Nanjing is a modern vibrant city known for housing dozens of excellent universities. There is a new and efficient subway system, including a line that just opened in June 2010, that makes it easy to explore the city. Shopping, restaurants, markets, museums, parks, and many campus facilities are all very accessible. Because of this, Nanjing offers many advantages over cities such as Beijing or Shanghai. With a population of only seven million, this "medium" sized city is the perfect combination of a rich history, modern economy, and livability.

Beijing and Shanghai, each with over 16 million residents, have become symbols of urban sprawl and bottleneck traffic. Many study abroad programs in Beijing and Shanghai are located on college campuses on the edge of the cities. Unless you happen to be along a subway line, just getting to the city center can involve long commutes and expensive taxi fares.

YISA's home near the campus of Nanjing Normal University brings our students into the heart of downtown Nanjing. Our student apartments, classrooms, and many key locations are within walking distance. Hundreds more restaurants, historical sites, department stores, parks, and other places to visit are within a short ($1.25) taxi ride or a $.40 subway ride away.

Brief History

Nanjing is one of China's most ancient cities and traces its history back nearly 6,000 years. Nanjing has been the capital of China throughout several dynasties as well as the Republic of China. From the Ming Dynasty palace ruins to the ancient fortress walls, Nanjing retains many elements of its imperial past. The Port of Nanjing, on the Yangtze River shipping corridor, is the largest inland port in China.

Nanjing has a temperate climate, and is under the influence of the East Asia Monsoon. Seasons are distinct in Nanjing, with hot summers, cold winters, and plenty of rainfall throughout the year. On average it rains 117 days out of the year and the average annual rainfall is 43.6 inches.

In 1368, Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty, established the city as the capital of China. The Emperor employed 200,000 laborers for 21 years to elevate Nanjing to become the center of power in China. The present-day city wall of Nanjing was built during that time, and is the longest surviving city wall in the world. It is believed that Nanjing was the largest city in the world from 1358 to 1425 with a population of 487,000 in 1400. In 1912, Nanjing once again became a capital city as it was made the capital of the Republic of China.

Program Housing Description

Students will share an apartment with other YISA students in an attractive complex 10 minutes walk from the campus of Nanjing Normal University. A recent YISA student told us that she will probably not live in a place this nice until ten years after graduating. Private rooms are available for most students on a first come first served basis. The apartments have a small kitchen, TV, internet access, and a washing machine. There will be weekly housekeeping available and laundry services (gas or electric dryers are typically not available) can be arranged for a small additional cost. You will find many open air markets, grocery stores, and excellent but inexpensive restaurants near the apartments.