LTL Language School Reviews

My teacher Tammy and the team at LTL Taipei have been so amazing! My one-on-one classes are flexible and my teacher always meets me where I’m at language wise. Also the facilities are comfortable, homey, and social, which is super conducive to learning and making friends. I also love the access to varying levels of textbooks so that Tammy and I could find lessons that really matched my level.

Date of experience: April 30, 2024

I’ve really enjoyed my time in Chengde with LTL. I’ve spent 2 weeks there on an intensive course (6h a day studying/practicing conversational Chinese) and achieved some noticeable improvements in both my listening and speaking. My teacher, 周周, was very funny and really easy to chat with, and my lessons with her are among my favorite memories from Chengde. My host family was also unforgettable. I was hosted by 中文, one of the LTL coordinators, who was very helpful and organized. I really enjoyed speaking with her husband and their 2 kids! Also had a lot of fun playing Chinese chess with them. Not to mention the food cooked by 中文’s mom! Best Chinese food I’ve ever had! Finally, I’ve also met some local people, with whom I played ping-pong, climbed the most famous local mountains and enjoyed the many local food options. All in all, a lovely experience that I would no doubt repeat, given the chance. My only regret is only the short stay!

Date of experience: April 01, 2024

LTL Taipei is a great little school. If you want small classes and lots of personal attention, LTL is a good choice. I have learned a lot during my time here and made serious progress in my Chinese. The curriculum they’ve used with me has been a great complement and addition to the one I have been using with an online teacher from Chongqing. I plan to continue my studies using both curricula. If you choose to study here, be proactive and specific about what you want and communicate it to the staff. They are very happy to accommodate and help you and I was a little too reluctant to express everything I wanted. But every time I needed help or wanted a change, the staff took care of it right away–I should not have waited to ask for anything, and neither should you if you come to LTL. The teachers have been just the right mix of nurturing and strict, caring but not coddling, so I have kept and improved my motivation, and I really got the most out of my time studying here. I highly recommend LTL to prospective students who really want to focus and improve their language skills.

Date of experience: May 03, 2024

I would like to recommend the LTL Taipei Branch for you guys who plan to have a Chinese class and have a wonderful moment during the trip to another country as well. Thank you to my teachers ( Ivory Lin and Avril Liu) my Chinese has improved more since when I came to Taipei the teachers have been patient with me especially Ivory Lin 老师 thanks for explaining and giving me many information about Chinese. Thank you to Riona Chen and Alin Chou who are at the counter to help every student especially to Sabatino my student advisor for arranging and helping with my Visa, they are all very helpful and enthusiastic to help me with everything. And usually, we have class on weekdays so during the weekend you can make a plan for the travel and you can choose and plan your study as you want a group or individual classes are available. If you're planning to take a Chinese class this place is a good start LTL Taipei Blanch!

Date of experience: April 27, 2024

I spent a week at LTL to get some basic language skills for travelling in Taiwan. My teachers Jane, Ana and Jessica proved to be incredible innovative and flexible and provided me with a lot of usefull information for my travelling. They thaugt me some very useful basic language structures and vocabulary in that short amount of time.
Thanks also to Alin for organizing my schedule and Riona for showing us such a variety of lunch places and answering all of my many questions.
Sabine

Date of experience: April 22, 2024

Learning Mandarin in Beihai has been a wonderful experience. The teachers are not only patient and kind, but also offer the kind of language advice that goes beyond studying for a test; they provide advice that makes everyday communication easier. This is invaluable to students seeking fluency.

The teachers work hard to customize the experience in a way that works best for your personal goals and learning habits.

Beihai is also the perfect place to practice Mandarin outside of the classroom, giving students the chance to immediately utilize the information they learn from their teachers.

Additionally, there is a wide variety of activities that the teachers and school offer so that you can try out new things while learning.

Beihai itself is a fantastic place. People are friendly, the food is excellent, and the summer weather means great days at the beach, which is a beautiful bonus. If visiting in the winter months, pack a few long-sleeved items! It gets colder than expected.

One thing I would add is that Beihai is not a place for true beginners. You need some grasp of the language to comfortably engage with locals and buy necessities.

Overall, I would recommend Beihai and LTL to someone who wants to further their learning. I've had nothing but good experiences.

Date of experience: April 30, 2024

I recently finished my 4-week long program at LTL Taipei. I had a great time and I'm super pleased with the support, classes, and learning environment. I had teachers Jessica and Sissi. Both teachers were very professional, kind, and encouraging. My language exchange partners can tell that my level improved a lot in a month! I speak with fewer pauses and I feel a lot more comfortable expressing myself.

I stayed with a homestay, which was great. My host mom was super accommodating and helped me with my homework and chatted with me in Mandarin. The additional immersion time really gave me the motivation to practice more!

I also want to say thank you to Riona! She was always available to answer questions and address any concerns I had. Great school and management! The flexibility to choose the length of your program, ability to switch class levels when necessary, and the support from everyone made this the best program for my needs and goals. Thanks, guys!

