Frequently Asked Questions

Application to the Summer School, Registration Fee, Scholarships

For International Travelers

Venue, Accommodation, Meals

Application to the Summer School, Registration Fee, Scholarships

Who can apply and who is this school intended for?

Anyone can apply from January 16th to April 15th: the summer school is targeted for students (specially at a master/PhD level), academics (faculty, researchers and postdoctoral researchers) and professionals.

This school is suitable for all levels, both for people without previous knowledge in Machine Learning, and those wishing to broaden their expertise in this area. It will allow the participants to get in touch with international experts in this field. Exchange of students, joint publications and joint projects will result because of these interactions.

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What will I get from attending the summer school?

For students, the summer school provides a unique, high-quality, and intensive period of study. It is ideally suited for students currently pursuing, or intending to pursue, research in Machine Learning or related fields. It will also allow research students to present recent research results through poster presentations.

Professionals who use Machine Learning will find that the summer school provides relevant knowledge and exposure to contemporary techniques. In addition, they will benefit by direct interaction with top-notch researchers and knowledge workers. Previous experience indicates that personnel from both the industry as well as national laboratories benefit immensely from the school.

For academics, the summer school is an excellent opportunity to help getting started in research on novel topics in Machine Learning. It provides an ideal forum for networking and discussions. Academics will also benefit from interaction with IT professionals which will lead to a deeper understanding of real life problems.

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How can I apply?

Please refer to the application section.

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What is the registration fee?

Early registration:(From May 15th to May 30th, 2014)

      • Student: USD 300
      • Academic: USD 600(including post-doctoral researchers)
      • Industry: USD 900

After May 30th 2014, late registration fees will be USD 400 for students, USD 800 for academics and USD 1200 for industry.

Please note that we will only accept international online card payments in USD

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When am I expected to pay the fees?

Applicants who have been admitted to the summer school will have to pay the corresponding fees within 3 weeks of receiving their acceptance notification through our payment website, to be announced at a later date.

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What is covered by the registration fee?

The registration fee covers the access to all lectures, talks, poster sessions and social events. The registration fee also covers 5-days coffee breaks and lunch between lectures, as well as one time banquet during the MLSS.

The registration fee does not cover accommodation costs, nor dinner except for what will be provided during social events.

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Who can apply for financial support?

Only students can apply for financial support. Students who have already attended a previous edition of the Machine Learning Summer School cannot apply.

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Who should apply for financial support?

Financial support will be given in priority to students who would not be able to attend the summer school without financial help or a registration fee waiver, despite having an excellent academic background and a previously demonstrated interest in machine learning or any related discipline.

We particularly have in mind students registered in universities with limited means or students travelling from countries far away from China.

Please keep in mind that any request for support needs to be addressed and explained by your referee in the reference letter.

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Who will get financial support?

We will first screen applicants based on academic background, regardless of their wish to receive support. Once the list of accepted applicants has been decided, we will allocate what amount we have by weighting it based on need.

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What will be covered by financial support?

Financial support will be given to cover partially either or both the registration fee and accommodation costs. If funds are available, partial travel support might also be provided.

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Why my application form submission fails?

That may be due to the Internet Browser. Please update your Internet Browsers to IE 10 or Google Chrome V32, and try again later. If this attempt still does not work, please contact mlss2014@lamda.nju.edu.cn.

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For International Travelers

Do I need a visa to stay in China during the Summer School?

Visas are required for some nationalities to travel to China for this conference. Please contact your travel agent and/or the Chinese Consulate/Embassy in your country for exact details and visa application procedures as soon as possible. Visa processing time can vary. No visa is required for ordinary passport holders from Singapore and Japan to visit China for up to 15 days for business, sightseeing, visiting relatives and friends or transit.

Participants are highly recommended to apply for Tourist Visa; In this case, there is no need for you to get an invitation letter from the conference.To receive an invitation letter, please tell your name and affiliation information and email to Jun He (hejun@ruc.edu.cn), the registration chair of MLSS 2014. He will check correctness, sign and email the scanned letter to you. It is the policy of MLSS that an invitation letter can be sent out only to those people who have registered.

