Chinese Language and Culture
Immersion in China
Intensive Mandarin, Cultural Heritage and High-Speed Rail Journeys — from Beijing and Shanghai to Xi'an and Chengdu
Beijing, China
Arts and Humanities
10 Weeks · 72 Days / 71 Nights
Sustainable Development Goals in Action
The Destination
Program Overview
Chinese language and culture immersion in China is a 10-week (72-day) faculty-led summer program that pairs intensive Mandarin study in Beijing with a local language partner and high-speed-rail excursions to Shanghai, Xi'an, and Chengdu. Students practice the language daily — from the classroom to the market and the metro — while visiting the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, and the Terracotta Army.
Chinese language and culture immersion in China is a 10-week (72-day) faculty-led summer program that pairs intensive Mandarin study in Beijing with a local language partner and high-speed-rail excursions to Shanghai, Xi'an, and Chengdu. Students practice the language daily — from the classroom to the market and the metro — while visiting the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, and the Terracotta Army.
Beijing, China's capital for more than eight centuries, is one of the world's great settings for learning Mandarin in context. This immersive summer program pairs intensive Chinese-language study with daily life in a global city, giving students the chance to use the language they are learning from the classroom to the market, the metro, and the dinner table.
Faculty lead the academic program, while Authentica provides a seamless on-ground foundation: a local language partner for each student, guided cultural excursions, welcome and farewell dinners, all inter-city and airport transfers, and a dedicated Authentica Program Manager available 24x7 from orientation to departure. Regular excursions by high-speed rail carry the group well beyond Beijing to see how the language and its culture live across very different regions of China.
Over the course of the program students travel from the capital to cosmopolitan Shanghai and on to the ancient heartland of Xi'an and Chengdu, building not only language proficiency but also cultural competency, historical understanding, and the confidence to navigate an unfamiliar environment independently.
Ideal for students in Chinese Language, East Asian Studies, International Studies, Humanities, and related disciplines — undergraduate and graduate students.
What You'll Do
Key Program Elements
Study Mandarin in an Immersive Setting
- Take intensive Mandarin classes led by faculty, anchored by daily use of the language across the city.
- Practice with a dedicated local language partner paired with each student.
- Apply classroom learning in real settings — markets, transit, restaurants, and cultural sites.
Explore China by High-Speed Rail
- Travel between cities on China's high-speed rail network, a comfortable and low-carbon way to cover long distances.
- Journey from Beijing to Shanghai and on to Xi'an and Chengdu on multi-day excursions.
- See how landscape, dialect, and city life shift from the capital to the coast to the interior.
Experience China's Cultural and Historical Heritage
- Visit landmark heritage sites, including the Great Wall and the Forbidden City.
- Discover the Terracotta Army in Xi'an and a giant panda conservation base in Chengdu.
- Explore historic districts, temples, gardens, and water towns that bring China's history to life.
Impact
UN Sustainable Development Goals in Action for this Program
SDG 4: Quality Education
- Extends learning beyond the home campus through an immersive, faculty-led Mandarin program delivered in-country.
- Builds language proficiency, global perspective, and intercultural competency through direct daily experience of Chinese life.
SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
- Students experience Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an, and Chengdu and observe firsthand how large, transit-oriented Chinese cities function.
- Contrasts of the capital, the coastal metropolis, and the historic interior as distinct models of urban life and heritage.
SDG 13: Climate Action
- Inter-city travel is by high-speed rail rather than air, minimizing the program's carbon footprint.
- The program is delivered carbon neutral, with emissions offset through Authentica's Net Zero partner.
SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
- Built on collaboration between faculty and Authentica's on-ground networks to deliver the program seamlessly.
- Strengthens long-term institutional partnerships for global education and cross-border academic exchange.
Beyond the Classroom
Program Highlights
What You'll Take Home
Learning Outcomes
Mandarin Language Proficiency
Build practical Mandarin skills through intensive classes and daily immersion, reinforced by a local language partner and real-world use across the city.
Cross-Cultural Awareness
Live and learn in an unfamiliar setting for an extended stay, and develop the intercultural awareness needed to navigate new environments independently.
Chinese History and Urban Heritage
Trace China's history and urban development across four cities — from imperial monuments to modern metropolises — and understand how heritage and city life connect.
Sustainable Travel Perspective
Travel between cities largely by high-speed rail on a carbon-neutral program and consider what low-impact mobility looks like in practice.
Day by Day
Sample Itinerary
Program services and inclusions are curated based on the faculty's learning objectives and may vary by cohort. The structure below is representative; the day numbers are approximate and the timing of excursions may shift.
Arrival in Beijing
Group arrival and transfer by coach to the program accommodation for check-in and settling in.
Orientation and Welcome Dinner
Orientation and safety briefing led by the Authentica Program Manager, followed by a group welcome dinner.
Meals: DLanguage Study Begins
Intensive Mandarin classes get underway, with a local language partner paired to each student and daily practice across the city.
Beijing City Tour
A half-day guided coach tour of Beijing's landmarks, with an English-speaking guide and all entrance fees.
