The Chinese Language Institute (CLI) Reviews

When I first started studying Chinese on my own several years ago, I looked around online for some in-person language programs in China, more as a fantasy than anything. Of the options I found, the CLI stood out the most, and having now attended I can say that the CLI is a great school with some really dedicated and caring staff.
The facility is good, the provided lunch on weekdays is really great, and the teachers work to keep a shared understanding of your progress so that their class materials are based on what you are learning in your other classes.
As someone who had a difficult time with my standard schooling growing up in the US because of my learning differences and neurodivergence, I am always somewhat wary going into a structured learning setting despite my real love of learning. However, I found my biggest obstacles within my time at the school to be my own familiar personal homework of keeping my social anxieties in check, and the school is such a friendly and engaged environment that I didn't find this too difficult to set aside. The speed and intensity of your learning, as well as the areas of focus in your lessons, is up to you, and with some feedback you can adjust this as you need to. The staff is always open to talking about how they can work with you to facilitate your learning experience or meet other needs.
The CLI's location within Guilin is also excellent, and I was barely able to scratch the surface of all Guilin had to offer in my short time there. The school makes it easy to get out and explore the area, not just from it's good location but also through lots of regular events you can sign up for to participate in with other students.
Overall, I felt that my time in the CLI really helped advance my Chinese learning and put my head into the space of working to think in Chinese in a way that my independent studies weren't able to achieve, and I would suggest it to anyone who really wants to engage in some focused studies that they can actually use in practical ways.

Quality of the teaching was excellent. The 3 teachers , each responsible for different areas example comprehension,speaking and listening, reading and writing were well coordinated and have a good understanding of my weaknesses. They are very patient and encouraging which made learning very enjoyable. In addition,instead of a classroom environment, I get to experience in different environments learning about culture such as the art of brewing tea,learning about the chinese musical instrument, china's history, daily lifestyle such as understanding the bus system in Guilin. I believe i have improved especially in my listening and speaking. Accomodation was very comfortable and clean. Lunch was excellent. Each day we have about 5 to 6 dishes, which i look forward to every afternoon, a good break for us to get to know the other teachers as well as the other students. It was a very rewarding experience.

I spent two weeks at CLI and came away with mixed impressions. I had three different teachers.

My Comprehensive Chinese teacher was excellent. She explained new material very clearly, gave plenty of examples, and kept finding different ways to explain things until I really understood them. The Speaking & Listening classes were also interesting and useful.

Unfortunately, my experience with Writing & Reading was much less positive.

I have been studying Chinese for several years, so basic radicals and writing familiar characters are not new material for me. However, almost every lesson started with a very simple radical that I already knew well. The teacher would then ask me to write characters containing that radical from memory, and after that we would move on to the next radical.

For me, this format was almost completely useless. I mainly spent the lessons writing things I already knew.

Another disappointing situation happened on my final day. The Writing & Reading teacher simply did not show up for the lesson. It was the Mid-Autumn Festival, but my other classes were still held as scheduled. I had paid for the full day, and nobody informed me in advance that this lesson had been cancelled.

After I contacted the administration, they agreed that the situation was not acceptable and offered me an alternative. The staff in general were very friendly, helpful, and responsive. Still, I found it strange that a paid one-on-one class could be cancelled without notifying the student beforehand.

As for the accommodation, I really missed having an electric kettle and a small refrigerator in the room. There is a shared kitchen on the second floor, but if you are staying on the fifth floor, going downstairs every time you want a cup of tea or a cold bottle of water becomes inconvenient. You can easily buy a kettle yourself for around 100 RMB, but obviously a refrigerator is a different matter.

Also, my room was not cleaned once during the two weeks I stayed there.

I came to CLI to improve my Chinese last year, and it helped me so much in just two weeks that I came back again this year! The entire teaching staff is fantastic—everyone is truly kind and incredibly helpful. You really feel as though they all have your best interests at heart. They are also very supportive when it comes to adjusting to such a different country, and they organise so many activities to help you understand the culture and visit all the gorgeous sites nearby. I can only warmly recommend this program and school. Truly the best way to learn Chinese!

First of all, as my rating suggests, I just want to say CLI is a great choice for a Chinese language school, which I doubt anyone could regret.
Under the guidance of my teachers in CLI, I managed to advance my Chinese level faster and further in a few months time than I ever did studying years before on my own and with private teachers. Getting to a point where I can speak and understand Chinese rather fluently.

In this spirit, I want to address some of the concerns I've had about the school when choosing it as my Chinese language school, in order to help those considering applying to this program:

1. Language school vs. University:
- The price of international language school programs is usually higher relative to university studies in China (but does usually include stuff like accomodation and visa support which may introduce additional fees going to China on a university program)
- Unlike university programs they usually don't award you with any official certificate of your studies.

I decided to go to a language school nontheless as my goal for studying Chinese in China was to become fluent in the language:
- Language school programs usually put a large focus solely on the language studies themselves, while in university programs at least 50% is usually dedicated to culture studies etc. (Nice to broaden your horizons but irrelevant for language learners like myself)
- Aside from that, as language schools are advertised for international students they offer a much better support in terms of visa applications, daily life and adjustment.
- I chose CLI specifically as I found their program offers all the support needed for a smooth transition, and all the facilities required for a comfortable life, saving me a lot of trouble in the end. Also, I was drawn by the cultural activities which, while not included in the price, compensate for some of the cultural orientation you may "lose" not choosing to study in a university program. All while still offering a lower price point relative to similar language schools.

