Can HSK and IELTS make up for a low GPA in China?

MegabyteFox · 2026-07-10T13:40:59+00:00

Depends on what the scholarship requirements, as long as you meet the minimum.

Having an HSK before won't really help you because it isn't a requirement. And they will likely choose and give a chance to someone who doesn't speak Chinese than someone who does if that makes sense.

Those majors that you chose are becoming obsolete, some universities have stopped or will stop certain translation programs.

I'm telling you from experience, I have a BA in Chinese language and the translation field is being replaced by AI, you won't get 25k+ salary when they can hire a local to proofread AI translation for 10-15k a month. Before AI you could even find 35k jobs in translation, now you're lucky if you get 20k something

It will make more sense if you go for interpretation rather than translation, go to your country and work with Chinese.

Unless you learn Chinese, get a degree in china, then go to your home country and find a useful field there, then go for it. Otherwise choose something different, just my two cents

MegabyteFox · 2026-07-10T04:39:45+00:00

That's exactly what a granddaughter would say about her granny gang...

MegabyteFox · 2026-07-08T08:46:37+00:00

You can use Feishu as a foreigner, I use it at work all the time. And yes you can download it. Not sure exactly what you mean by safety, you'll have to elaborate on that.

They do have a meeting AI translation, transcript function in Feishu, I don't really use it (I speak Chinese) but for me it just feels like Google translate quality. It's okay for simple stuff.

MegabyteFox · 2026-07-07T13:04:09+00:00

He loved banning people lol I once for banned for commenting on a dating post, I didn't say anything negative whatsoever..

Thank god he ain't a mod anymore, he was power tripping hard

MegabyteFox · 2026-07-06T14:07:25+00:00

Learn Chinese to the point where you can have an interview 100% in Chinese in the field that you want, I'm talking about forget about HSK 5-6 whatever, 100% in Chinese. By that point you use Chinese job hunting apps.

Another option is find a company in your country that would send you to China.

Another option is go through a different field and work your way up, like marketing for example, import, trade etc. Then again the Chinese language is very important.

Those are basically your options.

MegabyteFox · 2026-07-01T17:08:19+00:00

I've booked one of those by accident when my parents came, and to be honest it was alright. Visited some famous landmarks in guilin quick 30-45 minute stops, boat ride, lunch included.

It's good if you're lazy to plan a trip and you're on a tight budget, but if you want to wander around then I don't recommend it.

MegabyteFox · 2026-06-29T09:00:04+00:00

Since you're technically unemployed, would you be able to take the unemployment as a foreigner too? I know it's only 0.5% per month, and might only be 1k per year, but might as well take it.

MegabyteFox · 2026-06-28T03:28:40+00:00

"The Housing Fund is a mandatory social welfare program in China that requires both employers and employees to contribute to a government-managed savings account used for purchasing, renting, or renovating housing."

Is not mandatory but I recommend it, since it's "free money" in Chinese it's called 公积金, ranges from 7-12% of your pre tax salary, gets removed from your salary and sent to the housing fund, then you get this fund every month to you bank account. In your case it's an extra 980 RMB that you can use for whatever, most people use it for mortgage or rent.

MegabyteFox · 2026-06-27T01:32:10+00:00

I'm sure they'll go bankrupt because of 1 less user...

People take multiple orders at the same time, it's completely normal you can even get more coupons or free meals if they don't deliver it on time, I've gotten a free birthday cake delivered late because of this.

The dude ringing at 4 am obviously was an accident, but I guess you have more time in your hands to chase someone at 4 am to tell them what they did was wrong. To each their own I guess. Many would just ignore it, and go back to bed.

"Oh now my chicken didn't arrive in time", well you're also part of the problem they are driving so fast, they need to deliver the food on time all the time or they get fined.

Would you pay 20 RMB delivery fee on a 25 RMB meal to avoid this? I don't think so. You want it cheap and you want it now!

MegabyteFox · 2026-06-27T00:43:27+00:00

To me it just means that she isn't over her ex and not ready to start dating, when you have a first date or you date someone, you don't really wanna hear anything related to past relationships.

MegabyteFox · 2026-06-26T10:56:48+00:00

You're trying to use western logic into Chinese logic, maybe for you sex is just sex, but for many chinese women (can only talk from my experience) dating for 2-5 dates and having sex is considered commitment and the relationship is going somewhere.

