In recent times, China has founded one of the biggest higher education structures in the whole world. It is no news that graduates from Chinese have dominated and taken over the biggest numbers around the world every year, with a lot of them succeeding in several industries and fields of study.
However, most people have asked questions like can a Nigerian study in China? Well, Yes. Nigerians are allowed to study in China, as long as they have all the necessary documents needed to pursue admission.
But then, what poses a challenge is the process of obtaining a student visa and applying to the university of your choice.
While some universities in China will not mind admitting a Nigerian student, especially if you are highly qualified and capable of meeting the standards of the university, other schools will still find a reason to deny Nigerian students their well-deserved admission.
So basically, before going ahead to apply at the university of your choice, you are expected to research schools in China and the percentage of Nigerians admitted into the universities yearly. Knowing this will help give you insight as to which university to attend, and what course to study.
Do you know that China has some of the top and most popular universities that have constantly moved forward and evolved in the global ranking of University tables?
To appreciate the position of quality education in the aspect of social progress and national industrialization, the government of China has provided several scholarship programs for both resident students and international students.
China is been regarded as one of the most decent and generous countries in the world when it comes to the area of offering scholarships to students from other countries.
And currently, there are about 50,000 international students that have scholarships in China if not more.
How Many Nigerians Are In China?
In the year 2019, approximately 6,845 Nigerian students were studying in China, and almost 500 of them if not more were scholarship beneficiaries.
This scholarship was provided by the CSC Scholarships, they provided rooms for students to be able to study at different universities in the country, and the scholarship was funded by the Chinese government via several programs, like the Chinese unilateral grants for underdeveloped countries, china- Nigeria bilateral agreement and multiple outcomes like that of the Beijing summit of forum on China cooperation in 2018.
The scholarship program mostly covers the tuition fee, accommodation, transportation, and living expenses of the students. Every student from a different part of the world is allowed to apply for this scholarship, as long as they meet up with the terms and conditions of the University.
If you would like to get more information about the CSC Scholarship, then you should check out their official website.
What Are The Requirements To Study In China?
Nigerians who wish to study at in China are expected to, first of all, meet the requirements of the university they intend to apply to, and also the Chinese government.
Chinese Government Requirements
- It is very important for all candidates to be students, and must have a visitor or student visa.
- Applicants must not have any criminal record. This is why you must present a none criminal certificate that is been issued and authorized by the Chinese embassy
- Candidates should meet the qualifications and all requirements of the school must have a good financial history and a guarantor that is based in China
- If you are a transfer student, then you should present the consensus certificate between both schools.
China’s University Requirements
In agreement with the distinct degree levels, universities in China have several prerequisites for all applicants. Therefore, before you apply to any university in China, then you should take a look at their requirements.
- High school graduates with an SSCE result or an A-level certificate holder can apply. Oftentimes, some universities in China accept any form of educational background.
- Applicants for undergraduate programs must be a high school graduate with a WAEC result, an A level result, and he/she must do exceptionally well in China’s college entrance exam.
- GSCE holders are not allowed to apply for degree programs, except if they had earlier applied for the one-year pre-college training at the university of their choice.
- Applicants for a master’s degree admission must have a bachelor’s degree at first, two letters of recommendation from different professors, and also a good grade in China’s college entrance exam.
- If you are a transfer student, then you are expected to present a transfer letter from your previous university in Nigeria, and also meet the rest of the requirements needed.
Documents Needed to Get a China Study Visa
Whether your Visa to go to China will be denied or approved, is solely dependent on your available documents stated below;
- A legal Nigerian International Passport
Preliminary ticket, and the good information of web page. Your passport is expected to be signed for at least 6 months before you leave for China, and also, with the lowest empty ticked web page provided.
- China Visa Application Form
1 stamped visa application. All parts of the application are expected to be answered to, endeavor to answer none if it does not apply to you. Your application is supposed to be written in capital letters, and the means of transcribed adaptation are not allowed. Also, your signature on the application has to match that of the students’ passports.
- Passport Photographs
The type of passport needed is; one color photo that was taken within the last 6 months, and circulated on a good quality picture paper.
Your face and your head are supposed to be focused on the middle, displaying its natural facial expression, with your eyes open, your ears visible enough, no sort of background light over your face, neither eyeglasses nor headwear is allowed except with the objectivity of spiritual aims, you are not expected to put on any form of garment that is very similar to the background of the picture.
Lastly, your passport is supposed to be joined to your application form.
