Location
Multiple Locations +3
  • China
    • Beijing
    • Shanghai
    • Hangzhou
    • Shijiazhuang
    • Shenzhen
  • Japan
    • Tokyo
  • Taiwan
    • Taipei
    • Tainan
    • Taichung
    • Kaohsiung
Project Types
Childcare Youth Education Teaching ESL

Program Details

Timeframe
Short Term Spring Break Summer Winter Year Round
Housing
Apartment Host Family Hostel
Groups
Small Group (1-15) Medium Group (16-30) Large Group (31+)
Travel Type
Budget Solo

Pricing

Starting Price
$0 USD
Price Details
The majority of your costs (including flights) are covered by a generous scholarship from the host school or host family. For the summer camp option, we require a £250 program fee (paid in two instalments with scholarships available).
What's Included
Accommodation Activities Airfare Airport Transfers Some Meals Transportation Visa
Dec 02, 2020
Nov 14, 2020

About Program

Teach English or your degree subject at summer camps or homestay placements across Asia with Abridge Academy! Inspire the next generation, experience the local culture, make new friends and explore Asia, all while gaining valuable work experience and a TEFL qualification.

All program options include:
- Free flights and accommodation
- Free orientation program, ad-hoc trips and cultural activities
- Free online, fully accredited TEFL course and certificate
- Three days free post-program accommodation in a city of your choice

Summer camp (£250 program fee, with scholarships available):
- 3-10 weeks English, STEM or Outdoor Adventure camp placement
- Optional free homestay week
- Placements available in China, Japan and Taiwan

Homestay (free):
- 5+ week homestay tutoring placement
- Free Chinese classes at a professional language school
- Offered all year round
- Placements available in China only (Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou and Shenzhen)

Video and Photos

Program Highlights

  • Well funded - including flights and accommodation
  • Fully accredited TEFL training and certificate
  • Cultural workshops, activities and sightseeing trips
  • Free post-program trip with three days of accommodation in a city of your choice
  • Large group of participants from across the UK, Europe and America - meet new travel buddies!

Related Programs

Program Reviews

9.54 Rating
based on 13 reviews
  • 9-10 rating 92.31%
  • 7-8 rating 7.69%
  • 5-6 rating 0%
  • 3-4 rating 0%
  • 1-2 rating 0%
  • Benefits 9.2
  • Support 9.4
  • Fun 9.8
  • Facilities 8.7
  • Safety 9.2
Showing 1 - 8 of 13 reviews
Default avatar
Jessie
10/10
Yes, I recommend this program

A great experience

I had a really fun time on the program for many reasons. Teaching lots of enthusiastic kids helped me develop my leadership skills and gain confidence which has been helpful elsewhere in my professional life. I also really enjoyed getting to know the kids and having them teach me Chinese and dance routines amongst other things. Aside from this there were a lot of extracurricular activities including a waterfight, and it was a lot of fun getting to know the other teachers with whom I went on trips including to central Beijing and the Ming tombs.

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?
There were some great snacks in the store next door including dried tamarinds. my meat eating friends also tried chicken feet.
17 people found this review helpful.
Response from Abridge Academy

Hi Jessie, thanks so much for your lovely review - really appreciate it :) It's great to hear you enjoyed your time in Beijing and it helped you develop useful transferable skills! Wishing you all the best with your future plans ~Katie

Luke
10/10
Yes, I recommend this program

STEM Summer Camp 2019

I had a great time in Shanghai!

You have so much support whilst preparing for the camp including visas, flights, preparation for class resources (chemicals, experimental apparatus etc.) etc. The other teachers and camp leaders were very welcoming and accommodative. One of the best perks was that I got to a tour around Shanghai and got to go to Disneyland!

It also gives you great experience for your CV - whether or not that's for future teaching roles (such as temporary supply agency work as I'm now doing) or the transferable skills gained.

I also had the opportunity to travel around some cities in China for a few weeks afterwards which allowed me to try a whole host of new foods, learn some Mandarin and meet some great people! As my flights to Asia had already been paid for, this meant that any onwards travel was significantly cheaper.

Would highly recommend to anyone!

