Andrew USA

I have been studying at LTL for 10 weeks and I absolutely love it here. The teachers are great and the student community is a ton of fun. I started out not knowing any Chinese and have made a ton of progress. I can carry on basic conversations and write funny stories in Chinese. I have made a ton of friends through the school and they have made my time in Shanghai awesome! I highly recommend LTL for anyone looking to study Chinese in Shanghai!

Karim Germany

I was a student at Live the Language Mandarin School in Beijing for about ten months before spending another two months doing their immersion program in Chengde.

During my time in China I took both group and individual classes, lived with homestay families and on my own and took part in several trips and activities organized by the school. I basically experienced everything LTL offers and absolutely recommend it to everyone interested in learning Mandarin! The school is located conveniently and provides a perfect atmosphere for learning, since there are usually only around 5-6 people per group class, sometimes even fewer. Also, classrooms are bright and comfortable.

I was taught by at least 4-5 different teachers in Beijing, and another one in Chengde. While they have different teaching styles, they are without exception excellent at what they do. All of them, as well as the staff of LTL are always helpful and motivated. I did not speak a word of Mandarin before studying at LTL, in the end I passed the HSK 5 exam (Level C1) with a pretty high score. I met or know of several other people who made similar progress which really shows the high quality of the school. I also want to encourage everybody to spend some time in Chengde. Living in a “small” city where foreigners are a rare sight and people generally do not speak English had a huge impact on my speaking skills. I made friends with locals easily by joining a football team. On top of that, my host mom was amazing. All of that helped improve my Chinese so much and I still stay in touch with friends that I have made there.

Besides the classes and immersion possibilities, some of my best memories in China are the regular school dinners and trips. You get to try different kinds of restaurants with great people. The trips I have been on include a regular one to a not fully restored part of the Great Wall where you get to enjoy it without any tourists around. Another one that really stands out was the school trip to Xian. We visited the famous Terracotta Army and had a great time sightseeing in general.

I honestly believe that there is no better place or way to learn Mandarin.

Jimmy USA

I was a student at the Shanghai school for a little over two months and learned so much in that short of a time. The teachers were very knowledgeable and worked hard to make sure students understood the material. Every week we went together to various restaurants and places of cultural significance experienced many difference types of food. These weekly activities were also good opportunities to practice Chinese and learn about Chinese culture. I stayed in a shared apartment which was very good and spacious.

I had roommates from all over the world as well. Before arriving in China, LTL was very communicative and answered any questions I had in a prompt and informative manner. Before arriving they also sent many documents that were helpful in explaining necessary procedures and the process of getting settled in. In conclusion, if you wish to come to China to study Mandarin (either as someone completely new to Chinese, or as someone who already has some Chinese knowledge), I highly recommend LTL.

Olga Russia

I would highly recommend LTL for the true immersion experience. I spent 2 weeks in Beijing and 3 weeks in Chengde; I lived with host families in both places, and had intensive 6 hours of classes every day. It was tough and overwhelming, but absolutely worth it! Before coming to LTL, I had been studying Mandarin for 3 years (on and off), but could not really speak and could not read any characters. Sometime in the middle of my second week I surprised my host family with conversation, and by week 4 I could read ~300+ characters. In week 5 I was retelling fairy tales and watching TV drama with my host family!

The teachers were wonderful and really believed in my ability even when I doubted it. I also really liked the flexibility: my program was adjusted to my different levels in speaking/ grammar/ reading (characters). And the coordinators went above and beyond: In Chengde they organized Chinese calligraphy and ink painting classes for me, in addition to my Mandarin classes. I am really looking forward to my next vacation to be able to spend 2 more weeks with LTL!

Michael Australia

Having now spent 6 weeks at LTL, I would happily recommend this place to anyone. There are plenty of social events to meet people and see the city. The staff are super friendly and the teachers are really professional. The place to learn mandarin in Beijing!

Marie Finland

I spend two weeks in the ltl school in Bejing, during the “live and teach” programme. I lived with a warm Chinese family close metro line 7. My school day was from 10-17, with two parts group classes one part 1 and 1 classes. Before the arrival I had done some Skype interviews, and I was placed in a class which fit my level really good. My teachers were really good, and I enjoyed their different teaching styles. It was amazing feeling my Chinese level improve so fast. I have had bad experiences with Chinese courses before, that’s why I only chose two weeks, but I deeply regretted, that I had to leave just when I could feel my improvements. I would definitely recommend ltl if you are prepared to study and work hard. 🙂

Marco Mexico

LTL is an extremely well-run chinese language school.

Not only do they have a million online resources, but they are extremely responsive to any issues or inquiries you may have.

The teachers go above and beyond to make sure you get the most out of each session.

I could not be more satisfied with my mandarin classes at LTL Online School.

Samantha USA

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!

Pol Spain

The flexi program is really useful for people with a complex schedule. They have lectures 24 hours a day so you can really study Mandarin whatever your schedule is and wherever you are.

You can also cancel lectures with no punishment if you let them know 3 days in advance in case you have a changing schedule! The lectures are organised in chapters that are periodically repeated, so if you miss one lecture, you can study it LIVE another day.

The flexi program is perfect for those who have a complex schedule, but it is also perfect for those who’s schedule is not complex: lectures are really well organised.

Having said that, I think that the staff also needs a shout out: they are really friendly and help you happily and fast. The teachers work is outstanding: they are really friendly, patient and passionate, and make you enjoy every minute of the lecture.

Overall, 10/10!

Todd Canada

Really enjoy the flexiclasses through LTL.

The teachers are very engaging and make the classes fun while we work through the material. It’s very easy to book classes that fit in my schedule, and there are many classes / lessons in a course to go through.

My favourite part of these classes is the teachers – they all seem really engaged and invested in ensuring that I learn, have time to practice, and understand the material.

Peyton USA

The teachers are passionate about their work.

Another great virtue of this school is its flexible hours. Whenever I had events that occupied the typical class times it has never been a problem for me to reschedule the classes. The classes are very customizable in how it’s taught.

This allows learners of all kinds to shape the class in a manner that would best benefit them. It doesn’t matter if you’re a slow learner or a fast learner, the teachers are very cooperative and strive to create the best possible experience for you. If you’re serious about improving your Chinese capabilities this school would be a great fit.

Rachel USA

LTL is a fantastic school! They offer so many different programs that it’s impossible not to find one that you like. And their prices are phenomenal.

I have been taking 1-on-1 classes and joined in for a Fun class as well! The Fun class is just for practicing the language!

You chat, play games, and improve your skills in a more “natural” environment.