Preparation

Before coming to our academy, potential students must do many things beforehand in order to prepare and sustain yourself on you trip. One of the most important things is that a student must first earn and save the required funds necessary to pay for their training, tuition, visa renewal fees, travel money, plane tickets, and all other expenses, such as clothing and toiletries (which include soap, shampoo, razors, etc.), phones and local sim cards. Be sure to have extra funds available for possible emergency situations that may arise (medical expenses, replacement of lost passports, etc.). As well as for gifts to send back home.

It is also important that a student chooses the right time to arrive at the academy. Like in the west there are a few main holidays in China, those holidays are the Mid-Autumn festival and the Spring Festival, most people return home in these holidays to spend time with their families and nearly the entire country of China goes on holiday and travel becomes difficult, especially for the Spring Festival. If a student should happen to choose to arrive at the academy in this time, travel will be much more difficult than usual, hotels rooms and train tickets are booked and near impossible to purchase. As far as hiring taxi cabs are concerned in the time of the spring festival, if you were willing to pay 10 times the cost of a regular fare you would still not be able to find a taxi driver that would be willing to take the job. Since these holiday seasons are the only times that many people have the opportunity to visit their families throughout the year, they will not sacrifice it for nearly any ammount of money. Since the academy masters have a week vacation in the spring festival to spend with their families, students may choose to practice on their own in this time.

It is a new students responsibility to check and see if the academy is attending or hosting an event or competition close to the date of their arrival. In the week before these events, the academy masters and older students will be focusing their efforts on preparing for their performances. If a new student is only staying for a short period of time, they may lose valuable training days if they show up in this time. If you are a sort term student planning to come to the academy, make sure that you arrive at a good time in order to get the most out of your training. Maybe you like to share the wushu or San da competition atmosphere and you can come in any time.

For more important information that should be reviewed before you come to the academy, Click on the underlined tabs below in order to see information on the following topics.  

Visa Acquisition

In order for a foreigner to gain entry into China, a visa must be first obtained from your nearest Chinese embassy or consulate.

After the required paperwork and instructions are sent to you by the academy, go through the process of visa obtainment at your nearest Chinese embassy or consulate office, be sure to apply for an X2 type student visa. Apply between 4 to 12 weeks in advance of your travel date in order to grant enough time for the visa to be approved.

This link to the Chinese Embassy home page, it will show the locations of embassies and consulates around the world.

 

*Note*

Bring along two visa sized photos with you for the academy to assist you in your visa extensions, we keep them of file for official purposes. The visa office in china has their own official photo booth they must use to take your photos for visa application.

Academy fees

All fees, other than the students reservation fee, which is to be paid along upon the conformation of your application, are to be paid upon your arrival. These fees include: Administration fees, tuition as well as room and board. The fees may be paid in Euros, US dollars, or Chinese RMB. The academy also has a POS machine that accepts Visa and mastercard, the charge from the bank for using the POS machine to pay is 0.8% for each transfer. For ease and safety of the payment, it is recommended that students pay via wire transfer to the academies bank account before coming to the academy.

Once your application is accepted and reservation fee is paid, send a scan of your passport via email to the academies staff, so they may may send along the required paperwork by airmail to the students address that is needed to obtain a visa for entry into China through your closest Chinese embassy or consulate.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding payments, please contact us prior to your travel to China.

*Note*

For ease and to ensure that enough time is granted to get all of the paperwork in order for your arrival, we strongly recommend all students apply between 2 to 6 months in advance of the date they desire to arrive and begin their training. Upon approval of a students application, an invitation letter and JW202 form will be processed and mailed to the students home address, so they may secure their visa. Depending on where you live in the world, the average time for a JW202 form to be processed and received by a student will be between 3 to 6 weeks.

Items you may want to bring with you.

