LTL Language School

LTL Language School

About

LTL Language School provide the ultimate immersive language experiences throughout Asia.

Study Mandarin, Japanese, Korean or Vietnamese with LTL and enhance your skills not only at our schools, but at our wonderful homestays and enjoy a great social life with our other students, staff and teachers.

Courses are offered in Beijing, Shanghai, Taipei, Beihai, Xi'an, Chengdu, Chengde, Singapore, Tokyo, Seoul and Saigon.

LTL also teach 10 languages online with our 24/7 language learning platform, Flexi Classes.

Our Flexi Classes are a revolutionary way to learn languages online. Say goodbye to fixed class times and say goodbye to awkward time-zone differences.

Flexi Classes are revolutionary for three reasons:

-- Study languages online 24/7
-- Complete flexibility to book, re-book and cancel classes
-- Super easy sign-up which takes barely 2 minutes

Study Mandarin, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Russian, Italian and many more with LTL Flexi Classes.

Reviews

Default avatar
Ling
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Great Online Classes for Multiple Languages

I started the new year wanting to get back into languages and I’d heard from a friend about LTL’s flexi lessons.

I signed up to the free trial and then picked up a months subscription to give it a good go.

It’s really good I must say. Very flexible as the name suggests and it’s so nice to be able to jump between mandarin and Japanese. I tried Korean too!

Teachers are good, resources are good and you can download the lesson material before class which I loved.

Big thumbs up and I’ll keep my sub rolling

Pros
  • Flexible
  • Multiple languages
  • Download resources before class
Default avatar
Grace
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Awesome program and very responsive support team!

I started this program about 3 weeks ago, and I truly enjoy the online sessions and classes. The instructor is supportive and knowledgeable, so I learned quite a lot of slang and got opportunities to correct my pronunciations :) Sometimes I even got 1-on-1 sessions for group class price cause there's no other classmate there 😂

The time slots are quite flexible, but just sometimes might not be able to get teachers that are available during certain hours (I'm in the Asia time zone so not many classes are offered during the daytime on weekdays). The support team is SUPER responsive (I mean, they replied to me in less than 6 hours?!) to solve my technical and website issues. I also really like their Discord channel, just another good way to have extra practice and learn some cultural things every day.

Some suggestions here might be:
1. Some time slot suggestions for people in Asia (e.g. avoid certain hours or you scheduled classes might be canceled)
2. Some slides need to be updated (e.g. missing word/symbol, some conversations are grammatically correct but don't make sense 😅)

So far I really love this program and will continue learning with this platform, thank you LTL!

Pros
  • support team
  • teacher
  • flexibility
Cons
  • material
  • class schedule
Default avatar
Maxim
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Offline and Online 1st Class

I studied with LTL in Singapore and also use their Flexi Classes. Both are excellent ways to learn the language.

The Singapore facility is run smoothly and the home stays are absolutely brilliant. I even had my own gym and pool.

The Flexi classes run 24-7 and you can also learn other languages too, I started Korean for fun. You can choose how often you study so it fits busy schedules. I’m a student and do lots of extra curricular but I can still find time to study with Flexi classes which is so useful for me.

I cannot fault the operation at LTL along with staff and teachers. Highly recommended.

Pros
  • Great staff support
  • 24-7 online learning
  • Amazing homestay
Default avatar
Samantha
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Brand new to learning Mandarin

I am brand new to learning Mandarin, and was a bit apprehensive about starting a full program without any background in the language. LTL has made this an incredibly joyous and easy to navigate experience. Their teachers are knowledgable and friendly and have even customized their lessons for the students in the virtual room. The other day I had a class on food and being hungry and my teacher brought in tons of additional food words to reflect my interests and foods I love. In addition to the wonderful teachers, their office has gone above and beyond to check in periodically and make sure that I am getting the best possible experience from their classes. I would recommend this program to anyone looking to learn Mandarin. I can't wait to learn more and continue with the company!

Default avatar
Rachel
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Excellence

This is a school of excellence. I would recommend it to anyone seeking to learn Chinese. The teachers are excellent and the school is very responsive to any questions or problems you have. You are truly taken care of! I am currently using the online Flexi class program and plan to join the in-person program in Taiwan this summer. This school has so many options, it's hard not to find one that fits! Plus, you can change it at any time as your schedule changes. It's perfect for me as a working professional also trying to squeeze in language learning time.

Programs

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Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Jay Bhatt

Jay Bhatt is a software engineer from Northern California and is currently in the middle of a semester of studying Mandarin in Beijing, China. He enjoys fencing, language learning, and tomfoolery.
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Why choose LtL?

I had narrowed my choices down to a Chinese University in Beijing and LtL, but settled on LtL because of my correspondence with the school's director, Andreas Laimbock. Those conversations made me feel like LtL had an environment that would be fun and productive, and that they had a strong commitment to quality home stays, which the university did not provide.

What made this study abroad experience unique and special?

Despite the fact that I've travelled a lot, the two home stays I did in Beijing and Chengde were mind-blowing. It is a cliché that travelers look for authentic experiences, but nothing is more authentic than living with a Chinese family that doesn't speak English. Also, having had a lot of experience learning languages in a variety of formats, I can also say that their quality of instruction is top-notch. This also applies to the ultra-immersive environment of Chengde, where there is no classroom: I was by myself and had the same teacher six hours a day, for three weeks, where she would force me to immediately apply lessons "in the field" while she observed.

