China has long captivated the imagination of the world with its rich cultural history. Experience the energy of its bustling cities as well as the beauty of its remote mountaintops. Discover imperial relics while also learning about modern China's dynamic society. There's something to interest everyone in one of the largest and most populous countries on the planet.

Languages Spoken:

Chinese (family), Mandarin, Cantonese

Education System

HIGHER EDUCATION OVERVIEW

In China, competition to get into university is extreme. Students begin preparing for the gaokao (national university entrance exam) during their secondary education. Only a minority of Chinese students have the opportunity to pursue higher education.

Chinese student dormitories are usually kept separate from international student dorms. The typical dorm room for Chinese students holds four students and there are no coed dorms. These accommodations are modest and may be smaller than what students may be used to. As a foreign student, you will most likely be housed with only one roommate. While your room may not be the same as it would be in a Western school, please be sensitive to this discrepancy when speaking with Chinese friends.

STUDYING IN CHINA

Courses

Your home institution sets the policy regarding the award of credit for coursework completed on an ISEP program. You are responsible for knowing your home institution's policies and procedures regarding this matter. Depending on the course offerings of your program and level of Chinese, you'll have the opportunity to enroll in classes in English or Chinese.

Registration

Check with your host institution for registration procedures. Students may be able to select courses pre-departure, though final registration for classes could happen after arrival on campus. Classes sometimes cancel due to low enrollment

Course Load

Depending on your host institution, you will be enrolled in four to eight classes per term, and can expect to spend around 20 hours per week in class. Terms vary in length from 12-18 weeks, some of which may be devoted to final exams.

Exams & Grading

Typical Chinese classes are mostly lecture style. There are usually no presentations, essays or group projects required. Students are expected to do the homework and pass the exams. The grading scale is typically 0-100 with a minimum passing score of 60.

Transcript

Make sure that the university has a valid address to which to send your transcript in order to receive it without delays. Some institutions may send your transcript directly to ISEP to forward to your home institution. Keep in mind sometimes it takes up to 4 months to get the transcript of records from the courses you have taken.

Visa and Residency

Visa regulations can change at any time and without notice. Students should always consult their local Consulate or Embassy to verify the most up to date visa information. All students are required to obtain a visa to enter China. Visa requirements can vary depending on the country your passport is issued in.

Students must go to the embassy or consulate based on their state of residence. To find out which embassy or consulate you need to travel to, go to the Embassy of China website here. If you are not able to go in person, you can go through a third party visa agent. ISEP does not endorse nor is able to advise on any third party visa agent.

Type of visa:

X1 visa for students studying in China more than 180 days

X2 visa for students studying in China less than 180 days

Visa fee:

U.S. Citizen Single Entry $140

Non U.S. Citizen Single Entry $30

U.S. Citizen Double Entry $140

Non U.S. Citizen Double Entry $45

U.S. Citizen Multiple Entries for 6 months or more $140

Non U.S. Citizen Multiple Entries for 6 months $60

Non U.S. Citizen Multiple Entries for 12 months or more $90

When to apply: 3 or more weeks prior to departure

View the printable paper application here

China embassy in the United States consular services

Application Requirements:

· Passport with at least six months of remaining validity and blank visa pages

· Visa application form with a passport sized photo paper glued onto the form

· Proof of legal stay or residence (applicable to non-U.S. citizens)

· Proof of return flight

· Photocopies of previous Chinese passports or visas

· Original and photocopy of the admission notice issued by your host university

· Original and photo copy of Visa Application for Study in China (Form JW201 or JW202)

Application Guidelines:

1. In accordance with a 2014 China-U.S. visa arrangement, U.S. citizens may be eligible for 5-year multiple entry visa. The remaining validity of the U.S. passport must be over 12 months.

2. The applicant should guarantee that all information provided in the application is true and correct. Any false, misleading or incomplete information may result in denial of the visa or refusal of entry into China.

3. The invitation letter may be in the form of fax, photocopy or computer printout. An applicant may be required to submit an original invitation, provide other supporting documents, or schedule an interview with the consular officer.

4. The consular officer will make decisions on whether or not to grant a visa and allowed validity, duration of stay and number of entries based on individual application.

5. A holder of category X1 visa must apply for a residence permit at the local public security authorities within 30 days of entry into China.

6. You must pay your visa fee upon collection of your visa. (Some HKSAR or Macao SAR visa applicants need to pay a Communication fee prior to submission.) Acceptable methods of payment are: credit card (Visa or Mastercard only), money order, cashier's check or company check. Please make your check or money order payable to "Chinese Embassy" (for applications submitted to the Embassy), or to "Chinese Consulate in XXX"(for applications submitted to the Consulate General in XXX city). Cash, personal check or online payment is NOT accepted. NO credit card other than a Visa or Mastercard is accepted.