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
I was surprised by how often I'd be approached for a photograph - it was great, I felt like a celebrity!
17 people found this review helpful.
Response from Abridge Academy

Hi Luke, thanks so much for your wonderful review :) It's great to hear you enjoyed your time on the Shanghai STEM camp, you were a fantastic camp teacher - really appreciate your excellent work and contributions to the program! ~Katie

Default avatar
Meg
8/10
Yes, I recommend this program

TEFL and Homestay 2019

I met some lifelong friends on this trip and learnt more than I could possibly imagine. Teaching and staying with a family in China helped me to get to know the culture on a level I otherwise would not have, it is an incredible place and as a student of History and Politics, this trip has done wonders for my degree! In fact, I loved it so much that my entire final year studied have been geared towards Chinese history and politics. Some highlights: getting caught in a monsoon walking back from a restaurant, hiking through the mountains in Outer Mongolia, and eating so many dumplings I thought I might explode!

What was your funniest moment?
When we had a waterfight with all the teachers and students!
16 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Jack
10/10
Yes, I recommend this program

Every student should sign up

My time in Shanghai was incredible. The experience of running my own classroom and of trying to instill in students a curiosity about economic ideas was extremely rewarding. The trip also made traveling around Asia financially viable when it would have otherwise been impossible. I'm thrilled that I had the opportunity to build relationships with people on the other side of the planet, surround myself with a different culture, develop my ability to communicate intricate concepts using simple language, and all while being paid. I recommend every student consider it.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Make the most of being in Asia, plan to travel around and see the place with the cost of flying out covered.
17 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Julia
10/10
Yes, I recommend this program

EduCamp 2019

This program was an amazing way to immerse myself in Chinese culture, meet new people and experience teaching in a completely new environment. Even though the school was located a bit of a way outside the center of Beijing, transport links were good and there was plenty of time outside of teaching to explore the local area and the city. Besides this, there were numerous cultural activities organised for us, from calligraphy to tea ceremonies, and all the participants lived together in the school which meant there was always things going on with which to fill your time. After the program, I took the opportunity to travel down through China to Hong Kong with a group of other participants which was an amazing way to see more of the country - would highly recommend!

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Be open to new experiences and expect to be pushed out of your comfort zone - it's so worth it for the memories you will create!
15 people found this review helpful.
Response from Abridge Academy

Hi Julia, Thank you so so much for your kind review - great to hear you enjoyed your time on the Beijing camp! I know Jessica [camp director] put a lot of effort into organising those cultural activities last year, so I'll pass on your lovely feedback to her too :) Wishing you all the best with your studies ~Katie

Default avatar
Jamie
9/10
Yes, I recommend this program

EduCamp Huzhou 2019 - I had a great time!

We were based in a school just outside Huzhou. I wasn't entirely sure what I had signed up for as sometimes the guidance from the host school (not from Abridge) was a little unclear, but we learnt to work with it. On arrival we of course found out more and everyone was very welcoming!

It was cool to be in a 'less mainstream' area as I got to see some parts of China that many tourists may not see. Our lessons were flexible and so I ended up using a STEM theme for many of my lessons in the summer camp. The other activities were good fun and with the other 'foreign teachers' we were able to experience a great variety of food, local sights and cultural activities (including karaoke). After the camp I spent a week in the Beijing area before getting a train (so fast!) back to Shanghai to fly back.

Katie from Abridge Educamp was super helpful in organising things before summer and has made a conscious effort to keep in touch with us after - thanks Katie!

One thing I would say - water fights are a great ice breaker, regardless of age, language etc :)

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?
I knew staying vegetarian in China would be hard. I didn't expect to eat duck tongues, lamb kidneys, bone marrow, tripe, or sea urchin! Of course (for those worried) I didn't have to, but I was up for trying everything. Also, taro cookies are the best!
15 people found this review helpful.
Response from Abridge Academy

Hi Jamie, thank you so much for your wonderful review, really appreciate it! It's great to hear you enjoyed your time at the Huzhou camp - best of luck with your future plans :)
~Katie

Default avatar
Joe
10/10
Yes, I recommend this program

Life-changing and eye-opening!

