Come and Study Abroad in China with this unique Chinese Immersion Course in China.
Studying abroad in China is the experience of a lifetime. That said, you want to be sure you’ll be getting the very best out of your time here, right?
Everyone comes to China to learn Chinese with the goal of at least being able to be conversational. With our Immersion Program, you will have no problems getting there.
The study abroad program involves coming to Beihai first to get your Chinese ahead as quickly as possible.
After that you’ll head north to Chengde (not the place with the pandas, that’s Chengdu) and enjoy a city with zero foreigners, zero big names brands, and zero English.
Real Immersion – This is proper a Chinese Immersion Course. No gimmicks, no false claims, no English Great teaching – Study abroad in China individually to make the quickest possible progression with your Chinese
Chengde: Proper China
Chengde – Chengde is home to UNESCO sites and the Mandarin there is the most standard in all of China Sights – Chengde boasts loads to do. Visit the Old Summer Palace, Putuo Temple, Wooden Buddha and much more
English, Where?
24/7 Mandarin – There are no expats in Chengde and a small handful in Beihai. Don’t just speak Chinese in the classroom Just You and Your Teacher – All classes are 1-on-1 lessons meaning you don’t give in to the temptation to speak English
Beihai: Beauty at the Beach
Beaches – Beihai boasts the best beaches in all of China and the best thing is, even many Chinese don’t know about this place! The LTL family – Everyone here shares the same passion. Learning Chinese. Join this special and compact community
The LTL Chinese Immersion Course
What is Immersion?
Immersion is the method of exclusively using a language to learn it quicker.
But how can we guarantee an immersive experience?
Good question and one we get asked a lot. Immersion isn’t about what you do inside the classroom, it’s about what you do outside the classroom. We all speak Chinese in school but do we all use it after? The answer is no, and you’d be surprised at how easy it is to default back to English or your native language.
This is where Chengde comes in…
Chengde is a city, of fair size still, but boasting no foreigners (only LTL students). There is no school in Chengde so although you can arrange to meet other students, 98% of your time (and 100% in many cases) will be spent with Chinese people, speaking Chinese.
That’s how you achieve immersion!
In the bigger Chinese cities, it’s very easy to find a foreign community and stick to socialising within it, but therein lies the reason why you won’t achieve immersion in China.
Chinese Immersion Course – Starting Dates
If you have studied some Mandarin previously, you can start your Chinese immersion course on any Monday. If you are a complete beginner, you should start your Chinese course in Beihai on the following dates:
28 December 2020
04 January 2021
01 February 2021
21 February 2021
08 March 2021
29 March 2021
19 April 2021
10 May 2021
31 May 2021
21 June 2021
12 July 2021
26 July 2021
09 August 2021
23 August 2021
13 September 2021
18 October 2021
15 November 2021
06 December 2021
27 December 2021
Study Abroad in China – Immersion Programs
Program
Beihai
Chengde
Standard
20h/wk Small Group
20h/wk 1-on-1
Individual
20h/wk 1-on-1
20h/wk 1-on-1
Intensive
20h/wk Small Group & 10h/wk 1-on-1
30h/wk 1-on-1
Immersion Program – Pricing Structure (CNY)
The minimum duration for the Immersion program is one month.
This allows you to spend two weeks in Beihai to get your Chinese level up as quickly as possible and then two weeks in Chengde. Of course, the longer you join the great the discount and the greater the rewards!
Weeks
Standard
Individual
Intensive
4 wks
11,622
19,030
18,835
6 wks
14,624
25,200
24,922
8 wks
17,320
30,742
30,389
10 wks
19,733
35,703
35,282
12 wks
21884
40,124
39,644
14 wks
24764
46,044
45,484
16 wks
27,644
51,964
51,324
+2 wks
+2,880 / 2 wks
+5,920 / 2 wks
+5,840 / 2 wks
Included:Survival Kit Standard Beihai & Chengde, Transport from Beihai to Chengde, all tuition fees, airport pick-up, text books and 24/7 support.
Transport from Beihai to Chengde – We will organise and book a train ticket for your journey from Beihai to Chengde.
Chengde Train Station Pick-up – To make your arrival in Chengde as easy as possible we will organise for you to be picked up from the train station and taken directly to your accommodation.
Chengde Mountain Resort Ticket – To welcome you to Chengde we will give you an entrance ticket for the famous Chengde Mountain Resort so that you can start exploring Chengde’s unique history right away.
Chinese Culture Class – To help you experience traditional Chinese culture we will give you one free culture class such as a calligraphy or Kung Fu class.
