Chinese for Study Abroad — Classes, Paperwork and Campus Life

For university paperwork, ask for the required documents and deadline, then confirm them in the official notice.

Chinese	Pinyin	Meaning
我想办理这个手续。	Wǒ xiǎng bànlǐ zhège shǒuxù.	I want to complete this procedure.
需要什么材料？	Xūyào shénme cáiliào?	What documents are needed?
截止日期是什么时候？	Jiézhǐ rìqī shì shénme shíhou?	What is the deadline?

Student: 我想办理这个手续。需要什么材料？
(Wǒ xiǎng bànlǐ zhège shǒuxù. Xūyào shénme cáiliào?)
Staff: 需要护照和申请表。
(Xūyào hùzhào hé shēnqǐngbiǎo.)

Conversation: check a deadline before leaving

Student: 截止日期是什么时候？
(Jiézhǐ rìqī shì shénme shíhou?)
Staff: 下周五下午五点前。
(Xià zhōu wǔ xiàwǔ wǔ diǎn qián.)
Student: 好的，可以写下来吗？
(Hǎo de, kěyǐ xiě xiàlai ma?)

Takeaway

• Ask staff to write down dates or document names.
• Official rules take priority over any phrase guide.

Leave with one confirmed next step

At an office, repeat the document list and deadline in your own words, then ask 下一步我应该做什么？ (Xià yí bù wǒ yīnggāi zuò shénme?) (“What should I do next?”). That question turns a confusing procedure into a clear action you can complete.

Related: research and graduate school for the academic register, and parenting and school if you are dealing with a school as a parent.

By the end of this chapter, you can say

这个作业什么时候交？ (Zhège zuòyè shénme shíhou jiāo?)

Practical note for this chapter

Coordinate with classmates, colleagues and customers with clear, dependable Mandarin. In this chapter, practice giving a short response and then checking what matters.

Use it in context

A: 您需要办理什么手续？ (Nín xūyào bànlǐ shénme shǒuxù?)

B: 这个作业什么时候交？ (Zhège zuòyè shénme shíhou jiāo?)

▶ Listen to the dialogue▶ Listen slowlyStop● Record my voiceStop

Phrase map for this chapter

Question or situation

您需要办理什么手续？ (Nín xūyào bànlǐ shénme shǒuxù?)

Central response

这个作业什么时候交？ (Zhège zuòyè shénme shíhou jiāo?)

Another natural way to say it

请问作业什么时候截止？ (Qǐngwèn zuòyè shénme shíhou jiézhǐ?)

Use this variation in a situation you genuinely expect to handle.

How to use it

Listen to the model once, then say it again with one detail from your own situation.

Turn the model into three conversation turns

1. 1. Open the situation您需要办理什么手续？ (Nín xūyào bànlǐ shénme shǒuxù?)
2. 2. Say the central response这个作业什么时候交？ (Zhège zuòyè shénme shíhou jiāo?)
3. 3. Add an alternative请问作业什么时候截止？ (Qǐngwèn zuòyè shénme shíhou jiézhǐ?)

Before acting, check the point most likely to cause a misunderstanding. This dialogue is for practice. For important decisions, confirm official guidance as well.

A useful variation

Keep the same purpose, then change the person, time or place to make it your own.

请问作业什么时候截止？ (Qǐngwèn zuòyè shénme shíhou jiézhǐ?)

Use this variation in a situation you genuinely expect to handle.

Listen to the model once, then say it again with one detail from your own situation.

A common trap

For important details, do not decide from what you think you heard; check written information when needed.

离开办公室前确认截止日期和需要的材料。 (Líkāi bàngōngshì qián quèrèn jiézhǐ rìqī hé xūyào de cáiliào.)

This dialogue is for practice. For important decisions, confirm official guidance as well.

Three-step practice

1. Open the situation in one short phrase
2. Say the central response
3. Add one detail of your own