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How about the Transportations?

      Reminding:
      1. In Beijing, it is a convenient way to take taxi to go to RUC from airport and other places, but traffic jam can often happen at rushing hours. If from airport, it is recommended to take taxi to Zhongguancun region by using the 5th north ringroad.
      2. It takes about 50 minutes from Beijing Capital airport to Renmin University of China or your hotel.
      3. Please find the guide card shown below with the Hotel's name and address both in English and Chinese. You can print it out before your departure and show it to a taxi driver when you are boarding a taxi at the Taxi Stand in the airport. Please ask for a receipt in case you need to trace back the taxi driver and the associate company.
      4. The cheapest, also the most convenient way for going to many places including to zhongguanchun region is to take subways.
      5. Please DO NOT take illegal taxi offered by someone who approaches you when you get out. Always take regular taxi at the Taxi Stand.
      Ways to RUC
      1. From Beijing Capital Airport to RUC
        Option-1: By Taxi. To the West Gate of RUC. Taxi expense: about 110 Yuan RMB
        Option-2: Take Subway. Take subway airport-line to Sanyuan Bridge station, change into subway line-10 to Suzhoujie station, get out from entrance/exit A1, and then take foot to Somerset by 3-5 minutes. You may get your subway ticket from a ticket machine or a ticket-window of the station.
        Option-3: By airport bus. Take airport-bus line-4 to Beijing Friendship Hotel, and then take foot to the east gate of RUC by about 5 minutes and to the wet gate by about 15 minutes. You may get your bus ticket from the bus station.
      2. From Beijing Railway Station to RUC
        Option-1: By Taxi. To the West Gate of RUC. Taxi expense: about 40 Yuan RMB
        Option-2: Take Subway. Take subway line 2 to Xizhimen station, change into subway line-4 to RUC station, get out from entrance/exit A1, at the east gate of RUC
      3. From Beijing West Railway Station to RUC
        Option-1: By Taxi. To the West Gate of RUC. Taxi expense: about 30 Yuan RMB
        Option-2: By Bus.
          a)Take No.320, 320(district) or Te6 bus to RUC station.
          b)Take No.695 bus to East Sitongqiao station, and then take foot to RUC.
      4. From Beijing South Railway Station to RUC
        Option-1: By Taxi. To the West Gate of RUC. Taxi expense: about 60 Yuan RMB
        Option-2: Take Subway. Take subway line-4 to RUC station, get out from entrance/exit A1, at the east gate of RUC
        Option-3: By Bus. Take No.Te8 bus to West Sitongqiao station, and then take foot to RUC.
      Ways to Somerset Apartment hotel:
      1. From Beijing Capital Airport to Somerset
        Option-1: Take Taxi. To the West Gate of RUC. Taxi expense: about 110 Yuan RMB
        Option-2: Take Subway. Take subway airport-line to Sanyuan Bridge station, change into subway line-10 to Suzhoujie station, get out from entrance/exit A1, and then take foot to Somerset by 3-5 minutes. You may get your subway ticket from a ticket machine or a ticket-window of the station.
      1. From RUC to Somerset
        Option-1: By Foot. It takes 20 minutes at maximum following the instruction on the map.
        Option-2: By Texi. It takes 10 minutes about and costs 10 yuan RMB, but you have to either the east gate or the west gate of RUC, but this way is not recommended since it at least takes your 5 minutes to either of two gates of RUC.
    Guide Card

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Venue, Accommodation, Meals

How can I get to the MLSS site once in Beijing?

The MLSS 2014 will be held in the first lecture hall Yifu Conference Center(), on campus of the Renmin University of China(RUC)(), Beijing

Picture of Yifu Conference Center

Location of RUC

RUC Address：No. 59, Zhongguancun Road, Beijing 100872, P.R.China

Map of RUC

Click here for a larger image.The red star is Yifu Conference Center

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Will you offer wi-fi in the lecture hall?