LIVING WITH A HOMESTAY – STUDENTS TALK HOMESTAYS
ACCOMMODATION IN CHENGDE
Homestay
Here’s the deal – A homestay is the best and quickest way to immerse yourself fully into the Chinese language.
When you come to study abroad in China you will be at the utmost comfort in our homestays:
You’ll have your own bedroom and a bathroom which is either your own, or shared.
Living with a family in China is all about the experience and is not just accommodation. The chance to make bonds that last a lifetime, to become a part of a loving family, and share fantastic homemade food everyday.
Many of our students also make friends for life, visiting their homestay families regularly afterwards.
But what about the family, how do you match us?
You will fill out a questionnaire before coming to LTL which will give us an idea of the type of homestay you will fit into. This will also allows us to see if you have any dietary requirements or are allergic to anything. All these factors are vital when selecting your host family.
TIP – To improve as fast as possible, we recommend to stay with a homestay in both cities. In Beihai roughly 80% of our students stay with a homestay. In Chengde that number is 95%.
Shared Apartments
Shared apartments are a great option if you are on a budget coming to China.
Come with access to the usual amenities such as kitchen, living room and WiFi
Bathroom will be either private or shared with others depending on where you are placed.
USEFUL TIP – You will be the only foreigner at your apartment so it’s a great chance to practice your Chinese outside of class, but remember friendships are sometimes harder to forge in China than the West, some of your housemates might be quite shy so bare this in mind.
ACCOMMODATION PRICES (Chinese Yuan)
Beihai Apartments
More information regarding prices for our Beihai apartments is coming soon. Please contact us if you have any immediate questions.
Homestay in Chengde
Duration
Breakfast & Dinner (CNY)
2 weeks
5,698
4 weeks
10,742
6 weeks
15,188
8 weeks
19,089
12 weeks
25,440
Extra week
2,120 /wk
Includes:
Your own private bedroom
Meals – options dependant above
Dietary requirements to your choosing
WiFi and Bills
Shared Apartments in Chengde
Duration
Prices in CNY
2 weeks
3,714
3 weeks
5,409
4 weeks
7,002
8 weeks
13,200
12 weeks
19,800
Extra week
1,650 /wk
Includes:
WiFi and Bills
Your own private bedroom
Shared or private bathroom depending on placement
Access to all common areas in the flat
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I go to Chengde straight away?
Yes, but we advise against it unless you are familiar with China… why do we say that?
Chengde is not for the faint hearted, it’s not somewhere you just go with no knowledge of China, or Chinese. You need to have the basics in place or learning will be frustrating and awkward. This is why the program includes time in Beihai, where you can find your feet, get used to China and then head north to Chengde fully prepared.
Here are some useful links well worth reading if you want to know more about Chengde:
Chengde is an immersive environment but it’s all about improving your language ability faster. There is no minimum requirement for Chinese ability when you come to study abroad in China.
We just want to give you the best chance possible to succeed, therefore going to Chengde with at least two weeks intensive classes should see you set.
Do you have a support team in Chengde?
Yes we do.
Our manager in Chengde, Zhongwen, is a Chengde local and knows every finite detail about the city. She, along with your teacher and any other students, means you always have support (not least from our staff in Beijing, Shanghai and Taiwan who will always be willing to throw a helping hand).
Are Beihai and Chengde safe places?
They really are!
In terms of safety, it doesn’t really get a lot safer than China. People are friendly and open and crime is something that really isn’t prominent in China.
Will I become fluent?
Becoming “fluent” is a broad question and depends on many factors.
For example – how long are you coming to China for? Are you willing to truly immerse yourself? Will you revise all your class notes? Will you make Chinese friends? Will you embrace Chinese culture? Will you change your phone language to Chinese?
All these factors coupled together will define your success rate, but it’s important to set a goal pre-arrival. Our director of studies can help you do this.
Where will I study?
Depending on your location…
In Beihai, classes are at the LTL School but classes in Chengde will be at coffee shops, your homestay or a convenient location you can discuss with your teacher.
What our Students say
Max Braun
Germany
★
★
★
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"The pace of life is slower (in Chengde), for example your homestay has time to take you out for dinner regularly, people approach you more openly and if you want to have social interactions it will only be possible with Chinese."
"Although I was mainly preparing for my exams I can see how easy it would be to immerse yourself into the culture of Chengde. Foreigners are so rare that everyone is very excited and happy to chat with you. I passed my HSK 6!"
"I really liked the idea of the ‘Full Immersion Program’, as it sounded unique. The LTL environment is very friendly, it was really easy to meet people and make new friends. I hope to return to China and to LTL."
