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Preparation · PRACTICAL GUIDE

Coming to study in Shanghai

6 min read · Modified 2026-10-10Sources checked 2026-10-04
In this guide

An admission offer is the start of your arrival plan. Use your university's current instructions for your programme and intake, then prepare the everyday essentials that help you reach the right campus and settle in.

The one thing to remember

Confirm your entry documents, reporting date and first-night accommodation before booking your arrival. Keep your university's contact details and Chinese address offline.

Open my student checklist

Before departure: confirm documents and reporting

Ask your international office which entry documents apply to your programme and study length. Fudan and Tongji publish student-specific entry instructions; do not assume a tourist or visa-free arrival will meet your university's enrolment requirements.

Your admission message and intake notice should tell you when and where to report. Check the campus, building and opening hours, including what to do if your flight is delayed. A university can have several campuses far apart.

  1. Open the official intake notice linked by your university.
  2. Confirm the documents requested by the university and your responsible embassy or consulate. Keep the originals accessible and secure copies separately.
  3. Save the reporting date, campus, location and a reachable office contact.
  4. If any instructions conflict, ask the international office before travelling.

Before departure: arrange your first night

Ask whether your dormitory booking is confirmed, when check-in starts and whether reception can accept your arrival time. Do not treat a room application as a confirmed reservation.

If the dormitory is unavailable on your arrival date, arrange a suitable first-night stay and confirm check-in directly. Save its complete Chinese address and contact number in your offline arrival card.

  1. Confirm the booked building and campus, not only the university name.
  2. Ask reception about late arrival, required check-in documents and accommodation registration.
  3. Keep a transport and first-night backup if your flight arrives before rooms open.

Registration day: check in and report

Follow the sequence in your intake notice. University enrolment and accommodation registration are separate tasks; confirm both with the relevant office or reception.

Keep the registration records you receive. If an office is closed or a document is missing, contact the university using its official channel and ask for the next available step.

  1. Reach your confirmed accommodation and complete check-in.
  2. Confirm how accommodation registration is handled and keep the resulting record.
  3. Report at the location and time in your university notice with its requested documents.
  4. Ask for the next steps for campus access and any outstanding formalities.

First week: confirm formalities early

Ask your university promptly whether your entry status requires a residence-permit application, a health examination or another appointment, and confirm the deadline that applies to you. These tasks may be urgent; do not wait until the end of the week to ask.

Confirm the insurance arrangements for your programme and whether existing coverage is accepted. Check whether a bank account is required for your tuition or scholarship before opening one.

  1. Confirm applicable deadlines and supporting documents with the international office.
  2. Make the appointments the university asks you to arrange.
  3. Confirm insurance and any tuition or scholarship payment steps.
  4. Store official records securely; the checklist records completion only.

First week: get daily life working

Decide whether you need a Chinese mobile number for your stay. A data-only travel plan may help on arrival but may not include local calls or SMS; check the exact plan and ask your university which services need a local number.

Activate your campus account and follow the university's student-card, Wi-Fi and course-registration instructions. Keep your overseas verification number accessible until you have checked which services still use it.

  1. Choose a phone plan after checking calls, SMS, total cost and cancellation terms.
  2. Test your payment method and keep a backup.
  3. Activate campus access and find your first class or reporting location.
  4. Save your accommodation, university and emergency contacts offline.

If your arrival plan changes

For a delayed flight, closed dormitory or missed reporting window, contact your accommodation and international office directly. Ask which part of the plan should change and keep their reply.

Use the student checklist at /study to track preparation. For a general practical question, check our editorial FAQs and the linked official sources. Time-sensitive enrolment questions belong with your university.

  1. Keep a confirmed first-night address and a transport backup.
  2. Tell the relevant office your revised arrival time and ask for instructions.
  3. Check the latest official notice again before you travel.

KEEP IT OFFLINE

Your Chinese address. Your backup plan.

Make a personal arrival card and save it to your phone before you fly.

Make my arrival card

CHECK THE DETAILS

Sources & current information

Source information checked on 2026-10-04. Check changing details for your own trip using these links.

Prepare your next step

KEEP PREPARINGBefore you fly to Shanghai