Hutong School Shanghai (Adults 16+)
THE DESTINATION | THE SCHOOL | MAP | RACHEL’S TAKE | WHY THIS SCHOOL? | FACILITIES | THE COURSES | FROM OUR CLIENTS | HOUSING | SOCIAL LIFE | INSURANCE AND PRICING | REQUEST AN ESTIMATE | OTHER PROGRAMS | SIMILAR PROGRAMS
Hutong Chinese Language School is conveniently located in Shanghai’s French concession where European architecture meets the modern Chinese skyline of the Jing’an business district. With its small class sizes, excellent Chinese programs and highly qualified and experienced teachers, Hutong School is able to offer students an exciting and effective learning experience in a fascinating and rapidly modernizing city.
Shanghai, Hu for short, is a renowned international metropolis drawing more and more attention from all over the world. Situated on the estuary of Yangtze River, it serves as the most influential economic, financial, international trade, and cultural center in East China. Also it is a popular travel destination for visitors to sense the pulsating development of the country.
In addition to its modernization, the city’s multicultural flair endows it with a unique glamour. Here, one finds the perfect blend of cultures, the modern and the traditional, and the Eastern and the Western. New skyscrapers and old Shikumen together draw the skyline of the city. Western customs and Chinese traditions intertwine and form the city’s culture, making a visitor’s stay memorable.
HUTONG SHANGHAI AT A GLANCE
- Year of foundation: 2005
- City: Shanghai, China
- Position in the city: XuHui district
- Minimum age in adult school: 18
- Number of students in school: Approximately 200
- Main type of public transport: buses, metro and bicycles
- Approximate number of nationalities in school each year: 30 +
Hutong School Shanghai: Xuhui Qu, Shanghai, China
“I had the tremendous pleasure of visiting both Shanghai and Beijing on the occasion of the annual IALC workshop in China in 2011, and have been eager to go back to this fascinating country ever since. For foreigners, especially first-timers, who want to study Chinese, Shanghai is a good choice of location for the fact that even though it is an enormous city, it has a downtown area near the Bund and Nanjing Road, where many of the schools and accommodations for foreigners are located, that is is fairly walkable and compact. When choosing which school with which to work in Shanghai, I considered the fact that the Hutong School, besides having been around considerably longer than many of the other Chinese language schools that have recently cropped up, is of European management. This fact will help Westerners who may find the Chinese language and culture so radically different from their own to settle in more easily, while at the same time learning Chinese from native and qualified speakers. The school is in an international district, which will also help with that assimilation, and it offers its own apartments close to the school, which is important for reducing travel time in a city that is so large. In choosing the Hutong School, I also considered the fact that because Shanghai and the area in which it is located is so international, students struggling with Chinese at first may be tempted to speak their own language, especially if it’s English, rather than participate in the true full-immersion experience they went there for. It is precisely for this reason that the Hutong School also offers programs, including volunteer and internship opportunities, in other parts of China, where many more people speak only Chinese, so students who opt to go there after a course in Shanghai will be forced to put what they learned in class to good use.”
Hutong School Shanghai
Why study Chinese at Hutong Shanghai?
The Hutong School in Shanghai distinguishes itself in the following ways:
- The Hutong School in Shanghai is located in the heart of the city, close to the Business District.
- With 10 years of teaching experience, Hutong School is a leader in Chinese language training and has welcomed over 5000 students.
- Hutong School is the first fully licensed Chinese school under European management.
- Hutong School Shanghai is one of the few language schools to guarantee a maximum of 8 students per class, and an average of 4 to 5 students per class.
- All of the teachers at Hutong School Shanghai are native Chinese and have a Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language certification, plus a minimum of 1500 hours teaching experience.
- Hutong School Shanghai is accredited by WYSETC and supported by the Benelux Chamber of Commerce and the Junior Chamber International in Beijing.
- Hutong School Shanghai has other locations in China in the cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou and Chengdu.
- Hutong School Shanghai has an innovative teaching method of separating spoken Chinese and character recognition, which has been proven to accelerate Chinese language learning.
- Hutong School in Shanghai is able to offer a variety of activities to ensure students make the most use of their Chinese skills.
- Hutong School in Shanghai offers a variety of internship opportunities and corporate classes for mature students.
- Hutong School has a good nationality mix, with students from over 30 different countries every year.
- Hutong School is able to offer its own excellent, modern shared apartments for students during their stay in China.
- Hutong School in Shanghai is an official HSK exam testing center.
The facilities
HUTONG SHANGHAI FACILITIES AT A GLANCE
- 10 classrooms
- Student lounge with coffee and tea
- Assortment of Chinese language books
- Free Wi-Fi
- Outside seating area
MORE ABOUT THE FACILITIES AND SERVICES
Personal Attention
Hutong School gives careful attention to the needs of each and every student. As soon as students arrive at the airport, there will be a Hutong School employee to take care of them. The school will arrange for students to arrive at the school and the orientation course on the first day. Hutong School can also set students up with a mobile phone and local number in China, allowing them to be in touch right away with their new peers.
