China Study Tour (CST)

China Educational Tour · School Type Tours

China Educational Tours for Every Age Group

Whether you're a primary school coordinator planning a first overseas trip or a university program director designing an MBA immersion — we have a China program built for your group's age, objectives and budget.

China Study Tour (CST) is a provider of in-depth China corporate visit and educational tour solutions for educational institutions, business schools, and corporate executives worldwide. We design and manage educational programmes in China for students aged 8–22 and teaching professionals. Every program combines cultural exploration, curriculum-linked learning and safe, professionally guided experiences across Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Xi'an and Chengdu. 13+ years · 500+ groups · Ages 8–22.
🛡️Zero incidents in 300+ programmes13+ years without a serious safety incident
🏨4-star hotels onlyVetted accommodation for all age groups
👤1:10 supervision ratioOur guides plus your accompanying teachers
📞24/7 emergency lineA senior team member reachable at any hour
High School · Ages 14–18

China High School Study Tour

An immersive program for secondary students — history, technology, peer exchange and real China.

Ages14–18
Duration7–10 Days
CitiesBeijing · Xi'an · Shanghai
Min. Group15 Students
TeachersIncluded in ratio
CurriculumHistory · Economics · STEM · MFL

A rich, academically substantive program taking secondary students from ancient imperial China to the world's leading innovation economy. Designed for IB, A-Level and senior secondary students with clear curriculum links at every stop — history, economics, geography, science and Mandarin. The peer exchange with a Chinese high school is consistently rated the most powerful experience of the trip.

Great Wall — Mutianyu

Cable car up, toboggan down. Extended hike with structured reflection activity. The iconic experience, done right.

High School Exchange

Joint session with a Beijing partner school. Cross-cultural debate, shared activities and genuine peer connection.

Terracotta Warriors, Xi'an

The world's greatest archaeological discovery, with curriculum-linked guided narration across all three pits.

Shanghai STEM Visit

Technology museum, innovation center or robotics facility — customised to match your students' academic focus.

What's Included

  • Pre-trip resource pack and student journal — ready for 2–3 classroom sessions
  • Curriculum mapping document linking every activity to national curriculum outcomes
  • Risk assessment documents ready for school board submission
  • 4-star accommodation, English-speaking guide throughout
  • High-speed rail Beijing → Xi'an and domestic flight Xi'an → Shanghai included
  • Post-trip reflection guide and class display materials
Primary School · Ages 8–13

China Primary School Trip

Safe, fun and genuinely educational. The trip your students will talk about for the rest of their school years.

Ages8–13
Duration7–10 Days
CitiesBeijing · Chengdu
Min. Group10 Students
Supervision1:10 ratio
CurriculumHistory · Science · Languages

China works remarkably well for primary school students — younger children are more open, more curious and often better travellers than their older counterparts. Our primary programmes are experience-led: making dumplings, seeing giant pandas, riding the Great Wall toboggan, learning to write their names in Chinese characters. Every activity is age-appropriate, supervised and designed to generate memories that reshape how students see the world.

Giant Panda Research Base

Morning visit when pandas are most active. Structured observation worksheet for curriculum use. The most-loved activity for ages 8–11.

Great Wall Toboggan

Cable car up to Mutianyu. Supervised hike. Toboggan slide back down. Guaranteed highlight of every primary trip.

Dumpling Making Workshop

Hands-on session making jiaozi. Students eat what they make. Messy, fun and genuinely educational about Chinese food culture.

Mandarin Language Class

Fun, interactive session — numbers, colours, greetings and a short skit in Chinese. Students perform for each other at the end.

What's Included

  • Pre-trip classroom resource pack suitable for Years 4–6
  • Age-appropriate student journal with daily prompts and drawing spaces
  • Full risk assessment documentation ready for school board submission
  • 4-star hotels, English-speaking guide throughout
  • Dietary information cards in Chinese for every student with specific requirements
  • Post-trip class display materials and reflection activities
University · MBA · Ages 18+

China University & MBA Study Tour

Academic rigour meets firsthand immersion. Peking University. Alibaba. A living case study in the world's most dynamic economy.

Ages18+
Duration7–14 Days
CitiesBeijing · Hangzhou · Shanghai
Min. Group10 Students
FacultyCan join & co-facilitate
CurriculumBusiness · Economics · Policy · Engineering

For undergraduate and MBA cohorts, China offers something no classroom can: a living, real-time laboratory for the world's most consequential business environment. We design academically rigorous programmes that map every company visit and university exchange to specific learning outcomes — and deliver expert guest lectures, structured debrief sessions and a written strategic report that faculty can use for curriculum development.

Peking University Campus & Lecture

Tour of Asia's top university + faculty lecture matched to your cohort's academic focus. Q&A with PKU students included.

Alibaba Campus, Hangzhou

The company visit that redefines what students understand about e-commerce, logistics and platform economics. Nothing else compares.

Fudan University Exchange

Joint case study session with Fudan MBA or undergraduate students. Cross-cultural business discussion facilitated by Fudan faculty.

Expert Guest Lectures × 2

Two private sessions with practitioner-experts — economists, entrepreneurs or senior executives — on topics matched to your program.

What's Included

  • Pre-trip academic reading pack and case study materials
  • Curriculum mapping document linking visits to learning outcomes
  • Post-tour Strategic Briefing Report — ready for faculty use and board presentations
  • 4-star hotels, bilingual academic guide throughout
  • 2 expert guest lectures (topics matched to cohort's field)
  • CPD certificate of completion available on request
Teacher CPD · Adults

China Teacher CPD Program

Classroom observation. Curriculum benchmarking. School leader exchange. The most impactful CPD most teachers have ever done.

