Location
Multiple Locations +2
  • China
    • Beijing
    • Harbin
    • Kunming
    • Shanghai
  • Taiwan
    • Taipei
Term
Academic Year, Fall, J-Term, Spring, Summer
Subject Areas
Anthropology Asian American Studies Asian Studies Business Communications Cultural Studies Design East Asian Studies Economics Field Studies Finance Global Studies History Humanities International Business International Relations Journalism Language Studies Liberal Arts Linguistics Literature Marketing Political Science Psychology Public Health Public Policy Public Relations Social Sciences Sociology +19

Program Details

Program Type
Provider
Degree Level
Bachelors
Housing
Dormitory
Language
Chinese

Pricing

Price Details
CET makes it a point to include as much as possible. The CET program fee covers tuition, housing with a Chinese roommate, activities and excursions (including an overnight excursion), weekday lunches, medical insurance, visa fees and course materials/textbooks.

The program fee does not include transportation to/from the program and meals (other than those mentioned above).

Still wondering how to budget for your time abroad? CET offers scholarships, and CET staff is happy to provide advice on keeping discretionary purchases to a minimum (i.e., they can tell you where to get cheap eats).
What's Included
Accommodation Activities Classes Visa
Dec 15, 2022
Dec 06, 2022
20 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

CET Greater China Programs offer intensive language and internship options in five locations. Looking for a full-time language pledge to immerse yourself in Chinese language and culture? CET Beijing, CET Harbin, or CET Kunming might be for you! Want to intern internationally while taking electives and improving your Chinese skills? Check out CET Shanghai or CET Taiwan! No matter which program you choose, you will have excellent faculty, staff support, and opportunities to learn and grow outside the classroom.

Video and Photos

Program Highlights

  • Chinese language classes
  • One-on-one sessions for targeted learning
  • Full-time language pledge or Internship for optional credit
  • Local roommates
  • Out-of-classroom assignments & learning

Popular Programs

Students on Great Wall

CET Beijing is an intensive language program for college students of all levels. Grow your conversation skills with a full-time language pledge, local roommate, and extra-curricular activities, all in addition to Chinese language courses taught by our experienced faculty.

Students at landmark in Harbin

Are you an advanced Chinese language learner with several semesters under your belt looking for an immersive experience? CET Harbin may be perfect for you! Grow your language skills in one-on-one tutorials and through out-of-class activities with local roommates.

Students doing an extra-curricular activity

CET Kunming operates in beautiful southwestern China during the summer term. Dive in to language learning with a full-time language pledge, and daily one-on-ones. Spend your summer learning 1 year's worth of Chinese in 9 weeks.

Student at the Bund

CET Shanghai offers a wide range of elective options, as well as the opportunity to pursue an internship abroad! Your local roommate and language course(s) will help you learn more of the language, whether you are new to Chinese or more advanced.

Students in Taroko Gorge

This program gives you access to the best parts of study abroad—intensive, customized language classes, internship opportunities in Chinese and English-speaking environments, and a location that balances life in the city with quick getaways to nature.

Scholarships

CET Academic Programs Scholarships

CET is a study abroad provider with locations in Brazil, China, Colombia, the Czech Republic, Italy, Jordan, and Taiwan.

CET offers scholarships and financial assistance for their high school abroad, gap year abroad, and college study abroad programs. Financial assistance and scholarships are need and merit based.

Upon applying to any CET program, you'll gain access to CET's scholarships application.

Value
$500 - $2,000

Program Reviews

4.77 Rating
based on 135 reviews
  • 5 rating 79.26%
  • 4 rating 19.26%
  • 3 rating 0.74%
  • 2 rating 0.74%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Academics 4.55
  • Support 4.8
  • Fun 4.4
  • Housing 4.45
  • Safety 4.85
Showing 1 - 8 of 135 reviews
Default avatar
Isabel
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

CET Taiwan Fall Semester

I loved CET Taiwan mostly for the reason that it was in Taiwan. Classes were overall fine, and I made a couple really close friends, but the island's food, activities, and different cities all were the most memorable.

You only take a Chinese language course and an elective course, so the academic course load isn't that heavy. I really enjoyed the Chinese course because I had an understanding and capable teacher and my classmates were all fun to be around. My professor for this class made an effort to get to know each of us on a personal level. I love to sew and so did she, so we would talk about this during break times, and she even gave me a Qipao sewing pattern that I could take back with me to the states. The class moves very quickly, but this wasn't a huge deal to me because the language placement test was pretty accurate. I took the internship class for my elective course, and if you're planning on doing this program, this is the course I'd recommend. The internship class itself felt like mostly busy work, and I don't think I gained a whole lot from it. However, the internship placement was a lot of fun and really hands on. I interned at a news station, and was out in the field shadowing reporters every shift, so I gained a lot from that experience.

