FAQs
Onboarding Website
Frequently Asked Questions
What medical facilities are available?
How easy and safe is it to travel around the area? Are buses, taxis or transportation provided by the University?
Are there local schools for my child(ren) to attend?
Which banks are available? How easy is it to access money (ATMs)?
Do I need to open a Chinese bank account?
What currency is accepted in China?
Do I need to bring cash?
What is a Fapiao and its purpose?
Can I ship items to China?
What meal plans and grocery options are available?
Can I pay cash for meals on campus?
Is Wi-Fi available?
Does WKU provide laptops?
Can I purchase a cellular device in China?
Do I receive sick days and vacation days?
How is my salary paid?
Is there a dress code?
Fast Facts about Wenzhou, China
What medical facilities are available?
There are several comprehensive hospitals and dental hospitals in Wenzhou affiliated with Wenzhou Medical University. For simple immediate care, WKU maintains an on-site health clinic and pharmacy with Chinese doctors and nurses who speak English.
How easy and safe is it to travel around the area? Are buses, taxis or transportation provided by the University?
Shuttles are provided for employees to travel from their apartments to the campus. There is no additional cost for shuttle transportation. Other means of in-city transportation include taxis and buses.
Are there local schools for my child(ren) to attend?
We are working to create joint partnerships with local schools in Wenzhou for 1st through 12th grade education. Currently, we are running Wenzhou-Kean Experimental Kindergarten jointly with Ouhai District Government. It is located in Kean Town (Li’ou Jinyuan Residential Area, a 5 minute walk from campus). Under the supervision of the Executive Director of Kean’s School for Global Education and Early Learning, Wenzhou-Kean Experimental Kindergarten is an innovative full day, Reggio Emilia inspired, international, demonstration school fully engaged in developmentally appropriate practices. While placed within a bilingual, bicultural context (Chinese and US), formal instruction will be in English. The Kindergarten mainly aims to serves children ages 3-5 of the WKU faculty and staff. A foreign teacher is required to have a bachelor degree in Early Childhood Education or a related field, and at least two years of professional experience with classroom instruction in an early childhood setting.
Which banks are available? How easy is it to access money (ATMs)?
Chinese banks are available such as Bank of China, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, etc. There are no American banks. All branches or sub-branches as well as shopping malls have ATMs. ATMs of Bank of China or Industrial and Commercial Bank are available on campus. Foreign credit cards can withdraw RMB from ATMs of Bank of China. Credit cards issued by Bank of America can withdraw RMB from ATMs of China Construction Bank, commission free. Foreign credit cards are not accepted in China, except at a few high-end department stores. Nowadays, QR codes are widely used as a common mobile payment solution in most cities of China. Even small grocery stores accept it. Alipay and Wechat are the top two mobile payment Apps.
Do I need to open a Chinese bank account?
It is required for all employees to open a local bank account in Wenzhou due to China’s foreign exchange control policy and for reimbursement purposes. Employees will receive assistance in opening a bank account in China. Due to foreign exchange control in China, WKU is unable to wire money to foreign bank accounts.
What currency is accepted in China?
Renminbi (RMB) is the official currency of China. Prior to arrival, please be sure to exchange your money to RMB for immediate needs. Major currency can be exchanged and deposited when opening a Chinese bank account. Employees will receive assistance in currency conversion in China.
Do I need to bring cash?
New employees are required to pay a security deposit of RMB3000 and will also need cash to buy groceries and to support daily living before their first paycheck. It is highly recommended to bring at least RMB5000 cash already converted into RMB to cover these expenses. WKU does not extend credit or loans to employees.
What is a Fapiao and its purpose?
For purchase of goods or services in China or with a vendor registered in China, “Fapiaos” (invoices) are recognized as the only valid voucher for book-keeping purposes, pursuant to Chinese financial laws and regulations, with only a few exceptions. Fapiao is a kind of financial voucher with pre-determined and uniform format, printed and issued under the supervision of tax authorities. A Fapiao should bear the following information: name, quantity and price of each item purchased. In case a Fapiao does not have adequate room for the list of all commodities/services, a separate list of the purchase must be acquired, bearing a special stamp for Fapiao issuance. Inaccurate Fapiaos may compromise their validity for reimbursement. When purchasing goods or services in China during your relocation period to WKU, it is highly recommended to obtain Fapiaos at the time of purchase for submission with relocation reimbursement paperwork to WKU.
