FAQs

Prior to departure to China or at the beginning of the academic semester.

Q. What documents must I bring with me when I enter China?

A. Besides your passport and valid visa, we strongly suggest you to bring your JW202 form and the admission letter to China.

Q. When is the official date of the dorm opening for students so that I do not have to pay rent?

A. It all depends on the semester as the dates can be a bit different.  We recommend that you check with the ACC handbook or confirm with the ACC office at acchina@hamilton.edu.  Generally speaking, the dorm opens the Wednesday prior to the first day of class.

Q. How much will I pay for the room if I move in before the dorm’s official open date?

A. If you move into the dorm before the official opening date, you must pay for your room. You can ask the front desk for information or help, but they are not responsible for finding you a roommate.

Q. Can I leave my luggage at ACC while I am traveling in China?

A. Yes, it is free.

Q. Can I leave my valuables, such as laptop, at ACC?

A. Yes, right before your departure (during ACC’s office hours: 9:00am-4:00pm, you can leave them with the ACC staff.

Q. If I arrive at the dorm after working hours, can I still check in?

A. Yes, the dorm’s front desk is open 24 hours a day, so you can move in at any time.  But if you come late at night after the front desk staff are off duty, all check-in procedures will be completed the following day. 

Q. My visa is L, what should I do?

A. You will need to change it to a student visa in order to legally stay in China.  You will need the following items for a new visa: your JW202 form, admission letter, one passport photo, and 1,056RMB.   The ACC office staff can help you apply for a student visa.

During the Semester:

Q. If my computer needs repair, what can I do?

A. ACC has an IT tech person for all computer maintenance.  If something is wrong with your computer, we can ask him to take a look and give some suggestions, but he is not paid to take care of students’ computers.  You will most likely have to go to a specialized computer shop to repair a brand-named computer.  The ACC office can try to find the necessary information for you.

Q. If any equipment or furniture in my room breaks, what can I do?

A. You need to call the front desk as soon as possible, and they will send someone over to repair the damage.  If you tell the front desk but your problem is not solved in a time manner, please inform the ACC office and they will help you.

Q. If my family or friends want to come and visit me, are there hotels nearby?

A. There are several hotels in the area, and their prices vary according to their standards and also the time of year (from $40-$200).  The ACC office staff can assist you in reserving hotel rooms.

Q. If my visa will expire before my return date, what should I do?

A. Have your Passport, picture and money ready, and come to the ACC office as soon as possible so that the office staff can help you apply for a new visa.

Toward the end of the semester, and most of this information is for returning students:

Q. After the semester ends, I plan to travel abroad and then return to China, however, my visa is a single-entry – what should I do?

A. If you plan on returning to ACC to study for another semester, you will need to bring your passport, one passport photo, and¥1,056.00 to ACC office 3 weeks prior to your departure.  The ACC office staff can help you apply for a new student visa.  If you are no longer an ACC student after the semester ends, you will not be able to apply for a Chinese visa in Beijing.  You will need to apply for a new L visa from the country you are going to.

Q. I’m going to travel in China – when is the last possible date for me to return to ACC?

A. We recommend you come back early.  The latest time you can return to ACC is Friday before the first day of class, because on Saturday we will conduct a class meeting where you will get class information, your textbooks, and meet your teachers and classmates.

Q. After graduating from ACC, I want to stay in Beijing.  Can ACC help me find a cheap apartment?

A. We can help you get information, but we cannot guarantee finding an apartment for you.  For a short stay, it will be difficult to find a good bargain.

Q. I have some clothes and other stuff I don’t want to bring back to the US – what should I do with them?

A. We will give them to an NGO organization that will send them to people in need.

Q. I want to mail my things back to the US – how much will it cost?

A. If you don’t need these things soon, you can choose to mail them surface, which, according to the post office, usually takes about 3 months. However, it actually often takes only one month or so. You need to use the post office’s boxes (over ¥10/box). Postage starts at ¥ 20/kg, and then increases ¥8 for every kg.  Mailing is not cheap. If possible, reducing items in your luggage is the cheapest way to go.