Hi guys, this is my first time here. Let me congratulate with you first, this website is very helpful and well built.
Okay, this is my question: I'm going to study at Yunnan University next February, and I have been trying to send them an email for 2 weeks, but their website seems to be out. I wonder if anyone could help me, I really need to contact the staff! Thank you very much in advance.

p.s.: just another question, what do you think about coming to Kunming with a Tourist Visa and then change it to a Student one? Because in my country (I'm from Italy) the people from Embassy said to me that would be quite dangerous to act this way (but a friend of mine that studied at Yunnan University of Nationalities has got a different idea). Any help would be much appreciated. Bye

Visa idea is not recommended.

Yunnan U want your money, and they will provide the visa paperwork.

I cannot understand why they have not been in contact. The web connection problems may be due to the Great Firewall of China and the big Government meeting in Beijing.
The website www.ynu.edu.cn/english/ works for me. But the international student page seems to be down.
This is the general contact address, try here webmaster@ynu.edu.cn

Thank you very much tigertiger. The website is still not working for me, I think I should try to access from another computer. However I'm going to send them an email, asking directly for the JW202 form (what do you suggest me to do if they want me came to Kunming first and then change the Tourist Visa into a Student one?). Oh, and do you know when the spring courses start? Thank you again.

:-)

The spring courses usually start immediately after the Spring Festival holiday.

Follow the procedure for visa as laid out by YNU. If they say come on a tourist visa, then maybe you will have to, but I don't think they will. I have been known to be wrong though.

My comments before were more advice against playing fast and loose with the visa system. People have come unstuck. But if YNU advise a certain course of action it will be within the rules. The universities are more accountable to central government for the foreigners they are responsible for, as compared to the private schools.

Spring Holiday is 9-15 Feb 2013. The 16th is a Saturday and this will be a working day. However, new students may start the following week.

Be prepared, all travel during the holiday will be more expensive and flights can be hard to book.
Book early.

Check semester start dates for your course. It might be you will fly after the holiday.

Consider arriving a week before to acclimatize, as we are at about 6000ft (1900m) altitude here. You can also then get a feel for Kunming in slow time and enjoy the Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) on the 9th (eve) and 10th.

When flying check the best route. Shanghai to Kunming is a premium route and discounts are rare. There are direct flights from Kuala Lumpur to Kunming on Air Asia, I believe. Air Asia flies to KL from most other global air transport hubs. You may also be able to fly into Chungdu, before transiting to Kunming.

Just some thoughts.

Your info are helpful and complete, thank you very much! I just sent an email to the YNU, and I hope they will reply in a reasonable time. I did not know the KL route, and I will consider it carefully. Here in Rome there is a fly that goes to Paris first, and from there to Beijing (8h of mere wandering in the airport) and, finally, to Kunming. The fly is quite cheap, but the bad side is that arrives at Kunming in the mid of the night (!). For this is my first time in Yunnan, hardly would be the best choice. What do you suggest? Is there any 宾馆 to pass the night and apply for the course the next day? Thank you again friend.

There are lots of hotels and hostels in KMG.

Perhaps someone can recommend a good one near to the Uni that taxis will know about.

Upland hostel is nice and pretty close to YunDa.

www.gokunming.com/[...]

Thank you so much guys, you saved me!

As a graduate from Yunnan Uni,I strongly recommend you to call them directly instead of sending email.The employees do not check their mailbox as often as you think.The telephone of the faculty of international students is +86-871-5033472.

About the hotels.there are several hotel around the university,the price of which ranges form RMB150 to 300RMB.

Overall,welcome to the special city.Hope you like it