Q & A ABOUT THE POSTPONEMENT OF THE START OF THE 2020 SPRING SEMESTER

On 2020-Feb-17

Questions Related to Registration

1. Q: Since the Spring semester start has been postponed, can I buy air ticket in advance?

A: According to the notification requirements of the Ministry of Education and the Beijing Municipal Education Commission, the university has postponed the start date of the 2020 Spring semester. Students must not return to campus in advance. Once the start time is determined, the university will inform each student as soon as possible, so that you can prepare for the trip in advance. At the same time, classes will be taught through distance teaching. Students will be able to study from home.

2. Q: What should I do if I can't report in school on time because of flight cancellation or because I can't find a suitable flight?

A: After the new start date is determined, if you cannot report on time due to the suspension of airlines or other air traffic control, you need to apply for leave. The leave duration varies according to your student category, please refer to the leave regulations of each student category. If you are unable to report on time due to other reasons, you need to ask for leave from your faculty, school, college or department and the International Students Office in advance.

Application procedure: Please log in the ISO website (Study & Life – Current Students – Download) or type “leave” on the International Students Office WeChat account (BNUISO), to download and fill in the Leave of Absence Form, fill it and send it to your class teacher and supervisor at your faculty, school, college or department, who will then submit it to the International Students Office after the approval of the faculty, school, college or department.

Questions Related to Student Status

1. Q: Can I apply for suspension of studies if I cannot study at the university due to the impact of the epidemic?

A: Students can apply for suspension of studies according to their own circumstances. According to the university's student status management regulations, if you are unable to study at the university, you can apply for a suspension of studies, which is based on semesters.

Application procedure: Please log in the ISO website (Study & Life – Current Students – Download) or type “leave” on the International Students Office WeChat account (BNUISO), to download and fill in the Change of Student Status Form, fill it and send it to your class teacher and supervisor at your faculty, school, college or department, who will then submit it to the Provost’s Office and Academic Affairs, who will then submit it to the International Students Office after approval of the faculty, school, college or department.

Regulations on The Administration of Non-Degree International Student Records:

http://iso.bnu.edu.cn/en/article/detail?cid=375&detail=135&pid=184

Beijing Normal University Graduate Student Management Regulations:

http://iso.bnu.edu.cn/en/article/detail?cid=375&detail=136&pid=184 

Regulations on The Administration of Undergraduate International Student Status at Beijing Normal University:

http://iso.bnu.edu.cn/en/article/detail?cid=375&detail=189&pid=184 

2. Q: I am a new student. Can the original application for Spring semester be changed to fall semester? Do I need to reapply?

A: New students who have applied for the spring semester can change their application to the fall semester. Please submit your application before the start of the semester and resubmit the Application Form. If you have already paid your tuition, the period of validity of your payment can be deferred to the 2020 fall semester. The university will notify you of specific procedures by email.

Questions Related to Learning

1. Q: What should I do if I cannot report on time due to the epidemic, and I miss the supplementary examination and class?

A: After the semester starts, the university will make arrangements or individual treatments for the registration, supplementary examination, withdrawal and selection of courses, trying out of classes etc., of students who cannot return to campus due to the epidemic, so as to minimize the impact of the epidemic on students. At the same time, the university will make appropriate adjustments to the educational arrangement and provide necessary tutoring and support to students who need help in their studies due to the impact of the epidemic prevention and control. Please keep close communication with your class teacher, instructor and supervisor.

2. Q: When is withdrawal and selection of courses for 2020 spring semester? Has the schedule changed?

A: Degree students:

On February 13, the Provost’s Office and Academic Affairs has published the preliminary contact information of each class in the BNU online system account (also called the BNU Information Portal) for students to view and establish the contact with their teachers. If students are unable to log on the online system account due to some limitations, the department will forward the preliminary contact information to the students through other means. If you need the contact information of the teachers of courses marked "not required" by the training unit, please contact the teacher in charge at your faculty, school, college or department.

On February 18, all teachers will release the distance teaching plan of the course to students through the preliminary contact information, for students to prepare in advance. If there are obvious difficulties, they will timely adjust and announce new developments through the preliminary contact information.

