Capstone Year
Capstone
The Capstone year abroad is the pinnacle of the University of Chinese Flagship Program. The Capstone year includes two components: a semester spent studying at a Flagship partner university and a semester spent interning in a professional setting.
Students maintain full-time academic status as they enroll in classes at one of the Flagship partner universities. In addition to Chinese language courses, they take regular academic content courses alongside their native Chinese-speaking peers. Students select courses to take based on their majors and interests. Students can start the Capstone year in either fall or spring. Fall students generally attend August through June and Spring students generally attend March through December.
Program Locations
For Capstone, we maintain several possible sites for students to do their Capstone year. Because the National Flagship Program seeks the best opportunities for its students, these programs are subject to change.
- National Chengchi University, Taipei, Taiwan – Students will take classes related to their major and work at an internship related to their field of study in the metropolis of Taipei.
- Defense Language Institute, Monterey, California – This program is specifically for students who want to have a career utilizing Chinese in the U.S. government. Students will work for a U.S. Government Agency as a part of their internship.
Internship
For the latter half of the Capstone portion for the Flagship program, students will apply to and intern at a company or organization at their Capstone site. These internships should be related to their major or future career goals and should allow students to use their professional Chinese language skills.
Program Timing
Students must begin planning for their Capstone year at least one year in advance. Students should meed with their Flagship Academic Advisor and the Flagship Coordinator. Below are key dates and facts.
Fall cohort: August through June
Application timeline for Fall: Mid-January
Spring cohort: March through December
Application timeline for Spring: Mid-September
For Fall Capstone, students must apply to GEO on December 1 and submit an American Council application on January 15.
For Spring Capstone, students must submit an American Council application on September 30, no GEO application necessary.
Scholarships
Flagship provides scholarships dedicated to students going on their Capstone year. Most Flagship students complete the Capstone year at little or no costs to themselves. We are able to defray the majority of the costs of Capstone, and we help students obtain other scholarships and financial aid.
Flagship students are competitive in applying for national scholarships and other external sources to fund the program, such as the Boren Scholarship. Check out our scholarships page for more information.
Eligibility
To be eligible to apply for Capstone, students must meet the following standards:
• Be at least in their junior year
• Complete the Flagship Program requirements leading up to the Capstone year:
– Enroll in the CHN 445 Advanced Chinese topic series each term (as offered)
– Enroll in CHN 399 Capstone Prep during fall term
• Demonstrate at least Advanced-Low proficiency in speaking and in reading and/or listening
• Have a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher
• Demonstrate commitment to Chinese language and culture, academic preparation within the major, and leadership
• Be able to articulate how Capstone will further their academic and/or career goals
• Have U.S. citizenship or permanent residency