- Official invitation
If you plan on Studying in China for a short period, you will need one year of notification of admission released by a university in China. While for long term research in China, the main copy and then the photocopy of an established foreign student application form
- Medical Certificate
An authorized certificate of polio vaccination from within 1 year period to be made upon your arrival in China. The University management wouldn’t want you to have any problem that will most likely put the school at risk. It is also advised that you do not make use of an adulterated medical certificate.
What Makes It Difficult For Schools In China to Admit Nigerian Students?
In as much as studying in China has its benefits and profits, a lot of china universities hardly accept Nigerian students. A whole lot of people are baffled and are eager to know why, and we are going to explain the reason why diplomatically, just to assist Nigerian students who may have an interest in studying in China.
The reason why most Chinese universities do not accept Nigerian students is that it is quite difficult for the universities to acknowledge and verify the application of students from there, hence the restrictions in the country. In as much as they make it seem like it is forever, it might most likely not be the case, but for this recent time, the condition and situation remain the same.
Living outside Nigeria, especially in a country like China is not as easy as it sounds, especially due to the long-distance traveling, the feeling of having to leave your family friends, and environment can be very difficult.
But looking at things from the bright side, it could be exciting, filled with lots of promises and meeting new people, going to new places, learning a different way of life, and so on.
From different angles, the way an individual views his or her life will be changed totally or for a long time by the university experience.
Although the Chinese government often finds it difficult for citizens of other countries especially Nigeria to gain visas into the country, it doesn’t mean that there are no other means of getting admission into a preferred institution of your choice, you study any course of your choice too.
Below are a few questions that is been mostly asked by aspirants and responses that would help prepare Nigerian students in ensuring that they are safe and all good when they get to China.
An interview was carried out on several Nigerians that have studied, and are currently schooling in China and they had quite a lot of things to say about the relationship between the teacher and students, and also some cultural barriers they faced as Nigerians studying outside their country.
It was gathered that the relationship between the teacher, school, and students is strictly professional and cordial. We all know that teachers abroad communicate better with students because they are not feared.
They make friends with students, while knowing their limits which makes it better and easier for a student to be more focused and comfortable to ask any questions about what they cannot comprehend in the classroom, and then the lecturer will also be comfortable with students beyond the classroom level.
Important Advice To Nigerians Who Wants To Study In a Chinese University
One important piece of advice that every Nigerian should be given before going ahead to study in China is to be conscious of everything around you, your surroundings, and move with the flow.
If you have plans of making it through and succeeding academically, then you will have to learn how to conform without much help, and in cases where you might need issues, you have google. This will help save you from tons of embarrassment.
You should also know that the Chinese people are naturally welcoming and homely, but this is mostly possible if you can better understand and speak their language.
You stand to gain more points as a student if you can speak their language because they have little or no idea about the English language. They will want to know about the roots and culture of Nigerians, so it is important to learn theirs.
How to Apply for a Chinese scholarship as a Nigerian.
The country often time provides a large number of scholarships to support international students coming from different countries to study in China. Recently, there are 3 major scholarships in China, and they are;
- The Chinese government scholarship,
- Local government scholarship,
- Confucius Institute scholarship.
In addition to these, a lot of Chinese universities has set up their scholarship program for students from Nigeria and other parts of the world. The China scholarship council, popularly known as the CSC, which is operated by the Ministry of Education in China takes full responsibility for the registration and running around of the Chinese government scholarship.
In the past years, about 290 universities in China are designed to obtain Chinese government scholarship applicants. In most cases, the Chinese embassy or consulate-general is the council charged with the responsibility of dispatching orders in your country. The Nigerian Embassy has its means of application and its deadline.
After going through your application and documents, the Chinese Embassy will provide the award letter to the most qualified student for the CSC.
You should communicate with the schools in China that you wish to apply for with the letter of award. A pre-admission letter will be sent to you, submit it to the Chinese embassy.
Things To Look Out For When Applying For A Scholarship In China
You must discover a comfortable environment that fits your style. For example, the west is not as cold as the North, while the east is mainly encompassed by ancient traditional buildings and different lifestyles culturally, but notwithstanding, they are beautiful.
The West is mainly exposed and always filled with people from everywhere across the world, so it is very easy to meet a person you know there. But with all these, all that is needed is to find a university that accepts Nigerians, and the one that you find soothing for your education.
Conclusion
Nigerians that school in China are said to be very United, and according to the embassy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, they have an association that is referred to as the ANSIC ( Association of Nigerian Students in China), and they are always available to help any Nigerian in any kind of trouble with either the law enforcement or school.
But asides from that, every city has about 40% of Nigerian residents, so you are most definitely going to find a Nigerian sooner or later. They get along properly as they belong to the same family, and make new friends a little bit early.
