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HOW TO GET YOUR EMPLOYER TO PAY FOR MANDARIN LANGUAGE SCHOOL

Traveling abroad to study Mandarin can be an expensive commitment. But, what if we told you that many employers help pay for the Mandarin course offered at Keats School?

While there’s no magic recipe for your bosses to agree to fund your tuition tab, taking into account these five steps will put the odds in your favour.

DECIDE WHETHER TO ASK


While you may want your company to fund your studies, you need to make sure it makes sense to ask. Since you’re looking to study Mandarin at Keats, consider how Mandarin would benefit your work.

But, if you were debating studying something that had zero on-the-job applicability, it’s probably not the smartest to seek employer funding.

FIND OUT WHAT YOUR EMPLOYER OFFERS

Many larger companies already offer education-funding programs. Before you go and ask them to pay for your trip, be sure you know what’s already in the books and get all the details.

If you’re not sure where to start, contact the HR department or look on your company intranet.

Some companies will set caps or limitations, such as a fixed dollar amount per employee, course, or department. Amounts may fluctuate depending on seniority and education level.

If your workplace doesn’t have a program in place, you’re free to propose terms of your own.

PREPARE AND NEGOTIATE


This is one of the biggest tasks and the one that will take the longest. Put yourself in your manager’s shoes. If an employee came to you and asked for time off work to study and for the company to fund it, what would you want to be given?

We suggest you prepare a document explaining why you’re requesting the time off work, where you’re hoping to study, the cost, and how it will benefit the company.

In addition to the proposal, put together a clear, organized presentation to show your manager. This presentation will contain some of the same information as your proposal but with visuals as well. This will give your manager an understanding of why you want the company to pay for Mandarin schooling and how it will benefit the company.

Align your education goals with corporate objectives, and show direct, specific benefits. Some examples are better performance, sharing information and Mandarin lessons with other employees, communicating with Mandarin clients, and easy travel ability to Mandarin-speaking cities and countries.

If you feel comfortable, make a deal with your boss or HR department. If education is paid for, you can negotiate reimbursement levels, travel time, or stay with the company for a set number of years.

IF THE ANSWER IS YES

If your employer signs off on the proposal you offered, this is when your work starts.

You must determine exactly how funding will work, how much your employer will pay, and what academic standards you’re going to have to meet. Are they looking for you to gain full fluency in Mandarin while away studying?

Make sure to get an agreement signed on paper and have any questions and answers written down. Questions could include:

  • What happens if you quit work?
  • What happens if you’re sick?
  • What happens if your academic standard isn’t what was required?
  • What time does any obligation to remain with your employer beings and end?

IF THE ANSWER IS NO

Find out why your employer didn’t agree to fund your language education. If your company cannot pay for your course because of the fee, suggest the course could be instead of another benefit, such as a promised raise.

Consider compromising. The timeframe may not have worked best with the company, which means you could request another length of time and travel departure date.

If you still receive a no, you may have to move on from it for now. Take advantage of your annual performance and bring up the possibility of studying abroad to learn Mandarin again.

APPLICATION AND FLIGHTS


Let’s say you’ve been approved and your employer is going to pay for your Mandarin lessons. Now it’s time to apply online to Keats School and pick your preferred language course. We have 8 different Chinese language courses, and each one has a customized start date and language study plan.

To get started, visit our website to apply.

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Sarah

Sarah | USA

Intensive One-on-One Chinese Classes

My name is Sarah Fish. I am 81. I knew very little Chinese when I arrived. How was I going to survive 2 weeks of intensive Chinese course? I have to laugh when I think of that now. What a positive experience this has been! I really wish we could be here a little longer. The teachers are extremely encouraging, evaluating first how much someone knows, and then starting from there.

Aliza

Aliza | USA

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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.

Josh

Josh | USA

Small Group Chinese Class

I really had a wonderful experience at the school. The teachers are very very friendly. In my class, we practice speaking, listening, reading, and writing. We play games and other fun activities. We have trips around town. The staff at Keats is phenomenal. My teacher is one of the best teachers I have ever had in my educational experience. She comes in with a smile every day.

Vanya

Vanya | BULGARIA

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I found Keats to be very good, teachers are excellent and really take the students seriously. Kunming is the best place to learn Mandarin in China. The environment is awesome, no pollution. The air quality is great, good weather. The people here are very friendly. I come to take classes every day. I feel comfortable studying Chinese at Keats. I learned so many things, although I only studied at Keats for 2 months. I am really satisfied with my teacher. For us foreigners, Keats is the best Chinese school in China. Therefore, I would highly recommend Keats to all of you.

Pakorn

Pakorn | Thailand

Small Group Chinese Class

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.

Robert

Robert | Netherlands

Small Group Chinese Class

Since last semester, we started studying Chinese at Keats. It was the best choice we can ever make. It is a really good school. The classes are a lot of fun, you learn a lot, but very interactive, so you talk a lot which means it is not just books and writing. Kunming is a really pleasant city to live in, especially if you compare it to other cities in the east. If you like to travel, if you like to study Chinese in a fun way, Keats has the best Chinese language program for you.

Ben

Ben | USA

Small Group Chinese Class

My first semester that I studied at another school, and the pressure there was pretty high, the classroom hour was long, and the homework was pretty tedious. Since I came to Keats, I found I have a lot more opportunities to speak in the classroom. My classmates all are fluent and love speaking and participating in the class. We have great classroom dynamic.

Faith

Faith | UK

Intensive One-on-One Chinese Classes

I have 2 teachers, and I do 4 hours a day. So I have got Dong Laoshi and Jin Laoshi. Both of them are very good. They made the experience very nice to me. They are willing to help you whenever, so if you ever have a question here, the teachers are always there to help you whether it is visas, whether it is getting around the city. Everyone wants to talk to you.

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