The Chinese Flagship Program provides unparalleled support for students who want to become professionally bilingual:

• A research-informed curriculum from beginner to superior-level proficiency
• Exclusive scholarship support
• A supportive network of friends, faculty, staff, and career connections
• Prestigious national certification
• Students who complete the Flagship program gain far higher levels of language proficiency, cultural competence, and career preparedness than non-Flagship Chinese majors

There are currently around 60 students enrolled in the UO Chinese Flagship program.

There are no fees to join or participate in Flagship. Flagship intensive and accelerated Chinese classes cost the same amount per credit as regular UO classes. There are never any fees for participation in the Flagship tutoring program, language assessments, social and cultural events, and individualized mentoring and advising. The all-inclusive cost of the Flagship Capstone Year in China is estimated to be about the same amount as a year at the UO spent in Eugene (including housing, food, and airfare), and most kinds of UO financial aid and scholarships can be applied toward the Capstone year. In addition, Flagship students gain exclusive access to national scholarship funding for Flagship summer programs and the Capstone year, as well as a competitive edge and hands-on support when applying for other scholarships. Overall, participating in Flagship can significantly reduce the cost of reaching Superior, or professional-level, proficiency in Mandarin Chinese.

China has a low rate of violent crime according to the State Department and is generally considered a safe country to travel to. (See travel.state.gov for more information.) Before Flagship students go to China, they receive several orientations and lots of information regarding health and safety in China, including how to use their insurance coverage to get the best medical care and what to do in case of emergencies. Students also receive the most up-to-date advice about how to protect themselves from air pollution and water-borne and food-borne illness. Due to China’s travel restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, students are not able to study abroad in China currently. However, students can complete the Flagship program by studying in Taiwan or in the US.

The career paths of Chinese Flagship graduates are as diverse as the students themselves. Flagship students can study any major, and they gain valuable professional experience during the internship portion of the Flagship Capstone year in China. Flagship students who complete the Capstone year also gain national certification and an international professional network that often opens unexpected doors in their career paths. Flagship students have gone on to careers in private and public sectors, in fields such as diplomacy, business, health, public policy, and research. See our Students and Alumni page for more information.