Stories from Abroad
What difficulties did you have at the stages of preparation for the internship? What tips and recommendations can you give to future participants of the academic mobility program?
The only challenge I faced during preparation was not realizing that an X2 visa does not allow entry into Hong Kong or Macau. This visa type permits only a single entry to mainland China, meaning that once you leave, you cannot re-enter without applying for a new visa. My advice for future BIT Zhuhai participants is to plan any trips to Macau or Hong Kong in advance—either before the program begins by flying into Hong Kong, or after it ends by departing from there.
Describe the process of obtaining a visa. Your advice for future participants of the academic mobility program.
The current process for obtaining a Chinese visa is simple and well-organized. First, gather all the required documents and complete the application form on the consulate’s website. You can then track the status of your application using the reference number. Once the status changes to “Awaiting passport submission”, bring a printed screenshot of your application along with your passport to the consulate. After submitting your documents and receiving the payment slip, pay the visa fee (2,500₽) at the bank. Processing typically takes about one week.
What difficulties did you encounter upon arrival at the host foreign organization? Your advice to future participants of the academic mobility program.
Hopefully, I had no difficulties upon arrival. The program’s volunteers and coordinators were incredibly helpful from the 1st day —assisting with SIM card registration, setting up AliPay and WeChat Pay, and explaining how to use essential apps. They remained a constant source of support throughout the entire program.
Specify your expenses related to participation in an internship abroad (visa costs, cost of flight / travel to the place of internship, registration fees / taxes / deposits in the host organization, policy / medical services, if used, public transport, meals, accommodation. Your tips for cutting costs.
To live comfortably for a month, I would recommend budgeting at least 60,000₽. My main expenses were: approximately 36,000₽ for round-trip airfare, 2,500₽ for the visa, a refundable dormitory deposit of 100 CNY (~1,100₽), daily spending on meals, coffee, and shopping averaging around 65 CNY (~750₽), a monthly bicycle rental for 14 CNY (~150₽), and taxi rides into the city ranging from 8 to 90 CNY, which can be shared with friends to save costs.
What difficulties did you have at the stages of preparation for the internship? What tips and recommendations can you give to future participants of the academic mobility program?
Overall, there were no major difficulties. The most challenging part was preparing the documents, but even that wasn't too complicated-the International Office
was always ready to help, and staff provided guidance whenever questions arose.Don't miss the chance to participate in exchange programs and internships. And don't be afraid, even if you're traveling alone or feel your language skills aren't perfect. It's not as hard as it may seem-people are kind and always willing to help. Dream big, keep learning, and explore the world!
Describe the process of obtaining a visa. Your advice for future participants of the academic mobility program.
First you need to wait for the invitation from the university. After receiving it, you can log in/create a personal account on the consulate website to fill out the application form and submit all required documents. Once your application is approved, you should print out the QR code - you'll need to bring it with you to the consulate along with your international passport and Russian domestic passport. At the consulate, you'll need to submit these documents and provide fingerprints if required. They will then give you a payment receipt. The visa will cost 2,500 rubles plus a 50 ruble commission fee. Important: When you go to the bank to pay the visa fee, remember to bring this exact amount in cash. After making the payment, you'll be able to pick up your visa exactly one week later.
What difficulties did you encounter upon arrival at the host foreign organization? Your advice to future participants of the academic mobility program.
The first days at the host organization were quite challenging due to insufficient organizational support. No one met us at the airport, which caused difficulties with transportation and initial adjustment. Volunteers provided assistance only during the first few days, after which we had to handle all logistical and everyday matters on our own.
Specify your expenses related to participation in an internship abroad (visa costs, cost of flight / travel to the place of internship, registration fees / taxes / deposits in the host organization, policy / medical services, if used, public transport, meals, accommodation. Your tips for cutting costs.
Visa: 2,550 RUB
Flight: 36,750 RUB
Bus fare: 2 CNY
Campus meal: about 200 RUB per serving
Shower: 1 CNY per 5 minutes
What difficulties did you have at the stages of preparation for the internship? What tips and recommendations can you give to future participants of the academic mobility program?
Collecting documents is the most unpleasant part of preparation, but I managed to do it without much difficulty. I recommend that future participants of the program collect documents on time, do not postpone everything until the last day.
Describe the process of obtaining a visa. Your advice for future participants of the academic mobility program.
I received an invitation from a Chinese university, filled out a visa application form online, submitted documents to the Consulate General of the People's Republic of China, paid the visa fee and received a visa a week later.
What difficulties did you encounter upon arrival at the host foreign organization? Your advice to future participants of the academic mobility program.
