First, you need to receive an acceptance letter from one of the Chinese universities open to foreign students. Once accepted to your desired university, you can proceed with the rest of the application process.

After you are accepted, you will receive either a JW201 (for scholarship) or a JW202 form (for self-funded studies). You will also receive an acceptance letter.

In addition to the JW201 or JW202 form and the acceptance letter, you will need other documents to submit with your China student visa application. The required documents are listed under “Requirements for a China Student Visa”.

Depending on your country of origin, you may be required to apply for a student visa at a Chinese Visa Application Service Center, Chinese Embassy, or Chinese Consulate. You will be asked to submit the necessary documents, and some embassies may require you to attend an interview.

The visa application fees vary based on your nationality, and you may need to pay an additional fee if you want a faster processing time.

After you submit your application, you have to wait for a response. Typically, the processing time for a China student visa application is four working days, but you may opt for expedited processing by paying additional fees (i.e., Express Service, less than 4 working days costs Rs. 1,400)

Once your visa is approved, you can travel to China.

If you are applying for an X1 visa, you will need to undergo a medical checkup. If you have already completed a medical checkup in another country, and it has been translated into Chinese, you will not need to complete another one.

Upon arrival in China, you will need to apply for a temporary residence permit at the Public Security Bureau (PSB) Exit and Entry Administration Office. You must apply within 30 days of your arrival. The temporary residence permit is valid for five years.

A valid passport: You must have a valid passport that remains valid for at least six months from the date of your visa application.

Passport-sized photo: You need to provide a passport-sized photograph taken within the last six months with dimensions of 48 mm x 33 mm.

Application form: You must complete the application form online, ensuring that you fill in all sections.

Acceptance letter from a Chinese university: You should obtain a formal admission letter from the university you have been accepted into in China. The letter must have a university seal and be in both English and Chinese.

JW201 or JW202 application form: Depending on whether the Chinese government funds your scholarship or you fund your studies, you will need to complete either the JW201 or JW202 form issued by the State Education Ministry of China.

Academic documents: You need to provide all academic records and certificates either translated into English or Chinese. 

An Itinerary: You should provide an itinerary with your arrival and departure dates, being honest about your departure date to convince visa officers that you will return to your home country.

Accommodation proof: You must provide details of your accommodation arrangements, which can include a hotel reservation or any other acceptable document that proves where you will be staying.

Medical certificate: For X1 visa applicants, a medical check is required, and if you cannot do it in your country, you must do it in China within 30 days of arrival.

Police certificate: You are required to provide a police clearance certificate issued by your local security police station stating you do not have any criminal record.

Proof of funds: Self-funded students must present bank statements.

Language proficiency certificate: The applicant must provide a Language Proficiency Test Certificate such as IELTS or TOEFL to apply for an English language study program. Similarly, for a Chinese-taught study program, the applicant must provide a Language Proficiency Test Certificate such as HSK. In addition to this, during the interview in the Embassy for a student visa, the applicant will also need to demonstrate their proficiency in either English or Chinese language.