Launched in April 2024, the Spring Camp to China programme is a fantastic opportunity for University of Nottingham (UoN) and Nottingham Confucius Institute (NCI) students to visit China and explore Chinese culture, history and landscapes whilst learning and practicing Mandarin Chinese in real-life settings. It is expected to take place annually during the Easter holidays. The programme is organised by NCI and delivered through our partner Fudan University in Shanghai.
Following our success in April (view our Instagram post to get a glimpse of what it was like), Nottingham Confucius Institute (NCI) is delighted to offer a maximum of 15 scholarships for the 2025 Spring Camp to China. Applications are open now!
Spring Camp 2025
Dates: Saturday 5 April to Thursday 17 April 2025 (inclusive of travel time)
Places: 10-15*
Successful candidates will attend Mandarin lessons and cultural experience activities at Fudan University and also visit sites of historical and cultural interest in Shanghai and Xi'an. Please click the link to view the draft itinerary (subject to minor changes).
*Please note that a minimum of 10 candidates are required to run this programme.
Eligibility:
In accordance with the stipulations set, eligibility requirements are as follows:
- Participants must have sat for an HSK Test and ideally obtained an HSK level 1 certificate or higher by December 2024;
- Participants must not have taken part in organised visits to China funded by “Chinese Bridge” Exchange Programme over the past three years;
- Participants must be studying full-time at the University of Nottingham or part-time at NCI, i.e. attended a minimum of 20 hours of lessons between January and December 2024. Priority will be given to UoN students who have also taken Mandarin lessons with NCI or the School of Cultures, Languages and Area Studies (CLAS).
- Participants should be aged between 18 and 30.
Costs:
NCI scholarships will cover all relevant expenses in China, including：
- Accommodation in China (shared twin rooms)
- Transport within China
- Mandarin language lessons
- Cultural experience activities (such as Chinese opera, tea ceremony, bookbinding, brush painting workshops etc.)
- Meals within China
- Cultural excursions and city tours
Participants are responsible for paying for:
- International round-trip travelling expenses (estimate*: £500-800)
- Transport between Nottingham and London Heathrow (estimate*: £100 by coach)
- Chinese visa application fees (estimate*: £200 for UK citizens)
- Insurance (estimate*: £50)
- Deposit (£100 to secure your place. This will be refunded once the camp ends. The deposit is non-refundable in the case of absence for any reason)
- Extra individual expenses excluding those listed above (some spending money as you see fit!)
How to apply
- Expression of Interest: please fill out the Expression of Interest Form by 12:00 noon Friday 26 July 2024.
- Interviews with shortlisted applicants will take place from 2 to 6 September 2024. Applicants will be judged on the basis of their academic ability, Mandarin learning experience, answers to interview questions and ability to communicate. Successful candidates will be notified of their conditional offer by Tuesday10 September 2024.
- To secure a place, successful candidates must submit their formal application and pay a deposit of £100 by Tuesday 24 September 2024.
- Successful candidates must submit their visa application by Wednesday 15 January 2025.
Please be aware that NCI takes the final decision on the selection of suitable candidates and that it reserves the right to amend the itinerary at its sole discretion due to unforeseen circumstances and/or circumstances beyond its control.
Contact us:
For enquiries and further details, please don’t hesitate to contact confucius.institute@nottingham.ac.uk