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Individual Chinese Classes in Shanghai

Personalise your Mandarin learning with LTL’s individual Chinese lessons in Shanghai. In a 1-on-1 class you have the power to personalise your classes, so whether you want to improve your tones or learn Business Mandarin, the lesson will always be relevant to you and your needs.

At LTL Mandarin School it’s easy to make friends even when you take 1-on-1 classes, thanks to our busy social calendar and close-knit family atmosphere. You can try 1-on-1 Chinese classes as an addition to your Small Group language program, or if you want to make really rapid progress, then do an intensive full-time 1-on-1 program of 20 or 30 hours per week.

Teacher and student sitting in class room

  • Learn Chinese in Shanghai 1-on-1
  • Certified native teachers
  • All teachers speak English
  • Individual curriculum
  • Regular social events
  • Student visa invitations provided
  • No hidden fees
  • Tailored To You

    Tailored To You

    Pre-assessment: Free online language assessment before arrival

    Individual curriculum: A personal study plan focusing on your needs

    Flexible lesson plans: Your course adapts to your study progress

    Personal support: From the visa application to getting a mobile SIM

  • Quality You Can Trust

    Quality You Can Trust

    Professional teachers: Fully-qualified with years of experience

    No time wasted: The full minutes is focused on you alone

    No hidden fees: No extra charges for textbooks or materials!

    Environment: Comfortable study environment for all students

  • Friends & Community

    Friends & Community

    Inclusive: After classes students eat, chat and go out together

    Social calendar: School-organised karaoke nights and weekend trips

    Expert guides: Student Advisors on hand for expert local knowledge

  • Shanghai’s Best Language School

    Shanghai’s Best Language School

    Historic area: Live and breathe Shanghai history in the French Concession.

    Convenient location: 5 mins walk from Subway Lines 1, 10 & 12

    Facilities Newly renovated school with bright classrooms & free WiFi

Individual Chinese Classes in Shanghai

Choose to supplement your Small Group program with two hours per day of 1-on-1 tuition, or if you really want to study intensively, then opt for a full-time 1-on-1 Mandarin Chinese course.

Chinese Classes – Schedule Small Group & Individual Standard Individual Intensive
Hours / week 20 (Group), 10 (1-on-1) 20 (1-on-1) 30 (1-on-1)
Start Dates On a Small Group start date Any Monday Any Monday
Duration From 1 to 24 weeks From 1 to 52 weeks From 1 to 52 weeks

Individual Chinese Classes in Shanghai
Individual chinese class Shanghai
Individual chinese class Shanghai
Chinese Language Lessons in Shanghai
Chinese Language Lessons in Shanghai
Shanghai certification diploma student and teachers
Shanghai certification diploma student and teachers
Anthea in Class in Shanghai
Anthea in Class in Shanghai

Private Chinese Lessons in Shanghai 2018

The prices for a selection of our most common course durations are shown below. If you so wish you can study for a tailored duration. Please get in touch and let us know what you wish for.

Course Standard Individual Intensive Individual Small Group & Individual
Duration 20h 1-on-1 30h 1-on-1 20h group & 10h 1-on-1
1 week 4,724 7,085 4,658
2 weeks 9,217 13,825 9,089
3 weeks 13,488  20,232 13,300
4 weeks 17,545 26,318 17,301
5 weeks 21,396 32,095 21,099
6 weeks 25,049  37,574  24,701
7 weeks 28,511  42,767 28,115
8 weeks 31,790 47,685  31,348
9 weeks 34,891 52,337 34,407
10 weeks 37,823 56,734 37,297
11 weeks 40,590 60,885 40,026
12 weeks 43,200 64,800 42,600
13-52 wks +3,600 /wk +5,400 /wk  +3,550 /wk

Minimum duration: 1 week

Maximum duration: 1 year

Starting: any Monday

Textbooks and study materials: included in your price

Additional fees: zero

Assessment and course design: free

Visa Invitation: fully available

Registration fee: nothing

Duration of each class: 55 minutes

Location of school: Shanghai Old French Concession

Upgrades – Shanghai Safari

Group of people exploring the Sinan Mansions in Shanghai

Exploring the Sinan Mansions in Shanghai

Get out of the classroom and onto the streets of Shanghai with the LTL Shanghai Safari. There’s no better way to learn Chinese than by interacting directly with the locals themselves. During a Safari session you will learn how to buy a subway card not from a textbook, but at a subway station itself, and you’ll learn how to barter for souvenirs by going directly to a market. It’s this sort of ‘living the language’ that we we believe makes sense to be taught outside the classroom.

A certified Mandarin Teacher will accompany you the whole time, and will always be on hand to teach the vocabulary you will need to achieve your task. More importantly, your teacher will give you direct feedback right there and then.

How a session works:

1) Warm Up: Your teacher will explain today’s task before you set off, going through the vocabulary and sentence patterns that you will need.

2) The Safari: Whether it’s asking a shop assistant where to find red socks, or discussing rental prices with a property agent, the complexity of the Shanghai Safari task will depend on your Mandarin level. We have twenty Safari scenarios prepared for you.