Even when I wasn't in class or internship, I still found that I was busy all the time. Honestly, I was exhausted and sleep deprived most of the semester, but because I filled my whole schedule, I got to experience a lot of Taiwan. I went on day trips or overnight trips on the weekend (most of which are pretty affordable), and during the week, I would go to new places in Taipei. My all time favorite trip was a weekend trip with my roommate to an island in the south called Xiaoliuqiu and a city called Taizhong. Travel was a bit stressful, but the train system is pretty convenient. We spent about half a day at Xiaoliuqiu, which had perfect warm weather for snorkeling and some good street snacks. Then at night, we traveled back up to Taizhong where we spent the whole next day touring. The Gaomei wetlands were super cool though a little rainy. We also went on a two hour bike ride in the pouring rain to get to a subway station to take us into the city, which in theory does not sound fun, but looking back it is my favorite part of the semester.

Its really hard to manage time while abroad, especially since everyone back home was on a complete opposite time zone, so phone calls always ran really late into the night. Time went by fast, so I felt a pressure to do as much as possible, which has it's upsides and downsides. I could have balanced my time better, but I know I would have regretted not doing some activities, so I wouldn't change anything even if I could.

My favorite part about being in Taiwan was the food. It is really yummy, affordable, has lots of options, and usually pretty quick and convenient. If I ever found myself doing nothing in my apartment, I would go out with a friend to a new place to eat. There are so many boba shops around Taipei, I had it so many times I got sick of it (did not think that was possible).

CET also gave us reimbursements for daily public transportation, meeting with language partners, and doing cultural activities. All of these motivated me to try things that normally I wouldn't because I didn't have to worry about the cost of it. I loved going to tea houses, but they tend to be on the pricier side, so the cultural reimbursement made it possible for me to go more than just one time.

Pros
  • Great food
  • Manageable course load
  • Internship program
Cons
  • Really hot weather
  • Busy schedule
12 people found this review helpful.
Response from CET Academic Programs

Hi Isabel,

Though time went by quickly in Taiwan, the memories you created will last! CET works hard to provide quality programs and improve the student experience, so thank you for your thorough feedback.

Default avatar
Florina
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Taiwan in the Fall

I loved my semester studying Chinese in Taiwan. The classes were small and intensive but also super fun, and there are plenty of opportunities to practice your language skills when you’re out and about. The switch to traditional characters wasn’t as challenging as I expected, you’ll get used to it via exposure. I did an internship along with my language classes which meant that I had less free time, but I’m glad that I got to experience the work culture there. There’s a LOT to see and do in Taipei — museums, nightlife, hiking, eating, etc. — and public transport to other parts of the country is pretty reliable, especially if you take the High Speed Rail. Would super recommend you to take a train out to the south in the weekend!

Taiwan is a special place! My study abroad wasn’t all perfect but I really loved it there.

Pros
  • Great intensive classes
  • Good and cheap food — I didn’t cook for the whole semester because eating out was that easy
  • Beautiful nature
Cons
  • Might need to adjust to traditional characters
  • Housing/roommate issues
  • Buses can be unreliable especially when it rains
12 people found this review helpful.
Response from CET Academic Programs

It sounds like you got to accomplish so much, like practicing Chinese, participating in the internship program, and exploring a new environment. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review and for choosing to study abroad with CET!

Default avatar
Wendy
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

CET Taiwan Summer is the place to be!

I genuinely had one of the best summers with CET in Taiwan and would highly recommend CET Taiwan to dedicated Chinese learners! I came to this summer with no idea what to expect— I had never been to Taiwan/studied abroad before— but I fell in love with Taiwan so fast this summer.

In terms of CET: CET was so helpful with getting us amazing & convenient apartments, planning weekend trips, etc. One of the best parts of CET was that their office was super accessible (walk-in, M-F), so I went there whenever I had any questions. When I got hurt and needed to go to the hospital, Geoblue (the insurance that CET provides) paid for all my expenses and the CET helped me through the process so that I would not have to pay out of pocket.

In terms of Taiwan/Taipei: FOOD is amazing, cost of living is so cheap, and people are so nice and friendly. I had the chance to make some Taiwanese friends too through language partners and mutual friends! I also think that Taipei is such a fun place to live since you can experience the city but also nature (go hiking, to the beach, etc) within a 1 hr commute. If you love fresh tropical fruit (mangoes/dragonfruit/papaya/pineapples), Taipei is the place for you.

