Beijing Mandarin School
北京瀚泽润国际教育咨询有限公司
Flexible classes that focus on speaking skills
Area: CBD
Recommended for: Conversational learners and full-time workers Cost: RMB 5,400 (private classes), RMB 2,700 (small group classes) for 60 hours
Contact: Mon-Fri 9am-9pm. Units 904-905, E-Tower, 12 Guanghua Lu, Chaoyang District (6508 1026, beijingmandarinschool@yahoo.com.cn)
www.beijingmandarinschool.com 朝阳区光华路12号数码01大厦904-905
Beijing Mandarin School is based in Guomao, ideal for CBD business types looking for an after-work Chinese course. The center emphasizes oral skills, with more than 60 percent of class time geared towards learning how to speak. Classes are small, flexible, and varied. Mandarin House’s customers include stay-at-home moms, kids, and employees from embassies and international companies.
Berlitz 北京贝立兹语言培训有限公司
Internationally-recognized language courses
Area: CBD
Recommended for: Diplomats and business professionals
Cost: RMB 220 (weekday), RMB 240 (weekend) per 45-minute class Contact: Rm 801, 8/F, Xinzu Tower, 6 Ritan Lu, Chaoyang District (6593 0478) www.berlitz.com.cn 朝阳区日坛路6号新族大厦8层801
Founded in September of 2000, Berlitz Beijing was the first Berlitz language training center in China. All courses are modeled after the famous Berlitz Method, a teaching approach that focuses on speaking and listening skills rather than grammar. The center offers Mandarin courses both online and in-person to kids, teens, and adults, as well as workers in the diplomatic and corporate fields. So far, Berlitz has partnerships with over 100 international companies, including General Motors, IBM, Daimler, Pfizer, and Siemens. However, courses don’t come cheap – consider them an investment.
Bridge School 北京市朝阳区桥汉语言培训学校
Targeted Chinese classes from a reputable chain
Areas: Dongzhimen, Shunyi, Sanlitun, Liangma Qiao, CBD
Recommended for: Expats from all backgrounds
Cost: RMB 85 (beginner), RMB 95 (intermediate), RMB 105 (advanced) per hour
Contact: 1) Mon-Fri 8.30am-5.30pm. 8013 Tongguang Tower, 12, Nongzhanguan Nanli, Chaoyang District , Beijing, China (6538 9422, info@bridgeschoolchina.com) www.bridgeschoolchina.com 朝阳区农展馆南里12号通广大厦8013; 2) Mon-Fri 8.30am-5.30pm. Rm 503, 5/F, Guangming Hotel, Liangma Qiao Lu, Chaoyang District (8451 7605, info@bridgeschoolchina.com) www.bridgeschoolchina.com 朝阳区亮马桥路光明饭店5层503
Accredited with the Chinese Ministry of Education, this established chain of Chinese schools has recently opened a new branch in Sanlitun. Their classes are adapted for a variety of students, including HSK test takers, office workers, kids, and expat spouses. Courses typically run 60 to 72 hours in total, but the individual schedules can be tailored to fit students’ needs. Chinese calligraphy courses and other culture classes are also offered.
Civil Aviation Management Institute of China (CAMIC) 中国民航管理干部学院国际文化交流中心
Intensive Chinese programs
Area: Wangjing
Recommended for: Advanced learners
Cost: RMB 8,000 (morning session), RMB 6,500 (afternoon session) per semester
Contact: Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm. 3 Huajiadi Donglu, Chaoyang District (6472 1653, icec@camicec.cn) www.camicec.cn/english/main.asp
朝阳区花家地东路2号
Though technically located in Wangjing, CAMIC is only a five-minute walk from Lido Place. Don’t be put off by the technical name – CAMIC offers excellent Mandarin lessons ranging from total beginner to HSK Level 6. Since it is located in a predominately Korean neighborhood, English will never be used as a fallback language in class. Students must commit 20 hours per week and 20 weeks per semester.
