学员心声 xuéyuán xīnshēng

学员评价

Since 2009, students from more than 50 countries have studied with us in Guilin. We invite you to browse our testimonials page and reach out to us anytime.

4.95 out of 5 from 120+ reviews on Go Overseas

Daniel Del Bosque, 1 / 6

Eight stories we come back to often. Most of them also appear on our homepage and program pages.

斯蒂芬妮·纳贾尔

Jacob

Katie Siu

From our series What’s Your Guilin Story?

哈里·马蒂森

凯瑞·恩朱古娜

蕾妮·卡夫

From faculty who led groups to CLI

柯克·马丁

Director, Chinese Cultural Exchange Program, Drake University

迈克·肯德

Professor of Practice, Finance Department, Virginia Tech

Reviews on Go Overseas

Go Overseas is a review site we don't run. After their program we invite students to post a review there, and we don't edit what they write. Here are a few, from first-time beginners to students on their fifth visit.

4.95 / 5

from 120+ reviews

5 out of 5 stars

Best way to learn Chinese!

I think after about a month was when I really felt the improvement so I recommend staying for at least that if you have chance!

Read the full review

And it’s fun! The team at CLI have done a fantastic job of making this immersive programme as good as it can be, both for learning the language, culture, and just having fun in general. I can’t think of a better way to learn Chinese, especially if you have limited time. As well as learning Chinese I also made good friends with other students on the course, and now feel like Guilin is kind of a home from home, which is not bad considering I was only there 6 weeks! The first time I went to CLI Guilin was only for 2 weeks in 2025, and although it was still good it definitely didn’t feel like long enough. I think after about a month was when I really felt the improvement so I recommend staying for at least that if you have chance!

Matthew
United Kingdom, second visit, 6 weeks

5 out of 5 stars

A Great Way To Get Going

It's easily worth it. I learned more in 8 weeks than I have in a year of various other online and app-based learning programs.

Read the full review

After fumbling around with various programs and apps, I went with an actual program with live teachers one on one. It's easily worth it. I learned more in 8 weeks than I have in a year of various other online and app-based learning programs. The teachers are superb, the physical plant/classroom facilities are great, and even the lunch every day was remarkably good. The local neighborhood is awesome; full of restaurants, coffee shops, etc.

Kurt
United States, 8 weeks

5 out of 5 stars

I can’t believe there’s anywhere better to learn Mandarin

I was treated with absolute respect and patience - applauded for my efforts and encouraged past my safety zone.

Read the full review

We have been expertly welcomed, immersed in Chinese culture and had so much fun…and then there’s the lessons.

I am a complete beginner and I was surrounded by people who could speak Mandarin. I wondered how boring and awful it would be for the teachers having to teach someone who couldn’t pronounce even the basic words.

I was treated with absolute respect and patience - applauded for my efforts and encouraged past my safety zone.

I literally couldn’t have asked for more and on my second visit I found I was actually beginning to make progress and had the delight to see students who had been studying for six months speaking fluently with their teachers.

CLI is a fabulous place to learn Mandarin and Guilin as a city is a wonderful place to be…

Shannon
United Kingdom, second visit

5 out of 5 stars

Great for any ability level, including heritage speakers!

The 1:1 classes are very tailored to your ability and interests and felt like the perfect level, which can be hard to find for a heritage student (since my listening ability is quite high, speaking ability is OK, and reading and writing is very elementary).

Read the full review

I am a heritage student - my parents are Chinese and I grew up with Mandarin in my household, and did a bit of formal classes here and there. I've been relearning Chinese as an adult through various online tutoring services and self studying, but felt like my Chinese stagnated recently and wasn't improving much.

I did the immersion program at CLI and really loved it. I felt that it helped me breakthrough a bit of the bottleneck I've been feeling with learning Chinese lately. The 1:1 classes are very tailored to your ability and interests and felt like the perfect level, which can be hard to find for a heritage student (since my listening ability is quite high, speaking ability is OK, and reading and writing is very elementary). The teachers here are GREAT and are way better than any teachers I found online myself through other platforms.

Lunch at the school was amazing, very healthy and delicious!

There are a lot of other students who may be speaking English, but you can definitely choose how immersive you want the experience to be, by choosing to live at a homestay or choosing to socialize more with the teachers/interns. If you want to completely be immersed, I highly recommend doing the homestay! I really loved the family I stayed with and getting to eat meals with them everyday. I chose to speak very little English while I was there, and felt like my Chinese improved a lot.

Jeannie
United States

5 out of 5 stars

第五次 CLI

Although my language skills were not very good that first time, all of my teachers were very patient with me and also very encouraging. Learning a new language does not come naturally for me. The next 4 times progressively got better and better!

