and universities. After going through a systematic process, you can enter the school smoothly.
China has preferential policies for foreign students. Korean students can enjoy relatively good study conditions in China, and they can study abroad after the admission score reaches the standard. Many colleges and universities provide relatively good accommodation conditions for international students. The internal facilities of the dormitory are complete and life is relatively comfortable. And there are many scholarships in China, from the Chinese government to the local government, as well as within the school, there are many kinds of scholarships you can apply for. In addition, subsidies are also provided to international students to reduce the pressure on their lives.
If you want to stay in China for employment, because of the language advantage, it will be easier for Koreans to find a job in China, and the salary will be higher.
Scholarship application process
Generally, applicants for scholarships need to provide the following materials:
- “Chinese Government Scholarship Application Form” (filled in Chinese or English);
- Notarized highest education certificate;
- The academic transcripts of the colleges and universities you studied before coming to China;
- Study or research plan in China;
- Recommendation letter;
- Students applying for music majors must submit CDs of their own works, and students applying for fine arts majors must provide 2 sketches, 2 color paintings, and 2 CDs of other works;
- Applicants under the age of 18 must submit relevant legal documents of their legal guardian in China;
- Applicants who have studied in China for more than 6 months must submit a copy of the “Foreigner Physical Examination Form”;
- Pre-admission notice issued by the scholarship institution;
- If you have obtained the HSK score report, please also attach a copy to the application materials. All application materials are bound into a book (two volumes in one format) in the upper left corner in the order mentioned above. Application materials will not be returned.
Each scholarship program requires different materials. Postgraduates and scholars need a lot of materials. Different scholarship application procedures are different. You can go to the “China Scholarship Council” to check relevant information and the school’s official website.
Notes on studying in China
Climate
China has a vast territory, and the climate in each region is very different. The climate in Korea is mostly temperate monsoon climate with four distinct seasons. The weather is the hottest from June to September each year, and the weather is the coldest from November to February. If you are studying in China, you should know the local weather conditions in advance, prepare clothes, keep warm, and enjoy the life of studying abroad in a healthy way.
Prices
Prices in China are lower than those in South Korea, especially for agricultural products such as fruits, so you can eat a variety of delicious and cheap fruits in China. However, the differences between Chinese cities are also relatively large. For example, the consumption level in places such as Beijing and Shanghai will be relatively high, and the price gap of other daily necessities is relatively small compared with South Korea. Therefore, it is best to understand the price level of local life. You can also learn some money-saving methods about living in China, such as online shopping, and second-hand websites such as Xianyu, to reduce the pressure of studying abroad.
Part-time job
Regarding part-time work, this point must be paid special attention to. China stipulates that foreign students cannot directly work in China.
Foreigners studying in China applying for employment in China must meet the following conditions:
- Be at least 18 years old and hold a valid passport, certificate, and visa;
- I have the skills and professional knowledge necessary for the job I will be engaged in;
- The work that the foreigner hired will be engaged in is a kind of work that the hiring unit has special needs and cannot be performed by the hired person, and the work performed by the foreigner does not violate the relevant national policies and laws;
- Foreigners who come to study in China cannot apply for employment during the study period. If they are employed, they must be approved by the State Education Commission to go through the withdrawal procedures.
So don’t go to work for the sake of making money. This is illegal, but there will be some cultural exchange activities that can earn some subsidies, scholarships, and the like, not wages.
Diet
Compared with Chinese food, Korean food is lighter and less oily, but it usually adds a lot of chilies. Different places in China have different eating habits. Some places are heavy with heavy oil and some places like to eat sweets. So if you are new to China and are not used to it, you can choose to buy vegetables and cook by yourself, which saves money and suits your taste. However, this must comply with the school’s dormitory management regulations.
Transportation
Unlike South Korea, one card can be used to swipe buses, subways, and even taxis in China. China’s buses and subways have special travel cards, which can be used in some areas, but now China basically uses mobile phone QR codes, including taxis. It’s very convenient to place an order and call a car on the mobile phone.
Etiquette
South Korea is a country that pays great attention to etiquette. There are also flat honorifics in Korean. China is actually a country of etiquette. For specific etiquette introduction details, please click on the “Etiquette” section of our website. In China, if you are with classmates and friends, there may not be so many rules. If you are with teachers or other elders, you still have to pay more attention to etiquette, otherwise, it will be easy to make jokes.
Security
The most important thing about going out is to pay attention to safety. China is generally a very safe country, but you must pay attention to safety if you travel alone at night, especially if you take a taxi alone, it is best to take a photo of the license plate number and send it to a friend. It is best to keep in touch with your friends during the ride.
People who promote cults or inappropriate remarks are sometimes encountered on the streets of China, so try to avoid contact with them. At the same time, we should take care of our passports and visas. Passports are equivalent to ID cards in China. ID cards in China are very important personal information, so we must keep them properly.
The above is the entire content of this article. If you want to apply to a university in China, I believe you will definitely be interested in the following article: The Ultimate Guide of Applying for China Scholarships.
