Before you start your course you will do a free Chinese language assessment with our Director of Studies where we will learn more about your Mandarin level, specific requirements and challenges.
Based on this we will design an individual study plan for you, making sure we factor in exactly the requests you specified.
We genuinely believe this is the most flexible, and best tailored Mandarin course you will come across!
We also have online 1-on-1 classes available for those who want to start studying straight away or before you come out to Beijing.
Our Teachers
Our Teachers: The best Mandarin instructors Beijing has to offer Experienced: Our teachers have at least 5 years experience Certified: Hold a BSc or MSc in Teaching Chinese Fun & professional: We guide you, while making class fun
Our School
Meet People: It’s so easy to meet others at LTL A Family: LTL will be your home away from home Social Events: A chance to unwind with the team and others Personal: We care for each and every student
Tailored to You
Individual: Lessons tailored to your needs and learning speed Everyone’s Different: Textbooks, topics & materials just for you Free Assessment: Decide your study goals and area to focus on Speed: Speed up or slow down the pace according to your needs
Learn Fast
Quick Progress: There’s no faster way to learn Intensive: 20 or 30 hours of Mandarin per week, you choose Great Value: Each Mandarin lesson lasts a full 55 minutes Never Lose Out: If there is a holiday, classes will be made up
Private Chinese Lessons Beijing
For full time students we offer three types of private Chinese classes which are as follows:
Standard Individual
Intensive Individual
Small Group & Individual
The Standard Individual course includes 20 hours of lessons per week, whereas the Intensive Individual course includes 30. The Small Group & Individual course combines 20 hours of our Chinese small group course with 10 hours of individual Mandarin tuition a week.
Your Mandarin program will be specially designed and tailored according to your needs. To better understand what you are looking for our Director of Studies will do a free assessment with you before your course.
This can be done via Skype, phone, WhatsApp or in person at our Beijing school. It is not an exam or test, but simply a chat designed to help us to understand your current level, what you are looking for, and what your challenges might be. Based on this we will then design a personal Mandarin study plan, choose an appropriate teacher and study materials for you.
All of this will be ready for you on the first day when you start your course in Beijing.
Note: The cost of all textbook and study materials is already included in the course price.
Private Chinese Classes – Starting Dates
You can start your private Chinese classes in Beijing on any Monday of the year. It can last for a few weeks, several months or a whole year – this is completely up to you.
The most important part for a successful Chinese course and learning Mandarin quickly is of course your teacher.
For us our teachers are our school’s most important asset and the main reason LTL has done so well during the last decade.
Our selection process is accordingly rigorous. To be able to apply for a full time teaching position at LTL, an applicant needs to be a certified Chinese language instructor, speak fluent English and already have significant Chinese teaching experience.
Teachers who meet these requirements will then go through a rigorous selection process, including a series of interviews, trial classes and grammar exams followed by a three months trial period where we make sure that our teaching standards are fully met.
While this is quite a long and difficult process, those teachers who make it on our full time teaching team are well paid, fully insured and can develop their teaching career with us long term.
We are very proud of the good work conditions we provide our teaching staff with and even prouder that since the founding of LTL very few teachers leave our school.
Teacher Nancy
Teacher Jacqueline
However, as we provide full maternity benefits, most of our teachers come back after having a child to work with us.
Check out the “LTL Babies” wall in our school office for a few very cute pictures.
However, we believe all that work is worth it. As a professional Chinese instructor, your teacher will be able to tailor your Mandarin lessons to your individual needs, explain complex grammar concepts clearly and guide you on your Chinese learning journey.
Being able to speak fluent English also helps to explain some of the more complex Chinese grammar rules, though we do very much focus on making sure during classes Mandarin is used whenever possible. And of course a good teacher knows how to make a lesson fun and interesting, for example by teaching you a Chinese joke or story to relax when your brain needs a bit of a rest after an intensive Chinese character studying session.
There is no better way to learn a language than to enjoy it.
