Kendric Chen studied abroad in Fall 2024 at Lingnan University in Hong Kong. One of the notable differences in education between Beloit and Lingnan was the structure of classes and of examinations: “A lot of my classes were three hour lectures, or two [hour and a half-long lectures] twice a week. There were a lot of a lot of the classes set up to where there’s, like, a final project, final paper, or exam, there’s a midterm paper or exam, and then maybe one presentation, and that’s it. It’s based on the British system, so it’s very similar to that … it’s all very concentrated work.”

Kendric specifically reflected on the experience of being at a school that had both liberal arts and larger state school elements to it: “I think a lot of the professors want it to be closer to Beloit, but are kind of, it kind of felt like they were kind of forced into being more big university when I don’t think that’s what they want … I think a lot of the content, especially in the humanities, you’re going to be having some of the more interesting conversations like you do at Beloit, especially in more upper level classes. But I would say that sometimes the structure of the class doesn’t support those sorts of conversations at the same time, and so there’s this weird conflict there.” Engaging in spaces like this can provide a new context or lens through which to understand Beloit.

Something Kendric emphasized was the importance of doing your research to know which school and location is right for you: “Hong Kong is so unique, and Lingnan is a very unique institution. And don’t be afraid to just send OGE like, tons of emails … But I think so I would say in general, in study abroad, just make sure, you know, research things like credit transfers, and make sure you the program fits. And, I wouldn’t do too much, but get a sense of the country, yeah, get a sense of what you might want to do there. Get a sense of those sorts of things.”

While research is important, Kendric also said that “You don’t have to do tons of it at the same time. I would say part of the beauty of it is that I had a week before classes started, but after we were supposed to move in as international students, where I could just kind of explore on my own. And I would wake up and just go, I’m gonna go there, you know, and the public transport is extremely accessible.” You won’t know everything before you go abroad, and not only is that okay, but it can be one of the most beautiful parts of your experience.

Kendric also had some tips specific to Lingnan for future applicants: “There’s a thing called an Octopus card, that’s basically an infinitely rechargeable gift card that you can use for public transport, you can use for restaurants. You can use it at the dining halls and at the vending machines, and, like, on campus, it’s just your saving grace to get a tourist one.” And in terms of what language to know, “Mandarin is actually not that helpful there, because it’s primarily a Cantonese speaking country, but the ability to read Chinese can help you remember it’s all traditional Chinese. So in English, especially, you’ll have to choose where you go a little bit more, but it’s definitely a possible thing to do.”

The experience Kendric had wasn’t perfect. He especially mentioned how it could be difficult to make connections: “Lingnan was kind of a rough social environment for me. I hung out with some other international students every once in a while, but a lot of them were with people of the same country, and that was kind of it. And so sometimes it can be a little bit difficult, but like, if you really research and get involved early. I think that’ll be easier.” In relation to this and more generally, he talked about the positive impact of having people you can depend on: “Just make sure you have that support system of people either back home or friends who are also studying abroad, that you can just talk to and whatever. For the times where it can get a little rough, it was helpful that I had people I knew I could text back home and, you know, message and talk with.”

Despite this, Kendric learned a lot from his time abroad: “I think I did a lot of individual scheduling and organizational sort of things. Like, okay, I’m gonna go this, and then I’m gonna do this, and then I’m gonna do this, and, like, kind of managing my travel. But that was a big thing for me … I’ve learned a lot of very good scheduling and organizational skills. I got a little more organized and lived off of a lot less, and that helps a lot as well.” The experience of being abroad means that your time both in and outside of the classroom will help you grow.

Want to learn more about what study abroad could look like for you? Book an appointment with the Global Experience Office today!