Can I ship items to China?
Chinese Customs imposes a strict code on all imported goods. Shipped boxes and cartons have a high risk of getting stopped in Customs. Small packages or parcels from a U.S. post office can be shipped to a WKU campus address.
What meal plans and grocery options are available?
Various restaurants, convenience stores and shopping centers such as Century Mart, C&U, Wal-Mart, Householder, Real Life and Lotus Center are available around the Wenzhou area. For those who live in government subsidized housing, there is a supermarket and a convenience store within walking distance. A grocery store and meal plan options are available on campus. Employees can deposit money into their school card accounts and pay for meals with their cards.
Can I pay cash for meals on campus?
The University cafeteria does not accept cash, but every employee has an account on the campus card system. Employees can put money into their account to use for meals and groceries on campus.
Is Wi-Fi available?
Wi-Fi is free and available on campus.
Does WKU provide laptops?
WKU encourages the use of technology in the classroom and supports the use of a laptop computer for teaching and learning. All full-time faculty are issued a laptop at the beginning of their assignment. When a faculty member is provided with a laptop, he/she accepts responsibility for safeguarding the laptop itself as well as the data stored on the laptop. If a laptop is damaged, lost or stolen, the faculty member may be held responsible for assuming part or all of the cost of repair or replacement. The determination of responsibility will be made by WKU. At the end of the assignment, it is required that the laptop be returned since it is the University’s property.
Can I purchase a cellular device in China?
Purchasing a Chinese cellular phone is not required but highly recommended. Telephone expenses are typically $6-$7 USD (about 36-42 RMB) monthly. WKU staff will assist with cellular phone purchases.
Do I receive sick days and vacation days?
A faculty member with a ten-month contract is entitled to one and one-quarter (1.25) paid sick days per month. This policy is also applied to tenure-track (Assistant Professor and Associate Professor) and tenured faculty. A faculty member with a twelve-month contract is entitled to one and one-quarter (1.25) paid sick days per month. In addition, an employee is also entitled to fifteen (15) days of annual vacation leave within the year. Vacation leave can only be used when not assigned any teaching assignment or approved by a College Dean/Associate Dean.
How is my salary paid?
Faculty will be paid on the 5th day of each month for the previous month. If the 5th day of that month is a Chinese public holiday/weekend, the salary will be paid on the preceding business day before such public holiday/weekend. Before the beginning of each academic year, a detailed pay schedule will be published.
Is there a dress code?
All employees are expected to dress professionally in business casual attire.
Fast Facts about Wenzhou, China
Wenzhou is located in the southeast portion of the Zhejiang Province. It is positioned in the middle of the coastline, approximately 11,184.68 miles from the western bank of China’s Circum-Pacific area. Wenzhou is the most populous city in Zhejiang Province with approximately 1,916,000 residents.
Wenzhou, China is located approximately 288.69 miles from Shanghai, about 4 hours by train; 567.31 miles from Hong Kong, 2 hours by air; and 1,000.93 miles from Beijing, about 2 and half hours by air.
“Wenzhou” means “a pleasant and mild land”. Wenzhou’s annual average temperature is about 17°C (62.6 °F). The humid subtropical climate results in short winters and long, hot, humid summers. Heavy rainfall occurs in late spring and early summer due to the plum rains.
City Flower: Camellia
City Tree: Banyan
Currency: Yuan (Renminbi)
Wenzhou Area Code: Internal dialing code is 0577 while the international telephone calling code is +0086-577.
Wenzhou is known for its handcraftsmanship especially pottery, paper-making, ship-building, silk, embroidery and lacquer etc.
Wenzhou is famed as the “Clothes World” and “Shoe City” in China.
Wenzhou exports food, tea, wine, jute, timber, paper, alunite (a non-metallic mineral used to make alum and fertilizer). Alunite is abundant and Wenzhou claims to be the “Alunite Capital of the World”.
For more information on Life in Wenzhou, please click here Wenzhou-Foreigner-Guide.
The information above is subject to change based on University policies.
