CIEE College Study Abroad in Shanghai, China

I had a great experience in the ACL program at CIEE Shanghai! My classes were extremely rigorous and very challenging academically. But they were taught by a great teacher who kept us afloat in the midst of the hardship. I really appreciated the variety of ways in which we interacted with our material and learned so much on our class field trips. Additionally, I was impressed by the balanced perspective my teacher had. She not only kept us accountable to a standard of excellence, but also cared about us personally, and created relationships with us as individuals. I will always remember the relational and encouraging nature of CIEE Shanghai.

I've always wanted to study abroad. The question was where? After deciding to minor in Chinese Language, CIEE"s Accelerated Chinese Language (ACL) program became the clear answer. I didn't really know what to expect going into the program. I knew it would be hard and lots of work considering it was guaranteeing 2 semesters of Chinese in 1 study abroad semester.

I absolutely loved the class. It was Monday through Thursday from 8am to 12pm, and my instructor was beyond amazing. Before coming abroad I studied for maybe 1.5 years in school. The Chinese teacher spoke only Chinese and taught only in Chinese, which was extremely difficult in the beginning, but I eventually got used to it. I ended up loving class. My professor was kind and understood how our brains worked when learning a second language. She used old words to teach us new words and structures. I noticed a drastic improvement in my listening abilities and while I still struggle sometimes with responding appropriately, at least I can get most of my thoughts across now.

The one negative thing I would have to say about this program is the loads of homework and projects we have in addition to class. I truly believe that even having more class would have been better than all that homework. I would sometimes spend another 6 hours just on homework every day. In this way, it limited my ability to go out and actually explore the city. I wanted to experience Shanghai and all it has to offer but was severely restrained because I wanted an "A" in the class and felt that in order to get that I needed to sacrifice my time to explore. But I think towards the end of the semester I learned to adjust and the teachers gave less work so that I was able to see some of Shanghai. Despite spending the first 2 months pretty much holed up in the dorms doing homework, I was eventually able to go out and actually USE the Chinese I was learning in class to help me in talking with the locals, ordering food, ordering train tickets, etc.

Overall it was an incredible experience. You have a long spring break that gives you time to travel. Some friends and I backpacked neighboring countries and didn't feel too pressed for time while travelling. The support CIEE gives you is also great. You can always find someone to talk to if you feel you're struggling or falling behind in a class. They understand that you came here to not only learn but explore, and they try to do everything they can to make sure you have a well-rounded study abroad experience.

Shanghai is a study abroad dream. It is for the adventurers, dreamers, and those that want a breath of fresh air from their normal lives. shanghai is a huge sprawling city with adventures around every corner.

The program itself is a perfect balance of support and freedom. The professors that I had (Chinese economics and communicative Chinese) were of the highest quality which made for an invaluable academic experience. I came back months ago and I'm still talking bout the things I learned and how they have inspired me to want to return to China. The dorms were great quality, fast wifi, good cafeteria, and a great set up to get to know everyone in the group. I made some incredible friends in China that I will always remember.

I say don't miss out on Shanghai because china is so widely talked about in the our world today wether it be economically or politically. More often than not these perspectives on china have great biases toward an agenda. I urge people to go and see it for themselves. Shanghai is for those that want a fast lifestyle filled with modernity and crowded alleys, bright sights and loud streets. I really grew as a person on my study abroad experience. Not only did my knowledge of China increase but also an increase in character. Shanghai keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Don't miss out on Shanghai!

It's cliche, and many others have already focused on the various advantages and opportunities that studying abroad in Shanghai affords you, but it's worth reiterating once how phenomenal of a study abroad experience the CIEE program in Shanghai offers. Shanghai is an incredibly diverse city offering a window into a wide range of Chinese culture, is incredibly accessible for international students, and is a great starting point for those who want to explore more of China.