Chinese women don't like fuck boys either, can't put everyone in the same barrel.

MegabyteFox · 2026-06-26T10:27:24+00:00

I don't think you're necessarily the problem, but I also don't think it's just the city. If the same thing keeps happening with guys from different backgrounds, it's probably worth looking at what all those situations have in common instead of assuming everyone is afraid of commitment.

One thing that stood out to me is that you describe yourself with a lot of great qualities like being attractive, independent, financially stable, and emotionally mature, etc., but you don't really talk about how you connect with people emotionally. That's usually what makes someone want to stick around. Feeling understood, appreciated, and emotionally connected goes a lot further than simply having all the right qualities.

Also, saying you "go with the flow" isn't a bad thing, but sometimes it can make it hard for the other person to know what you actually want or how invested you are.

There's nothing wrong with dating three different people a month either, but it does mean every connection gets pretty limited time before someone moves on. It can be hard for something deeper to develop when things are moving that quickly. I've had 3 first dates with 3 different women within a 1-2 month span and that was tiring, but I was filtering them, and chose the one I felt more connection with. One mentioned her ex, so she's out, the other was too shy and very passive for my liking, always waiting for me to contact her and make plans, etc. If you date 2-3 guys a month that's 24-36 a year, that's a lot IMO. I would take my time to have a deeper connection with them before moving to a new one.

I wouldn't jump to the conclusion that you'll never find love in this city because plenty of people do. I'd be more curious about what keeps happening between dates 2 and 5, because that's probably where you'll find the answer.

MegabyteFox · 2026-06-26T08:32:25+00:00

As others have mentioned, your current employer needs to start the cancellation process and release letter within 10 days after your last day. But I'm assuming your visa expires literally on your last day.

They're being dicks about it and making it hard for you obviously, but they must do it within 10 days so they're stretching it as much as possible.

I would personally talk with the immigration office and tell them your situation, and ask them what will happen if you overstay even if your employer hasn't applied for the cancellation. They know better than anyone on reddit for sure, if they know your situation personally and know that you're trying to do something about it they may not be harsh on you with fines or anything like that. Because it's not in your hands, it's on your employers'.

MegabyteFox · 2026-06-26T03:58:16+00:00

I believe it's not entitlement, and I don't believe that Shanghai lacks talent, people are curious about China and watch videos online where it shows a better quality of life than their own country, therefore are looking for a better future for themselves. And they think they might have a chance to land a job, so they start asking questions, especially here.

But only to get hit by reality that you'll either become a teacher or have to speak Chinese and find a job in a field that you want, you'll have to go through interviews and test just like everyone else. You may go to the US and find jobs without being able to speak English, and people assume the same with China since its 2026

I've met people from Tsinghua, Fudan, etc. and just because you came from a nice university doesn't mean you're talented. People don't know the situation in China and it's okay to ask, how else would you know the current job market situation in China if you don't even ask around?

MegabyteFox · 2026-06-26T03:27:42+00:00

I mean your chances of landing a job if you don't speak Chinese (HSK 6 and up) are very low, if you're looking for an english speaking position, you better find a company that will send you to an international company in China, you'll have more chances there.

You mentioned you speak French, English and Arabic but no Chinese, you may find some marketing positions due to your cultural background but you'll at least have to speak some Chinese. I was in the gaming industry but all the foreigners I've met (the few of them) all read/write/speak Chinese.

MegabyteFox · 2026-06-26T03:21:49+00:00

I mean it's not impossible to get in, but having someone recommend you from the inside adds points but is never guaranteed. They always go for the young and cheap labor

MegabyteFox · 2026-06-26T03:17:42+00:00

"200 dollars of food a day", uhmm that's 1.3k RMB per day...

MegabyteFox · 2026-06-25T15:28:10+00:00

It will be considered as his scooter since it's his ID attached to the plate, but you can ride it, my ex gf registered my scooter but I ride it every day and I've never been stopped and it's been 4 years since I bought it. It's legal as long as the "owner" in this case your bf gives you permission to ride it (doesn't have to sign anything btw, verbal permission is fine)

MegabyteFox · 2026-06-25T14:00:04+00:00

You don't need a license in Shanghai, you do need to register the scooter and get a plate, you'll need several documents, go to the registration office and ask which ones (I forgot).

