China: Beijing

In cooperation with CET, Lewis & Clark offers a semester or a full-year program in Beijing at the Chinese Language Training Center on the campus of Capital Normal University. Study focuses on language immersion and developing linguistic competency. The program rigorously enforces a language pledge that requires the use of the target language throughout the program.  Independent study trips to other sites in China, as well as excursions to historical sites of interest in and near Beijing, enhance the students’ understanding of life in contemporary China.

As one of the world’s great ancient capitals, Beijing is home to some of the finest remnants of China’s imperial past. Its art treasures and universities have made it a center of culture and art in China. Beijing has seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites – the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, Ming Tombs, Zhoukoudian, as well as parts of the Great Wall and the Grand Canal. The city is a superb example of the great transformation China has undergone as it burst into the 21st century.

Onsite Staff: The CET Beijing Resident Director is Drew Kunard. Since graduating from the Chinese Language Flagship Program in 2016, Drew served study abroad students and language programs both overseas and in the U.S. through a variety of roles. These programs include Hamilton’s Associated Colleges in China (ACC), the National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y), C.V. Starr-Middlebury School in China, Hangzhou, CET’s High School Pre-College Program in Beijing (HSPC), Indiana University’s Honors Program for Foreign Languages (IUHPFL), and Indiana University’s Project GO Overseas Program in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Drew holds BA degrees in International Studies and East Asian Languages & Cultures from IU Bloomington, along with an MA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey. Outside of work, Drew enjoys calling his family a bit too much, reading, running, practicing yoga, chilling in a hammock, and sharing life with friends.

The program is based at Capital Normal University. CNU is a top tier university in China, with 28,000 students and a longstanding relationship with CET— it hosted the first CET program back in 1982. The CNU campus is large, modern, and filled with resources, including a gymnasium, sports fields, libraries and student centers. There are several subway and bus stops near the campus, allowing students to easily access many areas within Beijing. Renovated classrooms — equipped with air purifiers — are bright, modern, and comfortable, creating the perfect setting for learning Chinese.

Requirements Fulfilled:

General Education - This program fulfills the Global Perspectives general education requirement for students who successfully complete 8 or more semester credits.

Major/Minor Requirements: This program fulfills the overseas study requirement for the Asian Studies major and the World Languages major (with Chinese as primary language). Select courses can be applied to the Chinese minor.

Credits: Credit earned varies based on courses completed but students may earn up to 19 credits. Overloads are not permitted. 

Curriculum: 

CHIN 145: Chinese Language Pledge and Cultural Immersion (1 credit): Students will improve oral proficiency and cultural immersion skills on the China overseas program by taking a modified language pledge, and meeting with CET staff and Chinese roommates in cultural immersion activities. 

The other credits earned on the program are also CHIN classes. Students take 20 hours per week of Chinese language classes with some of the best teachers in the field. The level of classes that each student takes will depend on the results of a placement test at the start of the program. Students completing CHIN 202 at Lewis & Clark typically place into the Beijing program’s 260 or 300-level. A description of the 301-level classes are listed below:

• Grammar and Vocabulary - This course emphasizes not only acquiring vocabulary from the text and related materials used in class, but also understanding associated synonyms, near-synonyms and antonyms. Additionally, students receive the specific instruction needed to understand and utilize difficult grammatical terms and structures (including common proverbs, colloquialisms, etc).
• Drill and Discussion - This task-based class complements grammar class and includes two sections. During drill, the instructor expects the student to not only use appropriate pronunciation, tone, cadence, word usage, sentence structure, and grammar in their speech, but also maintain a minimum speed and level of fluency. During discussion, the teacher pays attention to not only to appropriate use of vocabulary and grammar, but also length and complexity of sentences.
• Practicum and Report - This course was developed to help students integrate with Chinese society and have meaningful communication with locals. The teacher designs a set of tasks that must be completed outside the classroom with skills developed in class. Students share the results of their practicum with classmates upon return.
• Supplementary Instruction - Accompanying the texts used in class, movies and recorded audio materials relating to Chinese history, culture and contemporary social issues are introduced and students conduct their own social research. These materials and activities help the students round out their understanding of China and, simultaneously, improve their language skills in all areas.
• One-on-One - A teacher and a student work one-on-one to overcome that individual student’s weaknesses in language study.

All students uphold a full-time Chinese language pledge, including beginners. There’s no denying that speaking Chinese 24/7 is challenging, but it’s absolutely worth the effort. Upholding the language pledge helps students develop their language proficiency outside of a classroom setting and put into practice what they learn in their classes.