We are currently looking for different options to provide basic wi-fi connectivity to attendants. We must however warn you that our bandwidth will only be sufficient to check emails and download slides.

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Where can I stay?

The Organization Committee has made arrangements with several hotels for delegates for MLSS 2014. All the alternate hotels are within walking distance to the venue. Please go to Accommodation page

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How can I get to the MLSS site from these hotels?

Please go to Accommodation page to get details.

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Are there other hotel choices?

Please go to Accommodation page to get details.

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Do all hotels in your reservation lists have internet connections?

The Hotels all have internet connections (wired, LAN) in each room for free, plus wi-fi in the lobby usually.

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I would like to purchase a telephone card to save on local calls during my stay.

There are some places in the Renmin University of China where you can purchase a temporary telephone card without providing identity information. China Union, China Mobile and China Telecom, all these telecom companies have business halls in the campus of RUC.

      Red Star: Yifu Conference Center.
      A. China Telecom.
      B. China Union. Opposite to the MSLL site.
      C. Chine Mobile

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What about meals?

    • Within a radius of 150m from the MLSS site:

      Eastern District Cafeteria, Central District Cafeteria, the university cafeterias. Participants will have various meal options on 1st and 2nd floor with the payment only accessible by pre-purchased meal cards. Meals for about 10-15 CNY. The Western Hall on 2nd floor of Central District Cafeteria also provides food specially for Muslim.

      Heliwu Fast Food (Hollywood). Locate on 2nd floor of Eastern District Cafeteria. Hollywood provides snacks, meals and beverage at reasonable prices (meals for about 20-30 CNY). Accept payment by cash.

      International Student Restaurant will provide breakfast/lunch/dinner for students from different countries with prices from 5-25 CNY and accept payment by meal cards and cash.

      Zhiweiyuan Canteen, locating on the western hall on 1st floor of Central District Cafeteria, and Quanri Flavor Restaurant, locating on the east side of Gymnasium and near east gate of RUC, provide various and affordable meal options for breakfast/lunch/dinner. Accept payment by meal cards and cash.

      Xueziju Restaurant. Locate behind the western dining hall of Eastern District Cafeteria. Provide mostly Sichuan cuisine at a little expensive price. Accept payment by cash.

      Huixianshifu Restaurant, locating on the 3rd floor of Central District Cafeteria, Shuichuanshi Café, 1985 Restaurant, both on the east of Central District Cafeteria, provide more expensive lunch/dining. Accept payment by cash and credit cards.

    • Within a radius of 500m from the MLSS site:

      Western District Cafeteria, Northern District Cafeteria, Western District Fast Food, Southern District Fast Food, the university cafeterias. Only accept payment by pre-purchased meal cards.

      Jitian Restaurant, locating on the south of schoolyard, provides Chinese food at a reasonable price. Participants can have breakfast/lunch/dinner here. Accept payment by cash.

      Fengshang Grand Banquet, Angel Restaurant, provide fine lunch/dinner with more expensive price (about 50-100 CNY per person). Accept payment by cash and credit cards.

    • Further away,

      o You can have a variety choice of restaurants in Zhongguancun Shopping Mall with distance about 1.0km.

Keep in mind that plenty of local students and attendants will be able to guide you and provide you with advice on meal options.

A is MLSS site, Yifu Conference Center. Places marked with stars show some cafeterias or restaurants in campus of RUC.

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What should be my budget for meals?

We’ve provided price of some restaurants for your reference. The university cafeteria is a safe bet for students traveling on a tight budget. It has a large and diversified selection of Chinese food and foreign food with some vegetarian options, will provide you with a meal for an average meal price of 10 CNY or less.

A typical meal in a more sophisticated restaurant costs from 50 to 100 CNY for lunch and 100 to 150 CNY for dinner per person. In Zhongguancun Shopping Center, the areas around Danleng street are very famous for both upscale restaurants and more reasonable choices.

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