Attention to trilingual education programmes in China has mainly centered on basic education; there had been little attention to date on the higher education sector. This article tries to bridge this gap by examining a Yi-English-Chinese trilingual education programme via case studies of three Yi students, using the ‘River of Life’ constructivist technique – where participants map turns on a river to represent critical incidents in their life histories – to foster reflection. The findings center on life events, like family relocation and change of schools, which steered students to the trilingual Yi-English-Chinese programme; the different ways in which students position themselves in relation to the three languages; and the implications of mixed skill classes, restricted teaching resources and the absence of fit pedagogies. While the delivery of the programme presents serious challenges and the learning outcomes are often disappointing, the pragmatic gains associated with the programme are substantial in terms of students’ access to employment in their home region and opportunities for further study.