About the Fellowship

Overview

The Tsinghua Summer Fellowship offers selected students from the United States and United Kingdom the chance to experience modern China, preparing them to engage more effectively with the country in their future careers. These undergraduate and postgraduate students will take part in a 12-day visit to China, visiting a variety of sites critical to understanding the nuances of China’s development, from hubs of technological innovation and production to rural and less-known regions. Along the way, Tsinghua Summer Fellows will interact with business leaders, hear from locals, and engage with Chinese students at the best universities in the country

Itinerary

Pre-departure (early August)

8/17 – 8/19 Beijing

8/19 – 8/22 Shanghai

8/22 – 8/26 Deep Dives

8/26 – 8/30 Beijing

Pre-Departure Program

Prior to visiting China, Fellows will attend pre-departure programs in either New York City or London. Participants will convene for a weekend of seminars by and conversations with leaders in business and academia who have particular expertise on China, better preparing them for the visit. Seminar topics will include China’s system of governance, its four-decade process of economic liberalization, and its complex hundred years of history from the fall of the Qing Dynasty to the present. Lessons will also explore recent development in US- and UK-China relations.

Beijing

Tsinghua University will be Fellows’ first and final stops in China. On their first day in Beijing, Fellows will attend a series of English-language lectures and interactive lessons with some of China’s most renowned professors. Many of these lessons will center on topics similar to those covered in the New York and London pre-departure programs, this time providing a range of Chinese academics’ perspectives. The day at Tsinghua will finish with time for reflection on new learnings and comparisons with the views presented during the American and British pre-departure lessons. The second day in Beijing will leave ample time for participants to get to know each other better, and include visits to the National Museum, Forbidden City, and Temple of heaven, in addition to Beijing’s ancient Hutong districts and bustling streets markets.

Shanghai

Next, the program moves to Shanghai to experience the largest city and financial hub in China. We will visit overseas companies with operations in Shanghai to understand how collaborative international business partnerships are developing. We will also visit home-grown industry leaders like SAIC Motors and Greenland to learn about Chinese innovation and entrepreneurialism. With over 20 million inhabitants, running Shanghai is a complex and evolving challenge. Summer Fellows will visit the Pudong New Area to gain insights into how the city is integrating cutting-edge digital technology to develop new strategies for managing huge urban populations. During our time in Shanghai, we will also delve into China’s political process, new multilateral development initiatives, and visit the city’s leading academic institutions. The trip will finish with an immersive tour of Shanghai’s digital economy, visiting e-commerce pioneers, streaming giants, and gaming companies.

Deep Dives

The program then splits into three separate deep dive trips. The first group will go to Zhejiang Province, home to Hangzhou, the West Lake and the ancient water town of Wuzhen. There, Summer Fellows will experience a blend of rich culture, ancient history, and technological innovation, visiting ancient villages, rural areas, filming locations from ‘Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon’ and the headquarters of Alibaba Group. This deep dive includes a homestay experience in a hot spring town. The second group will travel to Guizhou, one of China’s most picturesque and rapidly developing provinces. Guizhou is famous for its Miao and Dong ethnic minorities, as well as its massive waterfalls and tall mountains. This trip will help Summer Fellows understand how Guizhou is striking the balance between maintaining traditional industries, developing the economy through data storage solutions, and protecting the environment. The third group will travel to Inner Mongolia, one of the largest and most diverse provinces in China. There, Summer Fellows will witness the transformation of the province, as it moves away from the traditional coal mining industry towards new energy solutions. The trip will also include local cultural experiences and insights into de-desertification and environmental protection efforts.

Tsinghua Global Youth Dialogue

Our partner on ground the for the 2024 Tsinghua Summer Fellowship is the Tsinghua Global Youth Dialogue (TGYD), which was set up by Tsinghua University in 2021 to offer a multilateral mechanism for exchanges and cooperation among university students around the world. Following the Deep Dives, Summer Fellows will return to Tsinghua University in Beijing to explore more of China’s capital city and take part in the annual TGYD Forum. This event attracts university students from around the world to come together to share experiences and discuss challenges ranging from climate change, AI governance, international cooperation, and global health, with the goal of enhancing collaboration and mutual understanding.

Costs

All on-the-ground costs in China are fully funded by the Fellowship. The cost of flights to and from Beijing will be confirmed in due course.

FAQs

How long will the program last?

12-14 days

Where do I depart from?

US recipients will depart from either New York, Washington D.C., or Los Angeles. UK recipients will depart from London.

Do I need a visa for China?

Recipients will require a 'visit' visa for China. The Tsinghua Summer Fellowship will provide the letter of invitation necessary to obtain the visa.

What are the costs associated with the Fellowship?

All on the ground costs (food, accommodation, domestic flights etc.) in China are covered via a generous donation from JD.com and Tsinghua University. We may be able to cover international airfare and will update this page very soon. We do, however, encourage you to apply as soon as possible.