CET Shanghai Study Abroad

CET Shanghai: At-A-Glance

Diverse English-taught electives
Unmatched internship opportunities
Chinese language courses for every level
Live with a Chinese student
Out-of-class learning and assignments
Weekend excursion outside of the city
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Fall

SPRING

Fall

SPring

Dive deeper into your China studies with an engaging semester in Shanghai. Take on English-taught electives that help you understand China and explore the city around you—including an option to try out a career abroad with a custom internship placement. And to top it off, Chinese language classes and a local roommate help you make the most of your time in this globalized Tier 1 city. 

Academics in Shanghai

Semester
Snapshot

Faculty member lectures in a history class at CET Shanghai

Choose your adventure in Shanghai

Electives in English. Get a 360° view of China with electives that embrace field-based learning and match the academic rigor of your home university. Fulfill your major or minor requirements, or try something entirely new—the choice is yours.

Advance your Chinese. Small class sizes, weekly one-on-ones, and passionate instructors help you establish or grow your Chinese language skills, while language practica get you using your Chinese beyond the classroom where it really counts. 

Intern in Shanghai. If you enroll in the Internship elective, we take your interests, background, and language abilities and match them with the needs of an organization in Shanghai. You learn to navigate an international workplace with professionalism and take ownership of your own experiences. 

Housing and Meals

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Living Like a Local

Local Roommates. Your roommate is a CET-selected student from our host institution, Donghua University. Want to learn where to get the best shengjianbao (fried breakfast buns)? Where to study off campus? Sharing a room with a local student 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 Shanghai. For meals, do as the local students do and eat at the budget-friendly campus cafeterias, try nearby food stalls, or find your favorite neighborhood restaurant. Feeling a home-cooked meal? Have a night in with your roommate and trade cooking tips as you prepare dinner together in the dorm’s shared kitchen. Learn more about accommodating your dietary needs in Shanghai. 

group of students on the street

Life in Shanghai

Study abroad student wearing Howard University t-shirt looks out at a pond in the Yu Yuan Gardens in Shanghai

CET Shanghai study abroad students enjoy the perks of living in a city that is both cosmopolitan and culturally rich—plenty of modern amenities, diverse communities and cuisines, and a history worth exploring. Take a stroll in the French Concession to see where East meets West. Chat with shop owners. Line up at Shanghai’s famous hole-in-the-wall noodle spots. Go shopping with your roommate and then meet up with more friends for a night of KTV (karaoke). Start your international network in the city’s buzzing business scene. There’s something for everyone in Shanghai. 

Experience Shanghai with CET

Around the City. Each term, the program offers different extra-curricular activities that allow you to explore the city and Chinese culture. Go on an urban trek with your resident director and classmates. Take a food tour of dumpling shops. Attend the weekly Chinese Table and try a new restaurant as you speak only Chinese with your peers and teachers. See contemporary art at the MoCA Shanghai.  And there’s even more to see on your own.

A Weekend Away. Take a breather from the hustle and bustle of Shanghai with a program-led weekend trip to Ninghai—a place known for its ancient villages and beautiful nature. Bike around Dongqian Lake. Take in the stunning mountain scenery during a group hike, then relax at the hot springs. And of course, enjoy local snacks and cuisine.  Soak up the fresh air and hospitality of the Chinese countryside. 

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Student Resources

"Being in Shanghai, I have so much opportunity to explore my interests, culturally and academically, without any help. I can simply hop on a bus and have a profoundly interesting moment exploring a new community or explore my academic interests in China and Chinese language. But a beautiful aspect of this program is that I don't have to do that alone. My classmates are just as eager as I am to explore these moments. Through excursions, my professors facilitate experiential learning that you can only have with programs like this. "

— Mason Clark
Gettysburg College | Fall student
"[CET Shanghai is] challenging but not in a bad way at all! I’ve loved how the language classes are rigorous but taught by supportive teachers. In addition, study abroad by nature is challenging, especially in the personal sense, but I feel very much taken care of here!"

— Maddy Ryan
University of Mississippi | Fall student
"Coming to China, my main goal was to learn Chinese. However, I think being in China, living with a Chinese roommate who has very limited English, and just meeting new people and ideas, has cultivated a new sense of confidence in my Chinese skills that I wouldn’t have gotten in the United States. I was put in situations where I was flustered, excited, etc., and being able to use the knowledge of the Chinese language I do have is an opportunity beyond the classroom."

— Hailey Lipman
Wake Forest University | Fall student
"Every day I am given opportunities to push my limits, try new things, and step outside my comfort zone. I experience the most self growth when challenged, therefore being in Shanghai, especially at my internship, is helping me to become a more mature, self sufficient, and confident person."

— Hannah Wevodau,
Gettysburg College | Spring student
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On-site Staff

Jeremy Friedlein
Director of Shanghai Programs

Qu Zheng

Qu Zheng
Academic Director

Jenny He
Internships Director

Li Yun
Office Manager

Program Fees

Fall/Spring

$19,290

What's Included

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

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

We help you land the internship, make sure you’re prepared for your job, and then stay in close touch with your host organization… all semester long.

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

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!

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.

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

You’ll receive an official transcript jointly issued by CET and Donghua University. If your home institution requires a School of Record transcript, CET is able to provide one through the University of Minnesota.

More on finances

students outside shop
Program Fee Breakdown. Of the total program fee, $15,990 goes to tuition and fees, and $3,300 goes to housing and other student life fees.

Local Cost of Living. Day-to-day cost of living in Shanghai 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: 

How to Apply

We are excited to announce that our mainland China programs have reopened! Hear from current students on the Student Voices blog

•  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 is recommended, students with lower GPAs will be asked for a faculty recommendation to supplement their application

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.

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.

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 online 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 online account.

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

Application
Deadlines

Fall Semester:

May 1

Spring Semester:

November 1

photo of lucy

Have a question? Get in touch!

Lucy Gough

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.

Course Availability

Our goal is to offer every 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 one particular course, please contact us
 

Endless Internship Possibilities

This program provides access to hundred of internship opportunities, and these are just a few of the organizations with which you might intern. Internship projects are determined by your mentor within the host organization.

CET Jordan: Academic Consultation Board

Over the years, we’ve built a strong network of locally-based faculty that we’re proud to call our peers. These faculty make up our Academic Consultation Board—a select group of local voices and thought leaders that help advise and shape components of the CET Jordan program. 

Board members support the program in many ways, including but not limited to:

Academic Consultation Board Members

Learn More about our Programs

where will you intern?

Get a list of internship possibilities in Shanghai.