3) Cool Down: Your teacher reviews the additional vocabulary that came up and explains when, how and why misunderstandings might have occurred. They will also suggest additional phrases that you could have used.
  • Best suited to Chinese beginners at levels A1 or A2
  • 10 hr/wk of your 1-on-1 Chinese lessons will be upgraded to Safari
  • The upgrade can be applied for a maximum of 2 weeks
  • You are responsible for any purchases made during your Safari
 1 week upgrade – 500CNY / 2 week upgrade – 900CNY

Upgrades – Discover Shanghai

People at a traditional Chinese park

Enjoying the sights of China

Do you want to see and learn about Shanghai’s culture and history, from the beautiful Yu Garden to the imposing Bund? If so, you should consider the LTL Discover Shanghai upgrade, where you will take your private Chinese language classes at some of Shanghai’s most famous attractions. This is an outdoor program which allows you to study Mandarin by mingling with the locals and experiencing everything that Shanghai has to offer. Your teacher will take you from our central language school to a different location each day, and often base your lesson around the place you are visiting.

Course information:

  • Available for all Chinese levels from A1 to C2
  • Explore a different historic or cultural sight each day
  • 20 hr/wk of your 1-on-1 classes will be upgraded to Discover classes
  • The upgrade can be applied for a maximum of 2 weeks
  • You are responsible for any purchases made during your Discover classes
1 week upgrade – 1,000CNY / 2 week upgrade – 1,800CNY

What Our Students Say

Kennedy Testimony for LTL
Kennedy
USA
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Intensive Individual classes, had good teachers. Everyone was very patient and accommodated my learning. I want to come back to China to study even more Chinese.

Read More

Samuel Testimony for LTL
Samuel
Germany
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Samuel learnt Chinese through group classes and individual classes during his time in Shanghai. Watch to find out more about his study and homestay experience ...

Read More

Stuart Testimony for LTL
Stuart
Australia
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

When I arrived to Shanghai, after organizing the program with LTL, we started classes and they were really great! My teacher was amazing, we really clicked!

Read More

Mia Testimony for LTL
Mia
UK
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

I loved how I would have conversations with the teacher at the start, and then we would learn and review words based on this conversation. All in all the teachers were all great

Read More

FAQs

I want to make friends, is this possible when studying alone?

This is something you shouldn’t be concerned about and should certainly not impact whether you choose group or 1-on-1 Chinese classes.

At LTL we have a very tight knit student community where all students, before, during and after school spend plenty of time together and discover China. You’ll also have the one hour lunch break where many of our students go for lunch together in Shanghai, or meet for Dinner after class. Our social events in Shanghai also give you ample chance to meet and enjoy the company of your fellow students.

How many Chinese tutors will I have?

This really depends on the Chinese teachers schedules at the time you come to Shanghai to study Chinese. Sometimes you’ll have just the one Chinese tutor, other times you may have three. If you have a preference regarding the number of Chinese tutors in Shanghai, feel free to speak to us as we get you booked up.

Do you really learn Chinese quicker individually?

Absolutely yes, but hard work is required. You don’t just become fluent in Chinese through the hours you study, it’s all about applying it and growing in confidence when using it in everyday situations. All the focus in our individual classes is on you. Chinese lessons are tailored to you. You’ll have no other distractions so you’ll be getting the best Chinese lessons in Shanghai, all to yourself.

How fast will I learn Chinese?

The progress you will make obviously depends on how hardworking you are, and how you choose to spend your time in Shanghai outside of the classroom. From experience, those who stay in an LTL homestay with a local family will improve their oral fluency and listening comprehension more quickly than those who live with other foreigners. As a general guideline, a motivated student at LTL Mandarin School on the Standard Individual program could expect to reach approximately HSK 3 level after about 10 weeks. See our HSK Information page at LTL School for details.

How exactly is my study plan formed?

Before you arrive in Shanghai, you will have a language assessment with our Director of Studies over the phone / Skype. This is not an exam, but rather an informal conversation so we can gauge your current Mandarin Chinese level (if any) and decide which learning materials you should work from – whether that’s a textbook, newspapers or documents from your field of work.

We will also ask you if there are any particular areas you wish to focus on, such as tones, HSK exam preparation, or even talking about specialist, technical topics relevant to your career. Once you have started the 1-on-1 program, your teacher will always be open to adapting lessons to your needs and preferences. Perhaps you decide to start each lesson reviewing what you studied the day before? Or perhaps you decide you prefer to cover as much ground as possible, and review in your own time. Either way, our teachers have had many years of experience in teaching Chinese, so they will work with you over the duration of your course to develop your study plan.

How can I apply?

Simply click here to contact a Student Advisor directly! We always do our best to contact you as quickly as possible.

What about when I finish my studies with LTL?

If you would like to keep up your Chinese progress when you go home our online continuation course might be just what you need. You can continue with the same teacher (depending on schedules) and book to keep learning Chinese from your own home.

Related Links

  • Full Time Group Classes

    Full Time

    At LTL we don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach, since every student who comes to Shanghai to learn Chinese with us is different. Learning Chinese in a small group is a great way to get quality teaching for a really attractive price.

    Learn More

  • Social Life

    Full Time

    At LTL we pride ourselves on the sense of community among students and staff at the school. It’s important for us that there’s a strong support network, especially for those new to the city.

    Learn More