History Study Abroad Programs in Shanghai, China

Transitioning into an innovative and sophisticated city with a colorful night skyline, Shanghai is one of China’s modern aspects without losing its rich cultural and artistic heritage. This makes the city an ideal setting to study Chinese language and business development. The Shanghai program offers you insight into the business and economic environment of China and East Asia. Study and live in the country’s biggest city, which used to be a quiet fishing town but is now at the center of a booming economy—in fact, one of the world’s largest. The official standard dialect is Mandarin, and Shanghai is the best place to practice it outside the classroom. After attending business logistics and language classes, head out and apply your learning everywhere you go – from movie theaters to art exhibits. This program provides an intensive language approach, allowing you to complete up to one year of university foreign language coursework in one semester. Choose to combine courses for up to 18 credits. Add an internship and have an unparalleled opportunity to communicate in Mandarin while acquiring international business experience.

Spend your summer studying abroad in Shanghai at Fudan University, constantly ranked among the top three universities in China. The Fudan International Summer School, in partnership with us, provides an unparalleled opportunity to study at a leading university in one of the most fascinating cities in the country. Over the four-week program, take courses in Social Sciences, Humanities, Business, and the Chinese language for college credit while living right on campus with students from around the globe. This program is open to students with a 2.75 GPA and minimum sophomore standing at a two-year or four-year institution.

CIEE offers the most extensive network of internship programs. Are you a U.S. college student looking to study and intern abroad? We have full-time and part-time placements across 40+ locations worldwide and in diverse fields, from AI and engineering to public policy and business administration. Find the right fit for you! Live, learn, and work abroad on an internship program with CIEE! CIEE Summer Internships CIEE Summer Global Internships are 6-credit, 8-week programs with full-time working hours (approximately 30 hours weekly) and a seminar. CIEE Summer Intern and Study Abroad are 6 to 7-credit, 6-week programs with a part-time internship (approximately 20 hours weekly), a seminar, and a 3-credit academic course. CIEE Semester Internships CIEE Semester Global Internships are 9 to 13-credit, 12-week programs that feature a full-time internship (approximately 30 hours weekly), a seminar, and an optional 3 to 4-credit academic course online. CIEE Semester Intern and Study Abroad Programs are 12 to 14-credit, 12-week programs that feature a part-time internship​ (approximately 20 hours weekly), a seminar, and two academic courses.

At NYU Shanghai, the newest of NYU’s three degree-granting campuses, you’ll take courses that focus on China taught by expert faculty. Professors bring China’s history and unique culture to life through trips to art galleries, local businesses, and film screenings. You can take a Chinese language course and further improve your language skills by being paired with a student who is fluent in Chinese. Visit NYU Shanghai’s website for up-to-date information. NYU Shanghai’s campus is located in a nine-story building in Pudong, the heart of a thriving economic zone and Shanghai’s commercial center. It features classrooms, an expansive library, an auditorium, a colloquium space, dance and music practice rooms, dining facilities, and a fitness center. Opportunities vary based on local restrictions.

Explore the social impact of rapid economic development. What’s it like to watch a city develop at an unprecedented pace? Shanghai is the place to find out. Explore this cosmopolitan metropolis as you dig into sustainable urbanization, economic reform, Chinese politics, foreign policy, public health policy, or traditional Chinese medicine. Boost your language skills by teaming up with a Chinese university student for a couple of hours of casual practice each week—communication is the key to getting even more from your time in Shanghai.

API offers students an opportunity to study abroad in Shanghai, China, and experience traditional cultural elements while still being mindful of the context and realities of contemporary Chinese society. China presents a fascinating juxtaposition – it is home to one of the world’s most ancient civilizations caught in the midst of some of the most rapid expansion of economy and infrastructure in history. This remains true with Shanghai, the largest city in the world, where you can explore ancient relics such as The Bund or City God Temple. Then, shop around the large city and explore its wondrous nightlife as you learn about the Chinese language and culture. But your travels will not just stop in Shanghai. With API, you will take excursions around China, including Beijing and the nearby water towns like Wuzhen. You will even stop by Hangzhou, known as “heaven on earth” due to its immense beauty. Get ready for an unforgettable sensation of culture and modernity in Shanghai, China, when you study with API Abroad!

Immerse yourself in a new language, intern abroad, or explore a different part of the world. CET’s gap programs offer the opportunity to join college-level courses overseas or online. Whether you're mastering Chinese in Beijing, volunteering while living with a host family in Siena, or creating art in a studio in Osaka, CET blends academics with real-world experience. Designed around experiential learning, deep cultural engagement, and academic rigor, CET programs turn education into something more than just earning college credit.