There are a few items of  medicine, clothing and toiletries that many students like to bring in reserve stock, depending on their length of stay. For clothing, it is a good idea to bring good athletic socks as well as warm socks (if you are here for the winter months) and underwear (mostly due to the international size differences). Good winter clothing can be purchased here, but if comfort and quality are things you value, it is a good idea to bring items from your home country (if you come from a northern climate). It is a good idea to bring along cold and flu medicine as well as any other prescription medicine that one may need for the duration of their stay.

For toiletries, there is little difference in what can be purchased here as opposed to anywhere else in the world, but if you prefer a certain brand of razors, deodorant, body-wash, dental floss, etc., you may want to bring them along. For female students who wish to attend the academy, it may be a good idea to bring along your favoured method of feminine hygienic products, for the selection locally is a bit limited.

Medical insurance coverage

Students attending the academy for longer than a 6 month period must purchase a major medical insurance policy in order to pay for hospital care from a major illness or injury that may occur while in China. A copy of the insurance policy must be provided to the academy upon arrival.

If you are not able to find medical insurance on your own before arrival in China, you may purchase an annually renewable, accidental injury only policy when you arrive at the academy that is issued by a Chinese life insurance company. The premium cost is quite affordable and is only 100 US dollars per year.

Ensure you are able to access your email

Due to there being certain websites that are not able to be accessed in China, it is recommended that you open a second email account and link it to your primary one, so you may continue to have access to your email. If you have business to attend to during your stay here, it is advised that you check to see if you can access your needed websites in China before you travel here.

Physical and mental preparation

The best thing one can possibly do for physical preparation for your arrival at the academy is to eat a healthy diet, engage in any physical activity that will boost your endurance, flexibility, strength and hand eye co-ordination such as: running, swimming, tennis, hiking, cycling, gymnastics, high diving, trampoline, jumping rope, ping pong, ice skating, skate boarding, aerobics, dance, etc.. Really, any physical activity that will highten any of the previously mentioned attributes is good to do.

Any sport or hobby that breaks down muscle tissue so it can be rebuilt, as well as stretches and tones your muscles and improves your cardiovascular fitness. One of the most important things is to do pick an activity that is enjoyable to do, that way you will be able to keep up your training at a better pace.

In order to prepare yourself mentally, it is advised that you practice activities that lower your stress levels such as meditation, yoga or Qi Gong. Please come here with a clean slate and a good state of mind and leave your past troubles at home, we strive to keep a harmonious environment for our students and employees to ensure good training and a good living environment. Remember, a negative attitude will not be tolerated.

Object of enrolment into Kung Fu training

Our academy provides instruction to beginners, as well as more advanced students who are already proficient in martial arts, seeking additional  Gong Fu training.

A.- Students who are healthy both mentally and physically who have a passion for martial arts. Regardless of your gender, age religion, or country you come from, all are welcome to come to our academy to learn Shaolin Gong Fu.

B.- Students who have never studied martial arts before should not expect to perform intermediate or advanced Kung Fu in just a few months. However, they will be introduced in Shaolin basics, which include, traditional Qi Gong, two short Shaolin fist forms, one weapon routine, elementary combat and if they wish, one or two Tai Ji ( Tai Chi ) forms. Alternatively, students can study one of the other styles offered and decide whether what they have learned is the path that suits them best to follow for further development.

C.- Students who have already seriously trained in Shaolin Kung Fu for several years or more, may be able to learn and perform some more advanced Kung Fu movements, combat skills, higher internal Kung Fu as well as developing the underlying morality of the martial arts.

D.- Don't worry about age holding you back if you are middle aged or elderly. Many Chinese martial arts are suitable for middle aged and older people to practice, such as Tai Ji (Tai Chi) and Qi Gong ( Ba Duan Jin, Yi Jin Jing and meditation are not only good for health, but also helpful to increase your level of Kung Fu as well as improving your health). Training Schedules and exercises can be customized to fit to you, according to your interests, needs and abilities. There is no cut off age in which one is too old to come and practice, but we cannot accept small children below the age of 6. If you are not able to travel alone, you must provide an escort to come along with you to the academy.

