Why Diversity Matters

The many benefits of having a diverse population include increased strength, adaptability, and innovation. However, these aspects of diversity can only be fully realized when there is first an appreciation for differences. A group that is willing to look at how their beliefs differ from another's, both learns about the other group and gains valuable insight into their own. Lao Tzu said it best: "Knowing others is wisdom; knowing the self is enlightenment." While we can’t say CSA is enlightened (yet), we can say that we have the wisdom of “knowing others”.

CSA understands the knowledge one gains when interacting with a diverse population, and we recognize that “diversity” goes far beyond race and ethnicity. A diverse population is one that contains many different races, ethnicities, religions, genders, ages, sexualities, and socioeconomic backgrounds. CSA celebrates these differences and encourages students to not only explore the diversity within China, but to also explore the diversity among the CSA staff and students. The best thing about our company is the fantastic people we interact with on a daily basis.

Our Students

Among the top reasons for deciding to work or study abroad is the opportunity to develop relationships with new and interesting people. You're guaranteed to meet plenty of locals during your time in China, but with CSA you will also meet fellow travelers from around the world and from every background. CSA prides itself on attracting a diverse student body - whether you're an American undergrad on a semester abroad, a South African gap year student taking a break before uni, a Venezuelan engineer seeking to enhance your CV, or an Israeli club promoter who wants to try something new, CSA will help you make the most of your time as you learn Chinese in China. Many CSA alumni cite lasting friendships with their fellow students as one of the primary rewards of choosing our company. Our commitment to diversity ensures you have a rich experience that will expose you to many different cultures and fresh ideas.

Our Staff

The importance of having a diverse staff should not be underestimated; at CSA our employees come from all parts of the globe and are available to support students throughout their stay. Having faced similar challenges in the past, we can relate to the common (and less common) problems that students encounter. Our staff is both diverse and culturally competent, and we provide our employees with regular cultural competency trainings. This allows us to help students anticipate and mediate challenges regarding acculturation.

For example, we know how hard it can be to transition to a new culture. While we offer many services that take care of the logistics of living abroad, we recognize that sometimes this is not enough. Sometimes the stress of culture shock can prevent students from fully experiencing China. Those who are new to China should anticipate differences betweentheir new environment and their culture of origin. We suggest you savor the experience of learning about cultural differences. Some differences you might notice right away, such as taking your shoes off before entering a house. Others may be more subtle, but could mean the difference between being welcomed into a person’s home or pushed out their door - and since the best way to learn Chinese is to immerse yourslef in the local culture and community it's very important to embrace each new opportunity correctly. While we handle many daily logistics of your stay in China the service we most cherish is helping students enjoy the process of navigating Chinese culture.

For more comprehensive information on our diversity initiatives see our 100,000 Strong Press Release.

Diversity Initiatives

The Experience Matters Project

A place for you to share your experience of studying in China, how that experience influenced your life, and how your life is shaping the world. This project will focus on user generated video testimonials in which participants share their positive experiences in China, with the aim of encouraging others to study abroad in China, particularly students who have been historically underrepresented in study abroad programs.

Diversity Committee

CSA has elected staff member Paul Berry to head our Diversity committee. The committee’s primary goals will be to: 1) monitor the demographics of students studying through CSA 2) identify ways we can increase the number of underrepresented populations within CSA, and 3) forge partnerships with community organizations who can help us achieve these goals.

If you or your institution are interested in increasing the diversity among students studying abroad please contact the head of our Diversity Committee at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

The CSA Diversity Internship (Merit Based)

The lack of diversity among students studying in China is not simply due to a lack of funding. By providing more scholarships to to students who would not otherwise have the opportunity to study in China, we aim to actively increase the diversity levels among our study abroad students. If we are to be successful we must engage the students in the process. This is why in addition to scholarships we offer students the opportunity to take a China internship at CSA. The CSA Diversity Internship is awarded on a rolling basis to students who have innovative plans for improving US - China relations and creative ideas about increasing the diversity of students traveling to China. If accepted the applicant will receive a $1,000 scholarship to study in China and will intern also in China, at CSA, as an integral part of our Diversity Committee. Applicants are asked to:

Community Development in Rural China

There are 56 ethnic groups recognized by the Chinese Government. Ethnic minority populations equal approximately 105 million people, many of which live in rural areas of China, and CSA works with various organizations to send volunteers to rural schools throughout the country. We also hold a company-wide biannual volunteer project in which all students are given the opportunity to participate. In addition to volunteer projects CSA reinvests a percentage of its yearly profits directly to rural schools and orphanages in China - one such beneficiary is the Golog Orphanage in Tibetan Plateau. Founded in 2004, the orphanage takes in displaced children regardless of their ethnicity, gender, or religious affiliation. The Golog school teaches children basic classes in literacy, hygiene, and arts while also promoting ideas of cross-cultural collaboration. The goals of the Golog school is to promote public awareness and provide upward mobility for community members lacking fundamental life and working skills. The school does this entirely free of charge in partnership with CSA and other community organizations. CSA staff help empower schools and organizations, like the Golog School, by assisting them with building their infrastructure and publicity.

Individually Tailored “Edu-tourism” Programs (10 to 90 days)

CSA Edu-tourism programs are designed to increase accessibility to people who can not take a full summer or semester away from home, work, or school to study in China. From learning Mandarin to mastering martial arts to learning about Chinese tea service and production, CSA will design tailored educational trips to fit your specific interest in Chinese culture.

Advice on China Scholarship 

While many people know that CSA offers scholarships for studying Mandarin Chinese in China, what some may not know is that we offer advice on applying for scholarships. We know where the funding is and how to maximize your chances of getting it so we're creating a data bank of scholarships related to studying in China that will be soon made accessible to students around the world via the Scholarships section of our website.