Study Tours
Inside the Quarterly China Study Tour
2026-07-28 · 6 min read
Four cohorts a year, 25–30 members, 7–10 days. What the programme actually covers, how selection works, and what to prepare.
The study tour is CBIC's flagship programme and the reason most students register. It runs quarterly, takes 25–30 members per cohort, and spends seven to ten days inside China's innovation corridor.
It is not a sightseeing trip with a factory visit attached. The programme is built around working environments.
What the week covers
- Innovation parks and technology hubs, with briefings on how the ecosystem is financed and governed
- Working laboratories — automation cells, robotics benches, AI and biomedical research facilities
- Structured sessions with Chinese professors, researchers and company leadership, with question time
- Cultural exchange with Chinese students and time with the rest of your cohort
- A CBIC Certificate of Participation issued against your CBIC ID
How selection works
Only active members enter the quarterly pool. When a cohort opens you apply from your dashboard, describing your discipline, your year and why that quarter's focus fits your work.
CBIC shortlists on merit and interviews the shortlist. Selected members receive a written offer setting out that quarter's programme, the dates, and precisely what the cost covers.
What to prepare before you apply
- A passport valid at least six months beyond the travel dates — this is the most common avoidable blocker
- Enrolment or degree documents ready to scan
- Availability for the full programme; partial attendance is not offered
- Budget for what the tour fee excludes, which is itemised in your offer
Two things people learn late
First, the tour fee is separate from membership, and it is quoted per cohort because the programme differs each quarter.
Second, a place on the cohort is not a visa. CBIC prepares and supports your documentation, but the decision belongs to the Chinese authorities and a refusal is outside CBIC's control.