General Chinese Program (Program A)
Full-time, Semester-Long, In-Person (classroom)
I. Program Features
Study at the center of Shanghai: Study at West Yan'An Road Campus, Donghua University, enjoying decent public transportation and well-equipped facilities.
Focus on language applications: We adopt the self-compiled textbook "Chinese in Real Life", which is more suitable for international students' life in China. We also consider the application of the Chinese language in daily life and preparing for HSK tests.
Integration of language learning and cultural understanding: We offer an introduction to Chinese culture, cultural lectures, and practical activities to deepen students' knowledge of Mandarin Chinese.
Rich online learning materials: We offer various Chinese learning materials, including keywords, language points, recorded videos, dialogue videos, audio, course summaries, etc. In addition, all learning materials and assignments will be uploaded to the learning management platform; students can review the contents at any time.
Various Course Levels: We can provide different levels of courses to meet multiple Chinese proficiency levels, from beginners to HSK6 learners.
Assistant Support: We assign Chinese teachers or DHU Chinese students to each class as assistants to provide additional support for international students.
II. Program Details
2026 Spring Semester: March 9th - June 26th
Application deadline: December 31st, 2025
Class time: 9:00 AM - 12:15 PM Beijing Time, Monday to Friday (Except for holidays and exceptional circumstances);
Course Levels Offered: Beginner, Elementary, Intermediate, Advanced, with a maximum of 9 levels. Students' placement level will be determined by the online placement test conducted before the start of the course.
Sample timetable:
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
9:00~10:30
Reading &
Writing
Reading &
Writing
Reading &
Writing
Reading &
Writing
Reading &
Writing
10:45~12:15
Listening &
Speaking
Listening &
Speaking
Listening &
Speaking
Listening &
Speaking
Listening &
Speaking
III. Fees
Application fee: CNY 600 (online payment via Donghua University students online application system)
Tuition: CNY 10,800 per semester (online payment via Donghua University students online application system)
Insurance: CNY 400 per semester (online payment via the designated insurance website)
*** Online Payment Methods: WeChat Pay, Alipay, or Visa/MasterCard.
Preferential policy:
--- The applicant who never studied at DHU before and is recommended by an international student who used to study or is studying at DHU will enjoy full waiver of the application fee. The referee's passport name should be provided accurately during the application.
--- If you continue to study at Donghua University for another semester or more, you will enjoy the following benefits:
>>> Full waiver of the application fee from the second semester on
>>> The partial tuition wavier is listed in the following table:
Tuition reduction
First Semester
Second Semester
Third Semester
Fourth and above Semester
CNY 10,800
CNY 10,200
CNY 9,800
CNY 9,400
IV. Application
Eligibility: Non-Chinese citizens who are in good physical and mental health, and aged between 16 and 55.
Procedure：
Student Application: Correctly fill in personal information and the intended study program on the Donghua University students online application system (https://admissions.dhu.edu.cn/index), upload the following application materials,and pay the application fee online within 3-4 working days according to the university's email notification:
--- Scanned copy of passport (in PDF format, clear and complete; if you are already in the Chinese mainland, a scanned copy of your visa must be uploaded)
--- Electronic version of a front-facing, bare-headed ID photo (in JPG format; provided in accordance with passport photo requirements. This photo will be used for student ID card)
University Review: After completing the online application and online payment of the application fee, wait for the university's review. If any additional materials are required during the review, the university will notify you via email; please submit the supplementary materials in a timely manner.
Admission: Wait for the university's email notification of the review result, which usually takes 2 to 4 weeks. Admitted students will receive an electronic version of the Admission Notice for the program. They should pay the tuition fee and insurance premium on time and prepare for entry into China in accordance with the requirements of the admission notice. Only after completing the registration procedures at the university on time at the beginning of the semester can students attend classes.
V. Others
Teaching Materials: Self-compiled Chinese in Real Life series textbooks by the International Education Center + supplementary teaching materials + online auxiliary teaching resources.
Visa/Residence Permit: DHU will issue relevant documents for applying for a study visa (X visa) or Residence Permit (study) based on the actual situation of admitted students' entry into China or their existing visas. Please note that the Visa Application Form for Foreigners Coming to China has been digitized. For international students with a study duration of more than 180 days, the form is JW202; for those with a study duration of less than 180 days, the form is DQ. After receiving the university's review result email, admitted students should log in to the Study in China (https://www.studyinchina.edu.cn), go to Visa Application on the homepage to view and download the JW202/DQ form according to the guidance. Students applying for a Residence Permit (study) must pay the full tuition fee and insurance premium for the corresponding semesters.
Accommodation: Admitted students may choose to live off-campus or apply for on-campus dormitories. If you plan to apply for on-campus accommodation, you must complete the application independently in accordance with the university's email guidelines. The university will make overall arrangements based on factors such as dormitory types, room availability, and application status. Students who obtain on-campus accommodation eligibility must complete the check-in procedures within the period specified by the university; those who do not obtain the eligibility should contact and arrange off-campus accommodation on their own. During this process, please pay attention to the university's latest official information and maintain close email communication. For detailed information about international student apartments:https://english.dhu.edu.cn/2014/1113/c5274a325021/page.htm
Insurance: All students enrolled in the university's full-time programs must purchase the designated insurance for international students coming to China online, with an insurance premium of 400 RMB per semester. For detailed information about international student insurance:https://english.dhu.edu.cn/insurance/list.htm.
Refund Policy: Application Fee will not be refunded once it is paid. Tuition Fee: If you apply for withdrawal before the start of the semester, you can receive a full refund of the paid tuition fee. If you complete the withdrawal procedures within the first week of the semester, you can receive a 50% refund of the paid tuition fee; if you start the withdrawal procedures from the second week onwards, no tuition refund will be provided.
Class Placement:
--- The link for the online placement test will be sent to admitted students via email before the start of the classes. Please pay close attention to email notifications and complete the test in a timely manner.
--- The online placement test is designed to assess students' current actual Chinese proficiency and ensure the accuracy of class placement. Therefore, the test results will only be used as a reference for the university's class placement process.
--- If you do not complete the test, you will neither be able to participate in the semester registration nor attend classes.
--- After the start of classes, if the difficulty of the courses is significantly inconsistent with your proficiency level, you can apply for a class level change within the first week of the start of classes and during the specified time.
VI. Contact us
Admissions & Development Section
International Education Center, Donghua University
1882 West Yan'An Road, Shanghai
Email: iec@dhu.edu.cn
Tel: +86-21-62378595 / 62379336
