International  Students’  Department

Sichuan International Studies University

Chongqing  P. R. China　

Sichuan International Studies University
Chongqing, China
International Enrollment

Founded in 1950, Sichuan International Studies University (SISU) is one of the first universities authorized by the Ministry of Education of China to enroll international students. It is the only institution in southwest China specialized in teaching foreign languages such as English, French, German, Japanese, Russian, Spanish, Korean, Italian and Arabic. SISU began to recruit international students in 1983. It is a key school where the Chinese Foreign Ministry recruits college graduates. In addition to foreign languages, 16 other majors, such as law, journalism, Chinese language and literature and Chinese as a foreign language, are also offered for undergraduates. Master’s degree is offered in 17 fields of studies. There are 7 subordinate colleges, 9 teaching departments and a number of research institutes in SISU. The college attaches great importance to international cooperation and exchanges, having established exchange relations with colleges in more than 20 countries, including the United States, Great Britain, France, Germany, Canada, Australia, Ireland, Korea, Russia, Japan, and Egypt. Most teachers at SISU have studied or taught abroad.

Located at the foot of Gele Mountain, a well-known scenic area by the Jialing River in Chongqing, SISU campus is a wonderful place with its quiet and beautiful surroundings.

Chongqing, situated at the confluence of the Yangtze and Jialing rivers, is a municipality directly under the central government, an economic center in west China and on the upper reaches of the Yangtze River and a hub of water, land and air communications.

With picturesque scenery, Chongqing is a well-known cultural city with a history of more than 3000 years. It was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Ba and the wartime capital of China during World War II. The city proper, built on hillsides and surrounded by rivers, is called “the mountain city” and enjoys an abundance of tourist resources and urban attractions with its buildings of a unique style on different heights among verdant trees, imposing and magnificent. Chongqing boasts quite a number of historic sites and tourist attractions, such as the site of General Joseph Stilwell’s residence, the site of the provisional government of the Republic of Korea, the Fishermen’s Castle in Hechuan, an ancient battlefield, the Capital of the Ghost World in Fengdu, and the Stone Carvings in Dazu. In addition, many scenic spots with world-wide reputation are also located in this area, including the Three Gorges, the Lesser Three Gorges, the Jindao Gorge on the Yangtze River and its tributaries, the natural art gallery on the Wujiang River, the Furong Cave, the Fairy Maiden Mountain and the Natural Pit and Land Crack in Fengjie.

The International Students Department is in charge of teaching and administration of international students at SISU. With modern teaching facilities and a competent teaching faculty, the Department offers different Chinese programs to international students. Most of its teachers have attained certification for teaching Chinese as a Second Language and many of them have taught Chinese abroad; therefore, they have developed effective methods to teach Chinese to foreigners. Since 1983, the Department has offered diverse Chinese courses to students from more than 40 countries, including the United States, Great Britain, France, Germany, Canada, Japan, Korea, Peru, Switzerland, Norway, Australia, Poland, Russia, Latvia, New Zealand, Brazil, Indonesia, Israel, Ireland, Malaysia, Viet Nam, Cambodia, the Congo, and Cameroon. SISU is also the only institution in Chongqing with an HSK test center.

In order to encourage international students to work hard in their studies, SISU has established scholarships for international students, ranging from 500 yuan to 3000 yuan RMB. Besides, the Chongqing municipal government offers Mayor’s Scholarships to international students.

Students from different parts of the world are welcome to study at SISU either as regular students or in training programs. The International Students Department will try its best to meet their needs in learning Chinese, understanding Chinese culture and working for degrees. 

I.  Candidates and Enrollment Qualifications

1. Candidates for various training programs

Foreigners and overseas Chinese, at or over the age of 16 and in good health, may apply for enrollment in various training programs.

2. Candidates for B.A. degree programs

Candidates applying for regular undergraduate courses in the Chinese language are required to have reached the age of 17, in good health, with a senior high school or above diploma. Candidates applying for regular undergraduate courses in majors other than the Chinese language are required to have reached Level 5 in the HSK test.

3. Candidates for master degree programs

Candidates for master degree programs are required to have at least completed their studies in undergraduate courses in their relevant majors, have obtained a bachelor’s degree, with recommendations by two professors or associate professors, have reached Level 7 in the HSK test, have passed the entrance examination, and are in good health. 

II.      Duration for Studies and Courses Offered

Students for long-term training courses

(one semester—two years)

     Objectives

     The programs are aimed to develop the students’ Chinese language skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing, and to inform them about Chinese culture. The students will be divided into beginner, intermediate and advanced classes in their first or second semesters according to their Chinese language proficiency at the time of admission.

