Program Reviews

I joined the semester program at LTL Beijing for two semesters and had an amazing time. The staff were super helpful, always checking in and quick to support us whenever needed. Linda and Masako made the activities fun and really helped us experience Chinese culture.

My teachers—Alice, Sara, and Ellie—were all fantastic! Their lessons were well-structured, full of speaking and listening practice, and they used tools like flashcards that really helped with remembering vocabulary.

I started with zero Mandarin, and by the end, I could hold daily conversations with locals with minimal difficulty. I highly recommend LTL to anyone wanting to learn Chinese in a fun, supportive environment!

At first, I found the classes not to fit my level, but then, after discussing with Linda, I adjusted my class situation to a more suitable level and environment. It was so good to be able to learn 1-on-1 with a teacher who would explain things in a way that I would understand, thank you, Claire! I also loved being able to explore the various hotspots and beautiful scenery around the city and its famous places. I made lots of friends not only with fellow students but also with the staff and teachers I would interact with on a daily basis, for example, eating lunch with everyone, talking during breaks, and laughing during our excursions. Thank you especially to Linda and Jane for organizing everything and helping out as well as being such bright presences during our outings.

用汉语来说，我对LTL的影响非常好。每一天我会笑着的跟每一个人学汉语。我觉得这两个星期我的中文进步了很多。我的老师们和朋友都非常幽默和善良。谢谢Linda和Jane为我们组织怎么多好玩儿的课！

希望能有见到您们，谢谢！

Beijing is full of history, but what makes the city the most impactful is the people. LTL is the best example of that. In the past two weeks, LTL Beijing helped me immerse myself in a culture so foreign to much of the Western world. Linda took my friends and I around the city, exploring famous historical sites, taking traditional music classes, and even learning martial arts! Afterward, we would meet with Jane to explore parts of the city at night. Linda and Jane (two great LTL staff members) are the reason my experience in Beijing was so positive. They always made sure I was having fun, and because of them, it was impossible to not. I also could not have asked for a more genuine and fitting teacher than Lilia (邓老师). I don’t think I’ve ever had a more kind and patient teacher than her. You can tell that she truly enjoys teaching and wants to help you succeed (and is the best person to motivate you to learn at 8am in the morning)! The small group class was the perfect combination of learning and having fun. For anyone who wants to maximize their language learning and culture immersion, LTL Beijing is the clear number one choice. The friendships I have made here will last for a lifetime.

I have had such an unforgettable experience at LTL Beijing! A place really is its people and here I had a magical time feeling at home with the LTL family.

Not only did I feel welcomed by everyone as soon as I stepped through the door- but even before I got to Beijing! My student advisor Ilaria and the school manager Linda patiently and diligently helped me to plan my trip and secure my visa before arrival. The school managers Jane and Linda are incredibly caring and light up the school. They would always be more than willing to give us recommendations to explore the city or help us out with anything at all like exchanging money. They would even go above and beyond to ensure we had a special experience like once we mentioned wanting to try out 功夫 and Linda would book this activity for us as a wonderful surprise.

All of the staff are incredibly patient in using Chinese and helping us outside of the classroom too! Every morning and in breaks they engage in Chinese chats with us to help us practice and brighten up our day. Sometimes they would have to repeat things or speak incredibly slowly for us and they would always do so with a smile which really helped me to learn. For instance Masako even taught us how to play Mahjong in Chinese! I also felt incredibly close to Beijing thanks to my connection Carol who would ensure I did all the things that excited me the most and made sure I always felt safe. Since I am vegetarian, I was previously worried that I would struggle but Carol took me to a fully vegetarian (and very well priced) buffet close to where I live, ensuring I didn't miss out on anything!

I couldn't be happier with my Chinese learning experience and am so lucky to have been taught by 王老师。 Lessons were so engaging, stimulating and interesting that I would remember them well and be able to incorporate phrases from class when interacting with the locals outside of class. I absolutely loved 王老师's teaching method as she was focused on ensuring we absorbed the crucial words and grammar to soar to a higher level while teaching us how to use the language as a natural 北京儿. So as well as advancing fast through the textbooks we often had activities like debates and topic discussions. 王老师 also taught us about culture as well as language- ensuring we ate like a local (with recommendations like the Durian pizza) as well as lived like one like practising our Chinese watching cinema recommendations. My friends would even ask me about my favourite times I'd had in Beijing and I would genuinely answer that lessons were one of the best!

I am forever grateful for the memories I have made here with the LTL family in Beijing and look forward to making more!