Private Chinese Lessons – Prices (Chinese Yuan)
Course
Standard Individual
Intensive Individual
Small Group & Individual
Duration
20h 1-on-1
30h 1-on-1
20h group & 10h 1-on-1
1 week
4,855
7,282
4,789
2 weeks
9,474
14,210
9,346
3 weeks
13,863
20,793
13,674
4 weeks
18,032
27,048
17,788
5 weeks
21,990
32,985
21,695
6 weeks
25,746
38,616
25,398
7 weeks
29,302
43,953
28,910
8 weeks
32,672
49,008
32,232
9 weeks
35,856
53,793
35,379
10 weeks
38,870
58,310
38,350
11 weeks
41,723
62,579
41,151
12 weeks
44,400
66,600
43,800
13-52 wks
3,700 p/w
5,550 p/w
3,650 p/w
Minimum duration: One week Maximum duration: one year Starting: On any Monday Textbooks and study materials: Included in the price Additional fees or charges: None
Assessment and course design: Free Visa Invitation: Fully available Registration fee: None Duration of each 1-on-1 lesson: 55 minutes School Location: Beijing Central Business District
Additional Programs
Beijing Safari
Explore Beijing in truly unique fashion with our Beijing Safari and take your class out into the open world. Our Safari upgrade gives you the chance to complete day-to-day tasks with your Chinese teacher which include buying and topping up a Metro card, ordering food and bargaining for food.
The class is split into three sections and overall we have 20 different Safari lessons for you to delve into:
1 – Warm up. Your teacher will talk you through the upcoming lesson and teach you all the vocabulary you need.
2 – The Beijing Safari. Now it’s your turn to get stuck in and get chatting to the locals. You may end up on the street markets and grabbing yourself a bargain or perhaps you’ll visit a property agent and discuss housing and rental prices in Beijing. There is plenty to discover in Beijing.
3 – Cool down. You will go through the lesson with your teacher. What did you do well, what could you have done better, what other phrases could you have used? Your teacher will correct you and hopefully you’ll come out of the lesson with a new set of vocabulary to your armour.
Beijing Safari Information
These lessons are best for beginners at A1 and A2 level (HSK1/HSK2)
10 hours a week of your 1 on 1 classes will be upgraded to the Beijing Safari
You can upgrade for a maximum of two weeks
All purchases you make, you are responsible for
Discover Beijing
Beijing has a wealth of history to enjoy whichever corner you turn. If you’d like to see this all first hand, whilst learning Chinese then Discover Beijing is just for you.
You will visit some of Beijing’s most famous landmarks and study Mandarin with your Chinese teacher whilst mixing with the locals. What better way to learn Mandarin than out in the open chatting to locals?
Beijing has a plethora of incredible sights from the famous Great Wall of China to the Summer Palace and the Forbidden City.
How about visiting the incredible Birds Nest Stadium to witness Beijing’s Olympic legacy a decade since the Olympic games all whilst learning Chinese?
Discover Beijing Information
Suitable for all Chinese levels from A1 to C2 (HSK1 – HSK6)
Explore different historic or culturals sight each day of your program
20 hours a week of your 1 on 1 classes will be upgraded to Discover Beijing classes
You can upgrade for a maximum of 2 weeks
You are responsible for any purchases made during your Beijing Discover classes
Program
Number of Weeks
Price in CNY
Beijing Safari Upgrade
1
500
Beijing Safari Upgrade
2
900
Discover Beijing Upgrade
1
1,000
Discover Beijing Upgrade
2
1,800
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Where do the private Chinese classes take place?
All private Chinese classes in Beijing are taught at our school in the middle of the Central Business District.
Right next to Da Wang Lu subway station (Lines 1 &14) this is the heart of the city, with an almost endless number of restaurants and shops right next door.
We have a gym with a swimming pool in our complex, two big malls just across the road and even a huge Walmart a short walk away.
At the same time we are just a short subway ride on Line 1 from the Forbidden City and Beijing old town.
Whom would you recommend an individual course for?
Individual Chinese lessons are the best way to learn Chinese fast.
However, individual classes of course also cost a bit more than small group classes, so especially at the beginner and beginner intermediate level choosing a small group class and individual classes combination makes a lot of sense.
While of course each student is different, a beginner who studied for example a small group & individual course, can expect to be about HSK 4 (B2) level after about 20 weeks.
How do I sign up?
Just message using our “Ask us a question” live chat or alternatively fill out our contact form to send us an email.
All emails are always replied to within less than 24 hours during working days (usually much faster).
What if I grew up speaking a different dialect?
If you have a family background in Cantonese, Hakka, Hokkien or any other Chinese dialect or maybe grew up speaking some Mandarin for a part of your childhood, the Chinese Heritage Speaker program is perfect for you.
