87 reviews
4.11 / 5 based on 87 reviews
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yogi888
Academic
My academic experiences
Interaction with teachers
Interaction with international students
Interaction with local students
My opinion of the university assessment
Exams throughout the course
Essays and/or projects at the end of course
Essays and/or projects throughout the course
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yogi888
Expenses
Main source of funding:
Personal savings
Other sources of funding:
none
Work opportunities:
I didn't explore any work options
Personal spending habits
Food: The cost of living (including all food-related expenses), is much lower in Beijing than in Toronto.
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Telephone, Housing, Nightlife, Travel:
was the same price as at home.
Overall, Food:
was less expensive than at home.
Accessibility of student needs
Second-hand household items
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yogi888
Languages
Language of instruction: Chinese
Was learning Chinese a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my Chinese
How much did you improve your Chinese?
My level before: Basic phrases
My level after: At ease in most situations
Language difficulties
Administrative / Institutional
Personal comments
My overall language and communication experience in China (generally), and at BLCU (in particular), was one of continuous learning. "Putonghua" is challenging for any newcomer/beginner, but also equally rewarding.
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yogi888
Overall
I wish I had known...
When visiting mainland China, there is never enough room for souvenirs. Travel light!
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In my opinion:
Most people loved it.
Important factors in my choice
(1) Unimportant – (4) Very important
Personal recommendation
Beijing Language and Culture University is one of MYRIAD language schools in Beijing. However, it is among the most reputable.
From my experience, BLCU's strong reputation seems well-deserved.
That being said, there may be less costly ways to learn Mandarin. A classmate of mine mentioned the availablity of student tutors for 10 RMB per hour (about CDN $2). The obvious benefit here, aside from the low cost, is the effectiveness of one-on-one learning.
I'd recommend considering tutoring in CONJUNCTION with a language course, such as at BLCU. Although class sizes may seem unwieldy (15 to 25 students), the classes at BLCU provided a well-structured approach. No regrets.
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During my experience abroad, I ...
(1) Never – (4) A lot
Became familiar with another culture
Met people from other countries
Experienced a change in life
Advanced my studies & career
Final comments
Make the most of your time!
Everyone's priorities will be unique. However, try to find the right balance between mainstream social activities (e.g., nightlife), and language- & culture-oriented activities (access to which may be more limited to your period of stay in Beijing).
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yogi888
Student life
Describe host city:
Students equally interact with the local and student community
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Travel, Activities, Nightlife: Takes place mostly outside the university/student environment
Personal social experience
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yogi888
Housing
Type of housing: Hotel
Arranged by: Host university
If returning, I would choose: With a family
Why?
To provide language and cultural immersion, and to develop new, potentially lasting friendships.
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Personal comments
I had applied for on-campus accomodations (in a dormitory).
Upon my arrival, however, I was told that there were no more rooms in the dorm to which I had been assigned. My stay at an adjacent hotel (Xi Jiao) was arranged.
This was a lucky scenario for me. Accomodations at Xi Jiao would have been much more costly, had I incurred this expense. I only paid the cost of living in a dorm, in accordance with my application.
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