Date of experience: March 04, 2024

My stay in Beijing in April 2024 was incredible. The support that the LTL school provides to solve various issues (transportation, payment system, etc.) is really worth it. Both the quality of the teaching and the experience with the accommodation are absolutely recommended. If I have the chance, I will definitely repeat the experience with them.
By the way, I passed my HSK3 exam!

Date of experience: March 30, 2024

I had a very good learning experience in Taibei, Taiwan, in March 2024. I took group classes with Sherry and one on one classes with Thomas. I can highly recommend both teacher, since both show a lot of enthusiasm in their teaching! I also had a very good home stay experience which helped to improve my speaking skills a lot.

Date of experience: March 11, 2024

Great Language program, highly recommended. I spoke with Brendan and Mojca to help me set up the program. Even though I requested to join at very short notice, they were both very helpful setting me up with a homestay and group class in as little as two weeks. The LTL website is a little slow and buggy but fear not, the student advisors are very responsive to emails and will help you out. The airport pickup service was also excellent. My flight was 1.5 hours late and I went through customs very slowly (due to being tired) but the driver kindly waited for me the whole time. The survival kit services were also excellent. Riona helped me get my SIM card working even though we had to visit multiple telecom companies to troubleshoot issues. She also helped me obtain an EasyCard and use the MRT. The extracurricular events are great too. The students eat lunch together every day after morning class and many events such as dinners, field trips and events are often organized.

I recommend the homestay for housing, especially if you are on the younger side. It is your best opportunity to immerse yourself in the Mandarin language and Taiwanese culture and is worth the extra price.

My teachers Juju and Thomas are very good at teaching Chinese. It is comparable to college level curriculums like the Flagship program (which is pretty well-known in the US). I would just point out it is slightly more relaxed (in terms of workload) and chill than a college class but it does not adversely the rate of learning. LTL is worth it as you are provided the opportunity to study in Taiwan, and getting the necessary help to make life easy so you can focus on exploring and enjoying yourself ~~

Date of experience: April 25, 2024

Dear LTL
I am writing this review to express my heartfelt gratitude for the incredible experience I had at your Mandarin school and for the opportunity to immerse myself in the vibrant culture of your city. My time at LTL was truly enriching. The dedication and expertise of the teachers, coupled with the engaging curriculum, made learning Mandarin a exciting journey. From mastering basic greetings to confidently holding conversations, I have acquired valuable language skills that will undoubtedly stay with me for a lifetime. The supportive environment by the staff made my classes enjoyable and productive. Beyond the classroom, exploring Beihai’s beautiful scenery, savoring its delectable cuisine, and experiencing its rich history and traditions have left a mark on me. From the fascinating landmarks to the hidden gems tucked away in its alleys, every moment spent in Beihai was a delightful adventure. I am grateful for the warm hospitality extended to me throughout my stay. Your dedication to providing an amazing educational experience, combined with the warmth and friendliness of the local community, made my time in Beihai unforgettable. Please convey my deepest appreciation to the LTL team for their hard work and dedication. I am immensely grateful for the transformative experience I had, and I will cherish the memories of my time spent learning Mandarin and exploring Beihai. Thank you once again for everything.

P.S a special thank you to Savannah for all the help in Beihai.

Sincerely

Casey Placktis

Date of experience: February 18, 2024

LTL Beijing is a school with a warm and friendly environment. I spent a month studying in Beijing and loved every second of it. Sabatino and Linda organise many fun and engaging activities like dinners, calligraphy classes or visiting beautiful parks. I had group classes taught by Sara. Sara was super patient and friendly. I was able to improve my Chinese a lot thanks to her.

Date of experience: April 10, 2024

There are many things I like about LTL!

I like the flexibility of my 1-on-1 classes because it allows me to learn Mandarin at my own pace—allowing me to study vocabulary outside of class, and come to class prepared with specific questions, which my teachers are more than happy to answer. Topics covered in class are also based on my own preferences/needs. There are times where I am too tired to work on the text book—thus ask the teacher if we could just have conversations. My teachers are generally happy to go with whatever I want to do. There are times where my teachers suggest particular subjects/activities to do in class, which is also great! I also love that my teachers are there to support me in achieving my linguistic goals, whether it is being flexible with time, adapting to my learning style, or taking the time to find articles that may interest me.

Riona has been one of (if not) the best employee at LTL, she is kind, social, and hard working. Riona should receive a raise since she spends her own time to organize/participate in activities with the students (other LTL employees such as Marine, also often participate in activities). Riona has also shown her leadership skills when it comes to resolving issues that revolve students, such as accompanying students to the hospital and maintaining contact with the host families.

Ailin is very well-organized in scheduling and keeping the school running. I appreciate that she listened to my request of assigning me my favorite classroom and my request about installing another internet box in the backside of the school.

Marine is a great person to be around. She’s very social and would not hesitate to jump out of her marketing role to help students with whatever needs they may have!

The LTL team in Taipei have also made students feel special on their birthdays. They buy the students cakes using their own money, which makes it extra personal!

