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Location
  • China
    • Beijing
Term
Academic Year, Fall, J-Term, Spring, Summer
Subject Areas
Architecture Art History Arts Asian Studies Business Classical Studies Communications Cultural Studies Digital Media East Asian Studies Economics Film Finance History Humanities International Business International Relations Journalism Liberal Arts Literature Marketing Mathematics Medicine Natural Sciences Nursing Philosophy Political Science Religious Studies Social Sciences Sociology Theater +21

Program Details

Program Type
Provider
Degree Level
Bachelors
Housing
Apartment Dormitory Host Family
Language
Chinese

Pricing

Price Details
Program Cost includes: Tuition for 12-18 academic credit hours, Individual tutor for Chinese-language studies, Meal card with 400 RMB, Trips to several sites around Beijing, Chinese roommate option, Academic Excursion (transportation, local hotels, admission fees, several meals). The Beijing Center offers academic and merit-based scholarships.
What's Included
Some Accommodation Some Activities Classes Some Meals Travel Insurance Visa Wifi
What's Included (Extra)

Some airfare (Excursions)

Feb 09, 2023
Dec 07, 2016
Wish List
16 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Stand out from the crowd and join The Beijing Center for a Semester or Full Year immersion in the heart of Beijing, China!

The Beijing Center for Chinese Studies offers you the opportunity for a transformative and evolving study abroad experience! Between a unique selection of academic courses and two unforgettable excursions throughout China, you will gain a lifetime worth of knowledge about Chinese culture.

Each semester, you will travel throughout China, experiencing the different culture of each place and sharing memorable moments with the locals. The excursions include trips to both the Silk Road and Yunnan Province as part of our 25th Anniversary special celebrations. You will select a level of Mandarin appropriate for your proficiency, and you can choose from over 115 courses through our school of record, the University of International Business and Economics (UIBE) in Beijing. All courses are taught in English by leading scholars from China's exceptional institutions.

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Video and Photos

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China Mandarin kids Volunteer
Yunnan Province Excursion
Yunnan Province Excursion
Silk Road Excursion Camel Ride
A Chance to Meet the Locals
Red Lanterns
Street Snacks

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Program Highlights

  • Globalize your resume with for-credit internship opportunities
  • Explore the real China on a 2-week excursion to The Silk Road (Fall) or Yunnan Province (Spring) - included in tuition
  • Chinese language tutor included and the option to live with a Chinese roommate
  • Make life-long friendships with classmates and peers from over 40 colleges and universities!
  • Scholarships and financial aid available

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Program Reviews

5.00 Rating
based on 14 reviews
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  • Academics 5
  • Support 5
  • Fun 5
  • Housing 5
  • Safety 5
Showing 9 - 14 of 14 reviews
Default avatar
Student
32
Female
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Great experience

Aug 6, 2014

China is a place that is constantly changing and developing, and TBC does an awesome job placing students in this dynamic setting. Immersing students in the language and culture, while pushing them to challenge themselves and those around them academically and personally, TBC attracts like-minded and adventurous students.

82 people found this review helpful.
Helpful
Default avatar
Ling
32
Female
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

TBC was amazing!

Aug 5, 2014

The excursions were one of the best parts of the program! I had a blast traveling to so many different cities and meeting so many incredible people. It was the perfect way to bond with new friends and build life long relationships.

77 people found this review helpful.
Helpful
Default avatar
Julian
32
Male
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

A must do program

Aug 5, 2014

When can you visit a country by experiencing it's culture and get credit for it? Um, TBC! I learned so much here and I would do it again in a heart beat. A word of advice: DO IT! My professors were absolutely outstanding. Not only have they been teaching in China for a while they have experienced China for it actually is: an absolute wonder.

What would you improve about this program?
I would make our trips longer. There was some political unrest in the west of China which I understand. But still, I think we should have gone somewhere else.
79 people found this review helpful.
Helpful
Default avatar
SeanyO
32
Male
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Some of the best semesters of college!

Aug 5, 2014

During 2011-2012 I spent my junior year studying at The Beijing Center. It was a phenomenal year, and I will always look back on the learning experiences. My academic work was challenging, but rewarding. I travelled a lot within Beijing and across all of China.

77 people found this review helpful.
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Read my full story
Default avatar
Jennifer
40
Female
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Best semester in college

Aug 5, 2014

Absolutely loved the program. The friends I made through the program and the trips we were able to take are still some of the best memories I have. It's been 5 years since my study abroad semester and I still reflect on the time I spent there. Great program, great glasses, great support system and absolutely wonderful campus/time spent in Beijing!

81 people found this review helpful.
Helpful
Default avatar
A
32
Female
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Loved it!

