Temperatures can be extreme in China: very hot in summer, and very cold in the winter, so plan your student activities accordingly!
Have the address of your accommodations written down in both Chinese and English, because English is not (yet!) widely spoken.
It is not necessary to tip taxi drivers in China.
Travellers checks are not often accepted in budget hotels in China.
Be careful crossing streets, due to the dizzying number of cars in the big cities.