A Semester Studying Chinese + Internship in Taiwan! October 15, 2025
By Nicolas D (Chinese Studies, Hobart and William Smith Colleges) - abroad from 02/18/2025 to 05/17/2025 with
CET Taiwan
It was absolutely worthwhile. I learned Chinese language skills, social skills, professional etiquette, cultural norms, and confidence.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Honestly, the program couldn't have been better planned in terms of academics. The Chinese department at NTU offered several classes at various levels to match each student's needs. The intensity was hard enough to push my Chinese to its limits and improve quickly during the course of the semester, and the books and materials utilized were up-to-date and easy to digest. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
CET did a fantastic job with logistics, event planning, and providing support to each student. I believe the people CET chose for the program were always involved, showed interest, and took any concerns/questions with care. Events and outings were frequent, well-planned, and always a great time. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I was very satisfied with our living arrangements. Although it varies from student to student, our apartment was modern, clean, and located in an area that had access to lots of restaurants, shops, and easy access to public transportation. Roommate assignments were great in my case, as I had a great time and barely any issues with the students I lived with. |
| * Food: |
Food in Taipei, compared to the U.S., was cheap, good, and healthy pretty much anywhere you went. There were options for everyone, and it was always easy to grab something on the go or find a better spot for a nice dinner with friends. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I felt very integrated with the culture, especially since I had the chance to take part in an internship with a local startup. Through conversations with our coworkers, meals together, and day-to-day interactions, I felt included and was able to learn lots about the Taiwanese culture. With our local roommates and language partners, I also felt included as they usually introduced me to their friends and showed me their favorite food spots in town. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I luckily did not experience any health complications during my time in Taiwan. From what I heard, anyone who got sick or had an incident was very satisfied with the healthcare system in Taiwan, as from as I know is very efficient and affordable. |
| * Safety: |
I never felt unsafe during my time in Taiwan. The only potential risk I could identify relates to traffic and highly transited areas in town, but rather than that, Taipei is one of the safest places I have ever been to. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
CET did a fantastic job overall. I would love to take part in this program again if I could. |
Finances
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* 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) |
Although I had planned my finances around my semester-long budget, I never found it hard to have fun and take care of my pocket. I believe Taiwan is very affordable for students coming from the U.S., and if you plan it well, you won't have any issues. I found myself having nice meals or travelling across the country by planning my trips and being conscious about my expenses. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $45 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Plan your trips, be conscious about what you spend on, and try local, smaller restaurants now and then, which will save you some money and sometimes be even better than other options! |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
Chinese was always encouraged as we were taking part in an intensive Chinese language course. |
| 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? | CHIN 202 |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Engage in conversations with local students, coworkers, or people during everyday activities. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| 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? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | There are lots of activities offered by CET. If I had know about it, which was awesome, I could've planned trips outside of the country in a better way. |
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 NetworkerAn active student leader, it was important for you to network abroad as well. Once overseas, you sought out student clubs, volunteered with local organizations, or attended community events. You encouraged your friends join you, and often considered how you could reflect your international experiences in a resume. |