Typical Processing Time

Regular service: 4 business days

Express service: 2-3 business days

Rush service: 1 business days in extreme circumstances. Approval by consular officer required.

Culture

CULTURE SHOCK

No student can entirely avoid culture shock when living in an unfamiliar country. China's political, social and cultural differences can cause an American student to feel puzzled and frustrated. One day you may be excited by the experience that you are having in China, while the next day you may feel frustrated and miss your friends and family. This is perfectly normal and happens to most students who go abroad for extended periods. It's best to mentally prepare yourself for a challenging experience before you arrive. While there, try to look for the good things in your environment and remind yourself that you can enjoy the familiar things when you get home. While it's important to immerse yourself, it's okay to occasionally meet up with a country mate and watch a movie in your native language, or go to a restaurant that serves your home cuisine. The key to "surviving" in China is to expect the unexpected, be flexible and view challenges with a good sense of humor and a positive attitude.

GREETINGS AND PERSONAL SPACE

Usually a handshake and slight head nod will do. Hugs are only for good friends and family.

It is common to see girls holding hands and boys with their arms around each other. It just means they’re good friends. For guys, don’t be surprised if your male Chinese friends show interest in your arm or leg hair. For girls, don’t be surprised if total strangers want to touch your hair, particularly if you do not have dark hair. In general there is less personal space in China – part of that has to do with the population size. It is a common experience to be in a very crowded area. A bus, subway or even grocery store can be an overwhelming experience for someone unaccustomed to dense crowds. Don’t let it faze you, just chalk it up to another great China story.

COMMUNICATION STYLE

Most Chinese speak in an indirect manner. Sometimes what they mean is the opposite of what they say. They tend to avoid making direct eye contact. You'll grow to understand them, however, you may be surprised at times when they are more direct than you would expect. They may be very blunt about your weight or your appearance or someone else’s. Just let it go – statements that originally sound off-putting will often are often just genuinely curious, and end with a good-hearted laugh.

SOCIALIZING AND MEAL ETIQUETTE

Students socialize by playing sports, sharing meals and going to karaoke bars. Meals are very important in Chinese culture. To show appreciation, honor or repay a favor, it is expected that you will treat them to a meal. However, as a foreigner, you are considered a guest of all Chinese, so you may have a hard time persuading them to let you pay. It would be rude to not fight for the check. You will probably see people in restaurants physically fighting over the check – it’s mainly all show. In the end, the person who is supposed to pay usually wins the fight — 9 times out of 10 it will not be you. The Chinese would never split the check. The concept of "going dutch" (or AA as the Chinese call it) is an entirely Western concept. Your Chinese friend may offer to go dutch, but only because he or she is aware of the cultural difference. To show you understand the Chinese culture, you should pay the bill. When out with your foreign friends, if you don’t want to offend, have one person pay the bill and wait until you have left the restaurant to divvy up the check.

Some other tips:

Never stick your chopsticks straight up in a bowl of rice. It looks like incense sticks at a grave site. Never drum with your chopsticks. It’s the same sound made by beggars.
As dishes are never ordered individually, but rather shared, it is a sign of friendship to put food on your friend’s plate. It would be rude to refuse any food offered to you. Accepting it does not mean you have to eat it. Simply say thank you. You should probably try it, but if you don’t like it, just leave it on your plate. You will be surprised at the things you actually like. Dishes like tofu and eggplant have an entirely different taste than they do outside China, so it is highly recommend that you try everything, even the things you think you won’t like it.
When eating, it's customary to leave a little bit of food on the table by the end of the meal. Cleaning everything off your plate is usually a signal to the host that you're still hungry, and they'll order more, so just leave that last bite on the table.
The seat of honor is the one facing the door. At a special dinner, wait until the host indicates where you should sit.
It is common for there to be many toasts during meals. When toasting, clink your glass with the lip a little lower than the other person’s to honor them. The more you drink, the more you respect the other person, but among guys it’s a competition for who can drink the most. It's easy to get carried away in some drinking environments, so make sure to pace yourself if you choose to imbibe.
Most meat dishes, including fish, are served with the bones. You’ll learn the art of eating carefully. It’s perfectly acceptable to spit the bone out on the table. Just watch what the Chinese do and imitate.
When your Chinese friend comes to visit and you offer him or her something (to drink, to eat, etc.), they will usually refuse just to be polite. You have to ask three times and judge by their third answer whether or not they actually want whatever you’re offering.
There is no tipping in China. They are likely to misunderstand if you try to tip.

GIFTS

Always give and receive gifts or business cards with two hands. If anyone gives you something with two hands, always accept with two hands. Never show up to someone’s home empty-handed. Fruit is the most common gift to bring.

