Who is Admitted

The JSA Diplomat program is highly selective and limited to 25 students each year. The program is open to current high school students and graduating seniors. You do not have to be a current member of a JSA high school chapter to apply. Although we do not have a minimum GPA requirement, we are looking for individuals with a demonstrated track record of academic achievement (especially in history and social science courses). We also look for individuals with strong writing ability, a positive attitude, and the ability to work well with others. Evidence of leadership skills and the potential for further growth is also an important consideration. The purpose of the program is to introduce you to a new a culture and to give you an opportunity to develop skills to succeed in our global economy.  Because of that, we do not expect that you’ve had any prior international travel, study abroad experiences or previous Chinese language training.  In fact, many of our students have never traveled outside the U.S. Ultimately, we’re looking for positive, open-minded students, who can thrive in an exciting and new cultural environment.

Application Process

The application process is simple and easy to complete:

• For students who have never attended a JSA Summer School program (including JSA chapter members), we require: (1) a short essay; (2) a transcript from your high school; (3) a teacher recommendation; and (4) an interview with our JSA Diplomat program staff.  You can apply on-line through myJSA, at jsa.org/portal (there is also a link to MyJSA on the right hand column of each page on jsa.org).  Once you’ve set up a free account and logged in, select “Apply – Summer School” on the Main Menu.  Then select “JSA Diplomat Program, China” under First Choice Session.  Then select “Register.”  Then complete the requested information under each of the four tabs (Overview, Academics, Essay, Payment).  For your essay, please answer the following in 250 words or less: “Why do you want to study in China?” Once you’ve completed the required fields, click update to process your application.  Then, to schedule a phone interview, contact our Student Services Coordinator, Micah Perry at mperry@jsa.org.

• For students who have attended a prior JSA Summer School program and received a B grade or higher in their college-level government class, you will also need to register for the program via your MyJSA account on jsa.org.  You just need to select the JSA Diplomat Program as your First Choice Session under “Apply – Summer School” from the Main Menu and then click Register. You do not need to complete any of the other fields, because essays, transcripts and references are not required for returning JSA Summer School students (your application should be updated automatically to “complete” within a few business days).

Acceptance and enrollment into the program are on a rolling admissions basis. Completed applications are generally processed within two business days. Because of the competitiveness of the program and the limit of 25 students in the program, we encourage interested students to apply as soon as possible.

Once you’ve been accepted into the program, a valid passport and a Chinese visa are required to visit, study, and travel through the People’s Republic of China. If you do not currently have a valid passport, this should be a top priority as you prepare for the program. A student’s passport must be valid for 6 months from their reentry back into the United States. For precise directions on getting a passport, please visit the United States Department of State website at http://travel.state.gov/passport. Our JSA Diplomat staff can also give you guidance on the process.

Upon acceptance, we will send you an orientation packet with additional details on visas and other required forms for travel to China.