As the most popular destination in Asia for international students and the third in the world, China has established educational cooperative relations with 188 countries and regions and more than 40 major international organizations. The brand “Study in China” is gaining in popularity. With Chinese language incorporated into their national education systems in 76 countries, the number of people learning and using Chinese outside China has reached 200 million, which deepens people-to-people exchange between China and other countries. China’s medical education standards and certification system have achieved international substantial equivalence. China’s engineering education has joined the Washington Accord and achieved international multilateral mutual recognition. China has established the mutual recognition of academic degrees with 56 countries and regions. Actively participating in global education governance, China held the first International Forum on AI and Education, during which the Beijing Consensus was reached, and established the World MooC Alliance. China’s teaching materials and methods and educational concepts have begun to become influential. The China International College Students “Internet +” Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition has been held for seven consecutive years, accumulatively attracting 6.03 million teams with 25.33 million students from 121 countries and regions. Chinese education is gaining more and more attention from the world.
Notice of Favorable Visa Policy for YES Program Applicants
In November 2023 in San Francisco, Chinese President XI Jinping announced an important initiative, inviting 50,000 young Americans to China for exchange and study over the next five years. To facilitate exchanges between the peoples of China and the United States, especially the youth, China has established the Young Envoys Scholarship (YES) Program led by China Educational Association for International Exchange (CEAIE).
To support the initiative and YES program, the Chinese Embassy and the Consulates-General in the US will issue five-year F visa with multiple entries to applicants with exclusive YES Invitations issued by CEAIE are eligible. At the same time, visa processing fees (including express service fees) will be waived.
Application procedure:
1. Chinese educational institution
Register at the YES platform https://www.pmplatform.youthlink.cn to apply for the YES program invitation letters for American participants.
2. American applicants
Step 1: Find a Chinese host educational institution. Please contact Chinese Embassy, Consulate General in the U.S. or CEAIE if you need any assistance.
Step 2: Chinese host educational institution could register at the YES platform to apply for the YES program invitation letters for American participants.
Address of the Visa Office of the Chinese Embassy:
2201 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 110, Washington D.C., 20007, USA
Office Hours: 9:30-14:30 (Monday to Friday, except for holidays)
Email address: washington_visa@csm.mfa.gov.cn
Phone: 001-202-855-1555 (12:30-16:30 on weekdays)
Website link:
http://us.china-embassy.gov.cn/eng/lsfw/zj/notice/202409/t20240917_11491748.htm
Address of the Visa Office of the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in New York:
520 12th Av, New York, NY 10036 (The door is open on 42nd Street.)
Office Hours: 9:00-15:00 (Monday to Friday, excluding holidays)
Email address: ny_visa@csm.mfa.gov.cn
Phone: 001-212-868-2078
Website link:
http://newyork.china-consulate.gov.cn/eng/tzgg/202409/t20240917_11491990.htm
Address of the Visa Office of the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in San Francisco:
1450 Laguna Street, San Francisco, CA94115 (Visa Office Entrance at Geary Blvd)
Office Hours: 9:30-14:30 (Monday to Friday, except weekends and holidays)
Email address: sf_visa@csm.mfa.gov.cn
Phone: 001-415-919-6008 (9:00am-12:00pm 1:00pm-4:00pm,Monday to Friday, except for holidays)
Website link:
http://sanfrancisco.china-consulate.gov.cn/eng/lsfw/lszj/notice/202409/t20240918_11492135.htm
Address of the Visa Office of the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Los Angeles:
3rd Floor, 500 Shatto Place, Los Angeles, CA 90020
Office Hours: 9:00-14:00 (Monday to Friday, except weekends and holidays)
Email address: la@csm.mfa.gov.cn
Phone: 001-213-338-8353, 9:30am--11:30am, 1:00pm--3:00pm，Monday to Friday (exclude public holidays)
Website link:
http://losangeles.china-consulate.gov.cn/eng/visa/Notice/202409/t20240918_11492147.htm
Address of the Visa Office of the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Chicago:
1 East Erie Street, Suite 500, Chicago, IL 60611 U.S.A.
Office Hours: 9:30-14:30 (Monday to Friday, except weekends and holidays)
Email address: chicago@csm.mfa.gov.cn
Phone: 001-312-453-0210 or 001-312-453-0212, (9:30am-12:00pm; 1:30pm-3:00pm, Monday to Friday, closed on weekends and holidays)
China Education Association for International Exchange contact:
Email address: yes@ceaie.edu.cn
Website: https://www.youthlink.cn
Community Health Centers have been established and stationed throughout the nation. The Community Health Service in China takes residents’ health needs into account and is capable of providing high-quality services to patients. The functions of Community Health Centers include disease control and prevention, health care services, and medical treatment services. With a larger scope of services, people in China have more and better access to health care resources.
According to the regulations of the Ministry of Education of China, international students studying in China are required to have medical insurance covered the entire period of study as part of the enrollment. The medical insurance should be recognized by his/her university/college and meet the comprehensive medical insurance standard. It’s highly recommended to purchase insurance before arrival. There is a risk that an international student will not be allowed to register if the insurance is not purchased within specified time frame.
International students are responsible to purchase the medical insurances and any predictable or urgent health care costs from possible accidental injury, medical treatments or hospitalization.
Applications for school housing and accommodation should be submitted to the universities prior to arrival. Prices are varied based on the types of dormitories in different universities. Please consult with university staff regarding the policy on family housing as it varies from institutions to institutions.
Students can live off-campus with the permission from the university, but they should register at the local public security office within 24 hours upon arrival.
Below are some websites you may find helpful when considering study in China:
Ministry of Education, P.R.C
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, P.R.C
Ministry of Public Security, P.R.C
Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United States of America
http://us.china-embassy.gov.cn/eng/
Consulate General of People's Republic of China in New York
http://newyork.china-consulate.gov.cn/eng/
Consulate General of People's Republic of China in Chicago
http://chicago.china-consulate.gov.cn/eng/
Consulate General of People's Republic of China in San Francisco
http://sanfrancisco.china-consulate.gov.cn/eng/
Consulate General of People's Republic of China in Los Angeles
http://losangeles.china-consulate.gov.cn/eng/
China Education Association for International Exchange (CEAIE)