Gap Year Chengdu

Come to China! Make the most of your Gap Year and come to learn Chinese in China, one of the most vibrant and dazzling countries in the world.

Discover the big cities of Beijing and Shanghai, explore the lively Taipei and the historical Chengde, meet the Pandas in Chengdu and the Terracotta warriors in Xi’an, spend your free time on the beaches of Beihai and live your Gap Year in China to the fullest.

Gap Year Chengdu - Learn Chinese in China with LTL

  • Gap Year Chengdu Program
  • Explore China and Study Chinese
  • Reach fluency in Mandarin
  • Four different Gap Year programs
  • Make new friends from all over the world

LTL offers four Gap Year Chengdu programs, all different so you can choose according to your preferences and goals. All of our students go back home with sparkling eyes and a head full of memories, long life relationships as well as Chinese fluency.

What about gaining some professional experience by working as an Intern? Fancy being the only foreigner in town? And what if we gave you the opportunity to create your very own program?

Whatever option you choose, your Gap Year will be the experience of your life! With a 5,000-year-old civilisation China has a lot of traditions to discover and historical sites to explore.

  • Relaxed Chengdu

    Relaxed Chengdu

    Chengdu – Our new school in the heart of Sichuan

    Slow paced – Study Chinese in this relaxed city

    Hot Pot heaven – Foodies, this city will delight you

    Meet the Pandas – Explore the home of one of China's national symbols

  • Beautiful Beijing

    Beautiful Beijing

    Traditions – Experience Chinese traditions and customs first hand

    Culture – A history of thousands years to discover

    Hutongs – Explore the small alleyways of Beijing's famous hutongs

    Blue skies – Pollution has decreased a lot these last few years

  • Dazzling Shanghai

    Dazzling Shanghai

    International – China’s economic capital is hugely popular with foreigners

    Dynamic – Explore this lively and bustling metropolis

    History – Visit the old French Concession and the famous Jing'An Temple

    Nightlife – Bars, restaurants, nightclubs... memorable weekends ahead

  • Traditional Chengde

    Traditional Chengde

    Immersion – Discover the "real China"

    No foreigners – You will be the only one, the fastest way to fluency

    Chinese 24/7 – Speak, eat, live Chinese!

    Nature – Mountains, forests, parks, UNESCO sites...

Come to China – Live the Best Gap Year

LTL offers four different Gap Year Chengdu programs, each designed to help you reach fluency whilst exploring China.

NOTE – Our programs are flexible also so if you wish to come to China for a different length of time, or mix up your accommodation/cities, we can help you do that

Our Full Immersion Gap Year takes you from some of China’s most vibrant cities such as Beijing and Chengdu, or any of our schools, with a nice finish at the chill city of Chengde, a small typical Chinese city where you will probably be the only foreigner your entire stay.

The Chinese Language Year includes 36 weeks of intensive studies abroad, divided into two semesters to help you reach the highest level of the Chinese language by the end of your stay. If you are looking for some professional experience, our Chinese and English Gap Year is perfect for you. If none of the above spark any interest, we offer you the chance to create your very own Gap Year in China.

No matter the option you decide to settle on, we can promise your stay in China will give you a long life impression and that living a full Gap Year in one of the fastest growing and dazzling countries in the world will leave you nothing but amazed.

Let’s take a look at our Gap Year Chengdu programs in more details. Come to China with LTL!

Come to China - Full Immersion Gap Year - Chengdu & Chengde

Study Chinese and explore one of the fastest growing countries in the world, with our Full Immersion Program in China. Discover the two biggest cities of the country Beijing and Shanghai, or explore the traditional cities of Chengdu and Xi’An, before going to the smaller city of Chengde where you will find no foreign influence and no English.

Stage 1 – Pick a City from 7

You will be able to adapt to the Chinese culture by studying first in Beijing or Shanghai, or any of our other schools, you choose. Beijing is home of thousands years of history and culture to discover, and Shanghai is a bustling ever growing international city. Chengdu and Xi’an are more traditional and are cities with a much slower pace of life, with many historical sites to explore.

Beihai and Taipei have a sort of “vacation feeling” thanks to the proximity to the ocean and beautiful beaches. You could even venture out to Singapore for a truly eclectic taste of life in Asia.

Get ready for a Gap Year you will never forget!

Stage 2 – Chengde

After this you will be on your way to Chengde. Considered a small city in China, Chengde is home to 500,000 people and no foreigners.

You will be the only foreigner and will breath, eat and speak Chinese all day long.

It can be a challenging experience, but a genuinely rewarding one. If you have doubts about living a full Chinese Immersion, Chengde might not be the right city for you.

