Volunteer abroad in China
You are thinking about spending some time in a foreign country? And you are looking for something adventurous and special? Why don't you become a volunteer in China, also known as The Middle Kingdom or The Red Dragon? Join us and make your trip not only amazing but also meaningful by doing something for the greater good.
Where help is needed most
There are many different possibilities for volunteering in China so no matter where your interest lies, there will be a project that matches it. This can be either working with animals, helping in kindergartens or teaching in schools. You want to find out more about the different projects and volunteer tasks? Then keep on reading.
Animal and wildlife conservation
If you love animals this is the perfect volunteering option for you. As a volunteer in wildlife and conservation, you are able to be part of a project that is all about the giant panda. Due to economic changes going on in China the habitat of these amazing creatures has decreased over the last decades. As a consequence, the animals rely on human help and this is where your support is needed. As a volunteer, you will have a great variety of tasks such as:
- Clearing of the panda enclosures
- Food preparation for the pandas
- Helping to feed the animals
- Chopping and carrying bamboo
- Occasionally taking part in observation and research
Teaching English in China
If you are thinking about becoming a teacher or if you are already studying and looking for more practice, volunteering as a teacher is perfect for you. Being part of such a project will make you gain experience in teaching children with a migrant background in large classes. That sounds difficult to you? No worries, you will partner up with other volunteers and co-teach together. Overall, your tasks will be the following:
- Increasing the children's interest and confidence in the English language
- Helping the children improve their English test scores
- (Co-) teaching oral English classes
- Reviewing what the students have learned
- Preparation of lessons
Support Community Services
Another amazing volunteering option for you is to be part of a community project. Here you will volunteer in traditional and more rural Chinese communities where your help is of great importance. As help is needed in various fields, volunteering will include teaching, helping out at a kindergarten or fruit harvesting which of course depends on the season you are volunteering in China. In order for you to get an overview of the tasks, take a look at the following list:
- Teaching conversational English
- Preparation of your lessons
- Taking care of the children
- Playing with the children
- Assisting local farmers
- Picking and peeling fruit
- Selecting and packing the fruits
Cost of living
The suggested daily budget for living as a volunteer in China is between 13US$ and 37,83 US$. This is an estimate made considering the average price of some of the services you might need and things you might want to buy. It gives you a general overview of how much things cost in this country, so you can be prepared and save the money you will need.
Additional costs you should consider will be:
- program fees
- flight tickets (
find cheap flights to China ) - travel insurance (we recommend
World Nomads ) - fees for your visa
- personal expenses
An exemplary overview of living costs in China (in US$, for one person) is:
Know before you go
Before starting your volunteer job in China, it's important to think about the cultural norms you'll need to adjust to. In addition, learn about the precautions you might need to take. The following list might help you with that:
Safety & precautions
Even though China is a relatively safe country, you need to take certain precautions because travelers are more often the victims of smaller crimes such as pickpocketing.
- Pay extra attention when carrying valuables with you and consider leaving them in the hotel safe if you don't necessarily need them.
- Do not carry large amounts of money with you. Take only what you need on that day.
- One of the greatest dangers you will encounter in China is crossing a road as traffic is very busy. So please be more than careful and only cross when it is safe!
Culture and religion
China has one of the oldest cultures in the world with different religions such as Buddhism, Taoism, Protestantism, Islam and Catholicism. As a tourist, you are more than welcome to visit the cultural and religious sides. But please keep in mind to act respectfully.
Health advice
In order for you to have a great and healthy time volunteering in China, there are a few tips concerning health and disease prevention. Before you start your adventure make sure to have valid standard vaccinations such as:
- Measles-mumps-rubella (MMR)
- Diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis
- Varicella (chickenpox)
- Polio
- Flu shot
Besides these standard vaccinations,
Packing essentials
Before you start packing your back, you need to think about what you really need. China is a huge country and therefore has many different climate zones, 18 in total! So packing the right clothes depends on the zone and of course, on the time you are going. In the following you will find some essentials we recommend you to bring to China:
- Light and comfortable clothes.
- A flashlight, binoculars and good hiking/walking shoes for outdoor adventures.
- Copies of all your important documents to store in your accommodation in case of emergency.
- Rainproof clothes as well as mosquito repellent.
Requirements & qualifications
As you will have noticed by now, there are many different projects that expect different skills and abilities from their volunteers. While you can find out the specific requirements for each project on their program page, here are some general requirements that apply to most projects in China:
- You need to be at least 18 years old for most of the volunteer projects. When in doubt, we advise you get in contact with the local project manager, as in some projects you can also volunteer when you're 16 years old.
- You need to have basic English skills to join a volunteer project in China. Please note that some teaching projects might ask for more advanced skills though.
- Depending on the project you're interested in, you might need to provide a criminal background check and a health declaration before volunteering.
Visa regulations to volunteer in China
You have made it to the last section of this guide, which is another really important aspect while planning your trip: getting your volunteer visa for China.
Please consider that the following information is based on a best practice approach, which has been made according to the best of our knowledge and in cooperation with several volunteer organizations.
That's why you should please make sure to discuss your visa requirements with your contact person on Volunteer World. If in doubt, we also recommend getting in touch with
General immigration information
There are some general requirements you should keep in mind before you start volunteering in China:
- Your passport must have at least 6 months of remaining validity
- Make sure your passport has at least two blank pages for your Visa
- You should check if a transit visa is required for any connections.
Best practice
If you are planning to volunteer in China you need to apply for an F-Visa. With this visa, you are allowed to stay as long as 90 days but an extension is possible. Before you apply for a visa please get in contact with your closest China Embassy or Consulate. They will provide you with all further information and give you a checklist of documents that need to be submitted.
Please be aware that the application process for a visa can take some time, so make sure that applying for the visa has a high priority on your list.