Key courses

    Comprehensive Chinese (elementary), Comprehensive Chinese (intermediate), Comprehensive Chinese (advanced), Spoken Chinese, Listening Comprehension, Chinese Characters, Reading, Writing, Chinese Through Films and TV, Chinese Culture, Survey of China, Business Chinese, and optional courses or lectures on Selected Poems of Tang and Song Dynasties, Chinese Calligraphy, Chinese Characters and Seal Cutting, Touring China, Chinese Painting, Chinese Commerce and Trade, Chinese Martial Art and Qigong, Chinese Folk Songs, Sichuan Cuisine, Chongqing and Sichuan Culture, Chinese Operas, Taiji Boxing, etc.

Short-term Programs (from one month to three months)

Objectives

    Short-term Programs are aimed to enable the students to learn Chinese pronunciation and basic grammar and acquire skills in Chinese conversation on daily life and some knowledge about Chinese culture in a short period of time. Teaching is flexible, adjusted to suit the Chinese language level of the students.

Key courses

Courses are basically the same as those for long-term programs.

Special short-term programs are available for any group of people interested in learning Chinese. The duration and course content can be arranged to meet their specific needs. In the course of study, various cultural-exchange activities and sightseeing trips in Chongqing proper and adjacent areas may be organized for the students.

Regular undergraduate courses of the Chinese language for international students (four years)

These are undergraduate courses of an applied type specially designed for international students

Objectives

The courses are aimed to train professionals who can be engaged in  jobs related Chinese language , translation and interpretation, Chinese language studies, and international cultural exchanges. After four years of study, the students are expected to acquire a good mastery of modern Chinese, and solid practical skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing in Chinese, translation and interpretation, and be well-informed about Chinese society and culture and skilled in using Chinese in international communications.

Key courses  

      Comprehensive Chinese, Chinese Reading, Spoken Chinese, Chinese Listening Comprehension, Chinese Through Films and TV, Listening to News Broadcast, Reading of Chinese Newspapers and Periodicals, Classical Chinese, Modern Chinese, Business Chinese, Chinese Writing, Chinese Culture, Chinese Literature, Survey of China, Chinese History, Chinese Geography, Chinese Commerce and Trade, Chinese Grammar and Rhetoric, Translation Between Chinese and Foreign Languages, etc.

Optional Courses

Analysis of Erroneous Chinese Sentences, Appreciation of Classical Chinese Poems, Chinese Idioms, Chinese Folklore, Touring China, Ancient Chinese Mythology and Legends, Chinese Calligraphy, Chinese Characters and Seal Cutting, Chongqing Dialect and Culture, Chinese Painting, Chinese Martial Art and Qigong, Touring Chongqing, Chinese Folk Songs, Chinese Cuisine, Chinese Operas, etc.

Applicants for other majors of B.A. program will be placed in classes of Chinese students in relevant departments.

International students for post-graduate programs

(three years)

    International students for post-graduate studies are placed in relevant classes of Chinese students.

Other Disciplines offered at SISU for international students

III.   Features and Advantages of Teaching

1.  Teaching is conducted in small classes of 5 to 15 students;

2. All classes are conducted in standard Putonghua (also known as Mandarin Chinese); but classes may be conducted in foreign languages if so required.

3. Students are organized into beginner’s, intermediate or advanced classes according to their level of proficiency in Chinese at the time of admission;

4. International students share the same SISU campus with Chinese students majoring in English, German, French, Japanese, Russian, Spanish, Korean, Arabic and other foreign languages so that they can communicate and exchange study and benefit from each other;

5.  Touring-learning trips may be organized for students upon their request. This may enable the students to learn Chinese while enjoying the beautiful scenery of the mountain city and the scenic spots and historical sites in adjacent areas around Chongqing and seeing the diverse colorful local customs and habits of various ethnic groups living in western China. This may help the students to have some idea about the profound Chinese culture;

6. Various short-term training programs with flexible schedules and diverse extracurricular activities are offered throughout the year. Special short-term programs may be organized for particular groups of students and the duration and course content may be arranged to meet the special needs of a particular group. In the course of study, various cultural-exchange activities and sightseeing trips in Chongqing proper and adjacent areas may be organized for the students.

 IV. Completion of Studies and Graduation

    (1) Students of Chinese training courses, long-term or short-term, will be granted a Certificate for Attendance and Transcript when he/she has completed his/her studies according to plan and has passed examinations and tests as required.

    (2) Undergraduate student and postgraduate students, having completed their studies for the required duration, having completed all the courses according to plan, and having passed examinations and tests as required, with graduation thesis passed, will graduate and be granted a diploma; those who meet requirements for BA or MA degrees will be granted BA or MA certificates.

Other services

      Life on campus is convenient for international students. Apart from dormitory rooms and dining halls, there are other services and facilities, such as a hospital and post office on SISU campus. There are bus stops and taxi stops at the school gate. The campus is only a few minutes drive from the business center. There are banks, supermarkets, bookstores and restaurants near the campus.

Tours

Various tours and language field practice trips may be organized for students, and fees will be borne by the participants.

Address:  International Students Department,

    Sichuan International Studies University,

  Chongqing, 400031, P.R. China

   Tel：    0086-23-65380021 

   E-mail:  interstar@china.com