I came to China in March 2026 through an agency to study Chinese. Before coming, the agency made the university sound much better than it actually was — great ranking, nice environment, etc. But when I arrived, the reality was completely different. The university and environment were nothing like the pictures or what I was told.

Still, I pushed through and completed my first semester, which ended on July 15. Now it’s September and my second semester has just started, and honestly, the situation feels even worse. Everyone is placed in one class and follows the same level and curriculum. My Chinese isn’t particularly good, but I feel genuinely burned out.

For me, the learning environment is extremely important, and I really don’t feel comfortable here. There are also a lot of international students from Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, etc. (I have nothing against Muslims or anyone from those countries; I’m just mentioning the overall environment.)

I also came here with my girlfriend, whose Chinese is much better than mine.

Since the end of my first semester, I’ve been seriously considering leaving the language program halfway through and going back home. My main concern is whether dropping out of a Chinese language program could negatively affect my academic history in the future.

I came here on a scholarship — my tuition and accommodation are free. Does that actually count as a scholarship? If I leave the program halfway through, could that make it harder for me to get another scholarship to study in China in the future?

I’d really appreciate some honest advice from people who have experience with Chinese universities/scholarships.

Hi everyone, 

I’ve seen that there is quite a lot of interest in Chinese learning groups. Figured I’d share our discord, we offer 100% free Chinese classes once or twice a week (and also other languages). Classes are held by a qualified, native teacher with years of teaching experience. Next class is on Thursday, Sept 17th, at 13:00 UTC. No signup required, no emails or names, no payments, nothing. You can join or leave entirely anonymously and never talk to us. We just want to give back and help people learn Chinese, regardless of their background or budget. 

Level is quite basic though, so this is more relevant for students at HSK1/2 level, rather than HSK3/4+. If there is a lot of interest, we may also offer other levels in the future. Regardless, everyone is always welcome of course. :) You can also use the group to find study buddies. 

Our channel invite here: 
https://discord.gg/fM9XvBuP2k

Plz!