Beijing Foreign Studies Uni - Zhongshan uni - Sun Yat-Sen

[tetsuo500]

I'm in the process of applying for exchange programmes at the moment. My university only offers places to 3 different Chinese speaking universities.

Beijing Foreign Studies Uni - 2 places available for one semester (6 months). Free on-campus accommodation.

Zhongshan University, Guangzhou - 2 places available for two semesters (12 months). Free accommodation.

National Sun Yat-Sen University - Taiwan. 2 places available for two semesters (12 months). Have to pay for accommodation.

Basically I'm just looking for anyone's experiences or opinions. I want to be in China for at least 12 months. I've pretty much decided as putting Beijing down as my first preference even though it is a six month programme. I'm thinking I'll be able to stay on in Beijing, or travel around, maybe chill in Nanchang for a while with my old posse, or go to Kunming as I've really been wanting to go there since reading about people's experiences in Kunming on this forum. When it comes down to it, I don't mind which city I'm in THAT MUCH, as long as I'm in China practicing Chinese everyday.

Zhongshan would be the second option, if I didn't get accepted for Beijing.... although I'm not really feeling anything for the city, uni etc. and I'm guessing there will be a lot of Cantonese going on there. (I'm all about Mandarin)

.....and Taiwan..... well I don't really want to go to Taiwan until I've spent a bit of time in China first. Just because that's how I want to do it.

I think there are about 6 people in my Chinese class putting Beijing as their first preference. I'm the only one of the six who applied last year, so I'm hoping that will increase my chances of getting it this time.....

Everyone, please give me your thoughts

[roddy]

Beijing Foreign Studies University (北外) seems to have a good reputation - when I was researching universities about a year ago (never went) it seemed to get the best comments, along with Beijing Normal (not to be confused with Capital Normal).

Its one of the more central universities, on the north-west corner of the third ring road, and you should be about 15-20 minutes bus from the subway. There's also a strip of bars / cafes / restaurants nearby to keep you entertained.

I don't know anyone who's studied there as a foreign student, but I do vaguely know a foreign teacher there, who's been there quite happily for a couple of years I think.

Roddy

[tetsuo500]

Thanks Roddy!

Never been to Beijing before. I'm going to have to get used to all these exiting new terms like "Third Ring Road"..... Sounds very Middle-Earthish.