Are there any other costs?
No, there are not!
At LTL we don’t have hidden fees, surcharges or other ridiculous costs that you might be charged after signing up.
All your study materials and textbooks are already included in the cost of your lessons and you will never be charged any additional fees ever!
When should I definitely be taking individual classes?
From intermediate level onwards private lessons are definitely the best way to go.
This is because the Chinese skills of students at higher levels are usually very uneven. For example a HSK 4 student from Japan might be able to read a whole book, but struggling with basic conversations while a US expat who lived in China for a long time speaks at HSK 4 level but struggles to write his own name in Mandarin. Both would be classified at a similar level, however their actual abilities are completely different which means that class is almost always to easy for some and too hard for others at the same time.
So from approximately HSK 4 onwards progress in group classes becomes very slow and we recommend signing up for individual classes from that level onwards.
Does the school close during national Chinese holidays?
At LTL you will always get all the Chinese lessons you paid for. So that means if there is a holiday during your course, you will never lose any of these classes.
However, as your teacher might have the day off, some of the classes that fall on a holiday might be made up for before or after the holiday. The best times for this you can directly discuss with your teacher.
Do you have classes for other dialects besides Mandarin?
If you’re worried about keeping up the same Chinese level and continuing to make progress after your program then you might want to take a look at our online continuation course. You can continue studying with LTL even when you go back home.
What Our Students Say
Christian
Germany
★
★
★
★
★
With individual classes you are at the center of your teachers attention. This can be challenging as it demands that you are always focused, but it is also a great way to truly improve your Chinese.
Staff helped organize me a tightly packed 1-on-1 class schedule. My teacher Alwin happened to be a perfect match for me. His superb knowledge of Chinese always amazes me.
Of course, where my Chinese really grew is at school: I took individual classes, 4 hours a day, every day from Monday to Friday. Let me say this loud and clear: my teachers were absolutely amazing!
The best recommendation I can give is that I am now about to start my 4th year at this school. I contacted well over 10 language schools in Beijing. LTL got back to me very quickly and with all the answers
I discovered LTL on the internet. I want to say thanks to LTL school, thanks to the staff and thanks to the teachers who, for two months, were my parents. Just as parents would do with their children, LTL held me by the hand.
The good thing about individual classes is that progress is much faster since you are forced to talk and focus most of the time. In addition my classes were tailored exactly to what I wanted to learn, which was great!
For me when choosing a language school it was important that it was IAELC certified, and that it was up front and honest about the prices, LTL had both.
Everything was fine when I arrived. I went straight to the homestay from the airport. The homestay was nice, I had good meals and nice people. It was a little difficult in the beginning as my Chinese was very poor, but that only meant that I had to use my Chinese in everyday life which helped me improve my level faster compared to just taking classes. With individual classes you are at the center of your teachers attention. This can be challenging as it demands that you are always focused, but it is also a great way to truly improve your Chinese.
In addition to learning Mandarin language I combined it with calligraphy classes. The calligraphy was an interesting experience. I’m glad I did it, but in the end I found it not really my thing. The individual classes I took were good, and actually fun. I learned a lot and I got along very well with my teachers.
Jonathon
USA
I always wanted to spend some time in China away from tourists destinations to learn some language, culture and history in an environment.
Jonathon exploring China
LTL school, that I found through on-line search provided me with perfect opportunity to do so.
Due to my job constrains I had to arrive for a short two weeks period and in not so convenient time – a week of national holiday.
However, staff has organized me a tightly packed one-on- one class schedule with a teacher.
My teacher Alwin happened to be a perfect match for me. His superb knowledge of intricacies of Chinese language doesn’t stop to surprise me. Together we got involved in discussions of language philosophy, cultural ties and historical connections. His understanding of these topics is amazing.
We even went along to see some Beijing historical sites. Learning language is a long, possibly lifelong adventure that I plan on to continue when I return home.
I hope that in this time of stay I received the needed directions of how to move forward
Jonathan Weitzmann（美国）
Patrizia
Italy
Learning Chinese is a wonderful journey and I am very happy I chose LTL Beijing to guide me along the way.
The school environment is both cosy and lively: from early morning to late afternoon, members of staff are always available and ready to help, whether it be with your Chinese classes or personal needs.
