Budget for money needed before classes start
List the amounts due at registration, accommodation deposits, insurance, transport, meals and a small emergency reserve. Record which payment methods the university accepts. A published annual tuition figure does not tell you the timing of every payment. Keep funds accessible while a local bank account or mobile payment setup is still pending.
Confirm the registration at your address
Hotels usually handle guest registration; non-hotel stays generally require accommodation registration within 24 hours. Ask a dormitory or landlord how the record is completed and obtain confirmation. The 2026 online registration pilot covers specified regions; do not assume the same online process is available nationwide.
Keep an arrival folder
Bring the admission documents and the originals the university requests, with secure copies kept separately. Add the campus contact, accommodation confirmation and a calendar of immigration appointments. Share your first-night address with someone you trust. Avoid putting identity scans in ordinary public chat groups.
Put this guide into practice
Create a short record for your intended programme. Add the relevant notice or document beside each item; leave unpublished details marked “to confirm”.
- Payments due before enrolment or the first stipend
- Approval and endorsement needed before an internship
- University check-in and required immigration formalities
Treat work as a separate permission question
Before an off-campus internship or work-study activity, ask the university and exit-entry authority about approval and the required residence-permit endorsement. An employer’s informal assurance is not enough. First plan a budget you can sustain without that income; you can assess an eligible activity after your student status and timetable are clear.
TDLI Scholarships: Top-Ups, Insurance and Arrival Cash Flow
SJTU’s Tsung-Dao Lee Institute explains supplementary funding, payment timing and insurance separately. Those details matter when comparing a headline stipend with usable support. TDLI permits supplementary support without duplicating the same funding category, to reach its stated support standard. This is not a universal permission to combine awards. Other schemes can expressly prohibit concurrent funding.
Requirements depend on the university, programme, intake and your circumstances.
FAQ
Can the online accommodation pilot be used in every city?
No. Check the current local process. The linked NIA announcement describes a pilot in named regions, not a nationwide replacement for accommodation registration.