In China, almost no one knows English, so there were difficulties with communication. Since I do not speak Chinese fluently, I had to constantly use an interpreter. My tips: immediately get a Chinese SIM card upon arrival, set up Alipay/WeChat Pay, download a good translator and the Didi app for calling a taxi.
Specify your expenses related to participation in an internship abroad (visa costs, cost of flight / travel to the place of internship, registration fees / taxes / deposits in the host organization, policy / medical services, if used, public transport, meals, accommodation. Your tips for cutting costs.
Visa – 2500 rubles.
Flight – 40000 rubles
The cost of the program is 77000 rubles.
Public transport fare – 2000 rubles.
Meals – 25000 rubles.
Medical insurance – 2000 rubles.
My impressions of the internship in China were multifaceted. The city moves at an incredible pace. I was amazed by its size and the widespread use of payment through WeChat Pay/Alipay, as well as the many rental bicycles. The first week was dedicated to exploring the area, getting familiar with the metro, Alipay, WeChat, and Baidu maps. Friendly locals always ready to help made this easier. I quickly made friends both among foreigners and Chinese, which helped me get to know the city faster. The atmosphere at the university was stimulating and friendly; teachers and students were very kind and responsive. There were often interesting events on campus, and you could always win something. Besides studying, I had time to explore the city itself. I visited many attractions, including the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, and the Great Wall of China. Each trip added to the overall experience. Beijing gave me significant intercultural experience and inspired me for further development and career plans.
Academically, I managed to greatly improve my knowledge. I learned to work in teams with people fr om different countries, enhanced my command of economic terminology in English, and took Chinese language courses, which helped me better understand speech, hear tones, and speak. Personally, this experience increased my independence, adaptability, and self-confidence. Living alone in a completely different cultural environment taught me flexibility, patience, and problem-solving skills in unforeseen situations.
The only difficulty I faced during preparation was completing the medical examination quickly within the set deadlines, as there was initially a misunderstanding about the due date. Therefore, my advice is: if you do not understand or are unsure about the information, it’s better to ask immediately rather than at the last moment.
Describe the process of obtaining a visa. Your advice for future participants of the academic mobility program.
Fill out the online application form.Attend the consulate appointment as scheduled with the printed color documents (ADMISSION NOTICE, form DQ), along with copies and original passports.Then pay for the visa in cash at the bank. Carefully study the list of required documents to bring with you. In addition, start filling out the application form in advance, as many questions may arise during completion.
What difficulties did you encounter upon arrival at the host foreign organization? Your advice for future participants of the academic mobility program.
I did not encounter any difficulties.
Specify your expenses related to participation in an internship abroad (visa costs, cost of flight / travel to the place of internship, registration fees / taxes / deposits in the host organization, policy / medical services, if used, public transport, meals, accommodation. Your tips for cutting costs.
Visa – 2500 RUB
Flight there – ~14,000 RUB
Flight back – ~10,000 RUB
Deposit – 100 yuan
Application Fee – 500 yuan
Medical services – 7000 RUB
Bus fare – 3 yuan
Metro fare – 7 yuan
Bicycle rental – 3 yuan
Taxi from campus to dormitory – 13 yuan
Daily food expenses – 25-40 yuan.
To reduce costs, you can eat only in canteens wh ere food is very cheap. Also, avoid taking taxis. If you like shopping, a great way to save money is to download apps like Poison and Taobao.
What difficulties did you have at the stages of preparation for the internship? What tips and recommendations can you give to future participants of the academic mobility program?
Don't be afraid of anything, don't worry about what awaits you. In any case, you will get a wonderful experience and make new acquaintances. The fact that you will live in another country for such a long time is already very interesting, just enjoy every moment.
Describe the process of obtaining a visa. Your advice for future participants of the academic mobility program.
There were no problems with obtaining a visa. Just take care of it in advance.
What difficulties did you encounter upon arrival at the host foreign organization? Your advice to future participants of the academic mobility program.
The main thing upon arrival is to get from the airport to the university. Immediately prepare cash if you do not have an alipay and the opportunity to order a taxi online. Prepare the exact address of the dormitory, because one university may have several buildings. Don't be afraid to bargain with taxi drivers who will meet you right at the exit, because in the end they may have an adequate price for the trip.
Specify your expenses related to participation in an internship abroad (visa costs, cost of flight / travel to the place of internship, registration fees / taxes / deposits in the host organization, policy / medical services, if used, public transport, meals, accommodation. Your tips for cutting costs.
I bought a plane ticket back through trip.com you can buy a ticket for an international student there. Just sel ect the desired flight, scroll down, and in some cases "Foreign student" will be indicated, this option provides two bags and a low price. So I flew fr om Shanghai to Irkutsk for about 17 thousand rubles.