I booked a homestay for the whole duration of my stay, which allowed me the unique opportunity to experience from up close different aspects of the local culture. I especially enjoyed tasting a variety of homemade local dishes: Beijing cuisine is delicious! Also, staying with a local family helped me improve my Chinese listening skills tremendously.
Of course, where my Chinese really grew is at school: I took individual classes, 4 hours a day, every day from Monday to Friday. Let me say this loud and clear: my teachers were absolutely amazing!
They have shown an impressive level of competence and passion for their work, urging me to speak Chinese all the time, while providing me with all the necessary tools to do so.
Vocabulary, grammar, Chinese culture, songs, role plays… a lot of support and quite a few good laughs: the right ingredients for a successful language course.
Carsten
Denmark
If you are planning on studying Chinese in China I would like to draw your attention to the LTL School in Beijing.
The best recommendation I can give is that I am now about to start my 4th year at this school. In the summer of 2015 when I had decided to go to China to study Mandarin I contacted well over 10 language schools in Beijing. LTL got back to me very quickly and with all the answers to my questions about the school which convinced me that this school was very likely to suit my needs. I wasn’t disappointed.
I studied Mandarin before at both a big state-run university and a private language school in classes where the number of students ranged from 4 to 23. It was not a formula that suited me so before contacting the various language schools I had already decided that I wanted one-to-one classes and that I didn’t want to use text books but just discussing various subjects with my teachers. That was not a problem as one of LTL’s strong points is its flexibility. Whether you want one-to-one classes or to be in a class with other students. You can have classes at the school premises or at your place. You can have classes during day time, in the evening or during weekends this can always be arranged.
If you have 1-on-1 classes, you can organise the Chinese classes as you wish. I have 15 hours a week with 2 different teachers. This really is an advantage as having 2 teachers gives me different input, ideas and feed-back which is very valuable. The teaching atmosphere is very relaxed but also very efficient.
I am happy to say that I can, without any hesitation, give my best recommendation to LTL.
Sara
Italy
I’m Sara from Italy and last July I graduated studying foreign languages so that’s why I’m decided to come to Beijing.
I discovered LTL on the internet while I was searching for the best school for learning Chinese. With a simple request of information, in no time I found myself in one of the most beautiful cities in the world and experiencing something truly wonderful.
Sara on the Great Wall of China
LTL offers a variety of possibilities, and manages to adapt to the language needs of every single student. From the start I was never alone, my point of contact Alex, explained everything to me to put me at ease. He helped me to prepare all necessary documentation.
After arriving in Beijing, my pick-up brought me to my apartment. I chose a large room with private bathroom. My room was beautiful and large. I had a breathtaking view of the city of Beijing.
On the Monday after my arrival I went to school to do my first lesson, the school building was very easy to find. As soon as I opened door of the school, I was very happy to see everything come to life after viewing LTL the internet before. The school is really nice and comfortable. When I’m there I feel at home. School members have became my family in China.
There are several classrooms for group lessons and for 1 to 1 classes. I chose to do lessons 1 to 1, my teacher was Jacqueline. I remember the day of my first lesson. I felt nervous, I could not understand everything she was telling me, and I thought I could not do it. But over time I saw and heard my improvements, because here you have the possibility to practice the language, to live the language.
Sara in Beijing
I studied two hours of lessons per day and studied hard outside of class. The schedules are flexible and I could make up the lost classes simply by reaching agreement with my teacher. Jacqueline is very flexible. The school gave me all the materials needed to study such as grammar books, exercise books, CD’s and so on.
My main goal was to reach HSK4. The teaching method is nothing like the ones I have encountered so far, the lessons with Jacqueline are intense. I spoke only in Chinese (it is crucial if you want to learn a language). Before moving on to the next topic she made sure that all my skills (listening, writing and speaking) were on the same level. We had a continuous interaction, a continuous exchange of information, questions and answers and written topics to get to know each other better and to learn other Chinese characters.
In eight weeks I came a long way. I started from not understanding almost anything to leading my lesson alone! I think that the teaching method really makes the difference. My experience here was perfect to say the least, it seemed they always knew me, and I must thank LTL school, in particular my teacher. Thanks to her I now believe in myself and thanks to her I speak and I understand Chinese.
