What to do (soon?) (now?) (today?) (sometime?) before you arrive

After DKU has received your final deposit and commitment documentation, you will be matriculated (a fancy way of saying “enrolled or registered”) as a DKU student in our systems. Behind the scenes, this initiates the creation of all of your records and access to DKU systems that you will rely on throughout your student journey!  

You will receive several emails in your personal email inbox (the one you have been using for your admission application) regarding the activation of your DKU NetID (the login credentials for all DKU systems) and your DKU Email. 

Activate your NetID and DKU Email as soon as possible!

All communication past this point – and from multiple offices at DKU) will come to your DKU email. Be sure you start checking email daily: you will be using your email every day at DKU. Set-up your new email in a convenient app, or at the very least – set-up email forwarding to another account so you know when you are receiving important messages from this account.

If there are any issues during the activation process, students are encouraged to contact the DKU IT department via email at service-desk@dukekunshan.edu.cn or contact DKU IT Support Hotline (+86) 0512-36657100.

Residence Life’s mission to create opportunities to live, learn, and lead, and they are the department responsible for the relational aspects of living on campus, such as community development and room assignments and bills.  Be sure to activate your NetID to receive emails from Residence Life about the specific steps for accessing and completing your application as well as the dates it is open.  Some things to know:

• • The room assignment application process opens shortly after applicants are batch matriculated, officially becoming first-year DKU students.  This is generally late May through mid-June for international students and mid- through late July for Chinese students.
  • The application will collect lifestyle information from you, which we’ll use to pair you with a roommate, and interest in being a part of a Living Learning Community of students clustered together based on mutual interest.  We do not accept requests for specific roommates from first-year students.
  • Roommate pairings, room assignments, and bills will be released in early August.
  • All first-year students should expect living in a room with 1 other student, on a single gendered floor, in a co-ed building.
  • All international first-year students will have a Chinese roommate.
  • All residence halls have 1 large ‘living room’, 1 laundry room, and 1 public kitchen, on the 1st floor.  All students live on the upper floors, which are accessible by stairs and elevator, and where there are 3-4 public single gendered bathrooms for the nearly 70 students living there.
  • Specific move-in information will be included in the contract signed in the application, emailed to student’s DKU emails, and listed on the Residence Life calendar website.

You can learn more about the assignments processes, room costs, Living Learning Communities, residence halls, policies, ways to get involved, and more by calling +86 512.3665.7020, emailing residencelife@dukekunshan.edu.cn, following WeChat account, or visiting Residence Life website:  https://www.dukekunshan.edu.cn/campus-life/residence-life/about/

Required Vaccines:

New Chinese Higher Education policy requires all DKU undergraduate students to have two vaccines:

• • MMR (measles, mumps, rubella)
  • Meningococcal Meningitis (A, C, W, Y): One dose within the last 10 years

You will receive instructions from the DKU Clinic regarding this requirement, and will be asked to email/upload proof of vaccination. However: if you have not received these vaccines, or will not be able to get these vaccines before coming to DKU, the Clinic can advise you on where to get these vaccines in local hospitals. 

Recommended Vaccines

You are not required to have any other particular vaccines to enter China. However, your home country’s local CDC will likely have guidance on recommended vaccines for travel within China; we recommend students follow local guidance at their own discretion.

Some commonly recommended vaccines include:

• • Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis) if not received in last 10 years.
  • Chickenpox vaccine for those who have never had chickenpox or the vaccine previously.
  • Hepatitis A
  • Hepatitis B
  • Japanese Encephalitis
  • Covid-19 vaccine

We recommend that you receive these vaccines before arrival in case local supply cannot be guaranteed.

Flu Vaccine and Other Vaccines:

Free Flu vaccines are provided to students in DKU partner hospital or community health center in fall every year. Typically, DKU Campus Health Clinic will send out email to students for updated news about flu vaccines.

For other vaccines, such as Covid-19 vaccine or a  Hepatitis B booster, the DKU Campus Health Clinics will help to liaise with the community health center or hospitals to provide services jointly.

If you have further health-related questions, please reach out to our DKU Campus Health Clinics at campushealth@dukekunshan.edu.cn for more accurate and professional guidance.

There are several important things to know about planning travel to DKU:

• You’ll need your X1 Student Visa First: We recommend applying for and receiving your X1 student visa before finalizing travel plans. If you don’t want to wait, we recommend booking your flight with options to change dates, just in case.

