Program Reviews

I interned with Startup China for 3 months!

I am from Los Angeles, California and had not ever considered interning outside the U.S., but as options were closing down for me, I started searching for internships abroad. That's how I came across Startup China! I started contacting them; they were very helpful and friendly. They helped me arrange my stay in China and gave me one of the best experiences I have ever had!

I ended up choosing China because I find the culture very interesting. Living China you get exposure to a completely different culture and that in itself was very enriching for me. It was even more interesting because I interned in Shanghai, which has people from all over the world, the cultural experience was perfect!

As for the internship itself, I was placed in a Chinese school(That's Mandarin) to do their E-marketing, the staff were very friendly and hard-working and everyone cooperates with each other. I could see teamwork on a daily basis, the working environment was so relaxed and friendly that I didn't even notice the amount of work(and it was a lot of work!) I had done nor the time. But the way they work there is completely different from the American working environment and I loved it! I'm considering moving to China for at least two years for work experience!

If you are looking for an internship in China, do it through Startup China. They really help you out and are there for you through the whole process, before and upon arrival to China. They pick you up at the airport, they help you out with the accommodation, they give you an orientation about the basics of living in China and explain to you how to get around.

I really recommend this program, it is very professional and people are very nice, and you get to make friends from different parts of the world!

I did an internship for 2 months in Shanghai. The company that I interned for was an online e-commerce consultancy firm that specializes in finding American and Western companies from their native countries and bringing them to the Chinese online market.

During my internship I had my own project, along with a colleague, where we created an entire sideline business within the already established company where we tried to connect United States real estate agencies with Chinese investors and high-net worth individuals.

Working with a Chinese team was great. As someone who studies Chinese for a couple years, it was a great experience for me to learn the specific business practices that differ from those in America and it allowed me to broaden my horizons.

I chose an internship with Startup China because, through the research I did before coming to China and setting the entire process up, everything that I read about Startup China and the testimonials that I saw on Startup site made it the clear choice of any of the other potential ways of getting an internship in China.

I think the highlight of my time in China was the facet of my internship of working with my boss because he was so hands-on and I learned so much from him. How comprehensive the entire program was also a huge highlight for me.

I would recommend Startup China to anybody who is trying to get an internship in China because it takes all the hassle out of getting a visa, finding a place to live, and a lot of things that can really deter someone from trying to get an internship in another country.

Coming from a Chinese background(my mother is originally from Sichuan Province) I thought it would be a great idea to go back to my roots and learn about the culture, while at the same time getting a great professional experience. Startup China did a terrific job in pretty much doing everything that was needed to be done for me to have a safe, fun, and rewarding experience during my time in Shanghai.

I ended up applying for and thankfully getting a spot in Startup China's three-month Internship and Intensive Chinese Language Program in Shanghai. Not only was I given the opportunity to intern for a company that I thought was a strong-fit for me, but I also got to develop my limited Chinese speaking and writing skills.

I started with the Intensive Chinese lessons. These were Monday to Friday for 4 hours a day. At first I was really nervous because my Chinese was limited to basic conversation that my mom taught me when I was growing up. Eventually, I became more and more comfortable with the Chinese classes and really improved my the end of the program.

The internship position that the rep from Startup China set me up with was with an UK-based Advertising firm located in Shanghai's Jing'an District. I had such a great work experience because not only were there a lot of hands-on tasks that I never expected an intern would have to do, but I also got any idea of how business is done in Chinese society.

For activities outside the office and the classroom, Startup China organized a whole schedule of fun events that I could experience with my fellow interns. From KTV and traditional calligraphy to countless dinner banquets where we all stuffed our faces, Startup did everything they could to make sure we were having a great time while away from home.

I remember the night I arrived in Shanghai, still a little jet-lagged, I really was questioning my decision in joining this program. I was really nervous about being in a completely foreign place to me, and I was also really worried about my internship because I never had real work experience before. In the end, I am so glad that I joined the program. It truly was an eye-opening experience that I will never forget!

After reading countless newspaper articles about China's transformation into the world's powerhouse country, I knew that it was about time to actually make the trip and experience this incredible change firsthand. The only barrier that came between me and fulfilling this wish was having an organized plan of travel, accommodations, an internship position, and of course the language barrier. Luckily, I was able to find Startup China's website to answer all of these concerns. Within a couple months, I was on a plane descending into Shanghai's Pudong airport getting ready to start a life experience that I would never forget.

As I mentioned, I was looking for an internship during my stay in China because I wanted to have a firsthand encounter with China's emerging markets. Startup found a marketing and PR company for me- exactly what I was looking for.

Without getting in too much detail, the three-months I interned with this company were some of the most stressful and nerve-racking; yet gratifying and thought-provoking months of my life. I will never forget the experiences I had and the skills that I required just from the internship opportunity Startup China was able to find for me.