Housing: Students share a room with a local roommate in a dormitory on CNU’s main campus. The building is for CET students only in an area of campus where only Chinese is spoken, away from other international students. The recently renovated dorm space is “like a hotel,” in the words of one former student. Rooms offer new furnishings, private bathrooms, and wi-fi access.

For meals, students can cook in the shared kitchen or choose from campus cafeterias, nearby noodle shops, or neighborhood restaurants. Students are responsible for purchasing and/or preparing their own meals, but the Overseas Office will give them a stipend to cover the cost of their food.

Extracurricular Activities: Students have many opportunities to interact with the vibrant culture that Beijing has to offer. Several examples of cultural activities include: experiencing the colors and sounds of a Peking Opera Show, taking a Chinese painting class, learning how to play jianzi (Chinese Hacky Sack) from locals in Beihai Park, cooking dumplings with the teachers, and volunteering at a nonprofit. Each term offers different activities for students to choose from.

“Relax! [This experience can sound] more intimidating than it really is. Once you’re there, you’ll adapt naturally, and your Chinese will improve just by living and interacting daily.”

“I wish I had known how much progress happens passively. You don’t need to stress so much. Your Chinese will improve steadily just by being immersed, and everything will fall into place more smoothly than you think.”

“Don’t worry about what language level you are starting out as. Our program this year even had students [from other schools] with zero language experience. Everyone is very inclusive and ready to help. We all have the same goal of wanting to improve.”

2026-2027 Fee Breakdown*

Total Fee (includes Tuition, Program Fee, and Health & Wellness Fee): $44,791

Tuition: $35,329

Program Fee: $9,425

Health & Wellness Fee: $37**

Included in the program fee are room/housing, board/meals, and administrative fees. Not included are airfare, passport and visa expenses, primary insurance coverage, photographs, books, immunizations, and incidentals. 

*Fees are updated every February for the following academic year.

**The Health & Wellness Fee supports the operations of Wellness Services staff in delivering pre-program orientation services, as well as in providing health-related consultation regarding participant health needs. All students in the College of Arts and Sciences pay a mandatory fee of $37 per semester.

Stipend: Students will receive a stipend to cover the cost of meals and transportation costs not covered by the program fee.

Estimated Airfare (Round Trip PDX to PEK): $1,000-$1,700

Estimated Travel Document Fees: CET pays the consular fees if students obtain their visas through the service they recommend.

Estimated Health Insurance Fee: $1,906

All students participating in overseas programs are automatically enrolled in iNext, a supplemental travel insurance program. The fee for iNext is covered in the program cost. However, students are also required to have comprehensive health insurance during their time abroad. All students participating in overseas programs, both abroad and domestic, are automatically enrolled in the College’s student health insurance program. Similar to a regular semester on-campus, students participating in overseas programs may waive enrollment in the student health insurance program if they have other comprehensive health insurance (e.g., through a parent, guardian or employer) that 1) provides coverage for them in the geographic region in which they will be studying and 2) includes mental health benefits. Find more information regarding health insurance & overseas programs.

Physical Requirements:

Before applying to this program, you should assess and determine if you are physically and/or emotionally able to participate in the following physical demands required by some of this program’s activities:

• Walking or hiking up to 5 miles in a day, sometimes for two or more days in a row, sometimes on hilly, uneven, or cobbled terrain
• Climbing and descending stairs
• Using public transportation, including often crowded buses or trains
• Navigating crowded streets and sidewalks
• Exercising caution when crossing busy streets
• Using public bathroom facilities that may require squatting
• Standing for long periods during tours and site visits
• Entering into older buildings with narrow and sometimes steep staircases, at times with limited or no access to elevators
• The possibility of warm/hot temperatures while residing in locations without air conditioning, and/or cold temperatures while residing in locations with a comfort for lower indoor temperatures
• The possibility of long, busy days with little downtime and infrequent days off from program activities

If you have questions or are concerned about these or any other program activities, please contact the Lewis & Clark College Overseas & Off-Campus Programs office (overseas@lclark.edu).

Application Process: This program has a dual application process. Student must first submit a Lewis & Clark Application. Once admitted by Lewis & Clark, the students will receive instructions for submitting their secondary, or program sponsor, application, and will receive a separate notification letter from CET. Please keep a digital copy of your essays and other application materials as you will need to submit these again to CET or you will need to re-write the essays.  Please note that this secondary application process can be as late as the semester preceding your scheduled participation.

Applications are due one year before the start of the program. Learn more about our application process.

Travel: Students usually fly into Beijing Capital airport (PEK), where they are met by onsite program staff and transported to the orientation.  

Visa: Students will be required to apply for a visa in order to participate in this program. More information will be provided upon admission to the program.

Country-Specific Health Information: View specific health information for people traveling to China.

State Department Country Information: Visit the State Department’s China page.