• Plan on Arriving at DKU on, or no later than, August 14, 2026:  International Student check-in is August 14th, and you will not be able to access campus or check-in before this date (we’re going to be busy preparing for you and orientation!) Don’t make travel plans that arrive after this date – you’ll miss out!
• Do not enter Mainland China more than a few days prior to August 14, 2026: We know you’re excited to come – and we’re excited to see you! However: if you (and/or your parents!) want to arrive early, we recommend entering China no earlier than August 4th or 5th. Why?  Although you’ll have your X1 student visa, it’s only valid for 30 days, starting on the date that you enter Mainland China. During those 30 days, you will apply for (in China) a Residence Permit – which is required for your stay as a student (and will serve as a multiple-entry, no-limit stay throughout your four years at DKU).
  • We’ll guide all students through the additional steps you need to complete for your Residence Permit as a group – but if you enter early, this severely accelerates the amount of time you have to do this. 
  • IF you choose to arrive early, plan on booking off-campus accommodations in a hotel in Shanghai or Kunshan before you check-in on August 14th. Search common sites (Booking.com, Trip.com, or other sites you are familiar with) to make reservations.
• What Airport Should You Fly Into? Some of this will depend on where you are flying from to get to China, but generally your final destination should be:
  • Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG): this is in eastern side of Shanghai, and is the main international airport for the region.
  • Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (SHA): this is a smaller, regional airport with international routes typically available to closer cities in China and Southeast Asia only. It is closer to DKU – but may not be a sensible option for your flight route.
• How will you get from the airport to campus? 
  • If you are arriving before August 14, you should plan on taking a taxi from the airport to your hotel accommodations. 
  • If you are arriving on August 14th through PVG:
    • DKU will have staff stationed at the airport from approximately 9am – 4pm to meet students outside of the international arrival gate. Buses will be available to bring you to campus in set intervals throughout the same period of time. 
  • If you are arriving on August 14th through SHA:
    • You will need to take a taxi to campus – but don’t worry! This is easy, and you will have a taxi-card provided to you to show the driver the University’s address and contact information. 
  • Detailed arrival instructions (including arrivals at both airports) will be sent to all students in late July with instructions, guidance, and emergency contact instructions in case you need help! We know it can be intimidating to arrive in a foreign country – and if it is your first time to China, we’ll help you feel like a seasoned pro in no time!

Duke Kunshan University recognizes three types of college-level work you may have completed prior to matriculation at Duke Kunshan University:

• • Advanced Placement Credit (AP)
  • International Placement Credit (IPC)
  • Prematriculation College Credit

Students may be granted up to 8 elective credits toward the degree requirement of 136 credits for any combination of AP, IPC, or prematriculation credit.  First-year Duke Kunshan University students may submit for evaluation college courses taken at another accredited college or university after commencement of the student’s junior year of high school. Prematriculation credits awarded for such work may be used as electives and, thus, may not be used to satisfy the general education requirements.

Contact the DKU Registrar Office directly to submit transcripts for Prematriculation Credit.

Do you have a learning disability or physical need that you would like to have evaluated before you arrive on campus to request possible accommodations? Summer is a good time to start that conversation!

The Student Accessibility Service Office (SASO) works in conjunction with Residence Life, Counseling and Wellness, Academic Advising and the Campus Clinic to ensure consistency in evaluating accommodations requests: whether for academic accommodations or special housing accommodation requests. The Student Accessibility Service Office reviews requests and shares approved student accommodations with Residence Life. Students with approved accommodations will be offered priority for placement in an available space that meets their accommodations.

If you have any questions, please visit the SASO website or send a brief email outlining the nature of your accommodation request to receive more information and accommodations application forms: Contact SASO@dukekunshan.edu.cn

WeChat is central to daily life in China. However, setting it up before arriving isn’t always possible and depends on factors like your current country and verification requirements. Because of that, the easiest and most reliable option for most students is to wait until you’re in China with a Chinese phone number during Orientation — we’ll support you then. If you’re attending the Kunshan Admitted Student Weekend, WeChat may be usable for shortterm needs while you’re in China, but advance setup isn’t expected or necessary.

In China, generally speaking, most people use WeChat Pay or Alipay to make payments directly via their phones. Cash is not commonly used in most cases. Typically, setting up WeChat Pay can be done after you arrive in China, as it requires linking to a Chinese phone number, which can be a bit more complex. However, for Alipay, if you can link your foreign credit card (it’s recommended to use a Visa or MasterCard), you can try setting up and activating Alipay before you go. Once you’re in China and have a Chinese bank account and phone number, you can add that information to your Alipay account as well. If you still feel uncertain or unsure about the setup process, it’s recommended to wait until you arrive in China and have your Chinese phone number so you can handle everything at once.