There are also teachers who take time out of their own day to organize events such as laser tag, hiking, day trips to go sight seeing, board game nights, etc. It is great for community building as it often brings students, LTL employees, and teachers together.

I am glad I have chosen LTL as my school in Taiwan. At LTL one may meet many interesting individuals with whom building connections is possible. I look forward to seeing LTL Taipei grow more in the near future, anything I can do to support! 😊

Date of experience: April 27, 2024

I have had a great first month at ltl Shanghai! The lessons are great, adding a layer of native knowledge to the book that is used. Common phrases and other 'survival words' have led to me now being able to do a lot of basic things in mandarin (ordering food, asking directions, etc). The general communication from the staff is clear and very helpfull and fun activities are organized every week!
My two teachers, Jason Wang and Winnie Li are both very skilled and pleasant in the classroom. Where Jason focuses more on vocabulary and learning everyday phrases Winnie is making sure the characters are really imprinted in my mind! They are a great combo and I am very happy to be their student.

The only thing that could have been better was a more in depth-preperation for all the apps and different things required to use in China, especially for the people staying longer.

Would definetly recommend LTL shanghai!

Date of experience: March 17, 2024

I attended LTL Beihai and Beijing last summer. The biggest plus is that the teachers and staff are all very friendly and helpful, so the whole time there was very enjoyable. They also organize things and excursions for the students or just invite people to hang out. The lessons are good too, though the one on one lessons are of course a lot better if you want to really learn Chinese thoroughly. The one con for me was that the course prices are pretty expensive--from what I understand there are other courses available in China which are cheaper but I can't comment on their quality. For others who are looking to save money I recommend the courses in Beihai because they're significantly discounted.

Date of experience: July 17, 2023

The language class was a very interesting, as well as useful experience. The staff and teachers were all really nice, and although the class is intense, there isn’t a big pressure on you for how you study. I was there for only two weeks, but I’d recommend you to go even longer, to really improve your Chinese! The rooms in Beijing were really clean and good looking, and often there were fun activities to be done, organized by Linda or Sabatino. A great way to meet some international friends and learn Chinese in Beijing!

Date of experience: March 23, 2024

Doing a language stay with LTL in Beijing was definitely one of the best decisions, I've ever made! The school is amazing! I was supposed to be staying for two weeks, but ended up staying a month! The staff, including my teacher, were great!! Always helpful, patient, and in a good mood. I had so much fun and learned a lot!! The classes offered a diverse range of activities, including speaking, grammar, reading, listening, and learning Chinese characters. Also the classes were very considerate of everyone!
Not only were the classes incredible, but the activities offered by the school were also pretty cool. For example, they taught us how to play Mahjong, and we ate dinner (Beijing Duck) together, which were also excellent opportunities to meet other students!
I would do all of it again in a heartbeat and hope I'll be able to go back soon!

Date of experience: March 01, 2024

I had a great time at LTL school in Beijing. The staff (especially Linda, thank you!!!) is very helpful and friendly. I had two wonderful teachers, Agnes and Lily. The big plus of the school is flexibility - even if something didn't work at first, you could always contact the staff to resolve any problems.

Date of experience: September 01, 2023

For my second time studying at LTL, I have decided to attend a multi city program. I have studied for 4 months in Beihai (Guangxi) and Beijing.
I attended 1-on-1 classes to practice more my Chinese (which definitely improved) and spent my time in a host family. I highly recommend LTL's program!

Date of experience: March 01, 2024

I came to Beihai in March 2024 for 4 weeks, studying each morning 5 days a week. It looked like a nice spot on the south coast of China at a time when a lot of China would be pretty cold. Beihai has lots of beaches, if that's your thing - and is big enough (1.5m ppl) to have a fair bit to explore, but not so big that it's overwhelming. Once you're up and running on a bicycle of electric scooter it's an easy (and flat) place to navigate. I didn't choose to stay in a homestay, as I couldn't afford to, so stayed in a hotel for the first fortnight, and then ended up renting a local apartment cheaply for the last few weeks (via a local friend I made on the beach). Overall I have enjoyed my time in Beihai (despite the sun not coming out quite as much as I would have hoped!).
The school is small, and tucked away on the 5th floor of a shopping mall in the middle of the city. It's a quirky location, and does mean that if you're looking for a 'campus' style experience, this isn't the place to come. The set up is small but functional, with a few newly fitted out classrooms and a small kitchen/common room - there's an outdoor space to for when the weather is good. Even though I booked a group class I ended up in a one on one for 2hrs each morning as there we no other students booked into group classes at my level - it's probably best to expect that you'll do one on one classes here. The teaching I've had is good - and I was able to choose which aspects of learning I wanted to focus on (in my case listening and speaking), with no pressure to spend time on reading and writing. I have definitely improved in my relatively short time here. The school has organised a number of different social opportunities which were good fun, and it's a place where you can just walk around in a place with no foreigners and soak up being in China beyond the tourist spots. If you're looking for somewhere where you won't be surrounded by English speakers, and a fun friendly, if small, group of teachers and students to study Chinese with, Beihai is a fun and affordable place to come.

Date of experience: March 04, 2024