Overview
Click to OpenWith 22 million Chinese-speaking people to share the city with, Beijing is the place to give your Mandarin skills a major boost this summer. With premier instruction, tutoring, homestay, travel, and awe-inspiring icons like the Great Wall and Forbidden City, you’ll pack a year’s worth of learning into one unforgettable summer.
Safety And Security Travel Advisory
As of March 2023, the U.S. Department of State has issued a Level 3 Travel Advisory in Greater China. To learn more, visit our FAQs.
Unique Experiences
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MAKE MARKED LANGUAGE PROGRESS
with 20 hours of intensive classroom instruction plus 3 hours of tutoring each week.
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GET AN INSIDE LOOK AT THE CITY
with visits to treasured places only locals know about.
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VOLUNTEER OR PARTICIPATE IN ACTIVITIES AND LECTURES
that illuminate coursework and heighten your understanding of Chinese culture.
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UNESCO World Heritage Sites
6 -
restaurants
60,000 -
years of history
3,000
Location & Culture
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The Destination
With a population of 22 million and counting, people from all over China and the world have flocked to this cultural center, as China’s economy and international power have grown. A fascinating blend of the very old and the ultra-modern, it’s home to 15th century treasures like the Hall of Supreme Harmony and stunners like Beijing National Stadium, a.k.a. the Bird’s Nest. The jam-packed cosmopolitan city buzzes with a lively arts scene, and boasts a record number of top research institutions and technology companies.
The Culture
EXCURSIONS & ACTIVITIES
- Visit incredible sites loaded with history, like Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City.
- Choose a theme-study weekend and expand your horizons. You might visit the birthplace of Confucius in Qufu, as you examine traditional Chinese philosophy; visit the bustling port city Dalian to explore urbanization; or visit a village and hike in northern Shanxi province to dig into the environment and rural governance.
- See contemporary art, and musical and theatric performances, or take a day hike near Beijing.
- Learn about contemporary Chinese issues like international economics, cross-cultural communication, sustainability, and film with a special series of lectures given by scholars and other experts.
PROJECTS
- Language Tutoring. To ensure progress in fluency, each student is paired with a PKU graduate student or CIEE instructor for three one-on-one tutorials and one one-to-three Language and Culture Practicum session each week. Tutors practice conversation and help with homework.
- Expert Talk Series: Regular lectures in English by experts in their field.
Daily Life
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HOUSING
Homestays: Living with a host family option is ideal for students who want to establish relationships with Chinese people, live in a total Chinese-language environment, and make rapid progress in Chinese language and culture study. Students have their own bedroom and share the living room, kitchen, and bathroom (some have a private bathroom). Host families live within a 45-minute commute of campus. The commute can take more than an hour when traffic is bad.
Residence Halls: Zhongguanyuan Global Village has inviting, comfortable accommodations. Students live in suite-style units with one or two roommates (CIEE students or other international students). Each student has a private bedroom, and shared living space and bathroom. Internet access and share kitchens included.
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MEALS
Homestays: Students are invited to family meals up to 14 times during the week, and should budget for other meals, including lunch on campus.
Residence Halls: Meals are not included. Students typically eat at student cafeterias or at inexpensive restaurants on and around campus.
Beijing, China Where You'll Study
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A
Getting Around
Students walk and use public transportation, which is easily accessed.
Academics
Click to OpenAcademics
CIEE’s Intensive Chinese Language program is designed to help students improve fluency in spoken and written Mandarin Chinese through intensive language training. Students can also take one or two courses instructed in English to enrich their understanding of China’s capital city. Students agree to speak Chinese to encourage language and cultural acquisition. In-class work is augmented with co-curricular visits to the city’s rich variety of cultural institutions and organizations relevant to the course offering.
Chinese language courses are taught by faculty from the Peking University School of Chinese as a Second Language. Electives are taught in English by CIEE faculty. Students receive a certificate of achievement from Peking University after completing the program.
Peking University (PKU) was founded in 1898 and has a long tradition of scholarly excellence and political activism. The prestigious PKU focuses on advanced research in the natural and social sciences. The campus, previously an imperial garden in the Qing Dynasty, hosts 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students. PKU has modern classrooms and recreational facilities, many cafeterias, and easy access to mass transit – all within short walking distance.
CIEE Beijing is conveniently located on the campus of Peking University.
GPA
2.5
Language Prerequisites
There are no specific language requirements for this program.
Additional Requirements
Not a citizen of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Taiwan ROC, Hong Kong SAR, or Macau (includes permanent U.S. residents)
Individual courses may have additional prerequisites; for CIEE courses, these are listed in the syllabi below. Students are responsible for having their own course approval conversations with their advisors.
Program Requirements
2 Chinese language courses
Program Credit
Total credit: 10-12 U.S. semester/15-18 quarter credits
Course Credit
- Chinese language courses: 5 U.S. semester/7.5 quarter credits; 75 contact hours
- CIEE elective courses: 1 U.S. semester/1.5 quarter credits; 15 contact hours
Individual courses may have additional prerequisites; for CIEE courses, these are listed in the syllabi below. Students are responsible for having their own course approval conversations with their advisors.