E.- Longer training periods (after 5 years of stay) are available for those who find they want to advance their skills to higher levels in martial arts. However, the decision is made by the masters as to whether they will extend ones training period, according to the students skill, trustworthiness, potential, interest shown and above all, ones moral conduct.

Before you come to the academy

A.- Please fill out the application form and pay the application fee according to the website between 1 to 6 months in advance. We will confirm your information after we get your application and application fee and then prepare for your arrival.

B.- Regarding your Visa: you may apply for a tourist visa for entry before you travel to China. If you need any help extending your visa, we can help you to do so after you arrive at the academy. We can also help you change your travel visa to a student one if you plan to stay for longer periods of time. However, please be aware that the maximum duration for a stay in this academy is five years. Many students, want to obtain a student visa when they arrive, in order to do this, it is required that you obtain an invitation letter and the JW202 form (when applying for a student visa). Once you apply for your student visa, the academy will help to send both of these forms to you. You are required to provide your correct mailing address to us in order to send the required documents to you via China Post.

Website for the Chinese Embassy

C.- You should bring along with you clothing that is suitable to perform the types of exercise you expect to train. Bring along regular clothes as well. The translators or fellow students may assist you in acquiring any additional items you may require. You should also bring toiletry items and don't forget a towel.

Traveling to the academy

There are no direct international flights to Si Ping City. Therefore, you must first fly to Beijing or Shanghai. Then from there you can take a domestic flight (time duration about 1 hour and 50 minutes, from around $200-$350 for economy seats) to Chang Chun Long Jia airport. As there are no set scheduled times for the flights, please inform us of your time and date of arrival at Chang Chun upon the purchase of your ticket so we may have adequate time to prepare for your escort to meet you. The escort fee will include car, driver and translator to pick you up for a $100.

*Note*

Please book a flight that reaches Chang Chun Long Jia airport before 9:00 PM, so that we may drive you to the academy in safer traffic during daylight hours.

From Beijing you may also take the train to the Si Ping railway station in Ji Lin Province ( from Beijing the ride can be from between 6 to 14 hours, ranging from $45 to $110 in price). Once you arrive in Si Ping, we will pick you up from the train station free of charge. Please inform us as to the time your train will be arriving.

To take the regular train from Beijing to Si Ping, go to the Beijing railway station, go to the English speaking desk and request a ticket to Si Ping, Ji Lin province. For your comfort in travel, we recommend that you purchase a ticket for a hard or soft sleeper, the hard seat and standing tickets can be quite unpleasant.

To take the bullet train from Beijing to Si Ping, all of the bullet train tickets can be purchased at the Beijing railway station except for the G2587 that must be purchased from the Beijing south station. Be sure to purchase your tickets from the English speaking desk.

Train timetable from Beijing to Si Ping

Train number - Departs Beijing - Arrives Si Ping - Duration

    T59                10:52            05:00            8h 8m

    T271            16:55            03:29            10h 34m

    T279            12:00            22:34            10h 34m

    K339            11:00            22:19               11h 19m

    K39/K41        23:00            10:52               11h 52m

    K19            23:00            10:52            11h 52m

    K429            11:27            00:14            12h 47m

    K1301            10:17            00:38            14h 21m

    K1082/K1083    20:43            11:22            14h 39m

 

Bullet train timetable from Beijing to Si Ping

Train number - Departs Beijing - Arrives Si Ping East - Duration

 

    D29            07:00                12:41                 5h 41m

    D27            15:15                   21:05                 5h 50m

    D21            07:13                   13:00                 5h 47m

    D101            13:51                   19:52                 6h 1m

    D25            10:02                   16:04                 6h 2 m

    G2587            00:45                   06:30                 5h 45m

After your arrival to the academy, you will be given the key to your room. In your Dormitory, the list of provided items include: Bedding and bedsheets, a desk, chair, wardrobe, flip-flop sandals for the shower, and a large thermos bottle for hot water. Washbins are provided in the washing room. There is a 100 RMB damage deposit for your room that will be refunded upon your departure, provided that there has been no items broken or damage done to your room.