Read the full review

I just returned from Guilin several days ago after spending 5 weeks at CLI. This was my 5th time at CLI! I have been studying Mandarin Chinese for about 4 years. The first time I traveled to Guilin to attend CLI's immersion program was 3 years ago. My first experience was great. Although my language skills were not very good that first time, all of my teachers were very patient with me and also very encouraging. Learning a new language does not come naturally for me. The next 4 times progressively got better and better! As my level of fluency has slowly increased over the past few years, it has literally opened up a new world for me. I can thank my teachers and the helpful interns at CLI for allowing this to happen. The teachers and interns are all native Chinese speakers. They have all been awesome, not only am I learning a language, but in the process of learning they allow me to experience their culture and history, through instruction as well as through participating in weekly organized activities. All of my teachers over these past several years have been awesome! I can tell that becoming a teacher at CLI is not easy as these teachers must be the best of the best. As the classes are all 1 on 1, your teachers can really work with you and find out what your goals are and which teaching methods seem to work best when having class with you. I have looked forward to and enjoyed every single class session that I have had at CLI. The interns who work at CLI are local college students. Each time I travel to Guilin, a car picks me up at the airport and delivers me to CLI. As I am getting out of the car door, no matter what time it is (including the middle of the night), there is always an intern coming out the front door to meet me and escort me to my room. My first couple of times at CLI, I relied heavily on the assistance provided by the interns. They took me to the bank, accompanied me to places to eat, showed me where the grocery store was and if necessary helped me order food and communicate. They were like my protective bubble as well as personal teacher and friend when I was not in class. This is really a well thought out system! Guilin is an ideal place to learn and practice your language skills. One reason is that there are very few foreigners here and most locals don't speak english. This really forces you to be immersed and you have little choice but to practice your speaking, listening, and reading. Over the years, I have not only become friends with the teachers, interns and employees at CLI but also some of the local business owners and their employees (at the restaurants and shops I frequent). Even though I am a from a foreign country, I am always welcomed in Guilin, as if I was part of the family! Two years ago after returning home, I decided to start taking the online (skype/video) classes with one of my teachers at CLI. This way I can study year round and choose the frequency of classes that works best for me. I still look forward to going back to Guilin each year, however setting up weekly online classes with my teacher has kept me moving in a forward direction while I am back home. As you can tell, I highly recommend CLI!

Scott
Fifth visit, 5 weeks

5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic program for Chinese immersion out of the big cities

I ended up conversing a million topics with one teacher, correcting pages upon pages of my stories/translations to Chinese with another, and dialed down the use of textbooks when it didn't suit me.

Read the full review

CLI and Guilin were a wonderful environment to spend 6 months in China. The school distinguishes itself by its flexibility, the quality and warmth of its teachers, and Guilin is relaxed, green, and offers lots of adventure options (some organized by the school). Even before getting there, they were super helpful with getting my visa and preparing for arrival.

Education: Super flexible. I'm a picky learner and CLI let me try different teachers and work with them in adapting my lessons' structure. I ended up conversing a million topics with one teacher, correcting pages upon pages of my stories/translations to Chinese with another, and dialed down the use of textbooks when it didn't suit me. I gained a lot in fluency and making sense of the language, as has been obvious in my post-study travels.

School environment: I chose an apartment stay whereas most students live in rooms in the school building, and my flat was fantastic. The delicious communal lunches were a daily highlight (5 dishes and one soup per day, with veggie options). I made use of the school's digital piano, and liked the variety of activities organized by the school every week.

City environment: Guilin is said to be touristic, but it's mostly local tourists and in the downtown, not near the school, so you definitely get an immersive experience. The shared scooters are super convenient and fun and you can hike a different mountain every weekend for months.

One (self-imposed) downside is that 20h/w of class got to be too much after a few months, when I wanted to shift focus on my local life and activities. The apartment stay option implies prepaying, so I didn't have flexibility to adjust my class load or take some weeks off.

Tristan
Canada, 6 months

5 out of 5 stars

If you're choosing between programs, pick this one!

I loved my classes, and finished one and a half books in 6 weeks. I went from not being able to say anything in Chinese to being able to hold simple conversation.