Aug 5, 2014

This program was amazing. I was nervous to study abroad at first because I had never really been abroad or traveled alone, but TBC offers you all the support you need. I would definitely recommend selecting to have a local Chinese student as your roommate too. They all speak English and know everything. Even if you choose to have another international students you will still meet the local students and they are always so eager to help. Thanks TBC!

72 people found this review helpful.
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Questions & Answers

Alumni Interviews

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

Sean O'Connor

Program
Semester or Full Year Abroad in Beijing with TBC
Sean​ O'Connor, a graduate of Fordham University, spent his entire Junior year studying at the Beijing Center in 2010-2011. After graduating he worked in Sri Lanka as a Fulbright Scholar. You can find him on twitter @aseoconnor.
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Why did you decide to study abroad with Loyola University Chicago?

The Beijing Center made is really easy for me to study abroad. Since my university has a relationship with the program I was able to spend two semesters abroad and still graduate on time.

I was drawn to the program for its mix of travel and academics. I didn't want to do a typical European study abroad; I knew that living in China would push me outside of my comfort zone and force me to grow as a person.

Describe your most meaningful souvenir and why you love it?

The item I most frequently return to from my time is China is a copy of 1984 that I bought from an illegal book vendor in Beijing. Reading a banned book in an authoritarian country was an odd experience, ​and I connected with Orwell on a whole new level after exploring his works in this context.

Describe your program socially and academically.

I pushed myself academically while studying abroad. I sought out the more rigorous classes ​the Beijing Center had to offer, and I am glad I did. Studying China while living in Beijing was an extraordinary opportunity, one that I will forever be grateful for. I made a few amazing friendships with my classmates, and I'm lucky to keep in touch with the to this day.

Do you think your program changed you as a person?

What would be the point of living if we didn't let life change us? I don't think anyone could live in a foreign country for several months and not be changed. Living in China shaped my perspective on the world, and this new outlook affects my life on a daily basis.

What is one piece of advice you'd give future Loyola University Chicago students?

Keep a blog! While studying abroad I used my blog to keep my friends and family up to date with where I was and what I was learning. Since I've returned it has become a useful tool in interviews and to look and reflect upon my time abroad.

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Elaine Disbro

Program
Semester or Full Year Abroad in Beijing with TBC
Job Title
Assistant Director of University Relations

What is your favorite travel memory?

blonde woman taking selfie on Great Wall of China

I studied abroad at The Beijing Center (TBC) in the spring and fall of 2009. One of the unique and awesome things about TBC is the academic excursions. I love to travel and these are still some of the coolest, most intense trips I have ever taken.

About two weeks after first arriving in China, I found myself in the mountains of Shangri La in southern China's Yunnan Province. I remember sitting in the home of a local Tibetan family, drinking Yak butter tea and eating yak cheese, watching a traditional Tibetan dance, and then walking back to our buses under a perfectly clear night sky with thousands of stars shining down on us.

It was surreal and beautiful. And that was just the start of the trip. I knew then that China was something special and I've been studying and exploring China ever since.

How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

I love being back at TBC as an employee. TBC gave me so much as a student and I want other students to also have that awesome, life changing experience. Knowing that I'm a part of their experience has motivated me to be a better employee.

I understand what these students go through and I'm always looking for ways to improve our processes and operations to help them have the best semester possible.

What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

I'm still in touch with quite a few TBC alums from my semesters. While I don't have a specific China story, I think the fact that so many of them are still involved with China or used their TBC experience to move forward in their career speaks volumes.

China changes you and whether or not you use that experience directly, the strength and confidence you gain from your time in China has a far reaching impact.

If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?

I would go on the Yunnan excursion again. I can't explain just how amazing that trip was. From the natural landscapes, to home stays in local villages and delicious meals, Yunnan feels like an entirely different country. I love Beijing, but Yunnan shows you a side of China that most people never to get see.

What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?

If you didn't know much about TBC, you might think it's a bunch of college students from the U.S. living and studying together in China. But this description doesn't explain the levels of immersion that students get to experience.

TBC students can live with a Chinese roommate, join organizations on campus or in the larger expat network of Beijing, and meet people from around the world. Students study Chinese in the classroom, but they also use it everyday to order food, get around the city, and practice tones with their language tutor.

TBC students can have an internship, gain international work experience, and experience a professional setting in foreign culture. That's why TBC is so much more than meets the eye. I'm proud of our team and the new ways we've been able to share and market TBC. We're able to paint a more complete picture of TBC through our work.

About The Beijing Center

The Beijing Center for Chinese Studies (TBC) provides a unique environment for undergraduate students from all over the world to begin their engagement with China. Our mission is to promote mutual understanding between China and other cultures. What makes us unique is our placement in a long and storied tradition of Jesuit education, one that...

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