■ University System and Semesters
There are two semesters in each academic year. The autumn semester, the first of the academic year, generally starts in September and ends in January of the next year; and the spring semester, the second of the academic year, usually starts in February and ends in July. There are a 2-month winter vacation and a 4-week summer vacation every year. There are also Chinese public holidays including New Year's Day: Chinese Spring Festival, Qingming Festival, Labor Day, Dragon Boating Festival, Mid-Autumn Day and National Day.
■ Currency and Bank
Renminbi (RMB) is the sole circulating currency in China. Banks like Bank of China, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Construction Bank of China have branches on the campus to provide convenient depositing and withdrawing services, both in RMB and foreign currencies. Your passport or residence certificate is needed when you open an account.
■ Postal and Telecommunications
Post office and telecommunication agencies on campus area provide services of remittance, deposit and telecommunications
■ Library, Hospital and Sports Facilities
There are libraries, hospitals and multifunctional gymnasiums on both south and north campuses of the university. All these facilities are free of charge to registered students. Other large-scale hospitals, such as Xiangya Hospital and People's Hospital of Hunan Province also provide convenient services for students if needed.
■ Insurance
Students who will study here for more than one semester are required to buy medical insurance, which includes accident insurance and hospitalization insurance. The Chinese government will buy medical insurance for students under Chinese government scholarship programs. Self-financed students can buy their insurance by themselves before or after coming to China.
■Accommodation
International Students Apartment (equipped with private bathroom, air conditioner, internet access, public kitchen, and public laundry facilities):
Single room: RMB 13200 yuan/year
Double room: RMB 6600 yuan/year
Triple room: RMB 4200 yuan/year
■ Food and Living Expenses
There are various restaurants on and near the campus, like western restaurants, Islamic restaurants, Chinese restaurants and snack bars, and students can choose any one for meals as they like. There are also a couple of cafeterias providing rich varieties of food. Cost of living in Changsha is comparatively low, and generally RMB 800-1,000 per month will be enough for a fairly comfortable life.
■Local Communications
Many bus routes connecting the university with major downtown shopping areas, hospitals, the airport, and the railway station are available, the fare of which is RMB 1 to 2. It is very convenient to take a taxi in Changsha. Taxi service is available around the clock.
■ Extracurricular Activities
Hunan University arranges various entertainment and sports activities, visits, and tours for international students. The colleges also organize many extracurricular activities for their students.
■ Student Associations
International students can apply for membership of the Students' Union and Graduate Students' Union of Hunan University, and can take part in all their activities. International students may set up their own student organizations with the approval of the university, and operate in accordance with the Chinese law and the rules of the university.
■ Network Service
There are internet interfaces in each room of the university apartment buildings, and it is very convenient for students to surf online. International students can also go to the Campus Network Center and the library for internet accesses.
■ Booking train or air tickets
International students can book train or air tickets from Ticket Service Center on the campus.