I had the most incredible time on a 6 week homestay in Hangzhou. I was very nervous before going, but I was very warmly welcomed by my generous host family, and it was a huge boost to my Chinese language skills and confidence. As my first time going to China, it was also fascinating to discover such a different culture. The organisers of my trip were so fun and friendly, committed to me having a good time, and I always felt safe. I particularly loved the free language lessons. I would recommend this trip to anybody who loves adventure and is drawn by Chinese culture.

What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?
Not having a phone and not knowing where to go to get picked up from the station! Totally my fault and me being silly, but I highly recommend that you get a Chinese SIM card (with data) as soon as possible after you arrive - your host family can help you.
16 people found this review helpful.
Response from Abridge Academy

Hi Joe, thanks so much for your wonderful review - really appreciate it! I'm glad to hear you had a good time on the homestay program in Hangzhou and enjoyed the Chinese cultural experience and language classes :) Best of luck with the rest of your studies! Katie

Default avatar
Vanessa
10/10
Yes, I recommend this program

Best experience ever!

Honestly I had such an amazing time doing the homestay programme with during the summer of 2019. My summer spent in Shenzhen resulted in a lot of personal growth because I was placed in an unfamiliar environment but I still had a lot of support both in China and in the U.K. (From Katie - the creator of the program) which allowed me to really flourish.

Communication with Abridge Academy
The communication was seamless. Katie was super fast at replying and was always willing to give me advice and ideas on how to overcome any obstacles I might have been facing. For example, the 11 year old I was looking after, like the majority of kids his age, wouldn’t always want to study. I had expressed this to Katie and she was very quick to suggest some ideas for me to try out, and checked in with me a week later to see how things were going.

Host Family
The host family was amazingly generous and were really understanding of cultural differences. They were always excited to include me in all their activities and truly wanted me to have an amazing time in China. What I liked was that my family was very transparent. Like every family, no one is perfect all the time you have some good days and not so good days (the former more often than not) but I appreciated that they weren’t being fake. I truly felt like they treated me like I was a member of their family not just because of how kind they were to me but because they were authentically themselves but still tried to make sure I comfortable.

QiXing Au pair
Abridge Academy connected me with QiXing Au Pair so they were my liaisons whist I was in Shenzhen and where I went to do my chinese lessons and with whom I went on monthly cultural outings. The staff were all very friendly to me and are available pretty much 24/7 if you need to chat or ask a question. They were super vital in helping iron out any misunderstandings between Aupairs and their host families because they understood the cultural stand points of both. It’s been a year since I was in Shenzhen and I’m still in communication with some of the staff members because they were genuinely friendly people.

MAJOR POINT TO REMEMBER:
This isn’t a holiday, don’t get me wrong, I got to do lotssssssss of things thanks to the generosity of my host family and through QiXing Aupair. But it was also hard work because I wasn’t used to entertaining a child all day. But honestly you just have to be patient with the child and ask them to be patient with you too. Every child is different and like adults they have many layers to their personality which are influenced by what they been exposed to so far in life. Having the patience to try to learn and understand your child/children’s layers is a MAJOR KEY. This experience had challenging moments but honestly it was one of the greatest times for me.

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?
Sea cucumber, I will not be rushing to try it again 😂
15 people found this review helpful.
Response from Abridge Academy

Hi Vanessa, thank you so much for your wonderful review - really appreciate your support! I'm glad to hear you enjoyed your time with us in Shenzhen - you were a fantastic participant and a true asset to the program, thank you for your great work! Wishing you all the best with your future plans :) Katie

Questions & Answers

Hi Ed, thanks for the message! Please check our website (abridgeeducamp.com) for the up to date requirements, as there are some variations depending on the exact program option selected and they are reviewed each year. Note that there is a competitive application process (we receive more than five applicants per place), so in addition to the essential eligibility criteria we will also assess your...

Hi Angel, thanks for the message! Sure, the majority of your costs are covered by our partner camps, including flights, accommodation and most meals on camp days. However, you will need to budget for visa costs, vaccinations, insurance, personal spending, etc. so we usually recommend EduCampers are prepared to spend around $500 on these additional costs. You can see more in the FAQs on our website...