Hi, my name is Max from Germany. I am a high school graduate taking a gap year before starting university. I decided to go to China to discover a new culture and at the same time learn a new language. Since I wanted to achieve some major progress and be able to communicate effortlessly afterwards, I decided to stay at least half a year in China and chose the “Intensive Immersion Program” to make the most out of my stay.
I set myself a clear goal before coming to China and divided my stay into 3 months each in Beijing and Chengde. I attended 4 hours of group class and 2 one-on-one sessions each day in Beijing and 6 hours of one-on-one’s in Chengde. I also lived in a homestay which added some more valuable time of Chinese surrounding.
Looking back it was definitely Chengde and the one-on-one classes which were responsible for my fast progress. To be honest, Beijing is a nice city but Chengde is where the real action takes place. At least when it comes to learning Chinese. Chengde is quite rural compared to Beijing and the amount of foreigners is at an absolute minimum which is why it creates such a perfect learning environment. The pace of life is slower, for example your homestay has time to take you out for dinner regularly, people approach you more openly and if you want to have social interactions it will most likely only be possible with Chinese.
Of course there is life beyond the classroom: Beijing is a huge and interesting city, definitely take your time to tour through all the sight-seeing places, they are worth it. Beijing impressively shows how China is picturing it’s future and it is fascinating to experience that. On the contrary is Chengde very small in comparison. I found it harder to get to know Chinese people in Beijing. This isn’t just because of the city’s huge size, there are more people, but also more foreigners. Chengde is the place to go if you want to meet the “real China” beyond the internationalized version in Beijing.
On the flipside, you need to be creative in Winter in Chengde, it’s cold and you must brave the weather. However, if you are up for football in minus temperatures you will keep yourself busy! Alongside the studying during the week, you’ll have good fun in Chengde.
In general, I loved my time in China and I can only recommend to anyone to visit this country of the future. And yes, with some commitment and time you are definitely able to master the Chinese language in a short amount of time.
Zander
UK
Hi, my name is Zander and I came to China and Chengde after finishing my Master’s degree at university. In total I was in China for 10 months, which included 7 months in Beijing and 6 weeks in Chengde (both at LTL).
Zander enjoying Immersion in Chengde
I decided to come to Chengde because I was preparing to take the HSK 6, and wanted to be in a full immersive environment for this. While I enjoyed Beijing, I had lots of English-speaking friends and knew how easy it was to be distracted there. Chengde appealed to me because it is relatively isolated and pretty unknown to foreigners.
I stayed in a homestay which was located directly opposite the main train station in the main area of town. My family was a couple, their two young kids, and the mother’s mother. They were lovely, always very kind and I liked the eldest kid so much we would play games together pretty much everyday. Each evening the grandma would invite me out dancing but I was usually studying so didn’t go too often. The food was excellent (best I’ve had in china, honestly) and there was always too much.
Although I was mainly preparing for my exams I can see how easy it would be to immerse yourself into the culture of Chengde. Foreigners are so rare that everyone is very excited and happy to chat with you. I attended my teacher’s friends wedding which was a real experience and she managed to integrate me quite well into her friendship group.
Zander enjoying food with Angelina from the LTL Beijing Team
If you are looking for the ‘real China’ which feels quite distant when visiting the megacities of Beijing or Shanghai, Chengde is likely to be the place for you.
It’s really almost like going back in time.
I passed my HSK 6 which I was very pleased with, and would attribute lots of this to the focus and direction that the learning-environment of Chengde provided.
If you are willing to take the plunge, I couldn’t recommend it more.
Eleonora
Italy
When I applied for LTL I really liked the idea of the ‘Full Immersion Program’, as it sounded unique and so for my program I chose to go to both Beijing and to Chengde. I enjoyed my time in Beijing in the shared apartment accommodation and in the homestay in Chengde. Both were tidy and very comfortable.
Eleonora with her homestay family
I took group classes in Beijing, the small group allows for everyone to have the chance to practice speaking and learn effectively. In Chengde I took 1-on-1 classes, and of course these are the best for fast improvements. I had to prepare a university exam and I am really happy about how the teacher helped me to focus on my personal program.
The LTL environment is very friendly; it was really easy to meet people and make new friends. I hope to return to China and to LTL in the future.
Study Chinese in China in up to eight different cities for what is truly the adventure of a lifetime. Join us for any length of time up to a whole year!
Learning Chinese in China is the best way to get your Mandarin ahead fast. Beihai offers attractive pricing and the locals don't speak English! Great for even quicker progress!
