CET Beijing: At-A-Glance

20 hours/week of intensive Chinese language

One-on-ones with an instructor

Full-time language pledge

Live with a Chinese student

Out-of-class learning and assignments

Overnight excursion to a new city

SPRING

Fall

SPring

Semester study abroad students at CET Beijing are hard-working and dedicated to immersing themselves in Chinese culture to improve their language skills. With an intensive curriculum, a full-time language pledge, and a local roommate who brings language practice into your home life, you will see language gains that astonish you.

Academics in Beijing

Semester
Snapshot

Curriculum & Syllabi

You are placed into the appropriate level of Chinese language for a total of 17 recommended credits.

Novice & Intermediate Chinese

You are placed into one of these 17-credit courses:

Advanced Low Chinese

You are placed into this 14-credit course:

BJ/LANG 300: Pre-Advanced Chinese

Then you choose one of these 3-credit electives:

Advanced & Advanced High Chinese

You are placed into one of these 11-credit courses:

You also take this corresponding 3-credit course:

Then you choose one of these 3-credit electives:

Your Chinese will grow by leaps & bounds

Intensive language learning. You take 20 hours/week of Chinese language classes with some of the best teachers in the field. Your hours are broken up between core classes, where you focus as a group on grammar, drill, and discussion, and supplementary hours where you get more individualized attention. Twice a week, you have a one-on-one with an instructor to cover anything you’re struggling with in class or engage in further discussion about what you’re learning.

Beijing as your classroom. Study abroad is about experiencing it all. Your classes get you practicing your Chinese out in the city, where it counts. At least twice a semester, you have a week-long language practicum. You focus in-depth on a topic like the lives of Chinese senior citizens, Chinese holidays, or China’s environmental problems.

Housing and Meals

Living Like a Local

Local Roommates*. Your roommate is a CET-picked student from Capital Normal University. Want to learn where to get the best zhajiangmian (noodles with garlic sauce)? What buses to avoid at rush hour? Where to listen to live music? Sharing a room with a local roommate gives you instant insider’s access to the city. But more importantly, it gives you someone to share the city with. Learn more about living with a local roommate.

Eating in Beijing. For meals, take your pick of the budget-friendly campus cafeterias and neighborhood restaurants. And don’t forget to find your favorite Peking Duck spot—you’re living in Beijing after all. Feeling like a home-cooked meal? Have a night in with your roommate and trade cooking tips as you prepare dinner together in the dorm shared kitchen. Learn more about accommodating your dietary needs in Beijing.

*Note: In light of China’s COVID restrictions, the local roommates component of the program may not resume right away. CET will make every effort to make local students a part of the program, likely serving as language exchange partners and cultural resources.

Learn more about Summer in Beijing

Life in Beijing

People flock to Beijing to experience the cultural and political capital of China. Historical and cultural sites are everywhere – including 6 UNESCO World Heritage sites – the standard local accent makes it a great place to study language, and the accessible public transportation makes it easy for students to get around. Spend a semester experiencing incredible food, meeting wonderful people, and enjoying a front row seat to China’s developments.

Experience Beijing with CET

Around the city. Each term, the program offers different extra-curricular activities that let you see the city, learn about Chinese culture, or just unwind with your classmates and roommates. Learn traditional Chinese painting techniques. See a Chinese improv show. Make dumplings then devour them for dinner. And there’s even more to see on your own.

A Weekend Away. Enjoy worry-free travel with CET-hosted trips that take you out of Beijing. You might join your roommates on a trip to Xi’an to see the Terracotta Warriors, Hangzhou to hike around the visit beautiful West Lake, or travel to Nanjing to walk on the ancient city wall. Every term is different. Half the fun is getting there. Playing cards on an overnight train ride is a great way to make new friends.

Student Resources

"Starting at the beginner class was challenging—I lost my personality at the beginning but gained much more than my personality at the end. I learn about north versus southern Chinese culture and language, where the locals eat, how to make jokes, have the confidence to ask questions/join clubs, meet new friends outside of CET, dream in Chinese, to be able to travel using Chinese, this list could go on forever."

— Veronica Lopez, University of Kansas
Academic Year student

"I went from knowing no Chinese at all to being able to hold a conversation with others in Chinese and navigate my daily life in a Chinese-speaking country. This program has provided me a strong foundation from which to continue building my Chinese-language skills, which is exactly what I wanted out of this experience."

— Abby Dieter,
University of Kansas | Fall student

On-site Staff

Zhu Li
Director of China Programs

"The academics are really challenging, of course, but we were able to explore a wide variety of topics in class that were really relevant to the culture, both in Jordan and in the wider Middle East. Combining that with the conversations I had with my Jordanian language partner meant that I could learn about almost any aspect of the environment and the people."

— Annaliese Gould,
Carleton College | Fall student

Program Fees

Fall/Spring

$17,490

What's Included

Tuition

All of your classes and program-related learning are included with your tuition.

Housing

We arrange for you to live in a dormitory with a local roommate. Your program fees go toward rent, furnishing, and other management costs.

Staff Support

From pre-departure to orientation, from on site to re-entry, CET provides you with the support you need every step of the way.

Visa Fees & Support

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.

Insurance

You’re provided with a comprehensive insurance plan through GeoBlue that even includes medical evacuation coverage.

Activities & Excursions

The activities and excursions that we arrange are included in your program fee. All you need to do is remember to bring your camera!

Course Materials

Your textbooks and course supplies are covered and waiting for you on site.

Transcript

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, $14,030 goes to tuition and fees, and $3,460 goes to housing and other student life fees.

Local Cost of Living. Day-to-day cost of living in Beijing is generally cheaper than the United States. Meals and transit are cheaper, but western comforts (restaurants, coffee, etc.) cost about the same or more than they do in the US.

Estimated out-of-pocket expenses:

additional resources

How to Apply

As Mainland China slowly opens back up to study abroad opportunities, we are optimistic about operating our Beijing, Shanghai, and Harbin programs for the Fall 2023 term. For more information, see our Mainland China: Re-Opening Update.

Eligibility

• Pre-requisites: None. Open to students of any Chinese level, including absolute beginners
• 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 preferred, but admissions decisions are made on a case-by-case basis; lower GPAs still encouraged to apply
• Open to all levels of Chinese, from absolute beginner to advanced

Online Application Form

Complete the application through your online CET account. This is a brief form that asks for basic information and has a few short answer questions about why you want to study abroad.

Passport Information

Upload a scan of your passport to your online CET 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.

Faculty Recommendation

Use the link in your online account to send a recommendation request to one of your previous instructors.

Study Abroad Office Recommendation

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 online account.

Official Transcript

Your online CET account has specific instructions for submitting an official transcript.

Application
Deadlines

Fall Semester:

May 1

Spring Semester:

November 1

Have a question? Get in touch!

Joelle Leinbach

Student Services Coordinator
202.349.7322
[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.

Our goal is to offer every single course every term, but sometimes factors like faculty availability and program enrollment keep us from reaching that goal. If you’re concerned about needing to enroll in any one particular course, please contact us! We’ll try our best to get you the course you need.

CET Beijing: At-A-Glance

Fall

SPRING

Fall

SPring