I'm an American college Student and I am intrested in transfering to a University in Shanghai. Do you think that's a good idea or am I better off staying in America?

So some basic info about me:

• Community college student 
• I want to major in both computer engineering and physics.
• I want to transfer to an urban university.
• I don't speak any Chinese.
• I am Black African American, and I'm Muslim. 
• I live in California Bay Area region. 

If I want to transfer to an urban university, I only have two practical options: UC Berkeley and San Jose State University. I think both universities are all right; they have good computer engineering and physics programs, but they have a lot of problems. I hope Chinese universities don't have these same issues. Both Universities are in a decent Urban city, close to my favorite city in America, San Francisco. However, none of these cities are like Shanghai. I am trying so hard not to put China on a high pedestal, but from what I have seen and learned about China and Shanghai, it's like a utopia compared to what we have in America. 

I really want to live an urban lifestyle. I don't like living in a suburb. I want to bike and walk around everywhere. Use a good public transportation system and do not have to use a car (I am able to drive; I just don't like driving). 

I am looking for a good modern university that's in or close to downtown. Has a good computer engineering and physics program in English. The buildings and classrooms are not old. Housing that's very close to the university. I do not want any roommates; I want to live by myself. I would appreciate it if the university had good financial aid programs or scholarships for foreigners. 

I am mostly concerned about two things when it comes to studying in China. Do I have to know Chinese? I don't mind studying the language, but will I have a hard time with school and life in general if I don't know any Chinese? My other concern is my being black and Muslim. I am sure this won't be a huge issue, but I know some Chinese people can be a little bit racist sometimes, especially to people who have darker skin. Is this something I have to be worried about? 

I am not too worried about money because I am pretty confident I will be able to find loans and scholarships to help pay for my expenses, and I have a good chance of finding a good job after I'm done with a university to pay off any debt. 

So what do you all think? Am I crazy about wanting to study in China instead of America, or is this a good idea? 

hi,  if you have these two main concerns regarding studying in China, why do not you choose Taiwan, which is much more open to religion and race diversity. I suggest you to google Taiwan in interNations survey. It has been rank high on the list for foreigner to live. if you have more questions, feel free to ask me.

On 3/10/2025 at 12:37 PM, Flickserve said:

What is the advantage of a China university over UC Berkeley?

 

The US universities you mention may have problems. Perhaps you can mention a bit of detail because you are only ‘hoping’ that China universities don’t have the same problem. Of course, you might be swopping one set of problems for a different set of problems. 

That’s a fair point — every university system has its own strengths and challenges. One advantage some Chinese universities may offer is their strong focus on STEM and research partnerships in rapidly developing industries, often with lower tuition and living costs compared to the U.S. They also tend to emphasize global collaboration, with many programs taught in English and a growing number of international students.

That said, UC Berkeley and similar U.S. universities still lead in academic freedom, innovation culture, and global reputation. It really depends on what a student values most — affordability, cultural experience, or research environment.