Free Tutoring Sessions
Hutong School offers free one-to-one extra tutoring sessions to give each student a personalized feedback on their learning progress and provide them with learning tips.
Personalized Study Plan
At Hutong School, every student has a one-on-one level assessment and study plan. The school’s teachers are not only distinguished by their academic achievements, but also by their interpersonal skills and devotion to teaching Mandarin Chinese.
Airport Transfer
Hutong Shanghai course prices include airport pick-up on arrival dates.
E-Learning Toolkits
Hutong School students benefit from a free 6-month subscription to Skritter, the best online application for practicing Chinese vocabulary, discounts for Pleco, the best Chinese dictionary available, for Prodygia, online courses designed for international interns focused on the Chinese market, and many more.
Student Welfare
Student welfare is of utmost importance to Hutong School, and all staff and teachers are available to support students in a professional and confidential manner with any problems that might arise while they are away from home.
The courses
GENERAL CHINESE, EXAMINATION AND OTHER PROGRAMS
Intensive Chinese Program
Hutong offers fully customized Intensive Chinese Programs for students of all levels. The program is created depending on each and every student’s needs.
- Minimum age: No minimum
- Lesson length: 60 minutes
- Chinese levels: All levels
- Course Duration: minimum 1 week
- Number of hours per week: 20
- Timetable: Individual per student
- Number of students in class: average 4 – 5, maximum 8
- Start dates: Most Mondays, absolute beginners see dates and fees
HSK Exam Preparation
Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi, also known as HSK or the Chinese Proficiency Test, is a standardized state test developed by the HSK Center of Beijing Language and Culture University to determine the Chinese language level of non-native speakers of Chinese. Hutong School offers HSK preparation courses 2 weeks before the exam dates. For each HSK level, the school organizes both private lessons and group lessons.
- Minimum age: No minimum
- Lesson length: 60 minutes
- Chinese levels: All levels
- Course Duration: 1 to 2 weeks
- Number of hours per week: 10
- Timetable: 18:30 – 20:30 Monday to Friday
- Number of students in class: average 4 to 5, maximum 8
- Start dates: see dates and fees
Gap Year Program
Hutong School offers students the possibility to study for a gap year in China between its many locations. The gap year program consists of 4 blocks per year, each block covering a 3-month program in Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou or Chengdu. The program is fully customizable and students can choose to take intensive Chinese lessons, internships or volunteer experiences for 2 to 4 blocks.
Corporate Training
Hutong School is able to offer executive private and group lessons for professionals of all sectors. The executive classes focus on Mandarin in everyday situations and is ideal for newly arrived expatriates who are looking to kickstart their career in China. Groups are small and have an average of 4 or 5 students per group.
Internship in China
Hutong School is committed to offering students the best professional experiences of internship in Shanghai in accordance with their educational background and professional goals. Students will be notified of their internship before their arrival in Shanghai and will receive support for accommodation and day-to-day life in China throughout their entire stay. In addition, students can take 4 hours of weekly Chinese lessons and weekly cultural activities.
- Chinese levels: All levels
- Duration: minimum 1 month
- Number of Chinese lessons per week: 4
- Start dates: Most Mondays, absolute beginners see dates and fees
Volunteer in China
Hutong School’s Volunteer Program offers the combination of a volunteering assignment in a China-based NGO, cultural and NGO-focused activities, accommodation, Chinese classes and general practical assistance. Students will have 4 hours of Chinese lessons per week in combination with their volunteer experience. Please enquire for more information.
- Chinese levels: All levels
- Duration: minimum 1 month
- Number of Chinese lessons per week: 4
- Start dates: Most Mondays, absolute beginners see dates and fees
APARTMENTS
Hutong School, Shanghai Shared Apartments
Hutong offers its own apartments located in the Zhenping Lu and Changshou Lu areas of Shanghai. Each apartment is shared by 3 to 4 students. All apartments are fully furnished and equipped with modern amenities.
Shared Apartments also offer:
- Single room furnished with a bed, desk, wardrobe, table, chair and air conditioning
- Shared bathroom
- Bed linen are provided
- Weekly cleaning service
- Fully equipped shared kitchen
- Free Wi-Fi
- TV and DVD player
- Laundry facilities
- 24-hour support
Insurance
Insurance covering medical and travel assistance, personal liability and trip cancellation is not included in the price of the program. Marshall Language Services has a policy available through Guard.Me that covers these elements, as well as an additional policy through CareMed that covers cancellation under a wider range of circumstances, including the need to repeat school exams. A summary of these policies may be downloaded below.
Dates and Fees
Contact us for information about dates & prices
Other Programs by this School
Chinese Language Programs
The Hutong School offers Intensive Chinese, Internship, Volunteer and Gap Year programs in its other locations of Beijing, Hangzhou and Chengdu.
Intensive Chinese Summer Camp
The Hutong School offers an Intensive Chinese Summer Camp for teenagers aged between 14 to 17 in its Beijing and Shanghai locations.
Other Similar Programs
