Program Reviews

I was then studying in Hong Kong for an exchange semester of my Master Degree. With a friend we decided to visit Guilin for a couple of days. He had done a 6 week course at CLI before, so after hearing his experiences and a quick visit at the school, I spontaneously decided to extend my stay in Guilin for two weeks and have an intensive learning experience. From day one you are fully immersed in learning, meeting friend, and of course, enjoying the amazing Guilin cuisine. I will come again as soon as possible!

I spent four weeks at CLI and I wish I could have stayed longer. The teachers were very professional and well organized, with plenty of opportunities to practice your language skills throughout the day. After school and on weekends, the CLI team arranges spectacular cultural and sports activities that are fun and educational. And I really enjoyed exploring the town of Guilin and the surrounding mountains which are great for hikes and long walks. An hour away is Yangshuo which is also a popular tourist destination. The school will arrange day trips but I recommend going for at least a full weekend.

I did a six-week homestay; this was my first visit to China.

CLI is an amazing place, as proven by my experience and the fact that, during my stay, I think I met as many second, third, fourth, and nth-time visitors as I did first-timers like myself. The teachers are all amazing, the lunches provided by the school are so great, and the activities every TWRSa are a great way to experience things besides the school.

Guilin is gorgeous and fun if you have classmates you enjoy or make friends with people unaffiliated with the school. I was lucky enough that I had both. That sometimes made me socially over-busy.

Before going to CLI, I had worked through the Hello Chinese app. I knew some vocab and grammar, but I had no real-time listening/speaking ability. After six weeks at CLI, I could have a small conversation with a person on the street and could explain preferences at stores/restaurants. I consider that a huge improvement.

I plan to go back at least annually. Unless external issues make this impossible, I plan to stay at least six weeks next time, hopefully longer.

I did six weeks of CLI's immersion program and it definitely exceeded my expectations. I started from zero Chinese level, only did some Duolingo lessons online in preparation. I had three teachers, which all focused on different parts (understanding/basic language knowledge; conversational; reading/writing). In only six weeks I managed to get a very decent Chinese level which allows me to have basic conversations in Chinese with local people. The best part was the practice with local people which I met through activities of CLI or on my own.

I also met a lot of other students at CLI with different backgrounds, from complete beginners like me to students which almost spoke Chinese fluently and just wanted to focus on some areas which they wanted to make perfect. From what I gathered so far everyone appreciated the program a lot!

I had a wonderful experience at CLI. The teachers were phenomenal—knowledgeable, supportive, and truly the highlight of my time there. I studied for one month, which felt far too short! Guilin itself was also an ideal setting for language learning, with its beautiful landscapes and welcoming atmosphere. The program is well-structured, with plenty of support and activities that enrich the overall experience.

The only drawback for me was the housing. I was initially placed in a 5th-floor room with a broken AC, no hot water, and a persistent bathroom odor. I later learned this particular room had recurring issues over the years, yet students were still placed there until complaints were made. After two weeks, I requested to switch, and my new room was perfectly fine. My impression is that during the busy summer months, CLI fills every room, even those that aren’t fully functional or need significant updates. Given the program cost, I feel the housing quality could be improved. While the convenience of living on-site is undeniable, if I return, I’d likely choose a nearby hotel for better value and comfort.

Overall, I’m deeply grateful to the CLI team for their warmth, energy, and dedication. Despite the housing hiccup, my month at CLI was an incredible experience, and I hope to return in the future.

I had a wonderful experience learning at CLI Guilin. 4 hrs of learning per day. The centre has a number of activities and a full library of books in both English and Chinese. HSK level books are available to buy to continue learning after one leaves. They offer accommodation (hotel or homestay) and airport pickup service. Additional activities are also provided for a reasonable fee. Guilin is a beautiful town with lots of sites to visit in free time. Loved the experience overall and would highly recommend.

Well, what to say? I had lots of expectations going to Guilin for this immersion program, and the experience actually over exceeded my expectations! It was my first time in China, and spending an whole month at the institute was an unforgettable experience: the staff and the teachers are all great, very welcoming and professional; we had 4 hours per day, every weekday, in one-to-one classes; we could ask for tailored activities and they arranged it. The classes were all in in Chinese, so there was a lot of opportunity to speak the language and practice. At the institute there were shared spaces (like activity rooms or the kitchen) were one could mingle around with other students; the evenings or the weekends we could go out all together or for activities organized by CLI or among ourselves. Really an amazing experience and a great opportunity to explore the beautiful Guilin and its surroundings. Definitely recommended to anyone who wants to learn Chinese or to improve their Chinese and have the chance to speak with locals!

After 4 weeks of traveling in China, I came for 6 weeks to CLI in June 2025. My language level at the start was intermediate, but I was a lacking a lot of speaking practice.

I had 3 different teachers. One for general language comprehension (each day 2 hours), one for speaking (3x a week 2 hours) and one for writing / reading (2x a week 2 hours). But since the classes are one-on-one, the focus of the lessons could also easily adjusted.

The teachers were excellent and the lessons were fun and interesting. Compared to group classes it is amazing how effective 1 on 1 lessons are - especially for speaking and correcting your "classic mistakes", so the things you do wrong over and over.

Outside of class, you can either connect with the other students, spend time with the Chinese interns or just focus on studying. CLI is supporting with connecting with the new group of people and you will also have a Chinese intern assigned as you pengyou that supports you in on-boarding and answers all your questions if you need support.

Since it is not a classical classroom program with multiple students per class, it is more difficult to get to know other people. But since CLI is organizing event and the interns are also really fun and welcoming, it is still possible to make friends.

I was at CLI in June + July, but the weather during this time is quite hot and humid with a lot of rain. Since most places and classrooms have AC it is not a big problem. But if you want to do enjoy the nature and surroundings, I would recommend to rather go in October / November if you have the choice.

I had a great time and made amazing friends. I hope I will be able to come back some day together with my wife. Thanks to the CLI team!

CLI is the best place I’ve ever gone to improve my Mandarin. I went to CLI for one month, and dramatically improved my ability to speak to the local people in their language. Although China can be overwhelming at first, the employees do a great job of helping you transition to Guilin. The student helpers always assisted me in every question I had, and were extremely informative on where to eat and get groceries in the local area. The teachers were also so kind and helpful, and were incredible at teaching Mandarin!

I spent 8 weeks at CLI and it was an incredible experience for many different reasons. My primary motivation for going to CLI was to improve my Mandarin, and the speed of my improvement was exponential, all 3 of my teachers were excellent and also such lovely, interesting people as well. The location in Guilin where the school is located is fantastic, next to a mountain you can climb for 360 views of Guilin and near a beautiful big park (七星公园). There's numerous restaurants in the local areas and all the amenities you could need. I stayed in the school dormitory and my room was great, really comfortable bed, no complaints at all. CLI has created a great community, and the other students I met whilst I was there were all very interesting people with a vast range of backgrounds and reasons for being there, it great for making international connections. If you're considering going to CLI I could not recommend it more highly.