China Culture Center (CCC)
Culture courses and beginner Mandarin classes
Area: Liangma Qiao
Recommended for: Beginners and culture lovers
Cost: RMB 2,200 for 30 hours (survival Chinese), RMB 3,850 for 60 hours (regular and intensive classes), RMB 120 per hour (private classes)
Contact: Mon-Fri 9am-6pm. Rm 101, Kent Center, 29 Anjialou, Liangma Qiao Lu, Chaoyang District (6432 9341, info@chinaculturecenter.org)
朝阳区亮马桥路29号安家楼肯特中心中国文化中心
Billing itself as China’s premier cultural education organization, China Culture Center offers three Mandarin courses that focus on basic communication skills and a fourth that emphasizes culture. The center also organizes a host of cultural workshops, including mahjong, paper lantern making, Zen tea rituals, traditional Chinese medicine, Beijing opera, and feng shui.
Culture Yard 天井越洋
Language and culture courses with a community feel
Area: Beixinqiao
Recommended for: Total beginners and twentysomethings
Cost: RMB 200/per class, RMB 600/per workshop (four-part)
Contact: Culture Yard, no. 10 Shique Hutong, Dongcheng District (8404 4166, contact@cultureyard.net) http://cultureyard.net 东城区北新桥石雀胡同10号
Nestled in a picturesque hutong, Culture Yard lives up to its name. Not only does the center provide immersive language courses, it also hosts social events like hiking trips, movie nights, Thanksgiving dinner, mahjong workshops, and more. Culture Yard offers a four-part Chinese workshop that teaches basic vocabulary for everyday situations. More general courses are also available for building reading, writing, and listening skills. Recently, the center started an intensive HKS Level 1 and 2 class on weekdays.
The Frontiers School 北京富隆特文化有限公司
Language courses with a focus on business
Area: Dongzhimen
Recommended for: Young professionals and office workers
Cost: RMB 95 per hour (general business Chinese course), RMB 115 per hour (short-term intensive business course)
Contact: Mon-Fri 8.30am-9pm. 3/F, Blg 30, Dongzhong Lu, Dongzhimenwai, Dongcheng District (6413 1547/8) www.frontiers.com.cn
朝阳区东直门外东中街30号30座3层
When doing business in China, your language skills should be spot on. The Frontiers School teaches language and practical skills for
conducting business in China, including business writing, current affairs, and Chinese law. Teachers attend weekly training meetings to ensure they’re up to date on the latest curricula and teaching methods. The school can even help organize internships with local companies to put students’ language skills to the test.
HLCC Culture Center
Regular and children’s Chinese courses
Area: Shunyi
Recommended for: Shunyi expats
Cost: RMB 60 per hour (all levels)
Contact: Rm 2751, 5/F, Bldg 27, Capital Paradise, Shunyi District (8046 3328) www.hlcc.asia 顺义区名都园27座5层2751
Newly relocated near the back entrance of Capital Paradise, HLCC is a culture center with language courses, art classes, tea workshops, cooking classes, and feng shui. The center was founded in 2005 by Halida, a young university graduate who started out by tutoring foreign students. Over time, she built herself a reputation in the Shunyi area and opened her own culture center. HLCC’s Chinese courses are divided into three levels and include kids’ programs, corporate lessons, and intensive classes. At RMB 60 an hour, prices are low compared to other schools.
Live the Language Mandarin School (LtL)
More than a language class
Area: CBD
Recommended for: Busy professionals and serious learners
Cost: RMB 126-145 for private lessons (varies according to the number of hours bought), RMB 190-215 for executive classes, RMB 2400 for group lessons at 4 hours/week, RMB 3,600 for group lessons at 6 hours/week.
Contact: Mon-Fri 9am-6pm. Rm 1611, Tower C, Sunshine 100, 2 Guanghua Lu, Chaoyang District (5100 1269, info@livethelanguage.cn) www.livethelanguage.cn 朝阳区光华路2号阳光100国际公寓C座1611
LtL prides itself on its staff of certified teachers who hold university degrees in teaching Chinese as a foreign language. One-on-one classes feature a personalized curriculum and immersion opportunities outside the classroom. Lessons can be held at a location of the student’s choice within the Fourth Ring Road; teacher transportation is included in the course fees. Executive classes are tailored to business professionals; sessions can be canceled two hours in advance for free. For group classes, there’s a maximum of six students per group. Classes usually run for 12 weeks.
