Study in Shanghai with IFSA
Shanghai
, China

IFSA Summer in Shanghai

Program Overview

Choose your ideal Shanghai summer. With eight levels of Chinese language instruction, it’s easy to find the perfect fit your skills. Designed for rapid improvement, our language classes include plenty of time to get out of the classroom and practice both with peers and around the city.

Passionate about sustainability? Shanghai’s rapid development provides plenty of examples of successes and challenges in urban planning. Take advantage of your front row seat to explore China’s rapid rise as a global economic power.

This flexible program includes options for one or two four-week sessions.

Details at a Glance

Application deadline

Summer: March 15

Minimum GPA

2.00

Credit load

3 - 8

Housing

Residence Hall/Dormitory

Instruction language

Chinese, English

Prerequisites

None

Apply Now

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Academics

During your IFSA Summer in Shanghai, customize your study abroad experience by taking a single class during the four-week Session 1 or take a single class during the four-week Session 2. You can also extend your studies by enrolling in both Session 1 and Session 2.

SESSION 1 CLASSES

City and Environment

With a rapidly growing population, rising lifestyle expectations, and continuing industrial production, urban China’s usage of water and energy resources is a key question for those concerned with a sustainable future. This class will localize these issues by investigating Shanghai as a case study of urban environmental issues in China. How does Shanghai face the challenges of resource use and waste that its sprawling urban footprint creates? How sustainable can Shanghai become? (3 U.S. semester credit hours)

Chinese Language 

No prior language study is required. A placement exam during on-site orientation determines each student’s appropriate language level. (4 U.S. semester credit hours)

SESSION 2 CLASSES

China: Economic Giant

This class explores China’s emergence as a global economic power. The phenomenal changes seen in the Chinese economy since radical reforms began in 1978 serve as a backdrop for understanding more recent policy shifts and global trade strategies. Students will examine challenges encountered by the Chinese government in sustaining high-speed economic growth, with case studies such as infrastructure investments and supply chain disruptions. In addition, students will apply economic theories and situate them in geographical and historical contexts when analyzing today’s sociopolitical consequences. (3 U.S. semester credit hours)

Chinese Language 

No prior language study is required. A placement exam during on-site orientation determines each student’s appropriate language level. (4 U.S. semester credit hours)

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Eligibility

  • You must be at least 18 years of age. Students under 18 may be accepted on a case-by-case basis.
  • You must be currently attending or recently graduated from a U.S. or Canadian community college, technical college, two-year college, four-year college, or four-year university.
  • You must have completed at least one (1) semester of study at your home institution before the beginning of the term.

Recommendation Letter
Not required.

Visa Requirement
This program requires a visa for all students.

TRANSCRIPT
Upon completion of your program, IFSA will send an official Butler University transcript to your home university with your coursework converted to the U.S. semester credit hour system. You will also have access to an unofficial transcript in your IFSA Student Portal. The transcript reflects courses taken, credits attempted, and grades earned during your term abroad. This service is included in your study abroad program at no additional cost. See our Transcripts page for more information.

Excursions

Activities and excursions are designed to pull you into the communities you visit and encourage cultural connections of every kind. There’s no extra fee to participate in these optional outings—everything is included in your program fee.
Below are examples from previous terms; outings may be different for your program. We’ll make every effort to run them all, but sometimes things we can’t our control, such as local regulations and health protocols, get in the way. As result, we cannot guarantee activities and excursions.

Activities

  • West Bank Gallery Walk: Learn how art fosters international exchange during a guided walk along the Cultural Corridor riverfront in West Bund, visiting art galleries featuring foreign and Chinese artists. The guided walk concludes at the lobby of the newly established West Bund x Pompidou Museum.
  • Traditional Chinese Medicine Museum: Traditional Chinese medicine has more than 3,000 years of history. Through this guided tour, you will be introduced to the basic traditional Chinese medicine theories, useful daily diagnostics, and treatment methods including acupuncture and moxibustion, Chinese herbs, dietary adjustment, acupressure, and cupping.
  • Chinese Culture Workshop: Participate in the Chinese Culture Workshop and learn how to write Chinese calligraphy, play Mahong, and make Chinese dumplings.
  • Urban Planning Museum: Wonder what Shanghai will look like in 10 or 20 years? Learn about the history of urban development in Shanghai and see models of future planning at the Urban Planning Museum. You will also use the metro to visit important city landmarks, see traditional Shanghai architecture, and get a little taste of its diverse food and culture.
Excursions
  • Suzhou Day Trip: Located at the lower end of the Yangtze River, Suzhou is famous for its resplendent gardens and beautiful scenery in addition to the city being one of the country’s four major embroidery centers in the silk industry. You will the explore this ancient water town and the garden style Suzhou Museum, designed by world renowned architect IM Pei.
  • Huangpu River Cruise: Feast your eyes on magnificent views of building skylines and landmarks as you travel along both banks of the Huangpu River, allowing you to see the architectural diversity. In the evening, secure your spot on the deck to watch as the city lights up in dazzling lights and to get the best view of four of the most prominent high rises in Shanghai: Oriental Pearl TV Tower, Shanghai Tower, Shanghai World Financial Center, and Jin Mao Tower.

Housing and Meals

Housing

Residence Hall/Dormitory

Meals

Self-Catering

Details

You will live in the international student apartments on the SUFE campus, which offer an ideal environment for getting to know fellow Chinese and international students and engaging in informal language and cultural exchange. There is no meal plan. You will purchase your meals or cook for yourself.

Dates and Fees

Term

Term begins

Term ends

Program costs

Application deadline

Summer 2023 - Session 1 - Suspended

May 29, 2023

June 23, 2023

$4,575

Suspended

Summer 2023 - Session 2 - Suspended

June 26, 2023

July 21, 2023

$4,575

Suspended

Summer 2023 - Sessions 1 & 2 - Suspended

May 29, 2023

July 21, 2023

$7,775

Suspended

Term

Summer 2023 - Session 1 - Suspended

Term begins

May 29, 2023

Term ends

June 23, 2023

Program costs

$4,575

Application deadline

Suspended

Term

Summer 2023 - Session 2 - Suspended

Term begins

June 26, 2023

Term ends

July 21, 2023

Program costs

$4,575

Application deadline

Suspended

Term

Summer 2023 - Sessions 1 & 2 - Suspended

Term begins

May 29, 2023

Term ends

July 21, 2023

Program costs

$7,775

Application deadline

Suspended

Get Started

Apply Now
schedule time to talk
Brittany Brooks

Brittany Brooks

Admissions Counselor

Zipporah Gaines

Zipporah Gaines

Prearrival Counselor

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