Most things, answered plainly.

International students aged 16–24 who want to really understand China — through Shanghai: how its universities work, the grain of the city, genuine contemporary culture, and how people actually live. At our three host universities we also teach genuinely interesting, specialist material. Most of our enquiries come from the US, Europe and Japan.

It's an academic program, not a tour or a summer camp. Three of Shanghai's top universities — Fudan, Tongji and Shanghai Jiao Tong — host the cohort for faculty-led seminars and issue official certificates. Beyond that, you get a real feel for everyday life inside a Chinese university. You'll also have three or four days to: 1. Visit modern Chinese companies 2. Take in Shanghai's skyline and its street-level city life 3. Watch the city's night view from the Bund And two to three days are set aside for fun and rest. We think it strikes the right balance — real academic substance, with enough room to enjoy a genuinely good fortnight.

Typically 24–30 students — deliberately few, with a high standard of care — and we run at the minimum of 24. One bilingual program lead and three resident counselors who also translate, plus 24-hour medical cover.

Across the nine university days, mornings are usually a lecture block or a seminar; afternoons are a museum, a lab, or an enterprise visit; evenings are usually free. Two to three days go to Shanghai's sights, culture and daily life, and two more to Shanghai Disneyland and Legoland to unwind.

Programming is in English. Seminars at the universities are interpreted as needed. We provide a light Mandarin survival kit.

No. Everything runs in English, university seminars are interpreted as needed, and we provide a light Mandarin survival kit. Students who do speak Mandarin get more out of the unscripted moments, but it is never a requirement.

Yes. Each three-day chapter ends with an official certificate issued by the host department at Fudan, Tongji or Shanghai Jiao Tong — not a private certificate of attendance. Complete the fortnight and a student carries home three.

Yes — two of them. After you enrol and before departure, every family receives a detailed China Survival Guide (digital): mobile payments (Alipay / WeChat Pay), phones and internet, the metro and ride-hailing, the apps you'll actually use, shopping and food, emergency contacts — written for international students arriving for the first time. Once you land in Shanghai, your program lead hands out an on-the-ground version and walks you through it in person, so you're at ease from day one.

30% non-refundable deposit on booking, 70% balance due six weeks before departure. Cards via Stripe Checkout, wire via Wise or bank.

Before six weeks: balance is refundable in full, deposit is not. After six weeks: written request reviewed case by case.

Full refund of every penny paid, including the deposit — or a transferred seat in the next cohort, at your choice.

No. Payment is handed off to Stripe Checkout; cards never touch our servers. We never collect card numbers by email or phone.

A bilingual program lead and three resident counselors — who also translate — are with the cohort for the full program (15 days), with 24-hour medical cover and a direct family hotline. Every staff member is background-checked.

On-trip hospital partner in Shanghai. Trip insurance up to USD 100,000. Direct family hotline. We share documentation on booking.

Counselors carry the cohort's medical notes and are trained in first response, with an on-trip hospital partner and trip insurance up to USD 100,000 in place. The direct family hotline reaches a person who knows every student, and serious cases go to a vetted Shanghai hospital with a counselor present throughout.

Tell us on enrolment. Halal, kosher, vegan, allergens — we work with hotels and canteens to accommodate, and brief every restaurant in advance.

It depends on your nationality. About 50 nationalities can enter China visa-free for up to 30 days; others (including the US) need a tourist L-visa. We provide an invitation/welcome letter and guidance. On the booking page you can enter your country or region — we've written detailed visa guidance for each one, so you can check whether yours is visa-free.

If your nationality needs an L (tourist) visa, apply about four to six weeks before departure — applying directly is usually enough, and we can provide an invitation letter if your case needs one. Visa-free nationalities need nothing in advance beyond a passport valid for at least six months.

We do not. We are not a visa agent. We provide the letter and a step-by-step guide. The application is filed by the family or their agent of choice.

No. We never collect or store passport numbers. We ask for full name and date of birth at enrolment, and that is the limit.

No — international airfare isn't included in the program fee, so you book your own. If you'd like help, we can share preferential fares on a few fixed routes with select partner airlines; compare them and book whatever suits you best. No markup either way.

If you'd like — we have preferential fares on a few fixed routes with select partner airlines. Tell us your departure city and dates and we'll share what's available, so you can compare and book direct yourself. No obligation, no markup.

Arrival is usually on Day 01; departure is the group airport transfer on the morning of Day 15 — though you're free to extend your stay and leave later. We share precise arrival and departure windows on enrolment.

Name, date of birth, parent or guardian contact, dietary requirements, medical notes shared by the family. No passports, no card numbers, no biometric data.

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