Language Immersion in China

This 30-year old program is based in Beijing, China’s cosmopolitan capital city and the home of putonghua, “the common language,” otherwise known as Mandarin. The city offers something for everyone—the Forbidden City and its surrounding traditional hutong neighborhoods for history buffs, glitzy shopping districts for fashionistas, wholesale and flea markets for bargain hunters, galleries and museums for art connoisseurs, athletic events for sports fans. This program challenges students to get out the door and discover their niche in a city that will become a second home.

The program is located at the main campus of Capital Normal University (CNU). CNU is large university with many amenities including a gymnasium, sports fields, libraries, student centers, and cafeterias.  The campus is located near subway and bus stops, allowing easy and inexpensive access to all of Beijing. 

This is currently the only program open to all students whose credit has been pre-approved by the Department of Asian & Middle Eastern Studies.

Students reside in a dormitory on CNU’s campus. Program participants share a double room with a Chinese roommate.

Dorm rooms are simple, but comfortable, with basic furnishings, air conditioning, and attached bathrooms. The building is equipped with wi-fi, and offers shared laundry and kitchen facilities.

Meals are not included in the program fee.  Students explore the area's numerous eateries, or use their CNU-issued student ID card to access teh many, and very inexpensive, campus cafeterias.

Sharing a room with a local roommate is frequently cited by students as “one of the best parts of the program.” Many students become good friends with their roommates, and roommates often invite students to their homes for a weekend or holiday.

Chinese roommates are selected from local Beijing universities. All roommates agree to abide by the full-time language pledge.

The program facilitates the roommate relationship. Chinese roommates attend some excursions, plan activities, and present a lecture series to their peers. Beyond this, the program steps out of the way to allow roommates to develop natural cross-cultural relationships that move beyond the host-guest paradigm.

During the summer term, most activities are language-based. They provide fun ways to explore Beijing while working in some Chinese language practice. Students explore the city with their Chinese roommates and participate in many out-of-classroom activities.

For a midsummer break, the program arranges 1 overnight weekend trip to a nearby city.

• Augment your cross-cultural understanding through interaction with Chinese students and community members
• Experience China and international perspectives on the world through direct contact with Chinese nationals and other US students
• Gain 1 full year of Chinese language instruction in an 8-week intensive summer program
• Enhance your intentionality through independent, though supported, living and learning opportunities

Beijing faculty members are hired independently by CET, our on-site provider. Most instructors come from the host university, Beijing Institute of Education (BIE), and other institutions around the city such as Capital Normal University, Beijing University, Beijing Normal University, and Beijing Language and Culture University.

Chinese language instructors have graduate degrees in Chinese or Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language. Many have experience teaching at language programs in the US or at other study abroad programs of similar caliber.

Summer 2024

Application Deadline: March 1, 2024
Program Dates: June 12–August 10, 2024

Summer 2024 Cost of Participation

Upon submitting the LAC's online application, you will receive an automated email message indicating you have opened an application.

At this point, you will be assigned an application checklist to complete the remaining portion of your application. Your application is not considered complete until all items on your application checklist are received.

• Begin an application on CET's online application portal
  • Submit the Study Abroad Office Recommendation Request form at least two weeks before the application deadline
  • The Faculty Recommendation is not required for University of Minnesota students with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. However, CET may request this on a case-by-case basis.

This is a Learning Abroad Center (LAC) program offered in partnership with CET. You will complete application materials for both the Learning Abroad Center and CET. Detailed descriptions and instructions for submitting each checklist item are included on the application checklist assigned to you on the respective online application portals.

Next Steps:

1. When your LAC application is complete, you will receive notification that your application is "under review" by LAC staff. The LAC will complete and submit the CET Study Abroad Office Recommendation Form to notify them that we have nominated* you for the program and allows CET to begin reviewing your application. The LAC does not make program acceptance decisions.    *nominated means that you meet basic eligibility requirements for your program.
2. CET will review your application and notify you of an acceptance decision by email. If accepted, you will be assigned a confirmation (post-acceptance) checklist of new tasks to complete by both the Learning Abroad Center and CET. Log in to both application portals to review the confirmation checklist and submit the required items to confirm your participation in the program.

You may not participate in this program until you have submitted all of your LAC confirmation checklist items to the Learning Abroad Center.

If you decide not to continue with the application process, please be advised of our Cancellation Policy, and notify the Learning Abroad Center by submitting a Cancel Request in the application system, or by email.

Below is a list of students who participated in past program sessions. They are ready and willing to answer your questions about this program. Feel free to contact them during your decision-making process or anytime during your pre-departure preparation to get a student perspective.

• Maddy Koerner, Asian Languages & Literatures and Biology, Society & Environment major, Flagship student, Summer 2018
• Matthew Bluhm, Env Sciences Policy & Mgmt and Asian Languages & Literatures major, Soil Sciences minor, Flagship student, Summer 2018
• Sophia Dooly—Asian Languages & Literatures and History major, Flagship student, Summer 2017