Asia is the largest continent on the planet, rich with different cultures and filled with more than four billion people. This, naturally, makes it an appealing study abroad destination. But obviously it’s important to know the cultural differences and what to expect before going there. Because you will be studying on a college campus, whether through an international partnership of your school or through a faculty-led program, knowing the differences between Asian colleges and American colleges is essential.

Note: All of the information below is based on careful research, and we have made the utmost efforts not to generalize, and to speak about specific countries whenever possible. As mentioned earlier, Asia is the largest continent on the planet, so this article will focus on the most common areas where American students study abroad.

Table of Contents

Dorms

In the United States, dorms are part of the college experience and are shared with at least one student of the same gender. Many colleges expect students to stay in dorms in the first year of college. Sometimes, students rent apartments near campus after their first year.

The dorm concept is very much an American thing, but do they exist in Asia? You may stay in dorms for international students when you are there, but other than that, dorms are not very common or don’t exist in most Asian colleges. However, there are dorms in China, which house students of the same gender. Chinese dorms tend to include more students than American dorms. In India, there are student hostels instead of dorms.

Clubs and Activities

In universities and colleges in the US, there’s a club and activity for everyone. There are student leadership positions, business clubs, honor societies, music groups, sport clubs, and so much more. You can also join fraternities and sororities. There are even festivals on campus.