According to Chinese laws, foreign students studying in China should have student's visa for entrance. With the school admission notice, the required document of visa application for study in China (Form JW201or JW202), students apply for the student's visa in the Chinese embassy or consulate in their own countries. After the new regulations which take effect on September 1, 2013, students who plan to study in China for over 6 months will be issued an X-1 visa, and those for less than or equal to 6 months will be issued an X-2 visa. The Chinese embassy or consulate has full authority to make the decision if the applicant should be issued a visa or not.
JW201 / JW202 is a form generated by a Chinese university upon admission acceptance. Once you're accepted, your Chinese university will send you “Visa Application for Study in China (JW202 Form)”. JW201 is for those studying in China on a full scholarship or partial scholarship while JW202 is for those studying in China by self-supporting or partial scholarship. The Chinese authorized unit is the one who decides which one to issue.Not only they are used for the application of the student visa (X-Visa), but also for the renewal and extension of the student visa after the student registers in the university.
Students should keep the original copies of both documents and bring them to China. Photocopy of these documents are not qualified for the visa affairs. Since the student's visa has a period of validity, students should arrange the trip reasonably and register at the university on time. Arriving in China too early may result in visa expires before the indicated registration time. Late arrival always disturbs the arrangement of the study schedule.
Please note this form is issued for long-term study (>6 months) in China. For short-term (≦6 months), students can come to study in China with tourist visa.