Alternatives to BLCU

Posted by stella (1865 days ago)

Can anybody recommend me a good university in BJ to take a semester full time course of mandarin language? Of course I read a lot about BLCU, but I would like to avoid it for many reasons (one of them is that I'm sure that if I go there I'll end up talking in english!)
I read positive things on "Beijing Institute of Economic Management", has any of you tried their chinese language courses?
Thanks a lot!
Stella

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Posted by stella (1506 days ago)

Hi Lauren, thanks a lot for your reply.
Can you tell me how much you paid for your study? I saw a website of a Renmin university, but maybe it's not the same (as no info were posted with regards to chinese language courses). Thanks again!
Stella

Posted by lauren (1506 days ago)

I would say the only real reason to avoid BLCU is because of the price- because in terms of location, facilities and teaching it really is the best place to go. If you're worried about talking in english you needn't be as the majority of your classmates will be korean or japanese and very few will speak english. Of course there will be students who will want to practise their english on you but you get this at every university- they become language partners and you do an 'exchange' system where you spend one hour talking only english and the next hour talking only chinese.

If you want a cheaper place to go I suggest the people's university (renmin daxue) which is where I spent a year- but even there you'll be living in a foreign students' building (if you live on campus) where you'll come across the same "speaking english" problems you'd encounter at BLCU.

Wherever you go you're not going to escape the temptation of speaking english, you'll always be put with other foreign students (who may or may not speak english) or approached by chinese wanting to practise their english- it's up to you how much english you choose to speak (or you can pretend you're french/german/spanish and therefore chances are your only common language will be mandarin- worked for me!)

Posted by lauren (1506 days ago)

Renmin university website is pretty unhelpful at best. I can't really give much advice on fees etc. coz it was all organised through my university. If you can, try and call the foreign students' office and they'll put you on to someone who can speak english.

As for enrolling just before the start of the course, you'd have to ask the university themselves. I dunno how much bureaucracy is involved with taking on a new student so I don't know how willing they'd be. In the end if they're getting money they may grunt a bit but will do it- it may involved you having to make a few trips to the Public Security Bureau on your own.