China Study Abroad

[danhine21]

Hey everyone, interested in studying Mandarin with China Study Abroad for a month at the Mandarin Academy this November in Beijing and was wondering if anyone could vouch for them, or have done any similar programs with CSA. Saw one recommendation but nothing much else about them and just wanted to know a bit more before handing over any cash ~ Thanks in advance

Dan

[whereishunter]

Dan I studied Chinese last year with www.chinese-in-china.com here in Dalian. They were really good. Helped me out lots at the start and it was also very cheap.

Thats my five cents...

[smh254]

CSA is RETARDEDLY overpriced. I have a number of friends studying in Beijing through them. Basically, CSA kids are just regular students. All CSA does is handle some of the legwork when it comes to sending in applications, finding you an apartment, finding you a Chinese tutor, etc.

If you did all of that on your own, you can save yourself many thousands of dollars. My friends are doing a year long program at BLCU through CSA and they are spending over $17,000 USD. If you handle all of that stuff on your own, you would probably only end up spending about $8-10K for the year.

CSA is basically a way for Western parents to send their kids off to China without 1.) doing much research and 2.) getting too worried about sending their kids to the other side of the world.

[Xiwang]

I went through China Study Abroad and am now in the middle of my second semester at Peking University. I am enthusiastic about my CSA experience and plan to use them again for studying Chinese in Shanghai next academic year. I don't know about the Shanghai staff but the people here in Beijing have been amazingly great and also very accessible.

I have friends who have enrolled in Beijing universities on their own and have considered that to be part of their overall China learning experience. However, doing it on one's own can be a real pain as not all of the school information was readily available in English. Further, the schools usually require a Bejing-based financial sponsor and also pre-enrollment deposits in Chinese RMB, both of which can be a hassle if you don't know someone already here. (Someone in another thread on this Board suggested just making up a sponsor since the schools may not check.)

For the money, the CSA program has been has a great value for me. I got a super apartment with unlimited internet access and a Chinese cell phone, all ready for me from Day One. I got CSA people accompanying me to register at school, look for a bicycle, deal with the landlord, register with the police, help me join a gym, and extend my visa. Fortunately, I have not needed them for any hospital visits or trips to open a bank account, although they would also have been available.

There are also free trips and social events at least every two weeks, if not every weekend. I have become very good friends with many of my fellow CSA students, which has added much to my experience here.

At least a couple of people I know have used CSA for one semester and then did the second semester on their own. This might be a good compromise for some people because, after settling down in Beijing, you'll get a feel for how much an apartment should cost, where you might want live, and how to negotiate the school and Beijing bureaucracy. Your Chinese should also be much better at that point.

Obviously, CSA is not for everyone. For me, it's been great.

[mpallard]

Don't pay the extra fees. Go on your own and you'll meet hundreds if Chinese kids willing to help you for free just for the chance to practice their English.

It's a little more intimidating but unless you have money to burn paying someone to hold your hand is ridiculous.