外籍友人刚来到广州，要适应新环境开启新生活，无疑会有各种各样的疑问，比如什么方式打国际长途业务比较实惠？哪里可以兑换外币和收寄国际信函？随着生活的深入，社会参与面也会越来越广，需求也会相应增加。比如把小孩带过来了，要怎么入学，有哪些学校可供选择？今天，我们就来解答这些问题。

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Generally, you may use the telephone in the guest room to make International Direct Dialing (IDD) calls. In addition to the telecommunications fees, the hotels will charge an additional service fee of about 10% - 15% . You may directly make international and domestic long-distance calls using an IP phone card or a prepaid card bought in stores on a public telephone. To apply for telephone and broadband Internet services, please call telecom operators at 10000 (China Telecom) or 10050 (China Railway Signal & Communication), or visit the operators' business outlets. Internet services are also available in hotels' guest rooms and business centers, and Internet cafes. Guangzhou has two mobile communication networks, GSM and CDMA, which provide wireless Internet services.

For details, please visit the operators' business outlets or call 10086 (China Mobile) or 10010 (China Unicom)

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Outlets of major banks in Guangzhou provide foreign currency exchange and re-exchange services, and three-star hotels or above provide foreign currency exchange services. Star hotels, some restaurants, large department stores and supermarkets accept overseas credit cards. Most outlets of the Bank of China provide traveler's check cashing or collection services.

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The Post and Telecommunications Bureau has a city-wide service network. The Bureau is open seven days a week, and operates the collection and delivery of international/domestic letters, parcels, express mails and international business letters, telegraphs, telephones and telexes. In addition, some postal savings bank outlets provide services such as postal savings, remittances, and telegraphic remittances. There are green post boxes on the sides of the main road for people to post domestic and international letters.

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As China's current academic system stipulates, the compulsory education lasts 9 years, high school education 3 years, junior college education 2 to 3 years, undergraduate education 4 to 5 years, graduate education for master's degree 2 to 3 years, and graduate education for doctoral degree 3 to 4 years.

Guangzhou has released policies that include the "children of overseas Chinese", "children of foreigners holding the Permanent Residence Permit for Foreigner (including minor holders themselves)", "school-age children of diplomatic personnel in consulates in Guangzhou" in the scope of compulsory education. These children are enrolled in schools near them as if they were locals as arranged by the district education bureaus without examinations. Other foreign school-age children may also apply for eligible private schools offering compulsory education according to the guidelines of the district they are in.

Guangzhou has released policies that include the "school-age children of diplomatic personnel in consulates in Guangzhou" in the scope of high school education. They may take high school entrance examinations and apply for public high schools, private high schools and secondary vocational schools as if they were locals. Children of foreigners attending junior high school in Guangzhou, or overseas students approved to attend high schools in the city may apply for private high schools and secondary vocational schools.

Foreign students who need to transfer to primary and secondary schools in Guangzhou may contact the school by themselves in accordance with the Implementation Rules of Guangdong Department of Education on the Management of Primary and Secondary School Students (Trial). After the school verifies and approves the application, it will handle the transfer and admission as required.

In addition, school-age children of foreigners may apply for admission to the school for children of foreigners in Guangzhou by themselves.

Healthy foreign citizens who have education equivalent to Chinese high school graduate or above and hold an ordinary passport may apply for study or further education in higher education institutions qualified to recruit international students.

To study in higher education institutions in Guangzhou, international students may follow the Administrative Measures for Schools Recruiting and Training International Students issued by the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Public Security. Before entering China, international students should apply for XI or X2 visas to the Chinese embassies or consulates in their countries of origin or residence, or other agencies entrusted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and submit relevant materials such as the certificates filed with their education authorities and the admission letters issued by the higher education institutions as regulated. If an international student holds a study visa indicating that he/she needs to apply for a residence permit after entering China, the student shall apply to the exit entry administration department of Guangzhou Public Security Bureau for a residence permit for foreigners studying in Guangzhou within 30 days from the date of entry. (For details, please visit the official website of Guangzhou Public Security Bureau: www.gzjd.gov.cn)