B: Non-Degree students:

On February 13, the Provost’s Office and Academic Affairs has published the preliminary contact information of each class in the BNU online system account (also called the BNU Information Portal) for students to view and establish the contact with their teachers. If students are unable to log on the online system account due to some limitations, the department will forward the preliminary contact information to the students through other means.

On February 18, all teachers will release the distance teaching plan of the course to students through the preliminary contact information, for students to prepare in advance. If you have any questions, please contact the teacher in charge at your faculty, school, college or department to help solve it. Chinese language students should please complete the placement test online before February 17, Website: http://hanyu.ironpy.cn/hy/bnu/. Test results, teachers’ public mailboxes and other information will be sent to students via email before February 21.

Questions Related to Accommodation

A. About check-in and room

1. Q: I have been staying at a friend's house in Beijing. Now that the university has delayed returning to campus. Can I return to the dormitory?

A: No. The university has expressly stipulated that students living outside the university shall not return to the campus in advance before the official return date is announced.

2. Q: I have already booked a room. Can the room be reserved till resumption?

A: The room will of students who have booked and paid the reservation deposit will be reserved.

B. About accommodation fee

1. Q: I want to return to my country or I have already returned to my country. I am not allowed to return to campus in advance before the official notice from the university. But I have already paid the accommodation fee for next semester. Can this fee be refunded to me?

A: You can check out of your room and get a refund. When the accommodation fee is refunded, the deposit you have paid will be retained until the Spring semester to be used as the accommodation fee. You can also choose not to apply for refund and use it for the Spring semester. If you need a refund, please submit an application to wsfwqt@sina.com before the Spring semester begins.

2. Q: My accommodation fee has been paid to the end of the Spring semester. I now want to check out and return to my country, what will happen to the accommodation fee I paid?

A: The accommodation fee will be charged according to the long-term student standard and the actual number of days they live in the apartment. The apartment management will transfer the accommodation deposit paid for Spring semester to the accommodation fee of Spring semester. If you do not return to the apartment in Spring semester, the deposit will not be refunded.

3. Q: My accommodation is self-sponsored. Can I pay for the room by instalment?

A: The accommodation fee of self-sponsored long-term students can only be paid once every semester.

4. Q: I am currently living off campus. Since I cannot return to campus, how can I check out?

A: Please contact a student on campus, contact the front desk in advance, provide a letter of attorney, and tell the front desk the person will complete the check-out formalities for you. The front desk will handle the check-out according to your information. After check-out, you can store your luggage in the apartment for free. If you do not have a student on campus to complete the check-out formalities for you, please wait for the relevant policies to be announced.

C. About luggage

1. Q: What should I do with the luggage stored in the dormitory before I returned to my country? If I want to keep my luggage in the dormitory, do I have to pay throughout this period?

A: If you don't want to pay to reserve the room, you can check out. You can ask contact a student in the dormitory to help you pack your luggage and store it at the front desk of the dormitory. The standard of luggage storage fee charging scheme during storage will be notified separately.

2. Q: My classmates have returned to their countries just like me. No one can help me with my luggage. What should I do?

A: You can try to contact the Student Union of your country, and ask the Student Union to help you contact the students who are still on campus. Please contact the front desk in advance and tell them the person who will complete the check-out formalities for you, for the front desk to make proper record. The apartment provides luggage storage and retrieval service. The standard of luggage

3. Q: Can I mail my luggage in the dormitory back to my country?

A: You can try to contact the Student Union of your country, and ask the Student Union to help you contact the students who are still on campus. For specific operations, please contact the front desk of the dormitory. The apartment provides luggage storage and retrieval service.

Questions Related to Insurance

Q: My insurance is about to expire. How do I renew it?

A: If your insurance is about to expire, be sure to renew it before the expiration date. You can log on the Ping An Insurance website www.lxbx.net to check the validity of your insurance and buy insurance. The validity period of the insurance can be 6 months or 12 months. The validity period of the insurance should be the same as that of the visa application. For payment manual, please refer to http://iso.bnu.edu.cn/en/pages?cid=370&pid=183.

China Ping An Insurance Co. Ltd., reserves the right of final interpretation of the Insurance for International Students in China.

