Guangzhou University (GU) - Canton, China

Study Chinese culture, language and economics in the modern and international city of Guangzhou (Canton) in China

Student comments:

"All the teachers have turned out to be very professional. I'm so glad that our studies consist of many different courses and give us a proper view of the Chinese language, culture, economics and law.”

“One of the things I never could imagine is the benefit of this experience in work life. I started to look for summer jobs and internships when I knew that I am coming to study here. I sent three applications to different places and I got all the jobs. Can you believe it, all three!”

We are now accepting applications for the spring 2011 semester – ensure your place today!

Guangzhou University (GU)

Guangzhou University is in charge of the teaching of the study program in Canton represented by AE. The university is approved by China’s Ministry of Education and it was founded in 2000 when Guangzhou Normal University, the South China Institute of Construction, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou Junior Teachers' College and the Guangzhou Institute of Education were combined into one 17,000 student university. Most of the students come from the city and province of Canton, but there are also students from other provinces, Hong Kong, Macau and abroad.

GU is operated jointly by the Guangzhou Municipal Government and the Guangdong Provincial Government, while the University's' administration is largely subject to the Guangzhou Municipal Government.

Located in the vicinity of the GuangzhouSculpturePark and LuhuPark, GU enjoys all transport convenience and a picturesque environment. At the moment, the University covers a total floor area of 486,000 square meters with a building area of 436,000 square meters on its five campuses situated in Guangyuan, Guihuagang, Luhu, Qiyi Lu and Longdong. Its well-stocked library has a total collection of 1,960,000 books. The new 2.1 billon dollar campus, which will be put into use soon, is 1.32 km² in size.

GU makes Guangzhou the base of its operations and at the same time services the whole of GuangdongProvince as well as all of China and the outside world. While the undergraduate programs remain a dominant focus of its operation, GU is actively committed to consolidating and expanding its postgraduate programs and invests in developing its vocational and technical higher education.

Guangzhou University has modern facilities and the city of Guangzhou offers a chance for getting to know one of China’s fastest growing metropolises.

Read more about Guangzhou University here.

Study Program

The international study abroad programs at GU are arranged twice a year. The programs lasting 3 months are taught in English. Guangzhou University is responsible for the teaching and the transcripts of records.

The aim of the study program is to acquaint students with Chinese language, culture, legislation and international trade from a Chinese perspective and to deepen students’ knowledge of China and Asia. The students have time for free time activities and traveling in addition to their studies. Lectures are held Monday through Thursday.

The study programs last from March to May (spring semester) and from September to December (autumn semester).

Spring semester 2011 schedule

Study program: March 7th - June 3rd, 2011 (dates will be confirmed soon)
Application period: Open. Application deadline December 15th, 2010

Guangzhou University reserves the right to slight changes in the dates.

(The autumn 2010 semester is being arranged Sep 14th - Dec 14th, 2010. The application period for the semester has ended.)

If you are interested in applying to future semesters, e.g. in autumn 2011, send us an email to: info@asiaexchange.org

The program introduces the students to Chinese language, culture and economics. The students will be able to interact with both locals and their fellow exchange students. Students appreciate the modern atmosphere of Guangzhou University and Guangzhou as well as the affordable price level and numerous free time activities.

The study program includes the following courses:

Chinese Language, 9 credits:
- Intensive Reading
- Listening
- Speaking
Chinese Culture, 4 credits:
- Outline of Chinese Culture
- Taijiquan
Chinese Economics, 5 credits:
- Economic Law and Regulations of China
- Import and Export Trade of China

Download detailed course descriptions for the above-mentioned courses here.

One GU credit most often converts to 1 ½ ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System) study credits (remember to ask your home institution about transferring credits). Read more about study credits and transferring credits under study credits.

Who are the study programs intended for?

The program is intended especially for students who want to learn Chinese and who are interested in Chinese culture and an Asian country with financial power, which is expected to become the leading global economic power during the next decades. Students participating in the program want to combine studies and unforgettable experiences which will benefit their future. Employers often value studies completed in Asia. The program is perfect for anyone interested in China and international affairs. Most of the participants are students of business, technology, political science and tourism.

