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What the admission letter leaves out.

Your university holds most of the paperwork, which helps until you need something done faster than their office moves. These are the parts you have to push.

Immigration

How do I register with the police in Shenzhen? Every foreigner in China must register their address with the local police station within 24 hours of arriving. A hotel does it for you at check-in. If you are in a flat or a dormitory that has not registered you, go to the station covering that address with your passport and your lease.
How do I turn my visa into a residence permit? You have 30 days from the entry stamp in your passport to convert a study or work visa into a residence permit. It is done at the Exit-Entry Administration of the Shenzhen Public Security Bureau, and your university or employer normally books the appointment and comes with you.

Money

Getting around

How do I get around Shenzhen? The metro reaches nearly everywhere you need and costs a few yuan a trip. Open the metro ride code inside WeChat or Alipay and scan at the gate, so you never need a physical card. For anything the metro misses, use Didi rather than hailing on the street.

Language

What Mandarin do I actually need to get around? You can manage on about twenty phrases and a translation app. Learn the numbers first, then how to ask what something costs, how to say what you do not eat, and how to ask for help.

Living here

Work and tax

Do I have to pay tax in China, and how? If you are employed in China your employer withholds individual income tax from your salary each month and files it for you. You still complete an annual reconciliation between March and June for the previous year, through the official Individual Income Tax app. Students on a stipend usually owe nothing but should still check.