Call for 2015 International Visiting Students Programs

1. Introduction

The University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS) is a higher education institution established with the approval of the Ministry of Education, mainly focusing on graduate education. The predecessor of UCAS was the Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Sciences (GSCAS), which was founded in 1978 as the first graduate school in China approved by the State Council. Based on the high-level research advantages and high-level human resources of CAS, UCAS takes shape as a large university with four campuses in Beijing, and 117 CAS institutes throughout China.

UCAS has a highly qualified faculty team consisting of teachers and supervisors from UCAS faculties and CAS institutes and a complete set of disciplinary systems with unique advantages that covers a wide range of disciplines. For more information, please visit the UCAS website at http://english.ucas.ac.cn/.

The schooling system for visiting students ranges from 1 semester to 2 years. A non-degree certificate of study will be awarded if the visiting student successfully finishes his/her study at UCAS. Official transcripts are also available upon request.

Any international student or scholar who is willing to take courses, do research or conduct an academic exchange at UCAS may consult or apply to UCAS faculties and CAS institutes.

2. Application Guidance

2.1 Qualification of Applicants

(1) Non-Chinese citizens;

(2) healthy and willing to abide by the Chinese laws and decrees;

(3) Education and age requirements as follows:

· Regular Visiting Students: hold a Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent degree;

· Senior Visiting Students: hold a Master’s degree/Doctoral degree or an equivalent degree;

(4) Language skills requirements as follows:

· For programs offered in Chinese: Applicants for programs of humanities should pass the new Chinese Proficiency Test (New HSK) band 5−above score 180, and those for science and engineering programs should pass the new HSK band 4−above score 195;

· For programs offered in English: Good command of English.

2.2  Documents Submission

(1)  ADMISSION APPLICATION FORM FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS: Download the attachment and fill in the form with a 2-inch photo and the applicant’s signature. The applicant cannot apply to more than one supervisor and institute/school.

(2) Photocopy of passport (at least 2 years validity) personal information page

(3) Original notarized photocopy of the highest degree certificate  

(4) Original transcripts or original notarized photocopy of the highest degree’s transcripts

(5) Two academic recommendation letters from scholars or experts who are familiar with the applicant’s research field (the letter should be sealed and in the writing paper with the title of referee’s institution on the top, referee’s signature, and date).

(6) CV and research proposal

(7) Photocopies of all the title pages and abstracts of maximum 5 representative published academic papers

(8) Bank Receipt of Application Processing Fee: RMB 450 or USD, EUR equivalent

For applicants outside mainland China, payments must be made in US dollars in the form of a personal check or money order or traveler’s check attached to the application form, payable to UCAS. For applicants currently in mainland China, payments must be made in Chinese currency by sending money directly to the following bank account (Please specify that the money is for the application fee):

Beneficiary: University of Chinese Academy of Sciences

Account number: 11001059200053002790

Bank: Construction Bank of China

Beijing Municipal Dongfang Guangchang Branch

SWIFT CODE：PCBCCNBJBJX

Or

Applicants may also submit the admission fee to the UCAS Financial Department.

Note:

· All the above certificates should be in English or Chinese; if not, there should be a notarized copy of the English or Chinese translation;

· Lack of application documents or unsatisfactory documents will not be accepted;

· All admission documents and admission fee are non-refundable regardless of the applicant’s admission status.

2.3 Admission Process

(1) Find an Eligible Host Supervisor Affiliated with UCAS Faculties or CAS Institutes

Applicants who are eligible and meet all the eligibility criteria above may contact an eligible supervisor of UCAS faculties or CAS institutes and send the hard/soft copy of their application documents to the supervisor. See http://english.ucas.ac.cn/Admissions for information of supervisors.

(2) Get a Host Supervisor’s Acceptance

The supervisor checks and evaluates the applicant’s academic ability according to the admission regulations of UCAS and/or the institute. Two or three experts might be invited to conduct an interview with the applicant. The supervisor then makes a decision as whether to accept the student by making comments and signing on the supervisor’s comment page in the admission application form and submit all the necessary documents to the institute/faculty (The supervisor’s comment is also needed on the scholarship application form).

(3) Faculty/Institute Approval

The application will be reviewed by the faculty or institute to decide whether to accept the applicants. If approved, the faculty/institute completes the comment page of the admission application form and sends the stamped application form along with all the application documents to UCAS International Students Office.

(4) UCAS Makes the final Review and Prepares Admission Documents

UCAS prepares the admission and visa application documents for eligible applicants after final review. The outcomes of evaluation meetings on scholarship applications will be announced once the expert panel makes the decision.

VERY IMPORTANT: Please do not send the application package without the supervisor’s signature and stamp of the faculty/institute.

(5) Application time: the whole year

3. Visa Application and Admission Registration

UCAS will admit excellent students from among the eligible applicants and send an Admission Notice and Visa Application Form (JW202/ JW201) to the admitted students. The admitted students should bring their personal and ordinary passport, Admission Notice, Visa Application Form (JW202/JW201), and original Form of Physical Examination Record for Foreigners as well as other original documents of physical examination to an Embassy or Consulate of the People's Republic of China, and apply for a student visa (X1/X2 visa). Students should register in the required place indicated on the Admission Notice within the expected period of registration.

4. Fees and Scholarship

4.1 Application Fee, Tuition, and Other Costs:

(1) RMB450 or USD, EUR equivalent;

(2) Tuition Regular: Visiting Student RMB 2,600/month; Senior Visiting Student RMB 3,000/month     ;

(3) Accidental Injury and Hospitalization Insurance: RMB 800/year, RMB 400/half year;

(4) Outpatient service fee is paid according to the insurance. Accommodation, broad expenses, travel expenses and other cost of experiments or internships beyond the program curricular is at the student’s own expense.

4.2 Scholarship

· Chinese Government Scholarship

The Chinese Government Scholarship supports the 7 programs, including Bilateral Program, Great Wall Program, EU Program, PIF Program, etc., to sponsor international students and scholars to study and research in Chinese universities. The scholarship offers a fee waiver of registration, tuition, health insurance, on-campus dormitory accommodation, etc. Please refer to the website of the China Scholarship Council (http://www.csc.edu.cn/Laihua/) for detailed introduction, qualifications of applicants and admission process. UCAS is one of the authorized universities for the Chinese Government Scholarship. The eligible applicants may apply to the China Scholarship Council by the recommendation of the related national official departments and Embassy or Consulate of the People's Republic of China. The scholarship usually starts in November and finishes the following April. Due to different deadlines of various countries, please check in advance. International Students Office of UCAS will offer pre-admission notice if needed.

· Visiting Students Program of UCAS Scholarship for International Students

Non-degree Program of UCAS Scholarship for Foreign Students offers a fee waiver of application and tuition and health insurance. Please refer to the UCAS website (http://english.ucas.ac.cn/) for more information.

5. Contact Information

Coordinator: Ms. Hu Menglin

International Students Office

University of Chinese Academy of Sciences

Add: No. 80 Zhongguancun East Road, Haidian District,

 Beijing, 100190, China

Email: humenglin@ucas.ac.cn;

Tel/Fax: +86-10-82672900

Website: www.ucas.ac.cn