UNDERLYING CULTURAL DIFFERENCES

CONCEPT OF TIME: The Chinese have a long-term time orientation. There is not the urgency of now that is very common in other cultures. They value punctuality and diligence, but people and relationships are emphasized over deadlines. It is rude to be late; however, someone with a higher social or political status may be late to show how busy they are.

AUTHORITY: The Chinese have a greater tolerance and acceptance of authority than most Westerners. There is an understood and accepted hierarchy which they are unlikely to question.

AMBIGUITY: The Chinese have a high tolerance for ambiguity. Most Westerners are the opposite. Learn to adapt and be flexible and accept unclear answers. The reality is the person probably doesn’t have the answer or the authority to make the decision.

FACE: The concept of "face" has an enormous influence on Chinese behavior. Trying to "save face" can explain many confusing incidents. It’s related to avoiding embarrassment, but it goes deeper. If something occurs or someone responds in a way that doesn’t make sense to you, ask yourself if anyone was trying to save face, and that might help explain the situation. You can also "give face" by praising someone or making them look good. However, if anyone praises you, you should always deflect compliments or you might look arrogant. Humility is a highly valued trait. You may be surprised at the degree to which the Chinese will deflect a compliment. ("Your wife is very beautiful." "No, she is ugly.")

GUANXI: This term describes your network of relationships – who you know and what they do for you — and is a very important concept to understand and navigate. Chinese place an enormously high value on relationships and almost nothing gets done outside of relationships. If someone does you a favor, it is expected that you will return the favor. Some people will avoid permitting you to do them a favor because it carries with it the expectation of something in return.

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES

The ground is considered very dirty. This is why people spit and babies urinate in the street. This is why you should remove your shoes before entering a home, never put your feet up and never sit on the floor. If the bottom of your shoe accidentally touches someone’s pant leg, they will give you a dirty look and brush the dust off.

Daily Life

CULTURE SHOCK

No student can entirely avoid culture shock when living in an unfamiliar country. China's political, social and cultural differences can cause an American student to feel puzzled and frustrated. One day you may be excited by the experience that you are having in China, while the next day you may feel frustrated and miss your friends and family. This is perfectly normal and happens to most students who go abroad for extended periods. It's best to mentally prepare yourself for a challenging experience before you arrive. While there, try to look for the good things in your environment and remind yourself that you can enjoy the familiar things when you get home. While it's important to immerse yourself, it's okay to occasionally meet up with a country mate and watch a movie in your native language, or go to a restaurant that serves your home cuisine. The key to "surviving" in China is to expect the unexpected, be flexible and view challenges with a good sense of humor and a positive attitude.

GREETINGS AND PERSONAL SPACE

Usually a handshake and slight head nod will do. Hugs are only for good friends and family.

It is common to see girls holding hands and boys with their arms around each other. It just means they’re good friends. For guys, don’t be surprised if your male Chinese friends show interest in your arm or leg hair. For girls, don’t be surprised if total strangers want to touch your hair, particularly if you do not have dark hair. In general there is less personal space in China – part of that has to do with the population size. It is a common experience to be in a very crowded area. A bus, subway or even grocery store can be an overwhelming experience for someone unaccustomed to dense crowds. Don’t let it faze you, just chalk it up to another great China story.

COMMUNICATION STYLE

Most Chinese speak in an indirect manner. Sometimes what they mean is the opposite of what they say. They tend to avoid making direct eye contact. You'll grow to understand them, however, you may be surprised at times when they are more direct than you would expect. They may be very blunt about your weight or your appearance or someone else’s. Just let it go – statements that originally sound off-putting will often are often just genuinely curious, and end with a good-hearted laugh.

SOCIALIZING AND MEAL ETIQUETTE

Students socialize by playing sports, sharing meals and going to karaoke bars. Meals are very important in Chinese culture. To show appreciation, honor or repay a favor, it is expected that you will treat them to a meal. However, as a foreigner, you are considered a guest of all Chinese, so you may have a hard time persuading them to let you pay. It would be rude to not fight for the check. You will probably see people in restaurants physically fighting over the check – it’s mainly all show. In the end, the person who is supposed to pay usually wins the fight — 9 times out of 10 it will not be you. The Chinese would never split the check. The concept of "going dutch" (or AA as the Chinese call it) is an entirely Western concept. Your Chinese friend may offer to go dutch, but only because he or she is aware of the cultural difference. To show you understand the Chinese culture, you should pay the bill. When out with your foreign friends, if you don’t want to offend, have one person pay the bill and wait until you have left the restaurant to divvy up the check.

