Rotorua Intermediate School has been awarded the inaugural 2012 Geyser Community Foundation Sister Cities Scholarship.
The value of the scholarship is $1000 and will go towards a trip by 49 of the school's Year 8 students to China in September.
Rotorua Intermediate teacher Stephanie Chand said the 12 and 13-year-old students will visit Jiangning High School in the Jiangning District.
Rotorua District Council has a friendship agreement with Nanjing City in Jiangning District.
Mrs Chand said the students will have the opportunity to experience real life learning of the culture and language of China to support their classroom learning.