Chengde, with no foreign influence, is what we can call the “real China”. The pace of life is slower than in other cities, people are extremely friendly and the Mandarin spoken in Chengde is the most standard Mandarin you could find in the whole country.

Chengde is also a UNESCO world heritage site. Before leaving for Chengde you must be aware that you won’t be able to communicate in English and use only Mandarin to communicate with locals.

PLEASE NOTE – below are starting dates for our Shanghai/Beijing programs. If you wish to enjoy a Gap Year in a different city, drop us a message and we’ll let you know the dates you can start.

Remember these dates are for complete beginners. If you already know some Chinese, you can start any Monday of the year.

Chengdu Dates for complete beginners

You can find all starting dates on our group classes in Chengdu page.

Full Immersion Program Pricing

Duration Beihai Chengde Price
3 months Immersion 6 weeks small group class 6 weeks 1-on-1 class 33,264CNY
6 months Immersion 12 weeks small group class 12 weeks 1-on-1 class 57,360CNY

Accommodation Prices

Duration Beihai Chengde Price
3 months 6 wk shared apartment 6 wk homestay 21,126CNY
3 months 6 wk homestay 6 wk homestay 24,300CNY
6 months 12 wk shared apartment 12 wk homestay 37,320CNY
6 months 12 wk homestay 12 wk homestay 40,704CNY

The price includes the return train ticket from any destination to Chengde as well as a Survival Kit, a very handy package you can find more details about on our Services page.

Breakfast and dinner will be provided in Homestays. There are various options for vegetarians, vegans and any other dietary needs you may wish to inform us of.

If your main goal is to reach Chinese fluency fast, we highly recommend living in a Homestay accommodation, as more than 80% of our students do. You can practice your Chinese all day and enjoy fabulous home made dishes with your Chinese family.

If you are on a tighter budget, the shared apartment is also a great option.

Come to China - Chinese Language Gap Year

Reach Chinese fluency while studying in China for two university style semesters.

Our small group classes will help you make huge progress in Mandarin, thanks to the average group kept to three students and a maximum of six students per class.

Students can easily ask questions and speak Chinese, not to forget the strong bond formed between students and teachers during their lessons.

You will have four hours of Chinese class per day at our school, which makes a total of 20 hours a week.

Each semester includes 18 weeks of classes so you will have a total of 36 weeks of Chinese classes. If you wish to extend your stay, that can be arranged. For faster Chinese progress, you can choose to live with one of our carefully selected homestays in China. 

With 36 weeks of intensive Chinese studies and with the opportunity to live with a Chinese family, most students expect, and actually do reach an HSK4/5 level in Chinese.

Starting Dates

Please note that starting dates vary depending on the city you choose to study at first. Drop us a message and we will confirm your starting dates if you are a complete beginner.

Remember if you know some Chinese already then you can start any Monday you wish.

Prices

Whether it is in Beijing or Shanghai, the Chinese Language years are the same cost. Be advised that your accommodation can be upgraded to a Chinese Homestay at an extra charge, contact us for more details. Your progress in Chinese will be faster with a Chinese family, and it is worth mentioning that 80% of our students choose to live at a homestay.

If you’d prefer to study for a single semester of 18 weeks, feel free to visit our Beijing Semester and Shanghai Semester Programs.

Chengdu with no accommodation: 37,442 CNY

Chengdu +36 weeks accommodation*: Contact Us

Beijing/Shanghai with no accommodation: 53,488 CNY

Beijing/Shanghai +36 weeks accommodation*: 111,088 CNY

 The Chinese Language Year includes:

  • Study materials
  • 20 hours of small group class
  • 36 weeks of Chinese study
  • Survival Kit
  • Support from LTL staff 24/7

*Accommodation is the standard shared apartment – small room

Come to China - Chinese + English Gap Year
Things to do in Chengdu - Visit the Big Buddha
Things to do in Chengdu – Visit the Big Buddha

If you want to learn Chinese in China but are on a budget, then our Chinese and English Gap Year is ideal for you.

The program of 22 weeks is divided into two different periods.

During the first four weeks you will study Chinese in the city of your choice, be it Beijing, Shanghai or any other city we offer.

After you’ve got used to your new life in China and learned the basics of the Chinese language, you will spend the next 18 weeks teaching English in a smaller city outside of Beijing or Shanghai.

It’s a unique chance to discover China’s glorious history and thousands years old culture, when studying Chinese on a budget. While you teach English to Chinese students LTL will provide you with 2000 CNY per month and an apartment, so you don’t have to worry too much about your life in China.

This program is perfect if you wish to study in China and get some work experience while on a budget.

