Life On Campus at Middlebury College
CAMPUS LIVING
Chinese School students, teachers, and bilingual support staff will live together in Chinese-only campus dorms with single gender bath facilities in a hall with mostly single and some double rooms. Members of the Chinese School community (students, faculty, and staff) are expected to eat together at set meal times in the dining hall, as these and other informal gatherings, such as sport and social events, are critical opportunities for language practice and community building. While other Language Schools will be on campus and sharing campus facilities at the same time, all students are required by the Language Pledge to stay in their own language at all times.
Learn more about Middlebury College: https://www.middlebury.edu/about/campus
Tour the Middlebury campus online:
Virtual Tour: https://vimeo.com/72660526
Fall: https://vimeo.com/108131222
Summer: https://vimeo.com/70966915
CAMPUS FACILITIES 
A campus map is available online here.
On campus, all Language School students will have access to:
Campus Athletic Facilities
Campus Laundry
Campus Library
In town, students can shop and visit local businesses: Shops, Services, and Restaurants in the Town of Middlebury
CAREER SERVICES and RESOURCES
Whether you are looking for job or internship or an employee, wondering about a career, or just gathering information, this is the place to start:
https://www.middlebury.edu/office/careers-internships
DINING and MEALS
All Chinese School students and faculty are expected to eat lunch and dinner together in our assigned dining hall during our assigned meal times. Meal times are essential for developing friendships and community, student language acquisition and practice, teacher mentoring, and communication of School news.
The Language Pledge is expected during all meals.
Review and submit Dietary Request Form.
Learn more about Campus Dining.
EVENTS & ACTIVITIES
To practice new language skills while exploring Chinese culture, you will be encouraged to participate in a range of organized activities each week – in Mandarin, from films, weekly hands-0n workshops, afternoon lectures, and evening socials, to afternoon sports, outdoor and indoor fitness, and live music and performance opportunities. Bring your gear and be ready to join in!
Key Dates 2025
Faculty-Staff Social June 28
Guest Musician Concert July 26
China Night School Talent Show August 2
HEALTH and WELLNESS
A variety of resources to support the physical and mental well-being of our students are available on campus, including:
The Anderson Freeman Resource Center provides intercultural support and resources.
The Athletic Center offers an indoor pool, weight room, tennis courts, squash courts, cardio equipment, and indoor track. **The Chinese School will have soccer and volleyball teams, so bring your sports equipment if you wish to participate.
The Campus Health Center provides physical and mental health support services, including 24/7 access to Midd TeleHealth. The nearby Porter Hospital offers a walk-in health clinic.
The Disability Resource Center provides accessibility and accommodation information and support. Special Needs Identification Form
HOUSING
Chinese School students and faculty live together in designated residence halls on the Middlebury College campus. Students will be housed in single rooms on either gender-specific or optional gender-mixed halls with gender-specific or optional gender-mixed bath/shower rooms. One or all of our dorms will have shared laundry facilities, lounges, and kitchens. Some campus dorms are older without air conditioning so be prepared for warm summer temperatures. Fans can be purchased on campus or in town.
In early June, you will receive an email to your Middlebury email with a link to a self-service housing portal to see your room assignment. You will receive your door security code after completing campus check-in.
Chinese School students and faculty live in dormitory rooms with a community bathroom in designated residence halls on the Middlebury College campus. Students will be housed in mostly single rooms on gender-specific floors or wings with gender-specific bath/shower rooms. An optional mixed-gender floor is available by request.
Our dorms include shared laundry facilities, lounges, and kitchens.
Each room includes a single Twin XL bed, desk, desk chair, dresser, closet, linoleum floor.
Most campus dorms are old and may not include air conditioning. A room fan may be purchased at the campus bookstore or in town.
Residential living preferences should be submitted on the Enrollment/Housing form.
Any accommodation requests must be submitted to the ADA office.
The Language Pledge is expected in all of our shared spaces and throughout campus.
Learn more about Residential Living at Middlebury.
See Campus Map.
See What to Bring.
The Language Pledge is expected in all of our shared spaces and throughout campus.
Learn more:
Residential Living at Middlebury.
Campus Map.
LANGUAGE PLEDGE
All Language School students will commit to the focus of their chosen language of study for the duration of the summer session. The Pledge is like a ‘focus bubble’ that will enable you to concentrate on your target language without interruption and thus get the most out of your efforts, studies, and time.
“In signing this Language Pledge®, I agree to use Chinese as my only language of communication while attending the Middlebury Language Schools. I understand that failure to comply with this Pledge may result in my expulsion without credit or refund.”
The Language Pledge supports a solid foundation in language—reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Outside the classroom, the Pledge encourages meaningful engagement and fluency acquisition as students participate in daily activities. Adherence to the spirit of the Pledge and a sincere effort to use Chinese as exclusively as possible during the session will increase language skill. By staying in your target language 24/7, you will assist yourself in training your brain to think in Chinese, and support your peers in their language-learning commitment as well.
*While conversations with family, friends, and/or colleagues may be necessary, it is recommended that communications not in Chinese (calls, texts, email, social, news) must be firmly limited, i.e. once a week. Non-Chinese conversations must be done out of earshot of other language students. Speaking English in the presence of other students attending the Chinese School, and other Language Schools, is a direct violation of the Pledge and must be avoided at all times.
For more information, please see:
Language Pledge Defined
Strategies for Managing Language Immersion
MAIL
Pick up mail and packages from the mail room in the McCullough Student Center Mail Room.
Forward and address packages to:
–Your Name – Middlebury Chinese School STUDENT
–14 Old Chapel Road
–Middlebury, VT 05753
POLICIES
Each student attending the Language Schools must understand and abide by Middlebury College policies. Please review important policies here:
https://chineseschool.middcreate.net/middpolicies/
