LTL Mandarin Language School

• Year of foundation: 2007;
• Location : Beijing, China;
• Students age: 7+;
• Language of instruction: Chinese;
• Type of study: mixed;
• Type of institution: language school.

Mandarin Chinese language school in Beijing is widely known outside of China. A large number of students from Europe and Asia made the educational institution truly international, and the German organizers guarantee an unsurpassed European quality. Since its foundation, the school has undergone tremendous development: several branches, residences have been opened, and numerous linguistic programs have been developed.

School facts in numbers:

• 7000 students took LTL courses from 2007 to 2020;
• 100,000 hours of Chinese taught by the teachers of the center;
• 3 people in a group - average class size;
• 80% prefer accommodation with host families;
• 8 locations offered by the school - Beijing, Shanghai, Taipei, Beihai, Xi'an, Chengdu, Singapore;
• 100 native Chinese teachers.

In a language school international students can:

• Learn Chinese in courses of varying duration;
• Prepare for admission to universities in China;
• Prepare for the HSK international Chinese language proficiency test;
• Develop programs for business and excursion support around the country;
• Take an internship in Chinese companies, volunteer organizations, the embassy.

The language school was founded in 2007 by the German Andres Leimbock: in the 2000s, he worked in medical companies in Beijing and at the same time studied the Mandarin dialect. Having mastered the language, Andres helped his friends and colleagues who come to China to learn Chinese. After studying at Chinese language schools for several years, Andres realized that the local language centers lacked an effective organization of the educational process. Then the decision to open own language school came naturally. The name Live The Language, which has become both the motto of students and teachers, was suggested to Andres by his marketing friend. Andres remains the owner and director of LTL to this day.

LTL guarantees:

• Students won't have to pay extra for anything, everything is included in the tuition fee - all books and study materials;
• No registration fees;
• Course prices do not increase during high season;
• Certified Teachers - Courses are taught by qualified, native Chinese teachers;
• Small groups - on average 3-8 people per class;
• Private lessons.

The school prides itself on the international environment created by students from all over the world.

LTL is chosen by students from different countries such as:

• Germany;
• USA;
• Italy;
• Russia;
• Great Britain;
• Switzerland;
• France;
• Canada;
• Sweden;
• Austria;
• Australia;
• Norway;
• Brazil;
• Ireland.

Language Center Accreditations:

• International Association of Language Centers;
• German Education Ministry (Bildungsurlaub);
• Swedish Higher Education Ministry (CSN);
• Hanban / Confucius Institute Official HSK Testing Center.

The schedule of classes varies depending on the program and the city that the student has chosen. Group lessons are most often held from Monday to Friday in the morning and afternoon hours, and individual courses are based on the personal wishes of students.

During the training, students deal with all the main language aspects: from the grammatical base to free everyday communication.

LTL China schools offer several accommodation options for their students:

• Family accommodation,
• Apartment accommodation,
• Independent apartment search.

The first option is the most popular among foreigners, about 80% of students choose it, so it is available in all LTL China schools: in Beijing, Chengdu, Shanghai, Beihai, Xi'an, and Chengdu. Host families create a high level of comfort for international students in all Chinese cities. LTL China staff carefully select families for cooperation with schools. Foreign students have separate rooms in guest houses with necessary furniture, including a bed, table, wardrobe and air conditioning, and doors with locks for greater privacy. Foreign guests are provided with breakfast and dinner, bedding, and wireless Internet access in the house. Some student houses have private guest bathrooms, while others have access to shared ones. You can do laundry in the house yourself or through the owners, in rare cases students will need the help of private dry cleaners, who will always be nearby.

Apartments are available in Beijing and Shanghai. Students can choose from different rooms in Beijing.:

• Rooms for several people with a private bathroom and access to a shared kitchen,
• Studio apartments with private bathrooms and more private facilities.

In Shanghai, students are offered general-type apartments where several people can live: such apartments have a private bathroom, beds, wireless Internet, desk, bed linen, wardrobe.

All guest houses and individual apartments are on average a 30-40-minute drive from the academic campuses. All utility bills and internet are included in the total price.

Any school program involves extracurricular activities where you can immerse into practice and make new friends.

Popular activities are:

• Lunch Club
• Korean barbecue
• Kung Fu
• Introduction to art
• Movie screening
• Beijing Opera
• Beijing Tour
• Visiting a local private school
• Shopping tour.

Students can spend their free time in different ways:

• Doing something with the host family: receiving guests, movie nights, walks, picnics,
• Going on excursions and other activities with classmates: visiting museums, old districts of the city, going to local markets, relaxing in bars and restaurants.

Some LTL China schools offer unique cultural and entertainment formats: for example, in Beihai, students as a group can go to conquer mountains, and then have a barbecue by the sea, surf or beach volleyball, and in Chengdu you can go on an excursion to the Panda Breeding Research Center and chat with furry animals.

Adult students can also spend time apart from groups and host families. All Chinese cities offer foreigners dozens of options on how to spend an evening and weekend outside the box: from tasting local dishes to sports competitions and creative shows.

• Foreign students are taught only by certified teachers who are native Chinese speakers.
• There are options for programs with full immersion in the Chinese environment, for example, in the city of Chengde, where there are practically no English-speaking people. The combination of academic studies and practical immersion in the environment increases the effectiveness of foreign language courses.
• LTL staff in all cities keep in touch with their students around the clock, help them in difficult situations and simply give recommendations on places to visit.
• The team organizes joint activities for students from different courses so that they can make new friends and feel comfortable in a new country.
• LTL China gives you the opportunity to get acquainted with one of the oldest cultures better, to see it through the eyes of locals, and not just to walk through popular tourist places.

The LTL language centers are ideally located:

• LTL Beijing is located in the business district of Beijing, 5 minutes from the subway station. A variety of cafes, shops, a sports center and a swimming pool are within walking distance from the language center;
• LTL Mandarin School Shanghai is located in the center of Shanghai: from the windows of the educational institution, located on the 9th floor, overlooking the urban architecture in the Shikumen style;
• LTL Taipei is located in a dynamic Taipei area with numerous cafes, restaurants, music clubs and bars.

Tuition fee includes:

• Educational materials;
• Water, coffee, tea at school;
• Cultural activities;
• Students 18+ - free beer after 17:00;
• Wi - Fi on the school grounds and in the residence.

Transfer to Beijing or Shanghai is organized for extra pay. 

LTL China accepts international students of all ages and with any language level. To enter the school, you do not need to pass special tests and meet specific criteria. Before arriving at LTL China, staff conduct online calls with students to create a personal studying program for them that will best meet the needs of students.

• Guardianship services during the studies
• Student supervision