China is one of the most significant exchange destinations an Australian or New Zealand student can choose – the world’s most populous country, the world’s second-largest economy, and a civilisation of extraordinary historical depth that is simultaneously one of the world’s most rapidly transforming societies. For students with an eye on the future, the case for developing genuine China experience and Mandarin language skills is as strong as it has ever been.
Chinese culture is ancient and modern, communal and intensely competitive in educational contexts, deeply family-oriented and internationally curious. For Australian and NZ students who want an exchange that develops them in ways that will have genuine professional and personal significance for decades to come, China delivers that case more clearly than almost any other destination on the YFU network. Note: YFU’s standard hosting discount and flight rebate structure does not apply to the China program – confirm current pricing and program details directly with YFU.
Chinese family life is warm, family-centred, and often structured around significant parental investment in children’s education and wellbeing. Host families take their responsibility toward exchange students seriously and will work hard to ensure you are comfortable, well-fed, and connected to local life. Shared mealtimes are important – Chinese family meals, with multiple dishes served simultaneously and food offered constantly, are an immediate expression of care.
China’s cities are unlike anything most Australian or NZ students have encountered: dense, fast-moving, technologically integrated (WeChat, Alipay, and mobile-first infrastructure make China’s digital life distinctly different from home), and home to a young generation navigating their own complex relationship with tradition and modernity.
The regional diversity of China is extreme. A placement in Beijing is quite different from Shanghai, Chengdu, Guangzhou, or a smaller provincial city – the food, dialect, pace, and cultural character all vary significantly. YFU matches placements to student profiles.
Mandarin Chinese is the language of school instruction and the primary medium of the exchange. The writing system (thousands of characters) and tonal spoken language make Mandarin one of the most challenging languages for English speakers – but also one of the most globally valuable. YFU provides pre-departure language preparation, and most students with no prior Mandarin achieve practical conversational ability within 4–6 months of full immersion.
All the exchange students will be placed in Senior High Schools which consist of 2 categories: Regular Secondary High Schools and Vocational/Technical Schools. Most students will attend a regular secondary school.
The curriculum for Regular Senior Secondary Schools is divided into statutory subjects and activities, which are all taught in Chinese. Statutory subjects include both compulsory and optional courses. Activities include extra-curriculum activities and field study.
School days in China are long, and students begin school with Physical Exercise at 7:00 am and finish the day at 5:00 pm. In China, schools have very strict rules for every student on school attendance, dress, hair style, jewellery and behaviour.
It is very traditional in China that your school teacher will not only pay attention to your school performance, but also your after-school behaviour. Chinese parents trust school teachers as their own child’s second parents, and they will work together on children’s education.
Chinese secondary schools (Gaozhong, or senior high school) cover students aged 15–18 and run September to June (with a slightly different calendar structure in some regions). The curriculum is academically demanding and test-oriented, preparing students for the gaokao (national university entrance examination). Core subjects include Chinese Language, Mathematics, Sciences, History, Geography, English, and Political Education. Chinese schools typically have long school days and significant homework loads. Extracurricular activities and school events are part of student life, particularly cultural celebrations and sports days.
Students must have studied at least 160 hours of Mandarin to be eligible for the program, and all students must participate in a 2 week long language and culture camp on arrival in China.
In China, it is very common to have up to 4 generations of family living together under 1 roof. This can mean that many families could include a father and mother, son or daughter, grandson or daughter and grandparents. YFU host families could be multi-generational or more modern, with only 2 generations living together. Not all members of the host family will be able to speak English.
In the past, Chinese families were hierarchical, whereby the wife and children would obey the rules set by the father of the family. Today, this way of life is not as rigid, and parents try to focus on their children and make sure they can have the best life possible and on building a close relationship with them.
Applicants are required to have minimum of 160 hours of Chinese language study before their arrival. Mandarin is one of the world’s most challenging languages for English speakers, tonal spoken language and a character-based writing system require sustained effort. YFU provides pre-departure language preparation, and most students achieve practical conversational ability within 4–6 months of full immersion. The language skills you develop in China are among the most globally valuable on the YFU network.
China operates a distinct digital ecosystem. Many Western apps and services (Google, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp) are blocked in China. Chinese equivalents – WeChat (messaging and payments), Weibo (social media), Baidu (search), and Alipay (payments) – are used instead. Most exchange students adapt to this quickly and find WeChat in particular to be highly functional. YFU provides pre-departure preparation on navigating the Chinese digital environment.
Chinese schools are significantly more test-oriented and academically intensive than most Australian or NZ schools. School days are longer, homework volumes are higher, and the pressure toward examination performance is a feature of the environment. YFU students are usually placed in grade 10, because in grade 11 and 12, all students are concentrating on university entrance exam preparation. Student might be placed at regular high school or technical & vocational high school.
Yes. YFU’s standard hosting discount and flight rebate do apply to the China program.
Extraordinary and more varied than any restaurant version suggests. Chinese family home cooking differs significantly by region: the bold spices of Sichuan, the delicate seafood of the coast, the wheat-based noodle and dumpling culture of the north, the rice-centred south. Shared family meals with multiple dishes are daily events, and most exchange students find the food one of the highlights of the exchange.
Yes. An X-class student visa is required for programs involving school attendance. YFU provides full documentation and step-by-step guidance through the Chinese visa application process as part of your enrolment.
Enrolment in a public or private school for the first semester and placement in an NGO project for the second semester
Placement in an NGO project (Typically related to childcare, women's care, environmental NGOs)
Our standard all-inclusive program price with no hidden fees.
Host a student and enjoy up to 20% off the program fee, plus receive up to $4000AUD / $4800NZD reimbursement for hosting a student*
Host a student and enjoy up to 20% off the program fee, receive up to $4000AUD / $4800NZD reimbursement for hosting* plus a further $2500 discount when you book your own flights**
*The host a student reimbursement is a payment of $100AUD/$120NZD per week
**When you book your own flights, you will be required to adhere to specific travel dates and arrival times in the destination country. This offer does not include exchange programs to Thailand, Korea, or China.
As everybody is speaking about the FIFA World Cup, millions of people around the globe are gathering to cheer for their favourite teams, celebrate different cultures, and experience the excitement that only a global event can create. But while the World Cup lasts only a few weeks, there’s another international experience that can change your life forever: going on a youth exchange.
The Youth Empowerment Seminar is one of YFU’s largest international youth events, bringing together exchange students, volunteers, facilitators and educators from across the globe for an unforgettable week of learning, leadership and intercultural dialogue.
Cebrail, who spent a life-changing year on an exchange program from New Zealand to Turkey, reflects on his biggest discoveries and lessons learned.
Enquire today about this program. We’ve got experts ready to assist with any enquiry about the countries, programs and the process.
Simply register and attend one of our in-person Information Evenings and you will automatically get $100 off your program fee.