How has this experience impacted your future?

As someone who is good at languages but has done most of that learning in American academic environments, full in-country immersion has always been the Holy Grail. It is a priceless thing to say, "I like something, am good at it, and I gave myself the fullest experience possible in that field." Being in China with awesome instruction and support at LtL is nothing short of a dream come true.

Highlights: By my last week in Chengde, I had been in China for seven weeks doing six hours of lessons per day. One day Teacher invited me to dinner with her. We talked about random things and eventually got back to talking about my family. I explained things that had happened to us, how they affected us at the time, how they shaped things throughout my life, how my thinking has evolved, how things are now, how I want them to be, the psychology and social dynamics of my family, and ten thousand other things. I waited for her response, but she stared off to the side, chopsticks hanging mid-air, silent. I then realized I had been talking for a very long time. I became self-conscious and worried that I had over-reached in complexity, not known enough words, and botched most of my tones. Still no response, so I asked her, "Did you understand that?" "Oh yes," she replied. "That was great. I understood all of that. I was just thinking about how amazing you mother must be." A dangerous mix of relief, validation, happiness, and pride set in as I went back to my noodles.

Morning: Up around 8:30am in my own air-conditioned-room-with-wifi, hot breakfast (usually small, tasty, steaming hot pork buns) is waiting for me by the time I'm out of the bathroom. I discuss the day's plans with Auntie, specifically whether or not I'll be home for dinner. I take her trash out on my way to school. The 30-minute walk is filled with sights, sounds, people, and other all the other small things that make living in a Big City fun - much better than a 30 minute car commute at home. It's hot and humid already, so I stop to buy cold water. It's gone by the time I reach school. I enter the lobby and am happily greeted by the staff, because they're great. My classmates and I kid around, because they're great. I have 10 minutes before class starts, so I relax on the balcony despite the heat and contemplate the crazy awesomeness of my situation.

Afternoon: My brain is fried from morning class. A welcome break finds me on the balcony with classmates again, sometimes after a quick run for another cold drink. We're having a good time trying to tease each other with the new vocabulary, which that day included "pink" and "high heels." Afternoon class resumes. I'm hoping at some point my brain will surrender, melt, and hit some kind of subconscious flow where everything gets magically assimilated. It doesn't. Apparently language learning with challenging teachers requires active hard work. And somehow remains fun.

Evening: The walk home is hot and sweaty, but the down time is good. Sometimes I take new routes and get lost. Auntie wonders why I didn't call her to ask for directions. I try to explain "adventure" to her. Dinner is ready and again super tasty. After eating, Auntie quizzes me on what I learned in class. We watch the Olympics. She asks me about current events and further furious addition of flashcards ensues. She goes to bed, I go to my room and crank the A/C. I try to do some internet but am too mentally exhausted to explain as much as I ought to. Posting is less frequent, emails more curt, and I drift off to sleep wondering what the heck I'm doing in China, knowing full well that I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Enjoying living in one of the most eccentric cities in the World as Marketing Manager at the wonderful LTL Mandarin School. Doing my best to learn Chinese, win poker tournaments and deal with the 8 hour UK time difference to watch UK football!

What is your favorite travel memory?

It's very difficult to pin one down given the diversity of the places I've visited but one trip will stick in the memory from 2012. My and a group of friends traveled to Poland and Ukraine following England in the European Football Championships. The trip included a 32 hour train from Krakow to Donetsk to watch England's first match.

Just before boarding we saw the famed Nick Collins (one of the UK's most popular faces on TV). We approached him and he duly offered us an interview which aired back home on Sky Sports News, a channel watching by millions. Our phones went mad within minutes and watching the interview back on TV was surreal. The train itself is beyond words. Copious amounts of vodka, beautiful scenery and 32 hours of meeting and greeting with people from all over the world. Just marvelous!

How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

In terms of my working ability my skills have increased tenfold in my short stint here so far. Likewise, my Chinese has gone from basic vocab to intermediate level which I'm delighted about considering time is very hard to find working full time. China brings the best out of everyone and it's showing that in my first few months here.

What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

Every student has a different, unique story. It's unfair to pin one down. The fact everyone has their own little story makes each and everyone so interesting. No two students are ever the same. What's always great is seeing students come back for 2nd, 3rd and even 4th stints at LTL. That shows how much people value the school and how much they enjoy spending time in China learning Chinese.

If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?

Our immersion program in Chengde is fascinating. No English and speaking Mandarin 24/7 means this is the place to go to study Chinese. It offers something cities like Beijing and Shanghai just cannot offer. Chengde forces you into "uncomfortable positions". Yet, it's these aforementioned conditions that will enhance your skills, probably without you even realizing!

What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?

Our Immersion Program. No other competitor boasts Immersion like we do. Chengde is special, it's real China and our students make huge improvements in ridiculously short periods of time. As mentioned above you won't have a choice but to wriggle out of a situation using just your Chinese tools. When you get around the situation, it's a really nice feeling. Chengde does this a lot.

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

Togetherness. If the team pulls together, anything is possible. That very much shows at LTL I feel. There are three main units to our schools. The students, the staff and the teachers. All three mix, mingle and enjoy time together inside and outside of school. I think this is a huge factor in the company's growth in the last decade and I can only see that getting strong and tighter as more people come through the door.