Great Wall Overnight
An overnight excursion to the Simatai section of the Great Wall, including a village homestay.
Meals: BShanghai Excursion
A five-day high-speed-rail excursion to Shanghai — Yu Garden, the Bund, Nanjing Road, a Huangpu River cruise, the Oriental Pearl Tower, and the Zhujiajiao water town.
Meals: BIndustrial-Heritage Day Trip
A guided day trip to a landmark industrial-heritage and urban-regeneration park.
Forbidden City
A guided day trip to the Forbidden City in the heart of Beijing.
Xi'an and Chengdu Excursion
A nine-day high-speed-rail excursion to Xi'an — the Terracotta Army, the ancient city wall by bike, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, and the Muslim Quarter — then Chengdu, with a giant panda base, the Leshan Giant Buddha, and Dujiangyan.
Meals: BLanguage Study Continues
Between excursions, the intensive Mandarin program continues, deepening proficiency through classes and daily immersion.
Farewell Dinner
A group farewell dinner to close the program and celebrate the cohort's progress.
Meals: DDeparture
Check-out and group departure transfer to the airport.
At a Glance
Program Snapshot
Meals Included
Sustainability
On-Ground Support
Insurance
Investment
Pricing & Inclusions
Program Cost
*Costs may vary depending on group size, program inclusions, number of program days, and other factors. Please contact us for a customized quote.
What's Included
- A local language partner paired with each student
- Welcome and farewell group dinners in Beijing
- A half-day guided coach tour of Beijing
- An overnight Great Wall (Simatai) excursion with a village homestay and breakfast
- A five-day Shanghai excursion — 4-star hotels (bed and breakfast), high-speed rail, and guided touring
- A nine-day Xi'an and Chengdu excursion — 4-star hotels (bed and breakfast), high-speed rail, and guided touring
- Day trips to the Forbidden City and an industrial-heritage park
- Group arrival and departure transfers by coach
- English-speaking guides, entrance fees, and bottled water on all excursions
- Carbon offset for all participants (certificates provided after the program)
- 24x7 on-ground support by an Authentica Program Manager
- All applicable taxes
Good to Know
FAQs About the Program
1. When is the best time of year to run this program, and what is the weather like?
This is a summer program, and Beijing summers run warm to hot (often around 30°C / 86°F) with occasional rain, while Shanghai and the interior can be humid. Light, breathable clothing, sun protection, and regular hydration matter; excursions use air-conditioned coaches and rail, and indoor sessions keep the academic program comfortable. Programs can be tailored to your academic calendar.
2. What should I pack and wear for the program?
Pack light, breathable clothing and comfortable walking shoes for extensive touring on foot, along with a light rain layer and sun protection for the summer heat. Bring modest attire (covered shoulders and knees) for temples and religious sites, and closed shoes for site visits. A power adapter and a phone set up for mobile payments are useful for daily life.
3. Do I need a visa for China?
Most nationalities, including U.S. passport holders, need a visa to enter mainland China, and student or tourist visas must be arranged in advance. Requirements depend on your nationality and the structure of the program, so we recommend beginning the process early. Authentica provides guidance and a pre-departure docket, though the visa itself is the participant's responsibility.
4. How does the group travel between cities?
Inter-city travel is primarily by China's high-speed rail network in comfortable second-class carriages — punctual, low-carbon, and scenic — while local touring uses private air-conditioned coaches. Group arrival and departure transfers by coach are included.
5. How is the program structured, and what does Authentica provide?
Faculty lead the intensive Mandarin program, supported by a local language partner for each student. Around the academic core, Authentica arranges the cultural excursions, welcome and farewell dinners, all transfers, English-speaking guides and entrance fees, and 24x7 on-ground support through a dedicated Authentica Program Manager, beginning with an orientation and safety briefing on Day 1.
6. What are the accommodation and meals like?
The Beijing home base is arranged as part of the program, and on multi-day excursions the group stays in comfortable 4-star hotels on a bed-and-breakfast basis, with a village home-stay for the overnight Great Wall trip. Included meals are breakfast on the multi-day excursions plus welcome and farewell dinners; dietary requirements are collected in advance and accommodated.
7. How do money, cards, and tipping work in China?
The local currency is the Chinese yuan (renminbi, RMB). Everyday payments in China are overwhelmingly by mobile apps such as WeChat Pay and Alipay, so setting up mobile payment before or on arrival is very helpful; international cards are accepted at larger venues, and some cash is useful as a backup. Tipping is not a local custom and is generally not expected.
8. Is China safe, and what support is provided?
China is a very safe destination for visitors, with low rates of violent crime and excellent public infrastructure; ordinary urban awareness is all that is usually needed. A dedicated Authentica Program Manager provides 24x7 on-ground support, the program opens with an orientation and safety briefing, and Authentica carries a US$5M commercial general liability policy and a US$1M errors and omissions policy.
Interested in a Similar Program?
Contact us at info@authentica.com to design a faculty-led immersion around your objectives.