In terms of the language-barrier that existed, I cannot say that I am a master now or that I have a vocabulary rich enough to read a China newspaper, however, I can confidently say that my Chinese speaking and writing skills improved exponentially. Taking 4 hours of Chinese classes 5 days a week, was a great opportunity to really embrace the culture as I had no real prior knowledge or experience with the language. Being able to tell taxi drivers where to go and waitresses what I wanted to eat during my three-months in Shanghai really made things a lot easier and more convenient.

At the end of the day, I am grateful for the opportunity to live and work in China and I learned a lot about myself professionally as well as the Chinese culture. I will definitely be back in the near-future!

I have been to China a few times and I really liked it. And I would like to stay in China so I thought I would do an internship to see how Business is done in China and get a real feel of what it would be like to live and work here.

I have been doing a three month marketing and business development internship with Startup China, interning at a renewable energy company where they make products which monitor and improve the performance of solar panels.

My duties included market research for the company/s competitors and their future business partners. I also had to develop the market strategy for a new product to be released into overseas markets and presented the company at the Shanghai New Exhibition Center at the PV Solar Show, which is the largest solar power trade show in the world.

The highlight of my time in China was definitely the Solar Trade Expo where I represented my company. I had to meet foreign businessmen, potential business partners; some of whom were CEOs and Company Managers, and I had to explain the company and what we did. I exchanged lots of business cards, made a lot of contacts, and it was very enjoyable.

For anybody coming to China, particularly an intern, I would say come with an open mind. Forget all the preconceived ideas you might have about China, immerse yourself in the culture, try new things, try the food, meet the locals, and just really let yourself get absorbed by it really and that way you will get the best out of your time in China.

I would definitely recommend Startup China because I've had a fantastic internship and I think I've learned a lot. I've had great experience, not only that, but the Startup China team really helped me out. Since the day I got here they were always willing the help. They even helped me set up a bank account in China, helped me with interview preparation for a job I applied for, and they are always there if you need them.

For anybody else thinking of coming to China, I would say to come with an open mind. Forget all the preconceived ideas you might have about China and immerse yourself in the culture, try new things, try the food, meet the locals, and really let yourself get absorbed by it. That way you will get the best out of your time in China.

I come from a small town in Connecticut, so never in the wildest dreams did I think I would be coming to Shanghai to get professional work experience. Without any real knowledge of the Chinese culture before taking the 15-hour flight, except for maybe a few phrases like nihao and certain dishes, I decided that applying for Startup China's Internship program would be the best way to get the most out of the experience.

So, let's begin with the actual internship experience. Prior to landing in Shanghai, I was required to discuss with one of Startup China's career cousultants so that they can ensure I get an internship position that was worthwhile. I told the consultant over Skype that my main interests included the medical industry, business, and international relations. In response, he found an American-based public health consulting firm that was in search of an undergraduate intern for the summer.

The internship experience was incredible as I got to tackle task and responsibilities that challenged me, but at the same time allowed me to learn more about the medical industry. I couldn't have asked for a better position. Thank you Startup China!

In terms of free time in Shanghai, there was just so much for me to do, but just so little time. Fortunately, the staff at Startup China scheduled different events and sights to visit that were must-sees for those new to China. I think my favorite part about the program was being able to go to a migrant school in Pudong because it allowed me to give back to the community, learn more about Chinese culture, while also having fun playing games and singing songs.

The only real hiccup I had during the three-month program was just getting use to the fact that English is not the first-language in China. I wish I applied for the Internship and Intensive language program because it really would've helped knowing how to bargain for cheaper prices at the local markets. Although the survival Chinese classes we had each week definitely helped.

Overall, I had an incredible cultural and professional experience in Shanghai. Thank you Startup China for everything you did for me! I'll never forget the memories for the rest of my life.

I don't really know where to begin with describing my internship experience in Beijing this summer so I am just going to take the time to thank Startup China for doing such a great job! Without their incredible staff, I really don't think that my trip to China would actually ever happen!

I remember a couple months before applying for the program, I was sitting with my friends in one of our favorite restaurants and we started talking about summer plans. He already had landed a finance position through one of his Dad's connections, while I on the other hand did not really put any thought into what I would be doing during my time off. At first, I considered just tutoring at one of the local high schools like I do every vacation. But this time I wanted to be a little more adventurous and get work experience that I thought would really help me pave the way for my future. This of course was when the idea of working in China came to mind!

I've always been intrigued by the Chinese language and culture, and especially now with its booming economy, I thought China would be the best place to be for an ambitious student looking to learn and experience as much as possible. Fortunately, after doing research and reading the reviews on Startup's website, I discovered that this company would be able to set me up with everything that I was looking for.

Fast-forward a couple months and I am being welcomed by one of Startup's representatives at the arrival gate in Beijing airport. After the first day, which was included an orientation dinner with a brief introduction into the city and what my program would be like for the next three months; I was immediately put into my internship program. Startup set-me up with a Sporting Event-Planning Agency that was located in one of Beijing's most-urban and centralized districts. This was nothing short of anything I expected or wanted!

For the next three months I was working with a company that kept me busy throughout my entire internship. Not only did this agency provide me with responsibilities that were interesting, challenging, and rewarding, but they also truly valued my contributions and time that I invested in their business.

