• language

    Mandarin Chinese is the most commonly spoken language in Beijing, followed by the local dialect and then English. Although most of the local population (especially the older generation) do not speak English, it is not hard to get around Beijing with basic English words and hand gestures. All our international students are required to take our mandatory Chinese language classes, and most are able to speak conversationally after a year or so.

  • safety

    Beijing is generally considered to be a very safe city. Mugging and theft are rarely heard of, but we would advise you to keep an eye on your belongings, especially in tourist areas. As foreigners it is relatively easy to get around Beijing, and locals are very happy to engage in conversation or help you out. Perhaps a main concern would be getting overcharged in places such as souvenir shops in tourist districts or unlicensed currency exchanges. Overall, as long as adequate vigilance is maintained, Beijing is an extremely safe place to live in.

    Despite being situated in a safe city, the university does not take this for granted and has in place a number of security measures to ensure the safety of our students. Both our campuses have 24 hour security at all the entrances, and all the gates are fitted with face recognition admittance.

  • transport

    The university campuses are located within central Beijing, so exploring the city is very convenient. These are the main forms of recommended transportation:

    • Subway

    • Bus

    • Taxi (most are hailed on an app called Didi)

    • Walking 

    • Cycling (Ofo, Mobike and many others)

    We do not recommend these as they are not as safe and will overcharge you:

    • Unlicensed taxis

    • Trishaws


exploring the city

  • 7 UNesco world heritage sites

    Beijing is home to 7 UNESCO world heritage sites, which is fitting for a city that boasts a history of over 5000 years. Some of these are include the famous Great Wall of China and the Forbidden City, but there are other lesser known sites amongst these. Some of these journeys make for a perfect weekend getaway, but others such as the Forbidden City and Temple of Heaven are but a short subway ride away from the university.

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    • The Great Wall of China

    • Forbidden City

    • Temple of Heaven

    • Summer Palace

    • Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties

    • The Grand Canal

    • Peking Man in ZhouKouDian


  • tourist attractions

    Besides these sites of historical and cultural importance, Beijing is filled with numerous other attractions. From redeveloped traditional alleyways (such as the Nan Luo Gu Xiang area) to art districts (798 Art Zone) and even a bustling nightlife scene (San Li Tun area), we gurantee you will never run out of things to do in this city.

    For more details on tourist attractions, see here.


  • parks and gardens

    Parks and gardens here are simply spectacular. Small public parks dot the city; here you can enjoy your morning jog while watching the elderly work out in groups to their favourite Chinese songs, practise Tai Chi moves, and play classical Chinese instrument. There are also a number of well preserved ancient Chinese gardens that are also tourist hot-spots, and the landscaping in these gardens are truly breathtaking. For the more adventurous, massive forest areas remain on the outskirts of the city. These are protected and form public parks that you can spend a day hiking. 


  • food

    Chinese cuisine is one of the finest in the world. With a population of over a billion people and hundreds of different cities and provinces, Chinese cuisine covers a wide range of flavours and tastes, making use of the large varieties of local ingredients. Try Beijing's local specialties which include big dishes such as roasted duck and hotpot, or go for snacks such as chinese pancake (jian bing) or the local's favourite sweetened yoghurt drink.