City students get chance to study at US universities

By Chen Qian  |   2008-12-18  |     ONLINE EDITION

ABOUT 30 high school students in Shanghai will be selected to study at top universities in the United States next summer.

Students can study for one semester at prestigious universities such as Harvard University, the University of Chicago and Columbia University, according to Ameson Education and Culture Exchange Foundation, which is in charge of recruiting the students.

Summer colleges at the universities offer four- to eight-week programs for undergraduates who want to get more credits or graduate sooner.

Thousands of high school students from more than 70 countries attend summer school at American universities every year. About 98 percent of these students were recruited by the universities, the foundation said.

The Shanghai students selected to take part will have the freedom to choose the courses they take and get credits after passing final examinations.

To qualify, a student needs to pass an Ameson Scholastic Test or a record a score of 106 or more on TOEFL. Students should also have good high school test scores and recommendation letters from teachers.

The summer program will cost between 50,000 yuan (US$7,353) and 90,000 yuan for each student.

The foundation said students can get three to eight credit points in one semester, which is worth US$3,000 to US$8,000. It means they can save on tuition fees if they enroll at the university.