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 Study Abroad
CET Beijing: At-A-Glance
Fall
- Arrival: 08/25/2027
- Departure: 12/11/2027
- Recommended Credits: 17
- Fee: $19,990
- Application Deadline: May 1
SPRING
- Arrival: 02/16/2028
- Departure: 06/03/2028
- Recommended Credits: 17
- Fee: $19,990
- Application Deadline: November 1
Fall
- Arrival: 08/25/2027
- Departure: 12/11/2027
- Recommended Credits: 17
- Fee: $19,990
- Application Deadline: May 1
SPring
- Arrival: 02/16/2028
- Departure: 06/03/2028
- Recommended Credits: 17
- Fee: $19,990
- Application Deadline: November 1
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—get ready to be impressed by your own language gains.
Academics in Beijing
Semester
Snapshot
- Pre-requisites: None
- 20 hours/week of Chinese learning
- One-on-one sessions
- Full-time language pledge
- Traveling Seminar
- Out-of-class learning & assignments
- Host University: Capital Normal University
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:
• BJ/LANG 100: Novice Chinese
• BJ/LANG 150: Novice High Chinese
• BJ/LANG 200: Intermediate Chinese
• BJ/LANG 260: Intermediate High Chinese
Advanced Low Chinese
You are placed into this 14-credit course:
• BJ/LANG 300: Advanced Low Chinese
Then you choose one of these 3-credit electives:
• BJ/LANG 320: Intermediate Chinese Newspaper
• BJ/LANG 340: Intermediate Business Chinese
Advanced & Advanced High Chinese
You are placed into one of these 11-credit courses:
• BJ/LANG 400: Advanced Chinese
• BJ/LANG 500: Advanced High Chinese
You also take this corresponding 3-credit course:
• BJ/LANG 416: Classical Chinese
• BJ/LANG 516: Classical Chinese II
Then you’re paired with an instructor for this 3-credit course:
• BJ/LANG 480: One-on-One Research Project
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. And for advanced students at the 400 and 500 levels, enjoy even more personalized learning with a research project.
Beijing as your classroom. Your classes get you practicing your Chinese out in the city, where it counts. At least once a semester, you also have a week-long language practicum on a topic like the hukou system, youth dating culture, or gender equality. Conduct interviews, visit museums, and present what you’ve learned back to your class.
Traveling Seminar: Learning on the road
Test your language skills in the real world during the 5-day Traveling Seminar. The destination varies each term, but past cohorts have explored cities like Chengdu and Shanghai. Take on practical language assignments, get a taste of local cuisine, and experience different elements of China’s vast Intangible Cultural Heritage list. Return to Beijing with a deeper understanding of a new region’s culture and a more comprehensive familiarity of China at large.
Learn More About
Housing and Meals
- Dormitory
- On-campus housing
- Live with a local roommate
- 2 people/room
- En suite bathroom, communal kitchen, paid washer access in shared laundry room
- Wifi, A/C and heating, basic furnishing, bed linens, weekly linen change, mini fridge available for rental
Living Like a Local
Local Roommates. You live alongside a local student from Capital Normal University. Let them show you their favorite spots around the city. Learn which apps to download for daily life in Beijing or ask what slang locals have been using lately. Sharing a room with a local roommate brings language learning into your home life and gives you insider’s access to the city. Learn more about living with local roommates.
Eating in Beijing. For meals, take your pick of the budget-friendly campus cafeterias and neighborhood restaurants. Try doufunao (Beijing-style savory tofu pudding) for breakfast and lurou huoshao (donkey burger) for lunch. And of course, don’t forget to find your favorite spot for Peking Duck. Feel like staying in? Master the art of ordering food for delivery and share a takeout feast with your roommate, or cook dinner together in the dorm’s shared kitchen. 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, the Summer Palace, major transport hub, hutong (traditional alleyways)
Historical and cultural sites meet modern comforts in this Tier 1 city. And living in the country’s capital, you can find communities, cultures, and cuisines from all over China. Get lost in the hutongs and discover traditional tea houses, artfully-curated shops, street snacks, and more. Stroll through one of Beijing’s 170+ museums with your roommate, then meet up with more friends for a night of karaoke. Stop by a local park in the morning and join the retirees in exercising, dancing, or even playing mahjong. And on the weekends, board a high-speed train and use your language skills to explore even more of China.
Experience Beijing with CET
Each term, the program offers different activities that let you see the city, learn about Chinese culture, or just unwind with your classmates and roommates. Go on a city walk with the group to explore sites like the Drum Tower or the Forbidden City along Beijing’s Central Axis. Learn to make dumplings at a famous restaurant in the city. See a performance at one of the oldest Peking Opera theaters in the city, then get your face painted by a professional. Plus, use your weekly cultural reimbursement stipend to explore even more of Beijing with your roommate.
Every program tells a story
See Beijing through the eyes of students and staff.
Student Resources
Explore more study abroad 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
Fall/Spring
$19,990
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 that even includes medical evacuation coverage.
Activities & Excursions
The activities and excursions that we arrange are included in your program fee.
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, $15,992 goes to tuition and fees, and $3,998 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: $2,000–$2,500
- Meals: $1,650
- Personal Expenses: $600
View the CET Beijing budget sheet for a more detailed estimate of costs.
additional resources
How to Apply
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
• Post-graduate students eligible with CET approval
• GPA: 3.0 or higher is recommended, students with lower GPAs will be asked for a faculty recommendation to supplement their application
• Open to all levels of Chinese, from absolute beginner to advanced
Online Application Form
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 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.
Language Level Recommendation
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.
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 CET Compass account.
Official Transcript
Your CET Compass 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!
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.