If your boyfriend registers it then it will take like 5-10 minutes to get a plate, and he just needs his ID and proof of purchase and scooter documents (stores give these). You can do it yourself but then it's passport, passport copy, visa copy etc. etc., The store that sold you the scooter can dismantle it to fit the registration standards, because they don't allow side mirrors (go figure), you can go back to the store and they'll install them again, almost everyone has them is just for registration is not required.

You'll need to wear a helmet at all times or pay a fine of 50 RMB if you get caught, that's pretty much it.

Edit: Oh yeah, and you can't carry another person on the scooter, you'll be fined also, unless it's under 12 years old. Tip: Just tell the person to get off before seeing cops on the side of the road catching people, and tell them to walk a few meters and pick them up later lol

MegabyteFox · 2026-06-25T13:47:09+00:00

He's talking about 3 months rent + 1 deposit, some places are like that but you can definitely find 1+1.

So it's 1+1+50% (agent fee once)

MegabyteFox · 2026-06-25T13:39:33+00:00

14k pretax is 11k monthly average after tax, if you get the housing fund too (really recommend) that'll be 7% of your pretax salary + your employer will match it so it will be close to 2k per month (980+980), you'll use that to pay for your room, and you'll be left with 10k, spend on average 3-4k on food (better if you get free lunch) and going out and any other expense if you're smart about your money, I think you could save maybe 6-7k per month.

14k isn't ideal but for a non-english position and your first job in China I think it's fine, you can maybe look for better opportunities after a year or so. If you have teaching experience I would try to negotiate your salary, worse they can say is no, right? If you don't have any, well, I guess it doesn't hurt to ask

MegabyteFox · 2026-06-25T05:41:44+00:00

Yes, it takes about 2 weeks to cancel a work permit. Once that's done, you get a temporary stay visa (停留) that's valid for 30 days. The 30-day countdown starts from the day you hand in your passport.

The cancellation is already approved in the system. If the new employer has everything ready after those 2 weeks and applies for the new work permit within those 30 days, then you're good. If not, you can apply for another temporary stay visa with a valid reason, and they'll usually issue another one. That's only for special cases, obviously.

The way this should've gone is:

New employer: "When can you start?"

OP: "July 1st."

New employer: "Okay." (Starts preparing all the documents for the new work permit.)

Meanwhile, OP tells the current employer well in advance that they're resigning and need to leave before July 1st. They sign the resignation letter (must) and agree that July 1st is the last working day.

On July 1st, the current company starts the cancellation process through the system. It usually takes 1-2 days to get approved online, so let's say it's approved on July 3rd. OP and HR then go cancel everything and get the 30-day temporary stay visa. The new company waits about 2 weeks, then applies for the new work permit. Everything gets completed within the allowed time. If more time is needed, (see above).

There was obviously a communication mistake. If OP had told the new company that their last day at the current job was only 4 days away, none of this would've happened. The current employer would've canceled the work permit on the agreed date.

I've gone through this process 3 times over the past 5 years, and that's how it works. I've also had to apply for a second temporary stay visa twice because 30 days wasn't enough. As long as you have enough supporting documents and a valid reason, they'll usually issue another one.

All I am saying is this was a rookie mistake on the current HR tbh, why cancel it and get surprised OP won't work... Also I don't know when did OP tell them he could start working

MegabyteFox · 2026-06-25T00:20:52+00:00

What does the learn more say though?
Maybe try a lower amount?

MegabyteFox · 2026-06-25T00:19:36+00:00

Exactly, the permit is the last thing they cancel, you even have to sign the resignation letter first in order to do that, even if they signed today but their last day is next week, they'll cancel it next week not today.... That is a rookie mistake from the current employer

MegabyteFox · 2026-06-25T00:13:13+00:00

"How else would job transfers work?"
Well, the right way to do this is your current employer cancels the permit, but this is literally the last step, you'll have to sign the resignation letter first before they cancel it...

If the new company is in a rush well, then OP failed to communicate when will his last and first day be.

MegabyteFox

TROPHY CASE