Academic Culture
Students are expected to work independently and diligently. The pace is fast, and students are expected to prepare for each class with at least four to five hours of work.
Class Format
Classes are capped at 15 to ensure individual attention and participation. Students take a Readings in Chinese and Spoken Chinese course at the appropriate level. Readings in Chinese consists of five, two-hour Chinese classes per week. Each textbook lesson is broken into five components. Each textbook includes 10 to 12 lessons, completed in eight weeks. Spoken Chinese consists of five, two-hour Chinese lessons per week. Each textbook includes 12 lessons, completed in eight weeks.
Grading
Grades are based on exams, homework, quizzes, attendance, and participation.
Individual courses may have additional prerequisites; for CIEE courses, these are listed in the syllabi below. Students are responsible for having their own course approval conversations with their advisors.
Language of Instruction
Chinese and English
Individual courses may have additional prerequisites; for CIEE courses, these are listed in the syllabi below. Students are responsible for having their own course approval conversations with their advisors.
Courses
Click to OpenCourse Information
Note: This course listing is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a contract between CIEE and any applicant, student, institution, or other party. The courses, as described, may be subject to change as a result of ongoing curricular revisions, assignment of lecturers and teaching staff, and program development. Courses may be canceled due to insufficient enrollment.
"(GI)" denotes courses that originated at CIEE's Global Institutes and that are offered at multiple CIEE sites.
Scholarships
Click to OpenScholarships & Grants
CIEE offers scholarships and grants annually to help students like you make your study abroad dream a reality.
Students who apply to this program are eligible for the following scholarships and grants:
- Wollitzer Merit Scholarships in Area or Comparative Studies
- Ping Scholarships for Academic Excellence
- Global Access Initiative (GAIN) Grants
- CIEE Gilman Go Global Grant
- The Stephen M. Lew Lifetime Friendship Award
- CIEE Stem Scholarship
To be considered, submit the CIEE Scholarships & Grants application within your CIEE program application. Learn more at the Scholarships & Grants section of our website.
See more scholarship infoDates & Fees
Click to OpenDates & Fees
You get more for every dollar when you study abroad with CIEE, because our high-quality programs include everything from excursions to insurance. There are no hidden charges, and no disappointing surprises when you arrive.
Program |
Application Due |
Start Date |
End Date |
Fees & Housing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer 2023 8 weeks | Deadline Passed | Jun 12, 2023* | Aug 4, 2023* |
$7,450
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Program FeesCIEE offers the most student support of any provider in its program fee, including an airport greeting, full-time leadership and support, orientation, cultural activities, local excursions, pre-departure advising, and CIEE iNext travel insurance with benefits. Participation Confirmation = $300 * Educational Costs = $5,591 ** Housing = $1,150 *** Insurance = $197 Visa Fees = $212 Total Fees = $7,450Estimated CostsStudents are responsible and manage costs related to travel, meals, books, and personal expenses. Below are estimates for consideration. Meals not included in program fee = $800 International Airfare = $1,500 † Local Transportation = $150 Books & Supplies = $25 Visa Fees = $150 Potential travel to consulate for visa = $300 Personal expenses = $700 Total Estimated Costs = $3,625Financial AidCIEE offers the most grants and scholarships of any study abroad organization, including $8 million/year in travel grants, merit-based scholarships, institutional and MSI grants, and Gilman Go Global Grants. This breakdown has been prepared from the program budget for the purpose of calculating eligibility for financial aid. During the course of program operations, actual figures may vary. It should not, therefore, be used as a basis for calculation of refunds. CIEE reserves the right to adjust fees at any time. Students required by their US home institution to study abroad via CIEE's School of Record will be charged a $500 administrative fee in addition to the Program Fees listed. * non-refundable ** direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students; students who elect to take the HSK Chinese Proficiency Exam Preparation Add-on will be billed a supplemental fee of $500 for intensive instruction and practice in HSK test taking (15 hours), as well as housing (off-campus, double-occupancy), exam registration fee, and transport to the exam site in Beijing. The supplemental fee will be billed approximately two weeks after the program starts. *** four meals per week are included in the homestay option; no meals are included in the dormitory option † Round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure |
*Dates for this program are provided as tentative dates. Please consult with your study abroad advisor to confirm dates before purchasing your flights.
To help you budget, keep in mind that students are responsible for the cost of international airfare, local transportation, books and supplies, visas, and personal expenses. In addition, your college or university may charge additional fees for study abroad, or may require you to receive a transcript via CIEE's School of Record, which carries an additional fee of $500.
Looking for funding?
What's Included
Click to OpenWhat's Included
Get Started
Here's what you need to do to take the next steps:-
1
START AN APPLICATION
Apply Now
You're one step closer to an amazing study abroad experience! -
2
CONNECT WITH YOUR CAMPUS STUDY ABROAD OFFICE
Share your plans and confirm you're on track to meet all required steps to go abroad. -
3
Contact Us
Send us an email if you still have questions or need information about applying to this program.
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