Hosted by CIEE

CIEE College Study Abroad in Shanghai, China

Name: CIEE College Study Abroad in Shanghai, China
Brand: CIEE
SKU: 268307
Rating: 4.88 (17 reviews)

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4.88 Rating

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Location

China
- Shanghai

Term

Fall, Spring, Summer

Subject Areas

Asian Studies Cultural Studies Economics Entrepreneurship History International Business International Relations Sociology

Need-based funding, Merit-based funding, General grants/scholarships

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Program Details

Program Type

Provider

Degree Level

Bachelors

Housing

Dormitory Host Family

Language

English

Pricing

Price Details

You get more for every dollar when you study abroad with CIEE! Our high-quality programs include tuition, housing, on-site airport pick-up, field trips and cultural activities, 24/7 on-site professional staff, and automatic iNext insurance. There are no hidden charges or surprises when you arrive, and scholarships opportunities are available!

What's Included

Accommodation Some Activities Classes Some Meals Travel Insurance

Last Updated: Apr 30, 2024

Last Reviewed: Jan 03, 2020

Wish List

1 traveler is looking at this program

About Program

Perched on the banks of the Huangpu River and the East China Sea, Shanghai is China’s largest city by population, and a global hub of culture, commerce, and finance

Long known for its history of foreign influence, fashion, and economic prowess, Shanghai strives to become a global financial and shipping hub. In turn, the city has undertaken massive development projects over the past two decades.

Courses are available in English and Chinese.

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Video and Photos

CIEE College Study Abroad in Shanghai, China

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Program Highlights

CIEE Shanghai is located on the campus of East China Normal University. Known for its Chinese language and literature program, the university hosts more than 26,000 students.
sits to sites loaded with history, like Old City God Temple and the Bund.
Depending on their program of study and availability, students may be able to participate in an internship or volunteer.
Do Shanghai on your own terms by customizing your experience through the Open Campus program. Take one, two, or three six-week blocks, select your academic track from six options, then choose your courses from a wide range of subject areas.

Popular Programs

CIEE Shanghai Summer Programs

Study abroad in China’s largest city this summer. Join its population of 23 million in urban centers, on elevated light rails, or on the world’s first commercial high-speed Maglev train, and explore every inch of this dynamic city.

CIEE Shanghai Semester Programs

Explore the Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, and the French Concession, and gain a new understanding of China’s past and present.Travel to beautiful cities such as:
Hangzhou and Nanjing and gain hands-on cultural experience by learning Chinese cooking, calligraphy, martial arts, or mahjong.

CIEE Open Campus Block

With CIEE's Open Campus Block Programs, you can design your very own study abroad program to include up to three different locations for 6, 12 or 18 weeks.

Stay in one city the entire time or spend other blocks at our other Open Campus Block locations in Berlin, Buenos Aires, Cape Town, Copenhagen, Dublin, Kyoto, London, Madrid, Monteverde, Paris, Rome, Shanghai, Singapore, or Sydney.