Students value the study experience and the courses have been selected so that students would be able to transfer as many credits as possible into their degree. Ask your possible home institution about transferring credits. Students also appreciate the atmosphere in Guangzhou and at Guangzhou University campus, the affordable prices and the opportunities for traveling and ample free time activities.

The minimum requirements are 18 years of age, completed upper secondary school (e.g. high school) and sufficient language proficiency to understand lectures given in English.

Student blog

Jenna took part in the spring 2009 Guangzhou study program.
Read her blog to learn more about a tiny student’s adventures in the great country of China!

www.kilroyblogs.com/guangzhou2009

Jenna is participating Asia Exchange study abroad program in Guangzhou, China

Program Fee

The price of the study abroad program at GU is 1390 € (including VAT) which covers the application cost and tuition fee (not e.g. accommodation, flights or visa). AE has negotiated group discounted tuition fees with its partner universities. Most often the tuition fees at Asian universities are more expensive for free movers finding a study place on their own. Unlike other free movers, who are non-native speakers of English, students going via AE are not required to take a TOEFL English language proficiency test which costs approximately 185 $.

Application procedure

Applying for study programs represented by Asia Exchange is easy and you’ll receive an initial letter of acceptance within a week of sending in your application and the required attachments. You can start to make travel arrangements after receiving your initial acceptance letter. Applications are submitted online.

Fill out an application form online and upload the required documents at:
http://fs12.formsite.com/asiaexchange/AE_form_GU/index.html

Required documents:

1) An official Transcript of Records in English (stamped by your home institution) or, if you are not currently enrolled at an institution of higher education, a copy of your high school diploma (or similar document).
2) A copy of the identification page of your passport (please note that your passport must be valid for at least six months after your trip ends).

Please name your documents as follows before uploading them onto your application: "firstname_lastname_transcripts.pdf" and "firstname_lastname_passport.pdf". Please try to upload the required documents in JPG or PDF format.

Please enter your permanent mailing address in the application, so that you will be sure to receive the official acceptance letter before the start of the study program and the Transcript of Records after it ends. In the case of some institutions we will send the official acceptance letter straight to the international office.

The applications are handled in the order they are received. After receiving your initial letter of acceptance within a week of sending in your application you can make a study plan to present to your home institution and apply for scholarships. Your home institution is responsible for making the decisions about transferring credits and granting scholarships. We will also send you an invoice for the application fee (50 €) with your initial acceptance letter. The final invoice for the program fee (1340 €) will be sent at least 45 days prior to the start of the study program. If needed, you can cancel your participation by e-mail in accordance with the terms and conditions.

You can apply for a visa at your home country’s Chinese Embassy after receiving your official acceptance letter one month prior to the start of the study program. You can find instructions for applying for a visa on our website under: Instructions → Visa.

We expect you to read through the Asia Exchange Ltd terms and conditions.

Accommodation

Guangzhou University offers students a possibility of living on-campus at a student hotel. The room costs about 200 € a month. The rooms are neat and clean and include basic amenities.

Guangzhou also offers accommodation options from the private market. You can ask about them from the local realtors after arriving in China. If you plan on finding off-campus housing, we recommend staying on-campus or at a hotel to begin with.

Before the start of the study program, AE will send each student an orientation guide with more detailed information about accommodation options.

More information

We have tried our best to include all the relevant information you will need about the study programs and practical arrangements on our website. These include:

- FAQ
- Why go on exchange?
- General info about study programs represented by AE
- Information about Guangzhou
- Traveling
- Passport and visa
- Exchange student’s checklist

- CUCAS (Official organization and authorized online service provider for international students applying for China's universities and colleges.)

After the application period ends, AE will send an orientation guide to outgoing exchange students which includes information about studying, accommodation, traveling, health care and free time activities as well as money and cell phone subscriptions. An orientation will also be organized for students before the study program starts.

If you can’t find the information you require on our website, or if you wish to contact AE directly, please send us a message with the feedback form.