·       Please save the “Online Payment Voucher” and send it as attachment via email to isp@bnu.edu.cn.

·       Please indicate your name, student number and passport number in the email.

·       Students who need to extend their visa should also pay attention to their insurance validity period.

Questions Related to Visa

1. Q: I am now abroad, and my visa will expire on March 20. If the university resumes later than March 20, how do I apply for visa?

A: The university will process the new visa application form for the students who cannot return to campus due to expired visa. It will take about 2-3 weeks to process the new application form and mail it, so, please schedule your time reasonably. If you cannot register on time due to visa or air ticket booking issues, please consult the university in advance and go through relevant leave procedures. The university will handle special circumstances appropriately, if there are any. Please pay attention to our subsequent notice for the specific application process.

2. Q: I am now in Beijing and my visa is about to expire. How do I apply for visa if school starts later than the expiry date?

A: In order to enhance the prevention and control of the Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia, and reduce the gathering and mobility of people, it is suggested to choose the visa agent at this stage. Students will submit visa application information to the university online, and then the visa agency company will process it, pick up and deliver the documents at the agreed university gate or through express delivery.

Visa process through agent：

1. Submit the visa application information to the university online: Send us the photo of the first page of your passport, the latest visa page, the latest China customs entry seal page, the “Registration Form of Temporary Residence”, your student number, name, telephone number and other information, by email to isp@bnu.edu.cn;

2. Hand over the application materials to “Shanglian Introduction” company at the agreed university gate (or through designated express delivery), and pay the visa fee and agency fee (the agency fee is RMB 250; accepts cash RMB only) and obtain the receipt issued by the “Shanglian Introduction” company;

3. According to the notice, go to the Exit and Entry Administration of the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau (near the Yonghegong Lama temple) at the designated time for visa interview (only for short-term study visa and applicants of some nationalities);

4. Pick up your passport after 11 to 18 working days (the specific time of collection would be subject to the written notice of Shanglian Introduction company, or through designated express delivery); 

5. Update your residence permit form at the front desk of your apartment or the local police station within 24 hours after receiving the passport;

6. Within 72 hours after receiving the passport, register your new visa information with the Beijing Normal University International Students Office through email isp@bnu.edu.cn: Send the photos of the newly issued visa page and the “Registration Form of Temporary Residence”.

Special note: Matters related to visas handling by the agent will be explained by the “Shanglian Introduction” company.

Questions Related to Scholarship

1. Q: I cannot sign in on campus at the end of February due to the epidemic situation. Will it affect my living expenses for next month?

A: Scholarship students do not need to sign in at the university at the end of February, however, they need to report their daily health information and their whereabouts to the university. The scholarship living expenses for March will be paid according to the students’ completion of the daily health information report.

Questions Related to Tuition Fees

1. Q: What happens to the tuition fees that I have paid after I apply for suspension of studies?

A: Students who apply for suspension of studies should first apply for cancellation of their study visa at the Chinese embassy in their country, and then send the proof of visa cancellation to isp@bnu.edu.cn. The tuition fees already paid for the 2020 Spring semester can be transferred to the first semester after the resumption of study or students can apply for tuition fees refund. If you need to apply for tuition fees refund, in accordance with the regulations on tuition of international students, you should apply for suspension of studies and tuition fees refund before the 2020 Spring semester starts. Please pay attention to our subsequent notice for details of refund process.

Regulations on tuition of international students:

http://iso.bnu.edu.cn/en/article/detail?cid=375&detail=190&pid=184 

3. Q: How do I pay the 2020 Spring semester tuition fees?

A: The 2020 Spring semester tuition fees payment will be delayed. Payment will be made offline after you return to campus according to the new start date of the 2020 Spring semester.

4. Q: If I do not pay the tuition fees, can I choose courses and take online courses first?

A: Yes. The online class will begin on February 24. Students can check the relevant course information through the BNU online system account (also called the BNU Information Portal) before class. If you have any questions, please contact your class teacher, instructor or academic affairs teacher in your faculty, school, college or department. Tuition fees will be paid offline after you return to campus according to the new start date of the 2020 Spring semester.