ForTeachers & School Leaders
Duration7–10 Days
CitiesBeijing · Shanghai
Min. Group8 Teachers
CertificateCPD Certificate Included
SubjectsMaths · Science · STEM · Primary

China's education system consistently outperforms Western counterparts in mathematics, science and reading at every PISA benchmark. Seeing why firsthand — through structured observation of Chinese classrooms, benchmarking sessions with school leaders and curriculum comparison workshops — gives teachers insights they can apply in their own classrooms on the Monday after they return. Consistently rated the most impactful CPD participants have ever undertaken.

Classroom Observation × 2 Schools

Structured observation sessions in two different Beijing and Shanghai partner schools. Observation framework provided. Genuinely open — not curated performances.

School Leader Roundtable

Facilitated discussion with the host school's leadership team. Curriculum priorities, teacher development, wellbeing and assessment. Honest two-way exchange.

Curriculum Benchmarking Workshop

Facilitated half-day comparing home curriculum with China's national framework. Participants draft an insight memo for their school leadership.

CPD Action Planning Day

Each participant produces a CPD Action Plan: 3 practices to implement, 1 partnership idea, a plan for sharing with colleagues. CPD Certificate issued.

What's Included

  • Observation frameworks and reflection journals for structured CPD recording
  • Curriculum comparison documentation ready for school board submission
  • CPD Certificate of Completion (meets Ofsted, ERO and equivalent inspectorate standards)
  • 4-star hotels, education specialist bilingual guide throughout
  • STEM Education Center visit — AI-assisted learning tools and robotics curricula
  • Full program documentation pack emailed within 3 business days of return
Is This Right for Your Group?

Choosing the Right Program

This is the right fit when…

  • You represent a school, university or group of educators planning a China program.
  • You want an age-appropriate, curriculum-linked design — not one-size-fits-all.
  • You need safeguarding documentation, curriculum links or CPD for your group.
  • You value a single experienced operator handling logistics end to end.

Likely not the right fit

  • Corporate executive delegations — see our executive China Study Tour (CST)s
  • Individual leisure travellers outside an institutional group
  • Groups wanting pure tourism with no educational structure
Honest Answers

What Schools Ask Us Most

The Worry We Hear Most

"Can one operator really handle everything from primary to university?"

Yes — and that's the point. Each program is purpose-built for its age group, but all share the same foundation: safeguarding documentation, bilingual guides, curriculum links and a Beijing-based team available 24/7. With 13+ years running school programmes for 500+ groups, we match the right pacing, supervision and content to your specific group.

What to Plan Around

A few honest practicalities.

  • Each program has a different minimum group size (8 teachers, 10 primary/university, 15 high school).
  • School-linked visits depend on Chinese term dates; we schedule observation and exchange around them.
  • Popular spring/autumn windows fill early — book 4–6 weeks ahead, longer for large groups.
  • Visa requirements vary by nationality; we provide invitation letters and full guidance.
Why Schools Choose CST

When We're the Strongest Choice

🛡️

Age-appropriate safeguarding for every group — from 8-year-olds to faculty.

📚

Curriculum & CPD links built into every program type.

🤝

Real exchange and access — Chinese schools, universities and companies.

🌏

13+ years, 500+ groups, 40+ countries — one experienced team.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What school programmes do you offer in China?
Four purpose-built programmes: High School Study Tours (ages 14–18), Primary School Trips (ages 8–13), University & MBA Study Tours (ages 18+) and Teacher CPD Programmes. Each is designed separately for its age group, with tailored activities, pace, accommodation and educational framing.
How do you keep students safe?
Every program includes a minimum 1:10 supervision ratio (our guides plus your teachers), 4-star vetted hotels, dedicated GPS-tracked transport, medical protocols with hospitals identified per city, and a 24/7 emergency line. Across 300+ programmes we've had zero serious incidents, and we provide full safeguarding documentation for board submission.
Which program is right for my group?
High School suits secondary students wanting curriculum-linked culture, STEM and peer exchange; Primary suits ages 8–13 with experience-led, highly supervised activities; University & MBA suits cohorts wanting company visits, university exchange and assessment frameworks; Teacher CPD suits educators wanting classroom observation and benchmarking. Tell us your group and we'll recommend the best fit.
Are the programmes linked to our curriculum?
Yes. Each program includes a curriculum mapping document. High school links to History, Economics, STEM and Mandarin (IB and A-Level friendly); primary to KS2-equivalent topics; university to course learning outcomes with assessment frameworks; and teacher programmes carry CPD accreditation.
What is the minimum group size?
It varies: 8 teachers for the CPD program, 10 students for primary and university programmes, and 15 students for high school — each plus accompanying staff. Smaller groups can ask about joining a scheduled departure.
What's included in the price?
All programmes include 4-star accommodation, in-China transport, a bilingual guide, activities and entry fees, plus program-specific documentation (resource packs, risk assessments, curriculum mapping, CPD certificates or strategic reports). International flights and visas are excluded.
How far in advance should we book?
We recommend 4–6 weeks minimum, and earlier for large groups or popular spring and autumn windows. Contact us with your school type, age group and dates for a full proposal within 48 hours.

Not Sure Which Program Is Right for Your School?

Tell us your school type, age group and approximate dates. We'll send a full program proposal within 48 hours — ready to present to your head teacher or board.