The most important contribution I can make is to speak to the incredible quality of the Chinese language part of the program. Small class sizes, excellent faculty, and a rigorous but engaging and achievable Chinese curriculum made the CIEE program outstanding. I cannot say enough amazing things about the Chinese teachers, all of whom work tirelessly to produce the very best classroom environment, methods of learning, and study abroad experience for students. Through the faculty, who were incredibly supportive and encouraging of students curiosity and immersion into Chinese society, I feel like I truly experienced Shanghai and China in ways that no other study abroad program would offer. The entire staff -- not just a few individuals -- were some of the kindest, most diligent, and most selfless individuals I've ever met in my life. I simply cannot convey in words how integral they were to the success, and life-changing impact, of this program and I cannot recommend this program highly enough to anybody interested in a truly holistic, immersive, engaging, and meaningful study abroad experience in China.

Looking into my traveling bag, I see maybe 5 items of clothing. That's both tops and bottoms. No shoes because I'm wearing the one pair on my feet. Safely tucked away in the back pouch is the little notebook for my Chinese Language class, Gone with the Wind, my passport, and of course, my thin MacBook Air to let my loved ones know I'm safe. Not including cash, these were all the items I needed for the 4 days I will be away from Shanghai. Very few things are essential when you feel as if you've got the world at your fingertips, and that's essentially the summary of my study abroad experience with CIEE. While I left ECNU feeling as if I've learned more about the world than any other 6 month period, I also had the freedom to drop everything and just explore the country every single weekend. Coming back to the States inevitably meant leaving behind that soulful lifestyle due to the demands of both the present and the future, but I find myself constantly sneaking in the little bits of adventure. Instead of feeling the longing desire to enroll in CIEE for the rest of my life, the experience has taught me how to create that soulful lifestyle wherever I'm at.

My study abroad in Shanghai was my first time ever being abroad, and I am so glad that I did it through CIEE because the faculty and staff were so friendly, helpful supportive. I also appreciated that even though there were some rules and restrictions, overall we were respected and treated as adults.
While I was in Shanghai my Chinese improved so much that even one of my former Chinese teachers at my home college commented on how much better my speaking is. Having to speak Chinese all the time unless I was in my dorm room was quite frustrating, but I welcomed it because it forced me to work on my speaking and listening skills.
Being in Shanghai was so much fun. I got to meet so many new people and had the opportunity to explore a little bit of one the biggest cities in the world. There was a great balance between planned activities/trips and free time. I loved participating in the cultural activities and going to museums to learn about Shanghai and China. I would absolutely love to go back if I get the chance.

I've studied abroad in China through multiple different programs and CIEE is hands down the best. The team in Shanghai does an amazing job of making sure that the students have the time of their lives in China. The academics were incredibly rewarding for me; I advanced my Chinese and learned about the perspectives of Chinese academics in international relations and economics. The social scene is amazing. After all, it is Shanghai. Yet, the program has a great balance between its own fun events that it plans for its students (totally optional) and time that students can and should take advantage of to get lost in this incredible city. The staff cares very very deeply about its students and I have never felt closer to my teachers anywhere else. I also enjoyed the trips that CIEE planned for us. In short, this program can be whatever you make of it; you can buckle down and dramatically improve your Chinese while having the time of your life in one of the coolest cities on earth, you can only study refuse to speak anything but Mandarin with the Chinese roommates (also optional my year), or you could spend the entire time exploring the city and the rest of China. It is a program that truly is for the students. I'd recommend it above any other that exists in China. I made some of the best friends I've ever had while studying at CIEE's center in Shanghai.

CIEE Shanghai has a wide variety of courses that explore different Chinese topics, but no science courses are offered in English. As a pre-med major, I made a point to seek out internships that would keep me in contact with the sciences while abroad. I had the opportunity to shadow the emergency and traditional Chinese medicine departments at nearby United Family Hospital. I thoroughly enjoyed observing medical care in an international setting while learning more about eastern medicine. It was also a great way for me to practice my Mandarin!