GoAbroad

Gap Year in China Programs

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5.0 / 5Overall Rating
5Reviews
2005Year established

Program Overview

Taking a long break from school? Use this period to travel the world and boost your résumé with international experience. At That’s Mandarin, we have a range of programs you can incorporate into your gap year in China! No matter the Chinese language course you choose, we make sure it caters to your individual needs.

Studying Chinese with us is generally easy! Pick from any of our schools in Shanghai or Beijing, or study online. Enroll in a program that suits your learning needs and interests: Part-Time, Intensive, Small Group, 1-to-1, etc. Choose a course and we’ll tailor it to your specifications.

While on a Chinese Gap Year, you will stay in a comfortable home environment in homestays or Western-style apartments. Plus, you will take part in activities and events that immerse you in China’s cultural and social aspects. Throughout the program, you will get to know other gappers and That’s Mandarin students as well as staff. You will also gain new insights into the Eastern world.

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Program Highlights

Immerse in a new culture while traveling around China.
Combine language learning and cultural immersion to truly learn about China.
Study intensively with That’s Mandarin or enroll in as many short programs as you want in any city of your choice!
Choose to complete your gap year with an internship or other activities to highlight your language learning experience.
Stay with a local family to practice your language skills and experience authentic Chinese way of life and traditions.

What's Included

Tuition & Fees

Program Details

Learn all the nitty gritty details you need to know

Locations

  • Beijing, China
  • Hangzhou, China
  • Shanghai, China

Available Terms / Availability

  • Years Offered
  • Year Round, 2026

Eligible Nationalities

  • All Nationalities

Education Levels & Language

  • Education
  • Any/All Education Levels Accepted

Accommodation Options

  • Apartment/Flat
  • Home-stays
  • Other

Application Procedures

  • Online Application

Age Requirement

18+

Duration

  • After College
  • Post High School
  • During College
  • Career Break / Mid-Career

Program Reviews

Hear what past participants have to say about That's Mandarin

5.0
5 reviews

Rating breakdown

5
5
4
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2
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1
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Top categories

Itinerary
5.0
Living Situation
5.0
Program Administration
5.0
Health & Safety
5.0
Cultural Immersion
4.8
Satisfaction
4.8

Participated in this program? Share your experience now.

Review this Program

Showing 1-5 of 5 reviews

Scott CapornAustralia · August 2026

Great Chinese school where you build real friendships!

I’m an Australian university student doing my gap‑year in China and studying at That’s Mandarin. Apart from improving my Mandarin, I’ve met incredible classmates — people from family‑run businesses, embassy interns, and international students from Tsinghua and Peking University. I really value these friendships. That’s Mandarin is not only for learning Chinese; it connects you with fantastic people. I’m so thankful for this unforgettable gap‑year experience. Highly recommend!

Marco EspositoItaly · July 2026

Chinese for Beginners: Practical Lessons for Studying in China

As a total beginner, I love this school. I have one class per week lasting 80 minutes. We start from simple pronunciation and learn words about school admission step by step. There are relaxing card games to memorize phrases. The teacher treats every student gently, and I never feel nervous to speak broken Chinese in class.

Justin HPBahamas · September 2025

Wonderful experiment!

After just one semester at this Chinese school, my progress has blown me away. The teachers combine patience, humor and real-world materials, turning tones and characters from intimidating puzzles into daily joys. Small classes let me practice constantly, while weekend culture workshops—calligraphy, dumpling folding—anchor the language in unforgettable context. My Chinese coworkers now compliment my pronunciation and even my handwriting! The staff also use an amazing app that reviews every lesson with flashcards and audio, so waiting at the bus stop becomes study time. The tuition felt like an experiment; now it feels like the smartest investment I’ve made in years.

Sarah LeeSaudi Arabia · September 2025

Living Between Two Heartbeats: Finding Rhythm in a Foreign Land

My experience abroad was a six-month immersion in the rhythm of Buenos Aires, Argentina. It was a lesson in learning to dance to a different beat, both literally and metaphorically. I went expecting to improve my Spanish and see tango shows. I left with a new understanding of community and time. The porteño rhythm is unique. Days started later, with cafes filling up past 10 AM. Dinner was an event that began at 10 PM and stretched into the night, filled with laughter, shared plates of steak and Malbec, and passionate debates about football and politics. The most profound moments happened in the in-between spaces. It was the weekly practice at a local milonga (tango hall), where my two left feet were met with infinite patience from elderly Porteños who believed everyone could dance if they just listened to the music closely enough. They taught me that tango is a conversation, not a performance. It was in my shared apartment, where my roommates, a Colombian artist and an Italian chef, turned our kitchen into a United Nations of flavours, arguing good-naturedly over the correct way to make pasta or the perfect ratio of ingredients for ajiaco. I learned the city’s geography through its protests—a common occurrence where streets would suddenly flood with people chanting for change, forcing a detour and a reminder that civic engagement is loud and alive. I learned the humility of making constant linguistic mistakes, and the incredible warmth that comes when a local gently corrects you and then buys you a coffee for trying. I returned home not with a checklist of sights seen, but with a new tempo in my heart. I learned that home isn't just a place you're from; it's a feeling you can create anywhere with open-mindedness, a willingness to listen, and the courage to step onto a dance floor, even if you have no idea what you're doing. The world feels smaller now, but my place in it feels infinitely larger.

Daniela BiazziSpain · July 2025

A Cultural Immersion with a Supportive School

That’s Mandarin’s curriculum is well-organized and effective. The HSK program provides a clear path to fluency, while the conversational classes help me apply what I’ve learned in real-life situations.

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Recognitions & Awards

Awards and accreditations earned by this provider

GoAbroad Top Rated Provider 2025 - Language Schools
GoAbroad Top Rated Provider 2024 - Language Schools Abroad
Top Online Program of 2022
Top Rated Language School 2022
Top Online Program 2021 - Language School
Top Rated Organization 2021 - Language School

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