Please Note – The Registration fee for this program is 300 CNY.

Homestay Program – 9,600 CNY / Apartment Program 7,500 CNY

NOTE – Homestay program includes homestay accommodation, half board. Shared apartment program includes a large Room in a shared apartment, en suite bathroom, no board.

The Teach English in China Gap Year program includes:

  • Four weeks of Chinese group classes
  • Small room in a shared apartment, in Beijing or Shanghai or any other city
  • 18 weeks of English teaching in another city in China near Beijing or Shanghai
  • Accommodation and 2000 CNY per month courtesy of LTL whilst teaching English
  • Transportation from Beijing or Shanghai or any other school location to the school where you will teach
  • 24/7 support along with access to the LTL student and teacher community
  • Airport pick up and drop off at apartment.

Chengdu Dates for complete beginners

You can find all starting dates on our group classes in Chengdu page.

Come to China - Design your own Gap Year Chengdu Program

You also have the unique opportunity to create your very own Gap Year Program in China.

You choose your school location, your type of lessons, the accommodation, the length… really everything tailored to your needs and wishes.

5 weeks of Chinese studies in Shanghai, one of the worlds biggest and most exciting cities? How about going to Beijing for a further 15 weeks and take your Chinese to the next level with individual Mandarin classes in China’s capital? Then you could go to Chengdu for another 16 weeks, where you could finally reach Chinese fluency while visiting China’s famous Giant Panda every now and then.

Sounds nice, doesn’t it?

This is just an example of what you could build, the possibilities are endless. Come and chat to us to find out more. The China Gap Year can last as long as you wish so you can build it however you suits you best.

Gap Year Asia options

What do our Students think about LTL Homestays?

Frequently Asked Questions

Will I be able to travel outside of class?

Absolutely, and we highly encourage you to explore this incredible country.

China is a very diverse country and Beijing, Shanghai, Chengde as well as the other locations of our schools will give you long life memories. We also recommend to travel even further, the more you explore, the greater the experience.

You are quite welcome to join us on our weekends trips to see the Terracotta army in Xi’an, the gardens in Suzhou or the beer festival in Qingdao.

Holidays such as Chinese New Year or long weekends is the perfect occasion to travel other parts of the country, such as visiting the Ming Tombs in Nanjing or climbing the Himalayas in Tibet. China is huge and there is a lot of fun to be had.

Do you have lessons over Christmas?

Christmas isn’t a holiday in China so most of schools and offices actually remain open for business.

Nevertheless, you are more than welcome to go back home for Christmas, you’ll just have to keep us informed before you come to China, so we can adjust your program accordingly.

What are living costs like in Shanghai, Beijing, Chengde and other cities?

Beijing and Shanghai being both major cities in China are much more expensive than other cities such as Chengde, Xi’An, Beihai or Chengdu, but you can still live there very comfortably if you are shrewd.

For every smart, expensive restaurant there are hundreds of local restaurants and street vendors which provide wonderful, local food for example. Chengde is, not surprisingly, the cheapest of all the cities and you can get by on very little each month and still live a decent lifestyle.

How about making new friends during my Gap Year?

There is absolutely nothing to worry about. Making friends at LTL is the easy part.

Many of the people you’ll meet, will actually become long life friends, such is the nature of the community at LTL. There are many new students coming in every week, so you will have the chance to spend many evenings together studying, socialising and exploring.

Our staff are also very sociable and enjoy getting involved with students too. We have a strong community at LTL, one big family.

Can you help me build a Gap Year Chengdu program?

Sure, drop us an email or start a live chat with us so we can give you some advice and help you create the best program according to your needs and wishes.

We offer many study programs in various locations with flexible opportunities, so we will definitely find you something great.

What happens with the internship?

If you wish to obtain some professional experience and do an internship in China in addition to your Chinese studies, then we can arrange one for you.

Tell us about your preferences and we will find the most relevant internship to your needs. We can discuss further details with you personally to make your experience in China as smooth and comfortable as possible.

Can I expect to reach fluency after a Gap Year Chengdu program?

Fluency doesn’t happen overnight and you have to study consistently for it, but after 36 weeks this is certainly possible.

Living with a Chinese Homestay will help you improve your level like never before. Practicing Chinese after class and doing homework also helps quiet a lot. To this day, all of our students have reached HSK4 from a Gap Year in China.

Reaching Chinese fluency depends a lot about what you do outside of school but if you want it and work for it, you will get it. Enjoy the experience and don’t ever give up.

Ask us a question!
  • LTL Avatar Mojca Godec
    Mojca Godec , Student Advisor

    Welcome to LTL Mandarin School!

    How can I help you?