New Concept Mandarin 明德新意咨询服务深圳有限公司
Flexible private lessons and group classes
Area: Sanyuan Qiao
Recommended for: Serious learners and on-the-go professionals
Cost: RMB 120 per hour (small group class), RMB 400 per hour (private class). Prices vary widely according to level and program type.
Contact: Mon-Fri 9am-6pm. Rm 1903, Bldg B, Ocean Express, 66
Xiaguang Li, Sanyuan Dongqiao, Chaoyang District (8446 6455,
beijing@newconceptmandarin.com) www.newconceptmandarin.com 朝阳区三元东桥霞光里66号远洋新干线B座1903
New Concept Mandarin offers a variety of Mandarin programs planned completely around your schedule, language level, and location. Their lessons concentrate on three different settings: survival Chinese, social Chinese, and business Chinese. There’s also the center’s Mandarin Immersion Program (MIP), which is something like a language boot camp; students are housed in one of New Concept Mandarin’s
Immersion Centers and put in real-life situations from day one. There are six Immersion Centers in mainland China: Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Suzhou, Nanjing, and Shenzhen.
TailorMade Chinese Center 北京泰莱梅德文化交流有限公司
Practical and affordable Mandarin lessons
Area: CBD
Recommended for: Stay-at-home parents and people who work from home
Cost: RMB 115-135 per hour (private lessons), RMB 39-78 per hour (private group lessons).
Contact: Daily 7am-10pm. Rm 810, North Tower B, Shangdu SOHO, 8 Dongdaqiao Lu, Chaoyang District (5900 5420)
www.tailormadechinese.com 朝阳区东大桥路8号SOHO尚都北塔810
For learners who need the classroom brought to their doorstep, TailorMade Chinese Center offers classes online or at a location of the student’s choice. Students can choose from one of the center’s two streams or combine the approaches: the core method (consisting of five Mandarin levels) and business Chinese. If you live in the same compound as other foreigners who want to learn Chinese, save money by putting together your own learning group. The more students and number of hours you purchase, the less you pay.
University of International Business and Economics (UIBE) 对外经济贸易大学
Intensive Chinese university courses
Area: Huixin Xijie Recommended for: Serious learners Cost: RMB 9,900 (first semester), RMB 9,100 (each subsequent semester), RMB 660 (application fee) Contact: 10 Huixin Dongjie, Chaoyang District (6449 2131, sie@uibe.edu.cn) www.uibe.edu.cn 朝阳区惠新东街10号
Unlike most universities, UIBE is located in Chaoyang District, near Huixin Xijie Nankou subway station on Line 10. The school’s intensive Mandarin courses are suitable for those who want to improve their language skills as rapidly as possible. UIBE’s programs include regular Chinese classes and business Chinese classes that take two to three semesters to complete. Both involve a heavy workload, so prepare to buckle down and do a lot of self-studying.
Xinhanji Chinese Language International College 新瀚吉汉语国际学院
One-on-one and small group learning
Area: Sanlitun Recommended for: Sanlitun residents Cost: RMB 85 per hour (intensive private lessons), RMB 120 (conversational private lessons), RMB 100 (business Chinese beginner classes). Discounts available for small group classes.
Contact: Rm 1502B, Bldg A, Sanlitun Soho, Chaoyang District (400 888 2368) 朝阳区三里屯SOHO A座1502B室
Xinhanji provides intensive and conversational Chinese language courses at different levels, with classes for kids, business professionals, and regular students. Class sizes are limited to one-on-one private lessons and small group lessons of three to five people. In addition, Xinhanji offers culture courses and music courses in traditional Chinese instruments like the erhu and pipa.
This article is excerpted from beijingkids Home & Relocation Guide 2012. View it in PDF form here or contact distribution@beijing-kids.com to find out where you can pick up your free copy.
