SPI Study Abroad – Study Programs International – Language Immersion & Cultural Programs in Spain, Mexico, Italy, Costa Rica, France, and China

About the City

Program Description

Itinerary

On-Site Directors

Beijing
Great Wall

Qingdao Time:

Status: Accepting Applications

Program Dates & Prices

About the Program
SPI provides students with an amazing opportunity to study in China with our partner program. For more information on the program please contact us using our REQUEST CHINA PROGRAM INFORMATION .

For 32 days, students will study the Chinese language and culture not only in a traditional classroom but also see, hear and touch the famous places in China.

Students start off their journey by learning Chinese language and culture at BeiHang University in Beijing. Beijing is considered the nation's political, economic, cultural and educational center as well as being the heart for international trade and communications. Therefore, Beijing serves as the optimal environment for the study of Mandarin Chinese.

What Students Say
"My summer in China was incredible! The on-site directors made the entire experience a success - they were always there, ready to help, and really helped us immerse ourselves in our local community."

"This program in China was one of the most rewarding, interesting, and remarkable trips of my life. I'm pretty shy at home, but on the trip I built friendships that I am sure will last a lifetime."

"I truly opened my eyes to a world and culture completely different than my own."

Prerequisites:
Must be 16 years of age or older by departure date. Program accommodates beginner to advanced speakers

Academic Information:
School: BeiHang University
Curriculum: Designed to help students work out the intricacies of the Chinese language while offering insight into the Chinese culture. Classes are taught for 3 hours a day by professional Mandarin teachers who also speak English very well. Classes are with other program participants and are broken down by skill level.
Academic Credit: Students receive a certificate which they can petition for college credit.

BeiHang University

Formerly called Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, was founded in 1952 and was the first university in aerospace technology in China. Since 1950s, BeiHang has been one of the 16 key universities of China. At present 30,000 students are enrolled in BeiHang and among them 10,000 are graduates. There are 44 fields lead to doctoral degree, 68 fields lead to master degree and 43 specialties are open to the foreign students of undergraduate. There are 21 research institutes, 16 interdisciplinary research centers and 81 laboratories in BeiHang. There is a collection of over 1.5 million volumes both Chinese and English books in the BeiHang library. The campus of BeiHang is notable for its beautiful environment, convenient transportation and complete and high quality service in daily life and study of students.

Xi'an International Studies University
Xi'an International Studies University (XISU) will be our host and guide for the 3 day Xi’an culture tour. The University is located in the southern suburbs of Xi'an in a district which boasts over ten institutions of higher learning. Close to the university are the Xi'an Botanical Gardens, the Shaanxi History Museum and the Big Goose Pagoda (from the Ming Dynasty) and Xi'an railway station.

Housing:
Due to generally smaller housing situations in China, students on this particular program will enjoy the dorm like setting in lieu of staying with a family. The housing in China is clean and comfortable but often times much smaller than what Americans are used to. This housing arrangement provides all meals except for snacks and students are monitored by resident directors 24 hours a day.

Please use this form to Contact Us if you are interested in participating in our China Program conducted by our partner program mentioned above. We will provide you with information on applying for the program.

Cultural Activities:
Chinese painting: Classes introduce elements of the traditional art of Chinese watercolor painting under the guidance of a professional artist. Chinese calligraphy: Classes introduce the various calligraphy styles and features, participants then focus on perfecting one style of this ancient art form. Chinese martial arts: The curriculum will teach students the basic forms and routines of Chinese contemporary Wushu. Meet with Chinese students: Activities with Chinese students and native speakers are held throughout the program in order to facilitate the use of Chinese and encourage cultural and social exchange. Activities may include: basketball, bowling nights, karaoke nights, movie nights and more. Evening activities: In the evening, group outings will take place to see various shows and performances such as Peking Opera, acrobatics, Laoshe Teahouse, Chinese movies, Karaoke and etc.

Weekend excursions: On weekends, students will tour the famous and historical sites in or around Beijing for the entire day: Great Wall, Ming Tombs, Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Beijing Zoo, Temple of Heaven, Wangfujing Street, the Hutong Tour and a local farm are some of the places the students will visit.

Inner Mongolia
There will be a 3 day weekend trip to Inner Mongolia grasslands and students will be able to experience the nomadic lifestyle of Mongolians by living in a yurt. The trip will end by visiting Hohhot City, the capital of Inner Mongolia for a Mongolian hot pot dinner.

Zhengzhou / Luoyang
The journey will continue on to Zhengzhou where students will visit the Yellow River and Shaolin Temple. Students will be treated to a performance of martial arts by the Shaolin Monks. The second day students will visit Luoyang and the world famous Longmen Grottoes, one of the most amazing collection of Buddhist carvings in China.

Xi'an
After Zhengzhou, a train ride to Xi’an brings the students to Xi’an International Studies University. The university will be our host for the next 3 days. Xi’an is one city with an abundant amount of culture and flavor. Students will visit the Banpo Neolithic Village Museum, where remains of this village were inhabited from about 4500 B.C. to 3750 B.C. Next comes one of the wonders of the world, the Terracotta Warriors. Students will be thrilled looking at the massive collection of life sized warriors designed and made for Emperor Qin Shi Huang of the Qin dynasty. Students will also watch a historical movie depicting the history of the Terracotta Warriors and how it was discovered. The next day, students will tour Huaqing Hot Springs, with Tang style bath houses and modern palaces built 3,000 years ago. The Tang Emperor Xuanzong often spent the winter here in the company of his favorite concubine, Yang Guifei, one of the four beauties in Chinese history. Students will also have a visit to one of the last relics of ancient China, the Xi’an city wall, which is one of the few city walls left in China. The wall completely surrounds the downtown area and stands 12 meters high (40 feet) covers 14 kilometers (8.5 miles) long. The day doesn’t end at the wall; students will then enjoy a feast of dumplings at the Dumpling Banquet. Over 30 different styles of dumplings will be presented and eaten. After the banquet, students will enjoy a traditional 1 hour Tang dynasty performance.

Shanghai
For the final leg of the trip, students will board a flight from Xi’an to Shanghai. At Shanghai students will visit the world’s third tallest TV tower, the Oriental Pearl Tower. Another stop is the Yuyuan Garden, a well-restored Suzhou-style garden created during the Ming Dynasty. The garden is immensely popular with local residents and visiting Chinese. The Bund and Nanjing road will cater to the student’s final shopping urges in China. A short day trip to Hangzhou by train will greet the students with the famous West Lake and also take an adventurous raft down the Shuangxi River. Students will return to Shanghai to prepare to say their goodbyes and conclude the China Quest summer program.

TBA