Program Overview

The CLS Program in Tainan is hosted by National Cheng Kung University (NCKU). Established in 1931, NCKU is one of Taiwan’s leading research universities and is renowned for its programs in engineering, technology, architectural design and medicine.

In Tainan, students are immersed in an intensive 8-week language learning environment designed to cover the equivalent of one academic year of university-level Chinese study. Students participate in fifteen hours per week of formal classroom instruction that focuses on reading, writing, speaking and listening practice, and also have the unique opportunity to pursue a summer research project that relates to their own interests.

CLS students can look forward to discovering all Taiwan’s oldest city has to offer during their time outside of the classroom as part of the program’s structured cultural program. Program activities may include calligraphy, martial arts, board games and pastry making and past excursions have allowed students to visit Taipei’s National Palace Museum, Alishan National Park’s scenic trails, and Kaohsiung’s Fo Guang Shan.

To supplement the structured CLS Program activities, and to strengthen students’ cultural knowledge and language skills, students live with host families, which allows them to become familiar with daily life of people from different backgrounds and practice their growing language skills in a relaxed environment. Additionally, students meet with university language partners weekly, visiting local night markets, playing sports together, and exploring their own hobbies in a new setting. Students will also have time to explore on their own and should definitely plan to enjoy Taiwan’s famous street food!