Program Reviews

I decided to go with CSA because I did not exactly know what school to go to and did not have time to organize everything properly by myself. This is the fourth time I have been to study to China in my Summer holidays and I have to say that going there with CSA has been my best experience so far. CSA did everything very quickly and their trips on the weekends were very nice.

CSA is fantastic and I cannot recommend them enough!

The journey starts when you are greeted and picked up at the airport by a friendly and enthusiastic staff member. Everyone at CSA is absolutely thrilled to be in China, and it's hard for the feeling to not rub off! The staff will take you directly to your accommodations and make sure you are settled in properly. The best part about CSA is the people. They really take the time and energy to make sure you are comfortable and enjoying your stay.

Also, they are really good about hosting group events and connecting CSA students, so you will already have a group of friends as soon as you arrive. And if you decide to not participate in the group activities, that's fine too, but they are always there as a nice option!

From the airport pickup, to dealing with admissions and housing, to getting my phone working, booking train tickets, etc. etc. - CSA was there to help every step of the way. I actually can't image going to China without them. This is a highly professional and reliable group, yet still fun and easygoing. I would recommend CSA to anyone planning on making a trip to China!

Studying abroad in China was not just learning the language, but it was about immersing myself in the culture and with the people. CSA had helped me to achieve this by ensuring that I felt comfortable with my way around the city, with the homestay family, and introducing me to other students both local and international. I highly recommend the programs that they offer because it is worth every penny.

They were able to set me up with Martial Arts classes with some of the best Sanda (Chinese Kickboxing) fighters in the country. The hotel they booked was close to their office and conveniently located near public transport.

Amazing agency staffed with genuinely honest and professional people - they made my 3 months in Beijing tremendously rewarding and successful.

After getting over my initial trepidation of working with a China based company I quickly realised how much the CSA team helped me with my experience in BLCU to studying Mandarin. The support was there from day 1, from airport pickup to the welcome pack with mobile phone, from helping me when i was stranded in a taxi to helping me book train tickets outside Beijing.

They took the hassle out of everything and enabled me to focus on my propose of enjoying China and learning the language. I met many friends there who did not go through agencies and I truly believe my experiences were far better because of what the CSA team has put in place to help students in Beijing.

A quick summary on how going with CSA was more beneficial than applying directly or going with another agency:

1. Trustworthy and honest. Really helpful when i was booking all this whilst sat in Japan.
2. Support from Day 1 - pick up at airport, welcome pack, mobile phone, help with my dorms
3. Single room - many students had to share in the dorms because agencies tend to get first pick. Over the 3 months i was so happy i had my own space
4. Much more than an agency - CSA helped me with many random queried both large and small. Great team.

In short, highly recommended. Happy to answer any queries if you have them. I am totally independent from CSA with my only interaction coming from booking this course from them.

My typical day included a 2 mile bike ride to school, several hours of classes (depending on the day), afternoons spent studying in cafes, and an hour of tutoring every evening. I particularly enjoyed the opportunities to travel with CSA, both inside the city and beyond. These cultural experiences allowed me to interact with authentic Chinese culture, practice my language skills and visit landmarks. Peking University had a very rigorous curriculum, which helped my language skills immensely. I found that having a tutor was absolutely necessary for consolidating and practicing concepts I learned in class.

Each day I would walk about an hour to school or take the bus for about 25 minutes. I generally had about 4 hours of class time per day before heading back to my apartment for the night. With regard to meals, I tended to eat out a lot. Aside from eating breakfast at my apartment, it was easier for me to eat at the university or at restaurants around my apartment. There were plenty of delicious places to eat on and off campus. On weekends, I would attend the CSA activities around town or to further cities in China. We went to a lot of places that were famous (including the amazing campout at the Great Wall), but I also enjoyed going to the less touristy areas. I felt that I was getting to know China more intimately by going to these less well known places. Signing up for the activities package was the best decision that I made for this trip.

CSA helped me in so many ways I've lost count. It was my first time living abroad on my own, but they made everything from getting the visa to settling into Chinese life so easy. I advise anyone thinking of studying/working in China to contact them.

I went with CSA for a 4 week program in the winter of 2013 and had a great experience. Running regular events made it easy to find friends and give you a head start on navigating the social scene in Beijing, and peace of mind was assured by the fact that the support team was only a phone call or short walk away.

Top folks! I highly recommend CSA.

I went to Beijing with CSA in summer 2011 and loved every minute. Going with CSA meant that every practical detail was taken care of and I could concentrate on my studies at BLCU and on enjoying all the great entertainment CSA arranged with a fantastic group of people.

CSA allowed me to hit the ground running and be immediately immersed into my six-hour a day study program and life with my Chinese homestay family and I knew that someone was on hand in case of any emergencies, from illness to finding a friendly face to share a beer with.

I couldn't recommend them enough.