Some other tips:

Never stick your chopsticks straight up in a bowl of rice. It looks like incense sticks at a grave site. Never drum with your chopsticks. It’s the same sound made by beggars.
As dishes are never ordered individually, but rather shared, it is a sign of friendship to put food on your friend’s plate. It would be rude to refuse any food offered to you. Accepting it does not mean you have to eat it. Simply say thank you. You should probably try it, but if you don’t like it, just leave it on your plate. You will be surprised at the things you actually like. Dishes like tofu and eggplant have an entirely different taste than they do outside China, so it is highly recommend that you try everything, even the things you think you won’t like it.
When eating, it's customary to leave a little bit of food on the table by the end of the meal. Cleaning everything off your plate is usually a signal to the host that you're still hungry, and they'll order more, so just leave that last bite on the table.
The seat of honor is the one facing the door. At a special dinner, wait until the host indicates where you should sit.
It is common for there to be many toasts during meals. When toasting, clink your glass with the lip a little lower than the other person’s to honor them. The more you drink, the more you respect the other person, but among guys it’s a competition for who can drink the most. It's easy to get carried away in some drinking environments, so make sure to pace yourself if you choose to imbibe.
Most meat dishes, including fish, are served with the bones. You’ll learn the art of eating carefully. It’s perfectly acceptable to spit the bone out on the table. Just watch what the Chinese do and imitate.
When your Chinese friend comes to visit and you offer him or her something (to drink, to eat, etc.), they will usually refuse just to be polite. You have to ask three times and judge by their third answer whether or not they actually want whatever you’re offering.
There is no tipping in China. They are likely to misunderstand if you try to tip.

GIFTS

Always give and receive gifts or business cards with two hands. If anyone gives you something with two hands, always accept with two hands. Never show up to someone’s home empty-handed. Fruit is the most common gift to bring.

UNDERLYING CULTURAL DIFFERENCES

CONCEPT OF TIME: The Chinese have a long-term time orientation. There is not the urgency of now that is very common in other cultures. They value punctuality and diligence, but people and relationships are emphasized over deadlines. It is rude to be late; however, someone with a higher social or political status may be late to show how busy they are.

AUTHORITY: The Chinese have a greater tolerance and acceptance of authority than most Westerners. There is an understood and accepted hierarchy which they are unlikely to question.

AMBIGUITY: The Chinese have a high tolerance for ambiguity. Most Westerners are the opposite. Learn to adapt and be flexible and accept unclear answers. The reality is the person probably doesn’t have the answer or the authority to make the decision.

FACE: The concept of "face" has an enormous influence on Chinese behavior. Trying to "save face" can explain many confusing incidents. It’s related to avoiding embarrassment, but it goes deeper. If something occurs or someone responds in a way that doesn’t make sense to you, ask yourself if anyone was trying to save face, and that might help explain the situation. You can also "give face" by praising someone or making them look good. However, if anyone praises you, you should always deflect compliments or you might look arrogant. Humility is a highly valued trait. You may be surprised at the degree to which the Chinese will deflect a compliment. ("Your wife is very beautiful." "No, she is ugly.")

GUANXI: This term describes your network of relationships – who you know and what they do for you — and is a very important concept to understand and navigate. Chinese place an enormously high value on relationships and almost nothing gets done outside of relationships. If someone does you a favor, it is expected that you will return the favor. Some people will avoid permitting you to do them a favor because it carries with it the expectation of something in return.

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES

The ground is considered very dirty. This is why people spit and babies urinate in the street. This is why you should remove your shoes before entering a home, never put your feet up and never sit on the floor. If the bottom of your shoe accidentally touches someone’s pant leg, they will give you a dirty look and brush the dust off.

Health and Safety

Your health and safety is our number one priority. Please read and reference our Guides and Tips section for general information regarding health and safety abroad.

For helpful tips for before, during and after your study abroad trip, please visit this page of the CDC website.

If you’re planning to bring your prescription or over-the-counter medicine on your trip, you need to make sure your medicine is travel-ready. More information can be found here. Please contact your Student Services Officer and ISEP Coordinator with any additional questions.

Detailed information about China can be found here. Please pay special attention to the Safety and Security, Local Laws and Special Circumstances and Health sections.

Please review the CDC's Health Information for Travelers to China.

Note: Information sourced on this page is provided by the U.S. Department of State and CDC. Non-U.S. nationals should disregard the Embassies and Consulates and Entry, Exit and Visa Requirements sections.

Currency

MONEY MATTERS

China's monetary unit, the Renminbi (RMB), translates to "the people's currency." A unit of RMB is called "yuan," or "kuai," colloquially. Find up-to-date information on the exchange rate.

Currency can be exchanged at airports and some banks. ATMs may now be found in several locations throughout China. You will likely be able to withdraw money from your home bank account, but you may have to try a few ATMs to find one that works. There will certainly be an automatic fee for doing this, however, it is convenient. You should notify your bank before you leave so they know to expect international transactions. When traveling to smaller cities, be sure to bring enough RMB to cover expenses.

Most restaurants, shopping and tourist vendors only accept RMB. Only a few locations in Beijing or Shanghai will accept credit cards.