In terms of academics: our classroom had about 7 people and I would say that was the average amount of students per class. My professor was so sweet! It was a bit of an adjustment to learn how to read in traditional chinese, but it got easier over time and I'm glad I did. I had class from 8am-11am everyday which meant that I had the whole day to explore the rest of Taiwan. I spent about 30 minutes-1 hour on homework everyday, and the workload was light. Our vocab units ranged from women's rights (ie abortions, sexism, etc) to romantic relationships (dating, marriage, love), covering a lot of useful topics. The one thing was that we didn't really cover chengyu or abstract concepts since the class was more oriented on practical vocabulary.

Another thing that's helpful is to read the CET blogs— Along with many other students, I’ve shared some of my specific experiences on it. https://cetacademicprograms.com/photo-essay-cet-taiwan-14/

Pros
  • SUCH GOOD FOOD - Taiwanese food is so cheap, delicious, healthy (plus amazing desserts)
  • Small class size, great profs!
  • Low cost of living, Easy/Cheap Transportation, Free Healthcare with Geoblue Insurance (which CET pays for too)
Cons
  • curriculum is not oriented for essay writing/abtstract language
  • Taipei summer weather is very very hot & humid
20 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Abigail
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Life in China's Capital

I started studying Chinese when I was 13 years old. Almost 8 years later you’d think I would be fluent by now, but alas, that is not my reality. However, within these 8 years I have developed a deep appreciation for Chinese language and culture, so much so that I made it a personal goal of mine to spend a semester abroad in China. Congratulations, 13 year old Abigail, you did it!
As you may have guessed, life in Beijing was not what I had expected. In fact, it was the opposite. The bikes, the traffic, the pollution, the population density; it is, in every way possible, the opposite of my hometown. I thought I would find pockets of similarity, and for the first two weeks, that was all I was looking for, or so I thought. Looking back, it was not similarity that I was searching for at all, it was a sense of home. Those first two weeks were by far the most difficult. Not only was I adjusting to the academic rigor of the program itself, I was also trying to make a home within Capital Normal University and trying to create a support system within my fellow participants and CET faculty. Everything was hard, everything was unfamiliar. However, that feeling of home I was so desperately searching for, along with the support system I was working tirelessly to create, came quicker than I had expected it to. There’s something about working through a mutual struggle that creates a bond between those experiencing it, and a deep one at that. I truly believe I made life-long friends while on that program, both from my college and others. I learned that I was not as independent as I once believed myself to be, and that’s okay. I learned that it’s okay to struggle, that it’s okay to lean on others when you need to and that it’s okay to ask for help. I had been so focused on becoming emotionally self-sufficient that I had forgotten what it was like to really need someone. This experience helped me navigate that dependency in a healthy way.
While the personal growth that comes from studying abroad is unbeatable, the academic growth I experienced cannot be ignored. Within my first few years of college, I had heard about study abroad experiences in Europe, ample freetime allowing students to travel from country to country on a whim. For most, academics were able to be put second. I ignorantly went into this abroad experience anticipating something similar, I was rudely mistaken. In order to stay afloat at CET Beijing, your studies must come first. This program is known for its complete language immersion with a 24/7 language pledge put into place for all participants regardless of one’s location. There are quizzes every day, tests every week, and essays every weekend, in addition to your daily homework and studying. There is a clear expectation of excellence. With these expectations and requirements, you may believe that the staff is unconcerned with students well-being, but that could not be farther from the truth. Within my academic career thus far, I have had my fair share of faculty that are uninterested in creating a relationship with me, and are unwavering in their course requirements regardless of student feedback. The teachers that I was so privileged to have at CET Beijing were excellent, in and out of the classroom. They were always willing to help, regardless of the subject matter. The office faculty made themselves available to you throughout the day leaving their door open and encouraging students to stop by, even if it was just to chat. The CET faculty had always said Beijing was our second home, and by the end of the program, I really believed them.
For students on the fence between choosing to participate in CET Beijing or choosing to stay at their home institution, my advice would be to take that chance and go abroad. It’s bound to teach you something, if not about yourself, indefinitely about the world around you. What do you have to lose?

What would you improve about this program?
Like every other program, CET Beijing has room for improvement. The main aspect being ways in which to support students as they struggle through the language pledge. Regardless of your language level, sticking to the language pledge is a challenge. I would have loved to have had scheduled meetings with faculty, once every few weeks, to be able to speak with them in English and express myself emotionally. In addition, I would have loved to meet my roommate earlier via Wechat. Being able to talk with her beforehand would have eliminated anxieties that had been built up surrounding the thought of living with a complete stranger for five months. In that way, you would be able to get a sense of compatibility as well. Not every roommate pairing is going to be perfect, but I believe that prior communication between roommates would allow for students and faculty to work together in creating a good match, hopefully eliminating some of those issues before they arise. Finally, restructuring the language practicum aspect of CET Beijing. Speaking with Chinese in public is a great way to improve your Chinese, there is no debate there. However, being tasked with interviewing people within a park, a museum, etc. always seemed to create a sense of anxiety, either within students or those being interviewed. Not to mention with China’s extensive amount of dialects, it was fairly common to not understand the interviewee’s response. Therefore, this aspect of the program, at times, felt unproductive and not entirely useful.
66 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Veronica
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

CET Beijing Spring 2019 & Fall 2019: An Experience That I Never Wanted To End.