In addition to the lessons, the school organizes various activities to discover this beautiful city every day. LTL for me was not just a school, it was a bridge that allowed me to get to know new people who I can now call my friends. It allowed me to understand a wonderful culture. It was the right choice for achieve my goals. Even 3,000 miles away from my hometown, it was able to make me feel at home!
Sara with the other LTL staff and students
So I want to say thanks to LTL school, thanks to the staff and thanks to the teachers who, for two months, were my parents. Just as parents would do with their children, LTL held me by the hand and taught me to be independent in a city like Beijing!
It seems impossible but in a few weeks I gained the confidence to do anything here, ask for information, take a taxi or order in Chinese! I think that as much as reviews can be useful, some experiences are to be done in person, so do not waste any time, come and live Chinese and let yourself be guided by this wonderful family!
Mohamed
Lebanon
Before coming to China to learn Chinese, I had heard a lot that Chinese is a very difficult language and is almost impossible to learn due to having “thousands of letters”, so I was intrigued to read a bit about this scary language. Just reading a little bit about the logic behind character writing and formation made the language much less frightening and actually more logical than many others.
Mohamed climbing one of China’s sacred mountains
Deciding to later on pursue Chinese Mandarin, I started looking for schools to study for a short duration (limited time because of work), and LTL was my first choice as it is located in Beijing and offers homestay residence which helps a lot in advancing faster as I found from a previous experience. In addition to that, LTL offers Chinese immersion programs which I would have tried had I only had more time.
One month before arriving to Beijing, I started to study as much as possible. Work limited the amount of time available for studying, but still I was able to read and say basic expressions, with apparently a very weird accent once I got to China.
Arriving in China and studying Mandarin
I took 1-on-1 individual classes (4 hours daily) for three weeks in Beijing since I wanted fast progress and a course tailored to my own interests.
The good thing about individual classes is that progress is much faster since you are forced to talk and focus most of the time, differently to group classes where you have the chance to take a break when other students are talking. In addition my classes were tailored exactly to what I wanted to learn, which I enjoyed a lot. For my case, my main focus was on conversations and vocabulary required to survive during my planned travels.
The downside (or the upside?) of 1-on-1 classes is that you have to be focused all the time, are fully dedicated, and should prepare for each class beforehand. I found the quality of teaching at LTL excellent and my teachers very friendly. The 1-on-1 classes benefited me a lot in noticing the errors I used to have in pronunciation and in tones, and working more and more to correct them. Also, even though I of course had no classmates in my 1-on-1 class, I met a lot of other students during breaks, after classes or during activities organised by LTL.
One important thing to know before taking 1-on-1 classes is to know what you are expecting in and from these classes so they can be planned in a way that fits you. Outside the class, try as much as possible to use whatever you learned with native Chinese people – I found my homestay family very helpful in that regard.
After about a week, I was having basic conversations and at some points was able to impress native Chinese by saying not-so-easy phrases. After another week, I was able to check train tickets online on only-Chinese websites, and to buy these tickets from the ticket vendor. I struggled a bit at the beginning, but it did work.
After three weeks of classes, I went on a 6-day trip to two other cities and back to Beijing, climbed two of China’s five sacred mountains, camped and slept there, slept once on a train, missed a train and had to negotiate to refund and buy another ticket, met and befriended lots of Chinese, and took LOTs of pictures with locals as well as foreigners (wài guó rén –外国人-you will hear this a lot).
Two weeks after returning to Lebanon, I am trying to keep up with my Mandarin by practicing with any Chinese person I meet here – I do miss China and LTL a lot.
Study Chinese with the LTL Semester in Beijing. Achieve fluency with us by joining our intensive semester program which lasts 18/36 weeks for a discounted price.
Thank you very much! I'm away right now, so I will get back to you by email as soon as possible. Please review your email above, if it is incorrect we cannot contact you. If your email was typed incorrectly just simply message us via the Contact button at the top of the screen with your correct email. Thanks and talk soon :)
Hello my name is Maria. I am from China and I am a student advisor at LTL Beijing. Please contact me using the details below.
Everything was fine when I arrived. I went straight to the homestay from the airport. The homestay was nice, I had good meals and nice people. It was a little difficult in the beginning as my Chinese was very poor, but that only meant that I had to use my Chinese in everyday life which helped me improve my level faster compared to just taking classes. With individual classes you are at the center of your teachers attention. This can be challenging as it demands that you are always focused, but it is also a great way to truly improve your Chinese.
