Packing guide · 10 min read
What to Pack for a Year in China
Documents, clothing, electronics, medicine, adapters, apps, money, emergency contacts, and what not to bring.
Pack for flexibility, not fear
Documents
Bring your passport, visa materials, degree copies, background check copies, contract, emergency contacts, and digital backups. Keep originals in your carry-on, not checked luggage.
Concierge note: This becomes easier when your timeline, documents, city, and budget are planned together instead of separately.
Clothing and Daily Life
Pack for your placement city. Southern China is warm and humid; northern winters are real. Bring comfortable workwear, shoes for walking, and enough familiar basics for the first month.
Electronics, Medicine, and Adapters
Bring your laptop, unlocked phone, chargers, adapters, power bank, prescriptions, over-the-counter favorites, and a small first-week medical kit.
Concierge note: This becomes easier when your timeline, documents, city, and budget are planned together instead of separately.
What Not to Bring
Do not overpack household goods, bulky bedding, too many toiletries, or anything you can easily buy locally. Space matters more than “just in case.”