Program Reviews

4.88 Rating

based on 17 reviews

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Rating Spread Study

5 rating 88.24%
4 rating 11.76%
3 rating 0%
2 rating 0%
1 rating 0%

Academics 4.4
Support 4.9
Fun 4.55
Housing 4.6
Safety 4.85

Showing 17 - 17 of 17 reviews

Generally speaking, I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to study abroad in China, a place that has been the object of my fascination for quite a while. Studying abroad through CIEE was a great way of doing so. Being that this is a country with a different primary language from my own, it was quite the challenge getting around on the first day despite having taken an Elementary Chinese class before. Fortunately, the CIEE office is right in the university, and we did not have the "always speak Chinese" rule in effect yet :). The CIEE staff are more than willing to assist with getting settled in and any other matters that may be of concern during your stay in China. Once the "always speak Chinese" rule was effected, the fun began. While it might have initially seemed overwhelming, it really did help me improve my Chinese and my confidence in speaking it. The teachers are awesome, as are the teaching assistants from the university who helped the teachers with the lesson. There is a variety of classes to choose from besides Chinese and a number actually improve your understanding of China and the people around you (I took a sociology class and Chinese film class). I really love how CIEE organized trips and tours around China and Shanghai; in case, like me, you hadn't much time to tour places on your own, these opportunities had you pretty well covered. I do suggest taking advantage of breaks to travel around as much as you can. There are a couple of Chinese speaking, writing etc. competitions CIEE plans, and they are great ways to practice as well (and get some tasty treats out of it). I could go on and on about my experience, but that should suffice for now. Long story short: CIEE is a wonderful organization and they plan out the program in a way that enables you to make the most of your time abroad, especially if you take advantage of the resources they have for you.

Questions & Answers

Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Why did you choose this program?

I chose this program because I wanted to experience my Chinese roots in a different way. Being Chinese-American, all of my relatives are still in China and I visited them many times growing up. However, I never studied there on my own.

This past year was full of tumultuous political tension in the United States, and I personally felt lost about what my identity meant to me. So, I decided I needed to go do some soul-searching and find out who I really was.

What did your university assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

My college helped clarify all of the paperwork that needed to be done, fees that needed to be paid, and deadlines that needed to be met. After that, it was all me who had to fill everything out. At the end, my school organized everything and sent me on my way.

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What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

Be open-minded. Especially going from a Western culture to a non-Western culture, things are going to be very very different in China than the U.S.

I have particular pride in many Chinese things, so being positive about change is what will help you get through culture-shock.

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

An average day in Shanghai is probably your best day ever. Coming from a small town, living in a big city was like a dream.

I had class but in a Chinese university, with Chinese classmates and delicious Chinese cafeteria food. Then for the rest of the day, I was able to explore the city - from the unassuming but amazing restaurants next-door, to ornate temples, to a ginormous mall nearby. There is always something fun to do in Shanghai.

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

My biggest fear was that I did not know what was going to happen. This was my first time studying abroad, and I was scared.

Was I going to change? Was I going to hate it? Was I going to become more lost than I was before? But a wise man once told me that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself. I was scared of the unknown, but what good was that going to do for me?

Once I got into my new rhythm, I was able to relax and appreciate all the beautiful things that were happening to me. Studying abroad let me find myself when I was the most lost. Being scared was the best thing to feel at first, because when I wasn't anymore - everything felt perfect.

Why should I study abroad? What's wrong with staying in the US or at home?

You should study abroad because you will gain unparalleled and essential perspective on life. You are a human along with every other human living collectively on this Earth. We are much smaller than we think we are, on a world much bigger than we know.

Staying in your comfort zone is, well, comforting. But even that gets boring, frustrating. I had to struggle with that feeling in the United States. I saw many flaws that I just couldn't overlook anymore, so I had to leave where I found happiness somewhere else.

This isn't me telling you that America is awful. What I actually learned is that China is flawed too. And that's my point: nowhere is "perfect." But you get to learn that that is okay. There is also beauty everywhere. America, China, where ever - you get to make your own definition of "perfect."

Location

Location:

Shanghai

Currency:

Chinese Yuan

Weather:

Jan-Mar

57 F / 36 F

Apr-Jun

82 F / 54 F

Jul-Sep

90 F / 72 F

Oct-Dec

73 F / 41 F

Airports:

Shanghai Pudong International

( PVG )

Shanghai Hongqiao International

( SHA )

Shanghai, fondly known as the Oriental Paris, is the largest commercial hub in mainland China. This country blends eastern and western cultures and will bring out different sides depending where you are from.

About CIEE

A nonprofit, non-governmental organization, CIEE is the world leader in international study and exchange programs. For more than 75 years, CIEE has helped thousands of students, professionals, and educators gain the knowledge and skills necessary to live and work in a globally interdependent and culturally diverse world by offering the most...