LTL Language School | Learn Chinese in Taipei

I spent six weeks at LTL Taipei taking a 1-on-1 Chinese course. From the beginning, everything was easy and well organized. Communication before my arrival was smooth, the classes were great, and there were plenty of activities outside of class. Even though I had 1-on-1 lessons, I still got to know other students and teachers quite easily. The atmosphere at the school is very friendly and relaxed. There are many international students speaking English, and many people in Taipei speak good English as well. But if you make an effort to meet locals and use Chinese in everyday life, there are still plenty of opportunities to practice. Taipei itself is also a great city to study in—very convenient, easy to get around, and there’s always something to do. Just be prepared for the VERY hot and rainy weather in June/July! I had Jessica 老師 as my teacher, and she quickly understood my level and asked what I wanted to achieve. Although I had learned Simplified Chinese before, that wasn’t a problem at all. LTL Taipei teaches both Simplified and Traditional Chinese, and I got used to Traditional much faster than I expected. Since my main goal was to refresh my Chinese and improve my speaking, Jessica adapted the lessons to me instead of just following the textbook. From day one, we spoke almost entirely in Chinese, which helped a lot with my listening and speaking. I had classes every morning from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., but I never felt overwhelmed and the four hours always went by surprisingly quickly. Jessica was also very kind and supportive—she even brought me breakfast a few times! After six weeks, I could really feel that my Chinese had improved. There were different activities every week, such as Mahjong, karaoke, museums, cultural activities, and group lunches near the school. Sunny and Riona put so much effort into organizing everything. They were always friendly and approachable, and they definitely made the course more enjoyable! Alin organized my classes and found a teacher who was a really good match for me. Greta was also very helpful before and during my stay. I had some issues with my original homestay arrangement, and she took my concerns seriously and really tried to help find a solution, which I appreciated a lot. The only thing I think could be improved is the homestay program. From my own experience and from talking to other students, the quality of host families seems to vary quite a bit. It would be helpful to have more consistent standards regarding things like cleanliness, distance from the school, and how involved the host family is. I also think it would be better to get information about the homestay earlier. Considering the price, renting a private room or apartment nearby can sometimes be a better option. Of course, I’m sure there are also many great host families—it may just depend a little on luck. Overall, I’d definitely recommend LTL Taipei to anyone thinking about studying Chinese in Taiwan. I learned a lot in six weeks, met some really nice people, and had a great time. If I come back to Taipei, I’d definitely consider taking another course at LTL.

This is my second time taking classes at this school. I was here a year ago and liked it so much that I came back. The instructors are extremely passionate about teaching and want to make sure you’re actually learning. Classes are small so they feel very personal. The school also organizes outside activities so it is easy to make friends and practice the language. The school really deeply cares about your experience. Every instructor is very kind and friendly. They want to include you as much as is comfortable. I am an introvert and felt it was very easy to integrate.

From the beginning the staff were super helpful and provide many resources for settling into Taipei! Greta is always available to reach out to before or during your program. As a complete beginner learning Mandarin will always be a challenge but the teachers offer a variety of teaching styles that help test many different skills that are needed to be a great Mandarin speaker! My teachers, Jialin and WeiWei are super accommodating and have always helped us when we had any questions, they’re also so lively that I look forward to attending class! Meanwhile Riona and Sunny always conduct voluntary events that help with cultural immersion and even host lunches! The combination of super friendly and helpful staff to its incredible teachers to the schools ability to constantly provide students with extra curricular activities have made my experience learning mandarin so exciting and fun! LTL is not only a school in my opinion but also a community.