FAQ

1. Do I have to be a Hunter student in order to apply?
2. My current GPA is below 3.5. Can I still apply?
3. I am a sophomore/junior. Is it too late for me to apply?
4. I am not a Macaulay student. Am I eligible to apply?
5. I am a Macaulay student but my home institution is not Hunter. Can I apply?
6. I am a graduate student. Am I eligible to apply?
7. Is Flagship only for certain majors? Such as a business major?
8. I am a pre-med student. Can I apply?
9. I am a nursing student and I am not allowed to have a second major. Am I eligible to apply?
10. I don't have a major yet. Does that disqualify me from applying?
11. When is the deadline for application?
12. Can I become a part-time student during my final year in Flagship?
13. I have never studied Chinese before. Am I eligible to apply?
14. I speak some Chinese (Mandarin or a Chinese dialect) at home. Can I apply?
15. I studied Chinese in high school. Do I have to start from Level 1?
16. I was born in China. Can I apply to the Flagship program?
17. Does the Chinese Flagship program provide financial support?
18. I have a part-time job right now. Am I allowed to work after I join the Flagship program?
19. As a Flagship student, how many hours do I need to spend on studying Chinese each day?

1. Do I have to be a Hunter student in order to apply?

Yes, the program only admits Hunter College undergraduate full-time students. If you are a high school senior or transfer student applying to Hunter, you may apply for Flagship at the same time. You will be notified as to whether you have been accepted by Flagship after you obtain official acceptance by Hunter.

2. My current GPA is below 3.5. Can I still apply?

We require all Flagship students to maintain a GPA of 3.5 or above. You may apply if you are able to demonstrate that you have a plan to improve your GPA by the end of the first semester of participation.

3. I am a sophomore/junior. Is it too late for me to apply?

Not necessarily. Please visit us at HW1429 or HW617 to discuss your situation.

4. I am not a Macaulay student. Am I eligible to apply?

Yes, all Hunter College students are eligible to apply. You do not have to be in the Macaulay Honors program.

5. I am a Macaulay student but my home institution is not Hunter. Can I apply?

Only Hunter Macaulay students can apply. If you are a high school senior applying to Macaulay, you should choose Hunter as your home institution. Macaulay students from other CUNY institutions are NOT eligible.

6. I am a graduate student. Am I eligible to apply?

No, you cannot apply. The program is only for undergraduate students.

7. Is Flagship only for certain majors? Such as a business major?

NO. We welcome students with different interests. We especially welcome Science majors. Our past and current students are majoring in areas such as Political Science, Economics, Geography, Art, Theater, Media, and many others.

8. I am a pre-med student. Can I apply?

Yes, definitely! We welcome pre-med students. We will work with you individually to help you meet both Flagship and pre-med requirements. Please visit to us to learn more.

9. I am a nursing student and I am not allowed to have a second major. Am I eligible to apply?

Yes. Flagship students pursuing a B.S. degree will not need to declare Chinese as a major. We will offer alternative ways to provide language instruction so that you will achieve superior level proficiency in speaking, reading and writing Chinese in four years. Please visit to us to learn more.

10. I don't have a major yet. Does that disqualify me from applying?

Students who have not yet chosen a major can apply. However, we prefer students who have clear career goals, and we advise Flagship students to choose their non-language majors by the end of their freshman years.

11. When is the deadline for the application?

We accept applications on a rolling basis, so please submit your application as early as possible! The earlier you start, the more time you will have to master the Chinese language.

12. Can I become a part-time student during my final year in Flagship?

NO. You must maintain full-time student status to be in the Flagship program, even during the Capstone year.

13. I have never studied Chinese before. Am I eligible to apply?

No prior Chinese language experience is required to enter Flagship.

14. I speak some Chinese (Mandarin or a Chinese dialect) at home. Can I apply?

You can apply. We will assess your language ability and work with you to design a personalized curriculum to develop your skills in speaking, listening, reading, and writing.

15. I studied Chinese in high school. Do I have to start from Level 1?

The number of years you studied Chinese does not necessarily indicate your real Chinese level. We will give you a proficiency test to put you in the appropriate level.

16. I was born in China. Can I apply to the Flagship program?

Flagship is for U.S. citizens who want to become bilingual in English and Mandarin Chinese. Important: Non-U.S. citizens, including permanent residents (a.k.a. green card holders), are NOT eligible to apply. If you came to the States when you were little and received elementary education in the States, you can apply. If you completed elementary education in China, you can apply, but we may ask you to take tests to demonstrate your proficiency in speaking and writing in English.

17. Does the Chinese Flagship program provide financial support?

Flagship may provide support for study in a domestic summer program and for study abroad. Flagship does not provide support to cover Hunter tuition costs.

18. I have a part-time job right now. Am I allowed to work after I join the Flagship program?

We advise Flagship students to study full time, since Flagship is a rigorous academic program and students will need time to achieve its high standards. Only students who test at superior proficiency level at the end of the program will be awarded Flagship Certification.

19. As a Flagship student, how many hours do I need to spend on studying Chinese each day?

On average, Flagship students need to study 3-4 hours on their own, in addition to 3-4 hours of group classes per week and 3 hours of one-on-one tutorial sessions per week.