2. The location of the school:
- This was a concern for me as Chinese language includes a range of dialects, out of which Manarin is the one spoken across China. I was afraid the teachers and/or locals in Guilin may use a different dialect in their daily lives which would end up with me adapting to a non-standard way of speech.
- Another concern which may apply for more casual learners looking to travel in their visit to China is that Guilin is quite far from some central cities like Beijing and Shanghai.

Thankfully, going through the programs I found none of these concerns have any expression in reality:
- Sure Guilin speech is a thing but it is not widely used in daily lives, and most people on the street and in school speak standard Mandarin. Also, CLI's teacher staff consists of both teachers from southern and northern China, giving you an opportunity to be exposed to the minor changes which occure in Mandarin across the land.
- Guilin itself is a tourist attraction, and has a bullet train station and an airport allowing for comfortable travel. Also, it offers a calmer environment compared to more central cities, which I found offers a better study environment and allows for a smoother adaptation process.

3. A program revolved around private lessons:
While the private lessons format provide great adaptability in pacing, focus etc, I was concerned about the downsides of it compared to group classes:
- It lacks a social aspect.
- You lose the opportunity of second hand learning which may open you up to new ideas.

I was, however, completely wrong to worry, as:
- CLI provides enough opportunities to support a social life along with the studies: the extra activities, shared meals, common areas and games.
- Second hand learning can happen all the time if you take initiative and use Chinese to engage with people.
- In hindsight I think learning in a group class could have decrease the efficiency and fluency of my lessons.

I spent an unforgettable 4 weeks at CLI this past summer. The teachers, staff, admissions, pengyou (朋友, friends/interns) etc. all created a community that was both welcoming and a wonderful language learning environment. The teachers are excellent at deciphering where students need help, at any level, and are also willing to cater to the students' personal needs and goals.

For me: I am taking the HSK 6 test this Fall, and all three of my teachers were able to help me grow in confidence with my Mandarin in different areas: conversing about topics that both interested and stretched me in my speaking and listening classes, learning how to recognize and correct 病句 (ungrammatical sentences) in my comprehensive class (as well as discuss some Chinese history and poetry, the use of social media, among other topics), and enjoying reading a novel and really feeling like I understood it in my reading class. Talking to other students at the school while I was there, I could tell the teachers at CLI are truly able to recognize the needs of different students and stretch them where they need to be stretched.

Truly a wonderful experience! I've already recommended the program to people back home.

I came to China knowing basically no Chinese. I wanted to do something meaningful with my summer, and honestly? I was a little scared. But from the very first day at CLI, I realised this place was going to become my little home in China.
And now, a month and a half later, I can say with absolute certainty: this was one of the best decisions I've ever made.

Teachers are incredible, super patient. Learning Chinese is really not easy, and there were moments where I felt completely lost. But my teachers were always there, incredibly kind and encouraging, guiding me through every single difficulty. They made me feel proud of every small step forward.

And it’s fun! The team at CLI have done a fantastic job of making this immersive programme as good as it can be, both for learning the language, culture, and just having fun in general. I can’t think of a better way to learn Chinese, especially if you have limited time. As well as learning Chinese I also made good friends with other students on the course, and now feel like Guilin is kind of a home from home, which is not bad considering I was only there 6 weeks! The first time I went to CLI Guilin was only for 2 weeks in 2025, and although it was still good it definitely didn’t feel like long enough. I think after about a month was when I really felt the improvement so I recommend staying for at least that if you have chance!

I have studied Chinese for about 8 months prior to coming to China and wanted to come study in China over the summer as a part vacation part immersive language boost! CLI was amazing and I really loved it so much. I already am starting to plan for when I can come back in the future. It really feels like one big family and has such strong community. I think what makes this program shine is that students teachers and interns live at the school and you always see people around studying and have people to talk to outside of classes. Also speaking of interns they were amazing! I think they really make this program unique. CLI is partnerd with Guangxi Normal University. And always has interns studying to be Chinese teachers at the school for their internships. I think this is an invaluable resource for students as you can practice Chinese with them everyday, go out and do fun activities, and play mahjong and games together.

As for my teachers I really loved them, especially 勇老师, he is incredible! He really made Chinese learning fun for me, and was able to explain things in a way that always helped me understand. Lastly I want to mention how flexible the school was even during peak season season which I think was so cool. They helped me solve some housing issues immediately, and Anna and Mira do a great job making sure any questions you have regarding your schedule or housing issues are taken care of very fast!

The Mandarin tutors at CLI are patient, encouraging, and exceptionally skilled educators. They create a welcoming and supportive learning environment that inspires confidence and makes every lesson enjoyable. Through their thoughtful instruction, constructive feedback, and genuine dedication to their students’ success, my Mandarin proficiency has improved significantly in both speaking and comprehension. I am deeply grateful for their generosity in sharing their knowledge, culture, and enthusiasm for the language. Learning with them has been a truly rewarding experience, and I wholeheartedly recommend CLI to anyone seeking high-quality Mandarin instruction.