After Acceptance
Click the link below to submit your $300 USD deposit via CLI's secure payment system (powered by Stripe). Be sure to select your chosen program: China Study Abroad (Standard) or China Study Abroad (Intensive). Within one week of securing your space at CLI, your Admissions Manager will follow up with instructions for the remaining tuition balance.
Secure Your Space →Please complete CLI's Invitation Letter Form at your earliest convenience so CLI can prepare and send the invitation letter and supporting documents you'll need when applying for your Chinese student visa.
Deadline: As early as possible, but no later than 45 days prior to your program start date.
Once you've received your invitation letter from CLI, follow the visa guide that matches your program type:
Summer/Winter Term: Consult CLI's summer/winter visa guide (X2).
Fall/Spring Semester: Consult CLI's fall/spring visa guide (X2).
Academic Year: Consult CLI's academic year visa guide (X1).
Visa fees (cost varies by consulate, plus $45 USD invitation letter shipping from Guilin if required) are not included in CLI tuition.
1–3 Months Before Departure
Please use CLI's secure Passport Form to submit a clear scan of your passport's main information page. Make sure your passport is valid for at least six months beyond your planned return date.
Upload Passport →Please complete this form as soon as possible. It's important that we have information regarding any medical allergies or considerations, as well as any dietary restrictions you may have.
Complete Form →CLI provides complimentary airport, train station, or bus station pickup and drop-off for all students. Complete this form so we know exactly where and when to meet you.
Plan to arrive in Guilin the Saturday or Sunday before your first day of classes. CLI's orientation is held Monday morning. From early September through April, if a guest room is available, you may arrive before Saturday for an additional 150 RMB per night.
Deadline: At least 2 weeks prior to your program start date.
Complete Form →Within one week of submitting your $300 deposit, you'll receive an email from your Admissions Manager with instructions for your remaining tuition balance.
Deadline: Full tuition is due 3 weeks prior to program start.
Please complete this introduction form so your CLI homestay family can learn about their guest before you arrive. This form requires you to upload a doctor's note demonstrating you are in good health and fit to live with a Chinese family.
You may use CLI's health certificate template or one recommended by your doctor. Please allow adequate time to schedule your appointment.
We also recommend reading our practical guide to living with a Chinese host family to familiarize yourself with daily routines, cultural expectations, dining etiquette, and useful phrases that will help you settle in.
Complete Form →Schedule a health examination with your family physician using GXNU's official Health Examination Form. Email the completed form to your Admissions Manager at mira@studycli.org.
Deadline: End of June (Fall) or end of November (Spring) — at least 3 months prior to your start date.
Complete GXNU's Application Form and submit it to your Admissions Manager at mira@studycli.org.
Deadline: End of June (Fall) or end of November (Spring) — at least 3 months prior to your start date.
CLI students in Guilin
1–3 Months Before Departure
Complete CLI's pre-departure questionnaire about your Chinese language journey and future goals. Your three rotating teachers will use this to tailor your curriculum. Answer in Chinese to the best of your ability — but if you're just beginning, English is perfectly fine!
Share Your Chinese Story →CLI has put together a comprehensive pre-departure packet covering everything from what to pack to daily life in Guilin. Please review all information carefully and reach out to natalie@studycli.org with any questions.
Read Pre-Departure Packet →CLI is a close-knit international community built on respect, trust, and clear professional boundaries. Please read the Student Community Standards before you arrive so you know what CLI expects of all students — and what support is available to you.
The standards cover respect and inclusion, professional boundaries with teachers and staff, privacy, class participation, housing, local laws, and how to raise concerns.
Read Community Standards →Every summer, CLI offers an English-taught elective on Chinese history, culture, or literature. All students must complete CLI's Study Abroad in China Course Interest Form.
Deadline: March 31, 2026
Complete Form →A great selection of free Mandarin learning resources is available online. Take time to review and familiarize yourself with each — the more Chinese you practice before arriving, the smoother your transition will be.
Browse Resources →If you want a local Chinese number, CLI can help you get a physical SIM during your first few days in Guilin. Just email Mira (mira@studycli.org) in advance or let the CLI team member who leads your orientation know during orientation (held on the first Monday of your program). Available providers are China Mobile, China Telecom, and China Unicom.
If you prefer an eSIM, make sure your phone is unlocked and eSIM-compatible. Travel eSIMs are usually data-only, so if you go this route, you will not have a Chinese number. Reliable options used by students include Holafly, Airalo, and Saily. Choose a plan specifically for Mainland China and be sure to install it before departure.
Relaxing in Chuanshan Park
What to expect from the moment you land
Over 5,000 students from 50+ countries have called CLI home. Watch their stories to see what your experience could look like.
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