Academic Year Study Abroad Programs in Shanghai, China

My study abroad trip to Shanghai was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. The city is full of energy, with an amazing mix of modern skyscrapers and rich cultural history. Every day felt like a new adventure, whether I was exploring local markets, trying authentic Chinese food, walking along the Bund, or visiting beautiful temples and gardens. One of the most rewarding parts of the trip was experiencing a different culture firsthand and meeting people from around the world. It helped me become more independent, confident, and open-minded. I also learned so much about China’s history, traditions, and daily life in a way that you simply can’t learn from a classroom.

My semester at Fudan University was academically rigorous and incredibly effective. The teachers are top-tier, and the small class sizes ensured personalized attention. Living in Shanghai provided daily opportunities to practice what I learned in class, from markets to museums. The university's resources and reputation are outstanding. For a serious language student, this program delivers exceptional results and a deep cultural immersion.

Go Abroad China Ltd. responded to this reviewJanuary 23, 2026

Hi James, We're so glad your semester at Fudan was both rigorous and effective, with top-tier teachers and daily real-world practice. Perfect for serious learners—thanks for sharing your deep immersion experience! Warmly, The Go Abroad China Team

The program staff was incredibly responsive and supportive of students when any challenges arose. We had access to many resources. The level of Chinese language instruction contributed significantly to my learning. The class trips were well organized and enjoyable.

Truly the best experience of my life. I easily fell in love with the city and everything it has to offer. Clean, safe, incredibly easy to get around. Shanghai is very much an international city so if you’re only just beginning to study the language it’s a good place to start. Beyond Shanghai, I also had the opportunity to travel across the country, visiting Beijing, Hunan, and Guangzhou.

I would recommend a CIEE study abroad program because I appreciated the effort CIEE made to teach the students about the culture of the country. I learned a lot about the country I was studying abroad in thanks to CIEE excursions and weekly emails, as well as a great selection of local roommates, local CIEE staff, and teachers.

It was a wonderful experience!! And my Chinese teacher really helped me improve my Chinese. Other than academics, the program did a great job of including cultural experiences throughout the semester.

I would recommend CIEE study abroad to a friend or peer because it gave me the opportunity to come to China for a very reasonable price. Additionally, CIEE helped me out a lot before actually coming to China, as they sent out loads of preparation emails.

It is not only an enriching academic program, but it is also an enriching cultural experience. Thanks to CIEE, I feel as though I am walking away from Shanghai with a completely new perspective.

They offer a wide variety of programs, so you can find one basically wherever you want in a topic you are interested. The staff was also extremely helpful with all issues I encountered, sometimes even more so than my home university.

Students are able to see many cities in China but also had a great Chinese curriculum. With that being said, I would not recommend it for people who want to learn a lot in classes other than Chinese.

I would recommend CIEE study abroad to a friend or peer because it gave me the opportunity to come to China for a very reasonable price. Additionally, CIEE helped me out a lot before actually coming to China, as they sent out loads of preparation emails.

I would be likely to recommend CIEE study abroad to a friend because this program really helped improve my Chinese , which was my ultimate goal in the end, and the professors are very helpful and understanding, as well as the program directors. All in all, I thought this was a great program.

The CIEE Staff is very supportive - the teachers (ACL Program) treat you like their friends. There are many opportunities to explore new places. Even though it's a foreign place, CIEE is a place you can feel comfortable

For the most part, it was organized very well. Students are able to see many cities in China but also had a great Chinese curriculum. With that being said, I would not recommend it for people who want to learn a lot in classes other than Chinese.

The program was really well put together, and they offer a wide variety of programs, so you can find one basically wherever you want in a topic you are interested. The staff was also extremely helpful with all issues I encountered, sometimes even more so than my home university.

I think it is the best program to learn Chinese. It is not only an enriching academic program, but it is also an enriching cultural experience. Thanks to CIEE, I feel as though I am walking away from Shanghai with a completely new perspective.

The CIEE Staff is very supportive - the teachers (ACL Program) treat you like their friends. There are many opportunities to explore new places. Even though it's a foreign place, CIEE is a place you can feel comfortable.

I have had a very good experience in my CIEE study abroad program. I have been challenged both academically and personally, and I have found that the program cost of CIEE includes much more than I would have expected it too.

I would be likely to recommend CIEE study abroad to a friend because this program really helped improve my Chinese , which was my ultimate goal in the end, and the professors are very helpful and understanding, as well as the program directors. All in all, I thought this was a great program.

Going to China was my first study abroad experience. Even since I entered college, I wanted to study abroad and my third year I decided to pursue it. And I was not disappointed. I picked China because it’s completely different compared to the States, culturally and traditionally and everything I between. USAC was so helpful with my process of going to China, their website had past students’ personal reviews that I read on and videos which showed me what I was getting in to. The on-site staff was so helpful, encouraging when I first arrive in China. They gave us pointers how to get around the city, their favorite, local restaurants and everything. At the end of my program I was able to make connections with people across the US and people in China. Since coming back to the States at the end of 2017, I have a serious case of travel bug: where I just want to travel more of China, Asia, and hopefully around the globe!!! I just want to explore and see more what the world has to offer :D