This program gives you many opportunities to learn Chinese which makes it a great Chinese program, you just have to take the leap. Nobody is going to force you. Each Semester at CET is different for example in the Fall semester the environment wasn’t as immersive as the Spring. There was too many students that quit the language pledge within the first weeks which made it hard for the students who wanted to make friends but couldn’t because the temptation to speak English was there all the time except for when class was in session. As I was at CET for spring 2019 and then Fall 2019 I had the opportunity to hear serval reasons why the Language Pledge was Impossible, but it's NOT impossible. In the past, I read reviews that said "stick to the language pledge" which I 100% agree with, but it sounds hard especially when you get into the 3rd weekend. Just Don't make an excuse for yourself as to why you can't do the Pledge. Don't tell yourself: I’ll start tomorrow, it's impossible, my Chinese level is too low, I’ll never make friends/connections, everyone else does it. Every day you will have challenges it's not easy but very possible to achieve with the help the all the CET staff and roommates. CET has a great structure, for example, Sunday to Thursday there are office hours, RD makes me feel secure, almost all teachers are friendly and ready to answer all the Chinese questions you have. The only things CET lacks is more training with the Chinese roommates help the CET Students with the culture shock. I feel like there needs to be not just a separate meeting about diversity/culture shock but also a joint meeting. I had been to China before my first semester at CET so the culture shock wasn’t a huge deal. But it is for most students. For example, I heard students say my roommate: leaves water on the floor, wash all her clothes in the sink, chews with her mouth open. Which are all normal parts of lifestyle in China. The 2nd problem is not really pushing the language pledge. Too many students start to get tricky if they notice that staff members are being too nice and not catching them when they speak English, which can ruin the experience. This program was challenging but rewarding. Starting at the beginner class was challenging. I wasn’t able to say anything except “I like …, I think…” for a while. I lost my personality at the beginning but gained much more than my personality at the end. I learn about north versus southern Chinese culture and language, where the locals eat, how to make jokes, have the confidence to ask questions/join clubs, meet new friends outside of CET, dream in Chinese, to be able to travel using Chinese, this list could go on forever. If I had the chance after graduating from University I would pick CET to study Chinese again.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
My advice is next time you start to doubt your Chinese Language Pledge ask yourself these 3 questions:  Why did I pick CET Intensive Language Program in Beijing? Have I talked to the RD/teachers about my difficulties?  How does my Chinese compare to the 1st day?
68 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Skye
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Worth the investment

Before I got to Harbin, China, I thought my Chinese level was pretty good. I soon found that my Chinese was pretty bad. The best thing about this program is that the locals don't speak English and you have the language pledge resulting in your level growing exponentially. The hardest thing is going to be understanding the taxi drivers, but I would say I grew able to understand the locals rather quickly. I like the curriculum because no student was left behind. While there were multiple levels ( I was at the lowest), we all learned similar enough things that I never felt like I couldn't speak with the higher level kids. We all grew together with our language.

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?
I tried chicken heart and chicken foot ( I liked both). I also tried pig brain but I really did not like the texture so I won't be eating that again.
63 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Emily
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Highly recommended

I had a great experience with CET Taiwan! Academics (through the International Chinese Language Program) were rigorous -- expect to work hard, be engaged in classes, and see your Chinese improve significantly over the course of the semester. I also spent 10 to 12 hours per week at an internship placement that matched my interests. Although this made time management more challenging, I found the internship to be a rewarding part of my semester abroad.

Accommodations were comfortable and well-located; we shared student apartments with local roommates, who were super friendly and helped us navigate life in Taipei. Overall, Taiwan is a fantastic place to study Chinese. It also offers convenient public transportation, delicious street food, and plenty of things to do on weekends, whatever you're interested in. Just be prepared to be busy! If you're self-motivated and adventurous, this is the program for you.

71 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Vladimir
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

My experience in Taiwan

This semester in Taiwan was filled with good memories and fun. CET did a good job of finding housing with Taiwanese roommates. They also did a good job of helping people explore more of Taiwan before class actually starts and you're busy, and trust me, you WILL be busy. Overall it was an unforgettable experience. I had an especially good time having a the group this semester. I believe they made it a better experience better yet. Having roommates everything 10x better. The teachers at the host University are also great, they made it easy to learn.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Be prepared to work (in a good way). This program will force you to improve your Chinese no matter what the level.
60 people found this review helpful.

Questions & Answers