University of Sydney / Faculty of Arts / Department of Chinese Studies / Undergraduate / Studying Chinese in China or Taiwan / Approval and Application Process

Approval and application process

Department approval is primarily intended to ensure that the program you plan to undertake will be at the appropriate level and at least equivalent to the program here in terms of content, workload and academic quality. We will recommend credit only for study undertaken at the universities listed under "Selection of study location and institution" or at other reputable tertiary institutions with satisfactory Chinese-language programs.

If you hope to go to China on exchange, you should apply through the International Office, following International Office procedures (bring the enrolment permission form directly to the chair of department).

The guidelines below apply only to students who will not be going to China on exchange.

If you decide to study at one of the recommended universities, you should proceed as follows:

  1. Visit the website of the university to which you intend to apply, and download the application forms. The international coordinator is available to offer help and advice if you encounter difficulty.
  2. Send your application to that university before the deadline.
  3. When you receive an offer of a place, apply for the appropriate visa (see the Travel Information page under Passport and Visa).
  4. Fill in the department’s registration form for Chinese in-country study (see below, under "Pre-departure Registration") and give it to the international coordinator as soon as your plans have been finalised.

If you want to study at a university other than those recommended, you should first provide the international coordinator with the following information and materials:

  • The name and location of the institution and, if possible, the contact details of the person(s) in charge of the program;
  • The program and course outlines, including detailed information on the number of contact hours, the length of the program, teaching materials, course content and, if possible, assessment.

The international coordinator will then inform you whether it is appropriate to proceed with the following three steps:

  1. Download the application forms for the university to which you intend to apply and send your application to that university before the deadline.
  2. When you receive an offer of a place, apply for the appropriate visa (see the Travel Information page under Passport and Visa).
  3. Fill in the department’s registration form for Chinese in-country study (see below, under “Pre-departure Registration”) and give it to the international coordinator as soon as your plans have been finalised. You will normally be able to collect a copy signed by the chair of department from the envelope outside her door within a week from the day that you submitted the form. This copy will be your only evidence that the department regards your program as acceptable for academic credit.
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Pre-departure Registration

Before your departure, you must fill out the in-country study registration form and leave it with the international coordinator. Please do this as soon as your plans are clear.

The form can be obtained from the counter of the general office of the School of Languages and Cultures (Level 5 of the MacCallum-Brennan Building) or downloaded here: