Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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REQUIREMENTS & COURSES

GPA requirements are set by your home institution. You must meet these requirements to be able to study abroad.

If your home institution accepts the letter grades from our transcript, they will count toward your GPA. If your school recognizes our transcript as Pass/Fail, then it won’t affect your GPA. Don’t worry — our G-MEO staff will walk you through the process and help you request the right information from your academic advisor or study abroad office.

To ensure that course credits will transfer back, your courses must be pre-approved before you are admitted into a G-MEO program. During the application process, you are responsible for meeting with academic advisors, study abroad officers or anyone else at your home institution that can approve your courses. G-MEO will help you through this process.

The School of Record offers courses that our students take. G-MEO’s Principal Partners provide the course syllabi as approved by the Academic Steering Committee, which ensures high academic standards. To explore which courses are the best fit for you, please contact G-MEO staff to see your options.

G-MEO courses can be applied towards your major, as long as you receive pre-approval. When you are meeting with home institution advisors about approving your courses, be sure to ask how the course credit will transfer back to understand if you can receive major credit.

APPLICATION PROCESS

You can reach out to your G-MEO representative by email or phone. If you are not sure who your G-MEO representative is, please email info@g-meo.com to speak to someone who can help answer your questions.

Please be aware that your university might have a different deadline for applying to study abroad. Please make sure you do not miss the deadline of your home institution as it’s usually earlier than our deadline dates. G-MEO’s Fall semester and Summer programs deadline is April 15. The Spring semester deadline is November 1.

FINANCIAL & SCHOLARSHIP

G-MEO aims to support students in all aspects, including offering early bird discounts and travel grants to help ease finances. If you are concerned about making payment by the invoice issued date, please contact your G-MEO representative.

Your home institution is responsible for certifying your financial aid. Most students are able to carry your federal financial aid while studying abroad during your semester abroad, as long as the credits they earn are approved by their home institution. Some universities even allow you to use all your financial aid toward a semester overseas experience. For summer, you can apply for additional Pell grant. Please contact your financial aid office for more details.

G-MEO aims to support students in all aspects, including offering early bird discounts and travel grants to help ease finances. If you are concerned about making payment by the invoice issued date, please contact your G-MEO representative.

How much money you spend depends on the program and your eating habits and lifestyle. You’ll go over more on budgeting during the pre-departure process, including but not limited to living expenses, books, airfare, meals, passport, visa, local transportation, cell phone, and housing deposit. If you’d like an estimated cost of attendance, please contact your G-MEO representative.

Included activities and excursions vary depending on the program. Activities that may be included in your program are cultural events like the world-famous Sichuan Opera, the Chengdu Panda Research Base, calligraphy practice, tea ceremonies, hikes, tai chi with a master, dumpling making, celebrating holidays with locals, and more! Sometimes, there are other activities available but not covered by the program fee. The local staff will let you know what is covered and what is not. Specific activities depend on each year’s schedule, and the final schedule will be shared with registered students one month before the program begins.

PRE-DEPARTURE

Yes. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the last date of your program. If you need to renew or obtain a passport for the first time, please start this process immediately. It can take up to a few weeks and you cannot apply for a visa without a passport.

G-MEO does not book plane tickets for students. You may want to check with your home institution’s study abroad office if they are organizing a group flight. Usually the earlier you book your flight ticket, the cheaper.

Start and end dates vary depending on the program. Check online or contact a G-MEO representative for exact dates. You should plan to arrive no later than the on-site orientation start date, which is usually one day before the official program start date, and ideally between 7 am and 11 pm if possible. Orientation is a great way to settle in, meet fellow students, and get prepared for your upcoming experience, so we encourage you not to miss it! If you are flying from the US, that may mean leaving one or two days prior to the orientation start date to arrive on time because of travel time and the time difference. Plan to depart on the listed departure date.

If you have an issue with the program start or end date, you must contact your G-MEO representative as soon as possible. There is no guarantee that someone will pick you up at the airport if you choose not to arrive on the Arrival Date. But please communicate with us in advance and we will try our best to coordinate. If arriving early or staying later, students are responsible for their own housing and all additional costs outside of the program dates.

WHILE IN CHINA

Yes. You can bring your unlocked cell phone with you and purchase a Chinese SIM card. Be sure to talk to your phone provider about how to make sure your phone will work in China. Alternatively, you can purchase a local phone. Cell phones are readily available, as are pay-as-you-go SIM cards. Devices can range from $60–180, and monthly service is estimated at around $15/month. Cell phones/SIM cards and usage are miscellaneous expenses not included in the Program Fee. If your current US phone only supports e-SIM, please make sure to activate the data roaming function before arrival.

No problem! Every semester, we have students who this is their first time interacting with China or the Chinese language. There is no language requirement to study abroad with G-MEO. Through the application process and pre-departure orientation, you’ll begin to learn about the country you plan to study abroad in, but the greatest lessons will come by diving into the experience yourself. Feel free to check out our Discover China page or hear about G-MEO students’ experiences in their own words on the Blog.

Yes, an online pre-departure orientation and an onsite orientation upon your arrival to the program. Both orientations are mandatory.

G-MEO offers all Chinese language levels. If you are beyond Beginner, you may need to take a placement test upon your arrival. This is only to help the instructor understand your current language level.

You can find a tentative course schedule on your program’s page or it will be sent to you during the pre-departure process. It is subject to change depending on enrollment.

During the semester, there are two programs you can take advantage of to increase your cultural competency and get more out of your study abroad experience. For those who are interested in spending more time practicing Chinese language outside of their language class, tutoring with a Chinese teacher is available for free up to a certain number of hours. The Buddy program pairs you with a local Chinese student, who is a built-in friend who can help you acclimate to your new home.

G-MEO’s top priority is the safety of its students. China and Chengdu, in particular, is generally safe, known for its laid-back lifestyle and friendly locals. Along with taking precautions as you would in any major city, students should take care of belongings in crowded areas and be alert to the differences in vehicle and bike traffic. G-MEO’s staff is available 24/7 for support.

Yes. Both friends must provide a written request to the Student Affairs team.

The Chengdu Center has free high-speed WIFI. The dorm in Chengdu also has free WIFI but not as high speed as the one in the Center. Hotels should also have free WIFI for you to use. You will need a VPN (Virtual Private Network) in order to access some websites, like Google, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. Ask if your school provides a free VPN service. G-MEO alumni recommend ExpressVPN, but a quick search will help you find the appropriate service and price that’s right for you.

China is a wonderfully diverse country, full of exciting things to do and new places to explore with friends. Whether you are in Chengdu, Shanghai, or another destination, you’ll find amazing food at student-friendly prices, peaceful temples and historic landmarks, lively shopping streets, and beautiful urban parks. Adventure lovers can enjoy mountain hikes, while those seeking cultural experiences can try calligraphy, visit art galleries and museums, or see fascinating architecture and World Heritage sites. And of course, you won’t want to miss karaoke nights, holiday celebrations, and other fun activities that make your time abroad both memorable and social.

Meals are not included program fees. During the summer in Chengdu, if you selected hotel housing, continental breakfast is included. Cost of living is not high in China, and there are many of food options.

Yes. Chengdu may be known for its spicy food and use of the Sichuan peppercorn, but it’s also a global city filled with many food options from around China and the world.

RETURNING HOME

INTERNSHIP

Yes. There are year-round options in Chengdu to participate in a global internship, for credit or not for credit. During the summer, there are full-time opportunities through the credit-bearing Summer Internship Program and the not-for-credit International Internship in China (IIC) Certificate Program. There is also a 14-week, full-time, not-for-credit option during the Spring or Fall through the International Internship in China Certificate Program. G-MEO also offers an internship program in Japan available year-round. Students will be interviewed by our partner agency to ensure their skills are matched with the right internship opportunity.

Due to visa regulations, all internships are unpaid. However, it is up to the employer’s discretion if they would like to provide a stipend, which will be agreed upon in a signed contract. Overall, the cost of living is lower in China, therefore if available, compensation can be expected to reflect this.

After you have successfully completed a general application, paid the application fee, submitted a supplemental internship application, and paid the deposit, the Internship Coordinator will begin reaching out to employers on your behalf. If an interview is required, G-MEO will help coordinate this for you. The process can take 1-3 weeks after receiving your completed application packet.

LEARN MORE ABOUT G-MEO

Contact G-MEO

  • NY Office Phone: +1 347 344 7788
  • Email: info@g-meo.com
  • NY Address: 5 West 37th Street, Suite 210
    New York, NY 10018

 

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Email us: info@g-meo.com