AMERICAN STUDENTS IN CHINA – TIPS FROM A FORMER US STUDENT
Contents
Many Americans visit the Keats School website searching for information about American students studying in China.
It’s a big decision moving to China from the US to study Mandarin at a Mandarin language school. There’s a lot of questions that need to be answered before applying to your preferred course, that’s why we’ve reached out to a previous American student named Fred.
Fred is from New Jersey and studied at Keats in 2016 for three weeks. Then in 2017, he studied at Keats for another 3 weeks.
Here’s what an American student learned while studying Mandarin at Keats School in China.
EXPERIENCE AT KEATS
Before applying to Keats in 2016, Fred had traveled to China many times and was interested in the culture and country. He knew enough Chinese to be able to get around but wanted to dive deeper into the language. He knew it was time to study the language.
Like many American students wanting to study in China, Fred took to the internet to learn more about formal classes offered in China. While browsing, he saw an advertisement for “Mandarin Day” and found himself on the Keats School website. Fred was impressed with the information provided by Keats and liked the one-on-one Mandarin instruction and the room and board features offered at Keats.
He signed up for three weeks of intensive-one-on-one Mandarin, where he was in the classroom for four hours a day.
In 2017, he decided to return to Keats School like 40% of our students do. This year Fred took two weeks of intensive one-on-one Mandarin lessons for four hours a day and then one week of Study + Tour China lessons.
“My experience at Keats was extremely positive. I was picked up at the airport and shown to my dorm room. The teacher assigned to me was very competent and dedicated. She was able to tailor the lessons to my level and needs. I think Keats is more than just a “school.” To me it’s an international community where you can meet and make friends with people of all ages and from all countries and cultures bound by a common interest in Chinese culture and language,” shares Fred about his experience abroad.
WHY PICK KUNMING & KEATS?
There are many different ways to learn Mandarin. In our last blog post, we talked about how the best way to learn Mandarin is by moving to China from the US (or your home country), living in a Chinese city, and attending a Mandarin language school.
Fred picked Kunming as his city to learn Mandarin in because of the research he found on Keats School.
“Keats and Kunming are very comfortable places to live and study. I chose Keats because of the flexibility of classes and the convenience and price of the accommodations.” – Fred
WHAT DID YOU LIKE ABOUT THE CLASSES?
As a potential student of Keats, you probably want the down-low on how good the classes are. You know that in the intensive one-on-one, our most popular course, you can study for four hours a day or six hours a day.
But, what do American students in China really think of our classes?
We asked Fred what he would change about the Keats learning experience if he would ever return for the third time. “I think that since the classes are tailored to the student’s individual needs, there is little reason for a systematic change.”
TIPS FOR FUTURE AMERICAN STUDENTS IN CHINA
One of the best things about interviewing Fred about his experience at Keats is giving future American students hoping to study in China tips.
So, here are Fred’s tips:
- Read the student handbook
- Make sure your visa is in order
- Have enough funds to cover additional travel and shopping
- Know that many of the Chinese banks (Bank of China) will accept foreign ATM cards with a small additional fee
- Explore the local area restaurants and shops in Kunming on the weekends
APPLY TO KEATS SCHOOL
If you’re an American student who wants to study in China, Keats School is for you. We have a start time schedule, and our teachers will help you reach your Mandarin language goals.
In addition to everything Fred has said in this article, he also mentioned that the cost of living in China is less than in America.
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OVER 7000+ STUDENTS
HAVE STUDIED AT KEATS
I think the Chinese learning environment here is great. The teaching methods are also very interactive and fun. What I particularly enjoy here is the fact that my teacher does not stick to the textbook. We spend a lot of time discussing general topics, such as Chinese culture, world news, typical expressions used by local people. We also discuss social and economic topics.
I found Keats School and I am so glad that I did. When you learn Chinese in China at Keats, you are fully being taken care of. My teacher is really great and we become lovely friends.
It is very convenient to come to Kunming from Thailand. I really like my Chinese class and my Chinese improved a lot in a few months. There are many benefits of learning Chinese. The best thing I like about Keats is that it is in Kunming, a city with eternal spring. There is so much to see in Kunming and you will love this city after you come.
They really care about what our interests are, what questions we have, what requirements we have. Then they adjust our Chinese language program content according to the situations. One teacher and one student, so it is easy to keep your focus for the 6 hours of immersion Mandarin lessons. It is very convenient to study, live and eat in one building.
I have to say it’s tons of fun. I have been here for 2 weeks. Not knowing what it was gonna be like, I was more than surprised at how great it is. The teachers are great, they are understanding. They do a Chinese language program that suits just you. The location is perfect for learning Chinese in China.
One thing I really liked was that I was able to work with my teacher to make an individual plan of study. Another really nice thing is that you live at the school, you feel completely safe. You always have a group of people who are willing to do things with you on the weekends or in the evenings. They are serving you all the 3 meals a day, the food was excellent.
My teachers are all excellent. They trained the teachers so professionally. I feel like I learn very quickly with my teacher. They are very serious about their students and I know every teacher is like this. I would highly recommend that you come to Keats if you are looking for the best Chinese school in China.
We use a lot of games to learn grammar and new words. We have really good teachers, really patient. She helps us a lot. Our class is really nice and we have people from all over the world, different countries. We often discuss topics in Chinese in our class. I live in the dorm of Keats. It is very convenient. I don’t have to spend time traveling. You can just focus on learning Chinese.