Prior to coming to Shanghai, I really did not have any real exposure, let alone any knowledge of Chinese culture. I grew up in the United States my entire life; yet, for some reason I always had an interest in visiting the other side of the world while also learning the language. After countless searches online and research, I finally stumbled upon Startup China as the service that I thought would help me best achieve my goals and make the most out of the experience in China. Fortunately, I was completely right.

I applied for the Startup China's three-month Internship program in Shanghai and was ecstatic when I founded out that I was an accepted candidate. Upon arrival at Shanghai Pudong International Airport, I was immediately greeted by one of the company's representatives who was warm, hospitable, and as excited as I was! After getting a brief tour of Shanghai city just through looking outside the window of the car, I attended a welcome dinner that not only gave an introduction into the program, but also allowed me to meet the other students in the program.

Startup China did a great job in providing me with an internship program that allowed me to get working experience in the field that I was most interested. As a college student concentrating in Business Administration with a minor in marketing, I was matched up with a Shanghai-based startup company who specializes in developing marketing campaigns for various big-named companies around the world. Not only was I exposed to a real-life work experience through this internship, but I also had responsibilities that were valued and actually contributed to the company's operations and success.

I also really enjoyed the survival Chinese classes that we had twice a week. I was in a class with 2 other interns from the program. We had a lot of fun learning the language and attempting to put it into practice when we were out and about, even if we weren't always able to make ourselves understood!

Downtime was something that I was really looking forward to during my time in Shanghai. I heard from some of my college buddies that the nightlife was incredible in the city, so that was definitely on my list of things to do. Additionally, food was also a priority. After being only exposed to "American" Chinese food my entire life, such as Panda Express and countless fortune cookies, I was really excited to finally get the true authentic Chinese cuisine experience.

Startup China always organized fun and cultural activities for all of us after work and of course during the weekends. I think my favorite event that they hosted was the KTV(Karaoke) night because it really brought all of the interns and the company's staff members together! There was always something different planned throughout the program, which was not only fun but in some way or another taught us something about Chinese culture. Another great thing about Startup China's services was that while they were there to support the students as much as possible during the program, they also gave us plenty of opportunities to explore the city on our own.

I am originally from the States and hadn't really traveled much before so I thought that after I finished college would the perfect time to explore a new country.

I chose China because, growing up in New York, I'd be surrounded by Chinese friends, Chinese culture and Chinese food so I thought it would be an amazing experience to see the country first hand - turns out the real thing is nothing like what I'd experienced back home.

I chose to do an internship because, after graduating, I realized I didn't really have that much experience and needed something to make my CV stand out. After looking at Startup China's website and seeing everything they had to offer I decided they would be the perfect choice for me. I wasn't wrong.

From the very beginning Startup were always there for me, they answered my millions of questions quickly and professionally- even the really small and stupid ones. They picked me up at the airport; gave us all orientation and talked about all the things we'd need to know about living in China; gave all the interns a tour of Shanghai and really made the transition to life in China as easy as they could have done.

They found me an amazing internship at an English language magazine in Shanghai doing editorial work- just what I'd been looking for. Startup even took me to work on the first day and introduced me to my supervisor which made me a lot less nervous about everything.

The actual internship was brilliant . I got to write my own articles, go out and do interviews and attend some amazing events. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone looking to get into journalism because you get a real hands-on experience.

I was never bored either at work or in my spare time. We had lots of events put on by Startup each week like karaoke(my favorite!), networking and cooking classes. We also spent lots of time exploring Shanghai. In such an exciting, vibrant city there is always something to do.

I would say the best thing about my internship, apart from being able to work at such an amazing position, is the people I have met. My new Shanghai "family" will be friends forever. They were a great bunch of people from all over the world and I will miss the lots. We're already planning to visit each others' countries and meet up some time next year!

I interned for a month with Startup China in Shanghai.

Startup placed me with a boutique private equity firm right in the centre of the city. I felt like they really listened to me during my interview and managed to find me an internship that was exactly what I was looking for.
As the company was quite small I was able to do a range of tasks starting with updating the companies social media and improving their Linkedln page. I also researched and helped to write reports and presentations and had the opportunity to attend a couple of meetings with the CEO.
Although it was only a month, I felt that I really learned a lot and I hope this experience will help me to find a job in finance in the future.

During the internship Startup provided lots of opportunities to learn about Chinese culture and hang out with the other interns. We went on a trip to Qibao(a touristy water town in Shanghai) one day, learned how to do Chinese calligraphy and play Chinese Chess and we also got the chance to go to KTV. Overall, I think the number and range of activities and events on offer was great.

I also had survival Chinese lessons twice a week at the language school. My teacher was lovely and was really helpful. A month is not a long time but I feel like I managed to learn a lot and was able to communicate(sort of) with taxi drivers by the end of it.

All in all, I had an amazing experience in Shanghai. The internship, the friends I made and Startup China were all excellent. My only regret is that I didn't come for longer.