Study in Beijing, China

About Beijing

Beijing is the capital of China and one of its largest cities. According to the Beijing municipal government, the city had 21.832 million permanent residents at the end of 2024. It is the country's political and cultural centre and has a long tradition of teaching Chinese to foreigners.

It is also China's main destination for international students. The city's official English portal lists 92 universities and colleges and 58,200 international students. Students come for a full degree, a semester or year of Chinese at a university, or an intensive Mandarin course at a private language school.

Studying in Beijing

Our directory lists eight schools in Beijing, most of them language schools. Examples:

• Tsinghua University has 20 schools and 59 departments. International students can choose from more than 60 undergraduate, 100 master's and 90 doctoral programmes; 21 master's and 8 doctoral programmes are taught fully in English. Its non-degree Chinese Language Program is organised in semesters of about 18 weeks.
• Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU) goes back to the Higher Preparatory School for International Students, renamed Beijing Language Institute in 1964. It describes itself as the largest Chinese language education centre in the world, and in its figures up to December 2024 it counted 3,985 international non-degree students a year.
• That's Mandarin has campuses in Beijing, Shanghai, Suzhou, Hangzhou and Chengdu, and runs a Chinese Visa Program that provides the documents for an X2 student visa.
• LTL (Live the Language) teaches Mandarin in small groups of up to six students and arranges homestays.

The directory also lists Dao Mandarin, the ChuShan private school of traditional Chinese culture and language, an internship and Chinese course provider (Beijing Auchan Transcom) and Tsinghua International School, an international school.

To apply for a degree as a self-financed student, you contact the universities directly; scholarship applicants can go through the China Scholarship Council (CSC). If you study Chinese in Beijing for credit, your home university decides whether it will recognise the credits, so agree this before you leave.

Visa and residence

China has two student visas: X1 for study of more than 180 days and X2 for study of up to 180 days. Holders of an X1 visa must apply for a residence permit within 30 days of entering China, according to Fudan University's guidance for international students. Your university or language school provides the admission documents for the visa application; check the current requirements with the Chinese embassy or consulate in your country.

Cost of living for students

Costs depend mostly on the type of course and housing. At LTL, group classes start at USD 377 per week and homestays with meals at USD 401 per week; about 80% of its students choose a homestay. That's Mandarin's visa programme starts at RMB 104 per class, with four classes a day from Monday to Friday. University tuition is set by each university and programme. The full Chinese Government Scholarship (CGS) covers tuition, a dormitory place or accommodation subsidy, a stipend and medical insurance.

Getting around and daily life

Beijing's subway and buses are paid with the Yikatong transit card or its mobile version. The lowest subway fare is 3 yuan; a physical card requires a 20 yuan deposit and a first top-up of at least 20 yuan.

The climate is continental, with short springs and autumns, hot and rainy summers and cold, dry winters. The average annual temperature is 11 to 14 °C, and around 75% of the year's rain falls in summer, mostly in July and August, according to the municipal government.

Frequently asked questions

Is Beijing a good place to learn Chinese?

Beijing has both university Chinese programmes, such as those at BLCU and Tsinghua, and private schools such as That's Mandarin and LTL, so you can choose between semester-based study and intensive courses that start more often.

Which visa do I need to study Chinese in Beijing?

An X1 visa for courses of more than 180 days and an X2 visa for courses of up to 180 days. X1 holders must apply for a residence permit within 30 days of arrival.

How much does a Chinese course in Beijing cost?

As examples, LTL's group classes start at USD 377 per week and That's Mandarin's visa programme at RMB 104 per class.

Are there degree programmes in English in Beijing?

Yes. Tsinghua University, for example, teaches 21 master's and 8 doctoral programmes fully in English.