Art History & Chinese Culture
A Summer for Fun, Friends, and Your Future
Explore
Have fun discovering Shanghai through the lens of art.
Network
Meet new friends and art history experts. Build your own community.
Get Inspired
Launch your future today! Create a diverse array of visual art, gain skills in ancient and modern techniques, and craft a portfolio.
The Destination
Welcome to Shanghai, the “Paris of the East,” full of ancient temples, trendy neighborhoods, and neon-lit skyscrapers.
One of the world’s biggest cities, Shanghai is home to more than 24 million people! It began as a small fishing village before becoming one of the world’s busiest ports in the 1800s. The city’s diverse influences, shaped by trade with Europe, the U.S., and Japan, are still evident today in its Art Deco architecture—the largest collection outside the U.S.—and in its traditional temples and gardens.
At night, the Bund lights up with historic buildings on one side of the river and futuristic skyscrapers on the other. In the French Concession, tree-lined streets are filled with bakeries, bookstores, cafés, and little shops hidden between historic buildings. You can explore the koi ponds and stone pathways of Yu Garden, then visit the golden halls of Jing’an Temple.
Grab soup dumplings filled with hot broth, crispy pan-fried buns, sweet mooncakes, meat skewers, and endless kinds of bubble tea. Food stalls, tea shops, and busy night markets fill the city with mouth-watering smells, and you will want to taste it all!
Cultural Awareness
CIEE wants all our students to feel welcomed, supported, and empowered to succeed while studying abroad. No matter where you choose to study abroad with CIEE, our staff will be on hand throughout your program to provide advice, resources, and support.
Social feed above may feature posts from all CIEE Study Abroad programs, including college programs.
Sample Itinerary
Top Rated Activities
Overnight Excursion to Wuxi 无锡
Leave the giant skyscrapers and neon lights of Shanghai behind as you take a trip to Wuxi. Looking out across Taihu Lake, one of the largest freshwater lakes in China, you’ll see misty hills, willow trees, traditional pavilions, and fishing boats drifting across the water. Rising above the landscape is the enormous Lingshan Grand Buddha, 88 meters tall! For centuries, Wuxi has been an important center for fishing, rice farming, silk production, and trade, and today the city is known for its quieter pace, temples, gardens, canals, and traditional architecture.
Walk through canal streets hung with red lanterns, where stone bridges cross narrow waterways, and steam rises from dumpling shops and tea houses. You’ll hear temple bells, smell grilled snacks and sweet pastries from food stalls, and see tiled rooftops, carved wooden buildings, and little boats moving through the canals. Between the giant Buddha, the lake views, and the old streets, Wuxi feels like stepping into a completely different world.
Huangpu River Cruise
Cruise along the Huangpu River, the waterway that shaped Shanghai’s rise as a global city and still divides it today into Puxi (historic west) and Pudong (modern east). Take in one of the most striking contrasts in the world: the Bund’s long stretch of European-style buildings—neoclassical, Gothic, and Art Deco—has remained largely unchanged for over a century, earning Shanghai the nickname “Paris of the East.” Across the water, Pudong’s skyline tells a different story, rising almost entirely in the past 30 years, with landmarks like the twisting Shanghai Tower, the Shanghai World Financial Center, and the Oriental Pearl Tower.
As you take in the views, you’ll feel the warm, humid air and a light breeze off the river while commercial vessels move through this active shipping route—offering a close-up look at the infrastructure that keeps the city running.
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Eligibility
- Participants must be 14 years old and above.
- Program open to all current high school students: Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors.
- For scholarship eligibility requirements, please check our scholarship page.
- Please note: China maintains strict regulations regarding medications brought into the country. We encourage student families to consult with their doctor and research whether the student's medications are legal and available in China.
For more information, refer to our detailed Program Essential Eligibility Criteria.
Dates & Fees
Application Fee
$25
Program scholarships and tuition include iNext Travel Insurance, but do not cover the cost of flights. Find additional details about what’s included with your tuition.
More questions? Find answers, get application support, sign up for virtual presentations or contact us!
Program |
Application Due |
Start Date |
End Date |
Costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Program Summer Session I 2027 3 weeks | Start Date | End Date | Costs $7,000 | |
| Program Summer Session II 2027 3 weeks | Start Date | End Date | Costs $7,000 |
Ready to change your life?
What's Included
Interactive Classes
Housing
3 Meals/Day
(Dietary Needs Accommodated)
All Ground Transportation
(Once In-country)
Optional Flight Chaperone
(Flight Cost Not Included)
Pre-departure Advice and Orientation
Access to WIFI
(No international data plan or SIM card included)
All Cultural Activities and Excursions
Comprehensive Medical and Travel Protection
24/7 Emergency On-site Support
Our Staff
Jia Ma
Center Director
Program Leaders guide and support our High School Summer Abroad participants through every step of their program.
Get Started
1
2
Connect with your Teachers or Parents
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 enrolling.
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