Our goal is to offer every course every term, but sometimes factors like faculty availability, student course rankings, and program enrollment keep us from reaching that goal. If you’re concerned about needing to enroll in one particular course, please contact us!
CET Beijing: Janterm Study Abroad
Janterm: At-A-Glance
Janterm
- Arrival: 01/03/2026
- Departure: 01/31/2026
- Recommended Credits: 5
- Fee: $5,290
- Application Deadline: October 1
Janterm study abroad students at CET Beijing are progress-driven learners committed to taking on a challenging five weeks of Chinese language learning. This condensed term abroad offers all the advantages of a full semester—intensive classes, a language pledge, a local roommate—but in a quarter of the time. Janterm can be taken on its own or paired with a spring semester in Greater China.
Academics in Beijing
Janterm
Snapshot
- Pre-requisites: None
- 23 hours/week of language learning
- Daily one-on-one sessions
- Full-time language pledge
- Out-of-class learning & assignments
- Host University: Capital Normal University
Curriculum & Syllabi
You take one comprehensive Chinese language course for 5 credits.
Intensive Chinese Language
You are placed into one of these 5-credit courses:
Give your Chinese the boost it needs
Intensive Chinese language learning. You study Chinese language for 4.5 hours a day with some of the best teachers in the field. We flood you with new material, but we also make sure language is not taught in isolation. Each week, classes study a particular theme, with an out-of-the-classroom language practicum one of those days. You might chat with village farmers living in the outskirts of Beijing one week and attend an environmental fair the next.
Practice makes perfect. An intensive language program isn’t just about fast-paced language classes. It’s about daily one-on-one sessions and interviewing locals for your assignments. It’s about committing to a 24/7 language pledge. This program pulls it all together, and Janterm gives your Chinese the boost it needs to continue on to a spring semester in China or continue your studies back home.
You might be interested in:
Housing and Meals
- Dormitory
- On-campus housing
- Live with a local roommate
- 2 people/room
- En suite bathroom, communal kitchen, pay for washer access
- Wifi access, A/C, linens, basic furnishing, shared laundry rooms
Living Like a Local
Local Roommates. You live with a local student from Capital Normal University. Let them show you their favorite spots for keeping warm around the city. Learn which apps to download for daily life in Beijing or learn what’s trending on Chinese social media lately. Sharing a room with a local roommate brings language learning into your home life and gives you instant insider’s access to the city. Learn more about living with local roommates.
Eating in Beijing. For meals, take your pick of the city’s many cheap eateries, try out each of the campus cafeterias, or cook up a meal in the dorm’s communal kitchen. And in the capital city, you have access to regional cuisines from all over China. Learn more about accommodating your dietary needs in Beijing.
Life in Beijing
- Known locally as: 北京 Běijīng
- Population: 21.89 million
- Local Currency: Chinese Yuan, aka renminbi
- Famous for: The Great Wall, the Forbidden City, 798 Arts District, northern Chinese accent, major transport hub, hutongs (alleyways)
Historical and cultural sites meet the modern comforts of a globalized, first-tier city. And as the country’s capital, you can find communities, cultures, and cuisines from all over China. Hop on a bikeshare to study at a new café near campus. Grab dinner with your roommate at their favorite restaurant in Beijing, then meet more friends for a night of karaoke. Get lost in the hutongs (traditional alleyways) and see everything from traditional tea houses to artfully-curated shops and even snack streets. And on the weekends, explore more of China via high-speed rail.
Experience Beijing with CET
Student Resources
On-the-ground support
Navigating a new city, country, and culture is a big challenge worth taking—and we’re here to help you along on this adventure. Our on-site team is bilingual, provides round-the-clock support, and is passionate about sharing their love of Beijing (and China!) with you.
Program Fees
Janterm
$5,290
What's Included
All of your classes and program-related learning are included with your tuition.
We arrange for you to live in a dormitory with a CET peer. Your program fees go toward rent, furnishing, and other management costs.
From pre-departure to orientation, from on site to re-entry, CET provides you with the support you need every step of the way.
We guide you step-by-step through the visa process. You’ll need to do the legwork, but we pay the consular fees if you obtain your visa through the service we recommend.
You’re provided with a comprehensive insurance plan through GeoBlue that even includes medical evacuation coverage.
The activities and excursions that we arrange are included in your program fee. All you need to do is remember to bring your camera!
Your textbooks and course supplies are covered and waiting for you on site.
You’ll receive an official transcript jointly issued by CET and CNU. If your home institution requires a School of Record transcript, CET is able to provide one through the University of Minnesota.
More on finances
Program Fee Breakdown. Of the total program fee, $4,172 goes to tuition and fees, and $1,118 goes to housing and other student life fees.
Local Cost of Living. Day-to-day cost of living has increased in recent years and is now generally considered on par with US cities. Some meals and transit are often cheaper, but western comforts (restaurants, coffee, etc.) cost about the same or more than they do in the US.
Estimated out-of-pocket expenses:
- Round-trip Airfare: $1,400 - $1,750
- Meals: $350
- Personal Expenses: $450
additional resources
"Each week's lessons had a broad theme, and each Wednesday we would leave campus to visit a public place that revolved around that topic. For example, when we were studying environmental issues, we had the opportunity to visit a NGO based in Beijing that does global work to encourage sustainable economic development. "
— Kaylee Henderson,
Kalamazoo College | Janterm student
Kalamazoo College | Janterm student
How to Apply
- • Pre-requisites: None, open to all language levels
- • Must be 18 or older at the time of program participation.
- • Open to students from any US college or university
- • GPA: 3.0 or higher is recommended, students with lower GPAs will be asked for a faculty recommendation to supplement their application
This is a brief form that asks for basic information and has a few short answer questions about why you want to study abroad.
Upload a scan of your passport to your CET Compass account. This should be a single scan that includes the signed signature page and the photo/personal details page. Don’t have a passport yet? Let us know and we can help advise you.
This is an online form that your current or most recent language instructor completes to help us get an idea of your language level. Use the link in your CET Compass account to send the recommendation request.
This is an online form that your study abroad office completes to let us know you meet the requirements to study abroad. To send the electronic form request, simply enter the name and email address of your study abroad advisor in the designated fields of your CET Compass account.
Your CET Compass account has specific instructions for submitting an official transcript.
Have a question? Get in touch!
Tara Strauch
Student Services Coordinator
202.349.7325
[email protected]
Price Subject to Change:
CET reserves the right to increase quoted charges at any time without prior notification, based on increased instruction costs, exchange rate fluctuation or other cost increases beyond CET’s control.