An Unforgettable Time! May 08, 2026

By Orianna G (International Business, University of Denver) - abroad from 08/27/2025 to 12/13/2025 with

CET Beijing

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

I gained self-confidence in my language abilities as well as in general. I became more culturally aware of China from a more intimate perspective and learned more about myself and who I am as a person.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	CET is quite academically intense. Each week, students are expected to complete homework assignments, write an essay, create an oral presentation, and take a test on that week's content. While not too challenging, the amount of work is substantial.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	CET's on-site staff is incredibly supportive of any issues that may arise. They are accessible at almost all times and can help you with a number of issues, including those that are not directly school-related including setting up a bank account, navigating travel, etc.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	The dorms are spacious and comfortable. Each week, the bathroom is cleaned, and the bedding is changed, which makes it easy to stay clean. The dorms are close to the classrooms. Each student is assigned one roommate.
* Food:	There are multiple dining halls available on campus that have cheap options for students. There are also options for those who don't eat spicy foods. There is a kitchen in the basement that students can use if they please. People with other dietary restrictions may find it a bit difficult to find food they can eat.
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	CET created a number of program outings to get students involved with Chinese culture. Having a Chinese roommate also helps students to get more intimately aquainted with Chinese culture from a student who is more similar to them in age.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?	I personally didn't need any healthcare during this program, but my classmates who did found it easy to navigate the health insurance. The program uses an international travel insurance program that's easy to use and they have recommended hospitals for you to go to.
* Safety:	Beijing is incredibly safe. There is a low crime rate, and there are a lot of police around, which can help you with anything you might need. I understand not trusting law enforcement; however, in Beijing, they are truly there to help you and there is nothing to be afraid of.
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes CET was the perfect program for me. I wanted academic rigor and to improve my Chinese. While this program pushed me, it made me a better Chinese speaker and was not too much to handle for me. It gave me the confidence to move around the country, new independence, and I also made lifelong friends in the process. Overall, I enjoyed my time and would do it again a million times over.

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget? (1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)	Beijing is more expensive than other Chinese cities, but still incredibly affordable compared to the US. My weekly expensese were less than $100 a week, for eating out most meals and taking public transit often.
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	Around $75 a week
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Make sure you're looking at the conversion rate before spending money. There is a function on the calculator on Apple phones that allows you to do the conversion without doing any math. That was helpful. Ensure you're checking your bank account frequently.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component?	Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language? 0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language	CET requires all students to speak Chinese 24/7. There is a language pledge you take at the beginning of the program, where you sign a contract saying you'll do this. Both inside and outside of the classroom, students are expected to speak Chinese at all times.
How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program?	Intermediate
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program?	Advanced
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure?	Third year language sequence
How many hours per day did you use the language?	10+
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants?	Get into the habit of speaking Chinese, to your classmates, to yourself, to strangers. It will help you build confidence as well as supplement your vocabulary for everyday conversations that you'll be having once you're in Beijing.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Dorm
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	Local Students
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?	Fellow Students/ Friends Program Activities Professors
* What could be improved?	Less Structure/ more encouragement of independence from professors
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	I was so terrified of going to China before this program. I wish I knew how capable I was and how much fun I was going to have. There was no need to stress about anything.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.	The Outright Urbanite A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	300-Level Chinese
Course Department:
Instructor:	Wu Laoshi
Instruction Language:	Chinese
Comments:	The course was adequately challenging. The content we learned was relevant and useful, we were encouraged to use the language to express our own opinions. Each week we wrote an essay around that week's topic. We also did both a written and oral exam based on the content. We were assessed on our overall fluency, incorporation of new vocabulary and grammar structures, and relevance to the topic. If you try to answer the questions, though, the assignments are easy and intuitive.
Credit Transfer Issues:	N/A