I’ve been at LTL Language School Beihai for 3 out of 6 weeks now. My speaking skills have improved a lot and I really enjoy all the activities we do after school, like martial arts, going to the beach, going to neighboring cities like Nanning, and going to the movies and night markets! Everyone in Beihai can speak Putonghua (Mandarin Chinese). They also speak Baihua (Cantonese). The teachers here are really kind and it’s a super close knit community here. The teachers are extremely receptive to your needs. Whether you only want to focus on speaking and listening comprehension, or you want to follow an HSK textbook, all are welcome options and the teachers are very adaptable. I’ve been here for three weeks and been studying Chinese for 9 years already, including 2 years of intensive college level classes in Boston. But, within three weeks, I’ve made insurmountable progress due to the immersive environment—progress that I wouldn’t have been able to make back in the States.

The LTL language school helped me find my homestay, who eats with me every night and brings me to several events every week. She is so kind and fun, and even taught me a bit of Cantonese! I highly recommend a homestay.
I use a motorbike to get to and from school every day. It’s cheap, easy, and the most commonly used form of transportation here.

The beach is 20 minutes from the school by motorbike. It is 3 RMB (50 cents USD) to recharge your motorbike, and I generally only have to recharge it once or twice a week.

Anyways, my greatest tip is to download the apps that the director says to download on your orientation call (like Alipay, a VPN, etc). Other than that, it’s easier than you think to acclimate to Beihai life. Beihai has quite good weather in my opinion, although it’s definitely on the hot side in the middle of the year (June, July, August). The people are kind, but be prepared to be asked for photos since you are likely the first foreigner they’ve met.

Overall, I just wanted to write a long review because it would have been really helpful to see when I was researching language schools!

I spent 4 weeks at LTL Chengdu, I loved my classmates, my classroom and my teacher!

Presli always supported me learn Chinese at a speed that suited me. Inside or outside of class, she would always answer any questions and support me in my learning journey. She went above and beyond my expectations for a tutor. I am very glad to have been her student.

LTL Chengdu is a very social school, with daily lunch together and Social Thursdays every week. These were a great opportunity to practice my speaking skills with local Chinese whilst also making friends. I highly recommend going to LTL Chengdu to fast-track your Chinese language skills.

LTL at Beijing is the first language school I’ve attended to. There weren’t a lot of student since vacation didn’t start yet, but it was still 非常热闹! I loved how they throw in activities for us to participate during the week. The 嗑瓜子比赛 was very original and funny. It was also really fun meeting people from other countries and learn a new language together. The host family I lived in was amazing too. They helped me stay in an environment that focused on the Chinese language and the homemade food was delicious. Other than that, Summer was a great teacher. I enjoyed the way she teaches. I especially like her idea of translating the Chinese sentence in the textbook into English. It helped me better understand the language! 除了北京的温度有点热以外，我没有什么要控诉的。我在LTL既学到了很多，又玩的很开心。我在北京的课过几天就要结速了。虽然我有一点舍不得，但是我会找机会再来的~(≧▽≦)/~

Studying Mandarin at LTL Language School has been an incredibly rewarding experience. From the very beginning, I felt warmly welcomed by both the staff and fellow students, creating a comfortable and supportive learning environment. What truly sets LTL apart is its commitment to making language learning enjoyable and immersive—there were plenty of fun activities that allowed me to practice my Mandarin in real-life situations and connect with people from all over the world. The teachers were not only knowledgeable and professional but also genuinely passionate about teaching, which made every class engaging and dynamic. I especially appreciated that the lessons went far beyond the textbooks, offering cultural insights and practical communication skills that I could use right away. LTL made learning Mandarin not just effective, but truly enjoyable.

Don't be afraid and give it a try. I promise that you will want to comeback sooner than you think.

LTL is the second language school I have attended in China. LTL stands out because of its experienced teachers. The classes were well structured and interactive. In every class you practice listening, reading and speaking, and you will laugh a lot ;) (kudos to teacher Sara!). Then there is the kind support staff that is always ready to help you. They make you feel at home in the school. After class LTL organizes many activities in which you discover Beijing, Chinese culture, and you can practice your Chinese outside of class ;). I definitely recommend this school!

My life in Beihai was a fairly interesting one. I went and stayed with a generous family. The school organized this home stay for me before my arrival after asking me questions about my preferences and any special considerations I may have. An added benefit was that the home was only 20 minutes away from the school by electric scooter. They did this and gave me a good teacher as well. The school had a small feel as there were only a few students there. However, it felt like there was little stratification or cliquishness with the students present. We would have activities frequently, typically the activities involved food and would happen on a weekly basis. My only critique that was not anyone's fault was that I got switched around between a few different teachers. Experiences may vary, as I heard this was an exceptional circumstance. Overall, this was a school that gave me the chance to learn Chinese in a setting where I felt the most freedom to express my thoughts in Chinese and learn vocabulary in an engaging way.