I really enjoyed my time abroad, but the biggest downside was the academics. At times I felt my professors weren't fully qualified to teach the courses they'd been assigned. The program also felt less prestigious than expected, since the education side wasn't actually run through NTU. Most importantly, if you're hoping for an easy semester abroad with a relaxed attendance requirement, this isn't the place, the attendance policy is strict.

Other than that, I have nothing negative to say. The staff is incredibly supportive and engaging, and they went out of their way to make sure we had a great time. Taipei is amazing, and the housing the program provided was beautiful and in a fantastic location. The staff made the entire study-abroad process feel welcoming, comforting, and never intimidating. I also made lifelong friends through my roommates, they pair you with locals from Taiwan, and those are connections I'll keep forever.

Studying abroad in Taiwan was probably the most fun I've had during a college semester. I had so much free time to explore the city because Chinese classes only ran everyday until 11:10am and I only had one other class on Monday evenings. I learned that during all this free time and the weekends, I really enjoy solo traveling. I was able to explore so much of the island in my free time, and because Taiwan is so safe I learned how to enjoy solo traveling. It was honestly so freeing to be able to go travel an hour or two into the mountains or to the coast by myself and not feel worried about safety or transportation, as the public transportation is also excellent! Because the program houses you in apartments off site of the campus, all the CET students became excellent users of the many modes of public transportation. I really enjoyed this because it made me take in the city more as I often had to travel on foot or bike a lot more, versus at home in the US where I just drive everywhere. It was also great that the Chinese language department at NTU is about a 3 minute walk from alleyways filled with cheap food options. Often a lot of the CET students would gather in the hallways after class and all walk over to eat lunch together, which was really nice and a good way to make friends with people outside of your class. I also made a lot of friends due to the CET hosted activities. Two of my friends and I actually won an award at the end of the program banquet for going to the most CET hosted events. These are at no extra charge and were so much fun because then I wouldn't have to do any planning and just go along with their schedule. I especially enjoyed going to hike teapot mountain on the northeastern coast with CET. I also loved the language partner program and I requested two language partners as well. I specifically requested CET to match me with at least one partner who likes hiking, and they paired me very well, one of my language partners had a goal to hike every peak in Taipei and New Taipei City during their four years at NTU and my other language partner also enjoyed hiking so all three of us went hiking together on many occasions. And of course, the Mandarin learning component of this program is excellent. My professor at NTU was incredible, I really enjoyed going to her class and she fostered a really nice class environment where all of the students got along together. I really like that the textbooks we use are written by teachers at universities in Taipei, so the language we learn is very useful in Taiwan, and includes a lot more common words and grammar that is more local. Overall, the program is great and has a lot of amazing aspects, especially for those who want to explore the island during their time!

This past semester was such a time of growth for me, and was full of many rewarding experiences. Taipei is such a cool city to explore and Taiwan itself is such a unique place to live/travel in. For me, the academics of this program were fairly difficult and I won’t sugarcoat that. I did the intensive language program and took one of their harder elective classes (Cross-Strait Relations Between Taiwan and China), so most of my weeks were spent studying in coffee shops or the library. In comparison to my American University it was not as difficult, but I think it is still harder than most study abroad programs. However, my Chinese professor was kind and was willing to help in any way so we could succeed in her class. My Mandarin improved a lot from speaking 3 hours a day in class to speaking with friends and local roommates. Also, I definitely had plenty of time to explore the island and be involved in student clubs/activities I was interested in! For example, I practiced with the NTU tennis team and practiced with them once a week, was involved in RUF, and volunteered at the NTU Hospital once a week- all things that enriched my experience in Taiwan! CET also offers program led activities as well which I highly recommend taking advantage of, these allow you to learn more about Taiwanese culture, food, and history! My last piece of advice, travel as much as possible!! Taiwan is such a diverse place in what each of its cities/regions have to offer, so take advantage of where you are!

My stay in China helped me build confidence and the ability to make decisions independently. Shanghai has an extensive and efficient public transportation system as well as various service apps that initially seemed difficult to navigate, but were actually quite simple as I quickly got accustomed to them. I was able to explore some of my passions such as arts and crafts with the addition of Chinese elements since opportunities to pursue all sorts of activities were highly accessible in the city. One of the best aspects of the program is having local roommates. I practiced Mandarin with the roommates and learned a lot about their lifestyles and partook in pastime activities with them.

I think what I'll miss most about my experience is the staff and my teachers. They were some of the most kind and supportive people I've met in general. And, I really did enjoy getting to know them beyond supporters and educators. Talking about where they grew up, hobbies, and even their children. I felt like they were truly some of the most friendly people I've ever met. Anyways, I mostly ran off and did my own thing in Shanghai, as a career-orientated person, so I can't speak to their activities as much. But, I did go on their planned trip to Yunnan and it was a great experience as well.

I always knew I wanted to learn Mandarin and travel to China at some point in my life. It was a ginormous step to study abroad as a student fresh out of high school who has not yet started college. CET provided me with many detailed and helpful resources to navigate how and what to do to prepare myself before and after I have entered the country. The first oral test was very nerve wracking for me, but the ability to transfer and transition into a better fitting class was incredibly smooth and accommodating. I have nothing but good to say about all the teachers within the program; they truly began to feel like family by the end of it all, and I will miss them greatly. I heavily value and will never forget this experience and what it gave me in regards to my worldview and understanding of a culture I have longed to engage in.

CET Taiwan has been one of the most valuable experiences of my undergraduate studies. The program combines intensive language learning with real-world professional opportunities, creating an environment where growth happens both inside and outside the classroom. The Mandarin course was rigorous but highly rewarding. With small class sizes, teachers pushed us to improve while still offering individual support. The curriculum emphasized speaking and practical use, which made it easy to apply what I learned in daily life. Using Mandarin with local roommates and classmates became a natural extension of class, and I noticed steady progress in both confidence and fluency.

The internship component added another important dimension to my time in Taipei. I worked with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Taiwan, where my responsibilities included event planning, client correspondence, and social media management. The Chamber partners closely with the Canadian Trade Office in Taipei, Canada’s de facto diplomatic presence in Taiwan. This partnership exposed me to both business and diplomatic communities, giving me a deeper understanding of how commerce and diplomacy intersect. It also expanded my professional network and gave me firsthand professional experience in an international setting.

One of the highlights of CET Taiwan was the community. Living with local roommates gave me a direct window into Taiwanese life, from language practice to everyday routines. My classmates, who came from different universities and four different countries between us, added to the sense of support and shared experience. Together, we created an environment where we learned as much from each other as from the program itself.

Overall, CET Taiwan offered the perfect balance of academic challenge, professional growth, and community. I left the program with stronger Mandarin skills, meaningful work experience, and friendships that will last well beyond my time in Taipei.

I cannot recommend CET Taiwan enough. My classes were rigorous without being overwhelming. I had ample opportunities to practice my Mandarin skills, and could see myself improving dramatically over the course of the program. The balanced coursework combined with the highly convenient public transportation to enable me to do a great deal of traveling around the island. People in Taiwan are very welcoming and helpful, and Taiwan's culture is endlessly enriching. The CET Taiwan staff are super friendly and a very useful resource. CET had many program-sponsored activities which made experiencing the Taiwanese culture more accessible. Taiwan's natural beauty is unparalleled, and the whole trip was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.