Read the full review

I absolutely loved my time at CLI. I am currently teaching English in Jinzhong, China. As a requirement for my position, I was to attend a language program over the summer to begin learning Chinese. From the moment I got to Guillin, I felt safe, supported, and ready to learn. As a first-timer in China, I was nervous about being able to navigate the city by myself, but within a week I was able to find my way around. I loved my classes, and finished one and a half books in 6 weeks. I went from not being able to say anything in Chinese to being able to hold simple conversation. I love my teachers and am really thankful that CLI's structure makes it so you can build actual bonds and even friendships with your teachers. I also loved my home stay family, although if I were to choose again I would probably stay in the CLI facilities, given that I felt I couldn't stay out late to be respectful to my host family (although I love them, and they did help my Chinese get better! Navigating the first few weeks was hard since they do not speak English, but we managed!)

My only comment is you must be self motivated to learn in this program-- a lot of what the teachers do is guide you into self-study habits and review material with you that you will also need to go over by yourself. Because it is one-on-one, you realllllly must come prepared to learn and pay full attention. That being said, I loved my teachers and do not think I could have advanced as I did without them.

Radia
6 weeks

5 out of 5 stars

Guilin – a tranquil jewel in Guangxi

My Chinese also tremendously improved. I started out with mid-level HSK 1 and am now at the beginning of HSK 3.

Read the full review

I spent three months at CLI in Guilin and had a terrific time. I really liked the teachers, the city, and was perfectly happy with the housing. Guilin now feels like a part of me. I loved the peaceful and tranquil environment and would choose Guilin any day over the bustle and noise of Beijing or Shanghai. My Chinese also tremendously improved. I started out with mid-level HSK 1 and am now at the beginning of HSK 3.

I only have one point of criticism. I felt that the the weekend trips offered by the institute were too catered to Western foreigners who are reluctant to take culinary risks or go off the beaten track. This is less a criticism of CLI, but more a reflection of my personal adventurous inclinations.

Martin
Germany, 3 months

5 out of 5 stars

CLI is epic

My first time I stayed here for 5 months and came in not knowing any Chinese, by the time I left I had already achieved HSK 4.

Read the full review

This is second time coming to CLI and I can only say that it gets better everytime. My first time I stayed here for 5 months and came in not knowing any Chinese, by the time I left I had already achieved HSK 4. This achievement would not have been possible without the friendly atmosphere and hospitality of CLI teachers and interns. It is not about how much you study, with language you need to fully enjoy your environment and what you are learning in order to retain the information. The teachers have the perfect friendship to study ratio and most of the classes fly by because we are having constant conversation while still learning at the same time. I have no regrets with my decision to come to CLI and have made lifelong friends from this experience.

Jacob
United States, second visit

5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic immersive classes for our family

… Most importantly, we all felt more confident with our Chinese language skills after two weeks. …

Haig
Canada, a family, 2 weeks

5 out of 5 stars

Best: I Studied at My Own Pace

I even used classwork to talk to a local coffee shop worker. A small conversation, but a huge victory.

Read the full review

I needed to review previously studied material for spoken Chinese. I needed to overcome shyness to speak and build fluency. CLI listened and designed my 1-week course to do this successfully. I even used classwork to talk to a local coffee shop worker. A small conversation, but a huge victory. Before I only used Chinese in the classrooms to complete lesson. I had little confidence to speak to Chinese people in real life situations. Now I have the confidence. Thanks CLI. I hope to return. Also, very skilled teachers and very friendly staff. I felt welcomed.

Jeff
United States, 1 week

4 out of 5 stars

Overall a great experience with some needed tweaks!

The teachers were phenomenal—knowledgeable, supportive, and truly the highlight of my time there. I studied for one month, which felt far too short!

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I had a wonderful experience at CLI. The teachers were phenomenal—knowledgeable, supportive, and truly the highlight of my time there. I studied for one month, which felt far too short! Guilin itself was also an ideal setting for language learning, with its beautiful landscapes and welcoming atmosphere. The program is well-structured, with plenty of support and activities that enrich the overall experience.

The only drawback for me was the housing. I was initially placed in a 5th-floor room with a broken AC, no hot water, and a persistent bathroom odor. I later learned this particular room had recurring issues over the years, yet students were still placed there until complaints were made. After two weeks, I requested to switch, and my new room was perfectly fine. My impression is that during the busy summer months, CLI fills every room, even those that aren’t fully functional or need significant updates. Given the program cost, I feel the housing quality could be improved. While the convenience of living on-site is undeniable, if I return, I’d likely choose a nearby hotel for better value and comfort.

Overall, I’m deeply grateful to the CLI team for their warmth, energy, and dedication. Despite the housing hiccup, my month at CLI was an incredible experience, and I hope to return in the future.

Nicole
United States, 1 month

Read every review on Go Overseas

More students on video

73 more videos, recorded at CLI over the years.

  • 奥森韦伯

  • 卡琳坐

  • 五月星出

  • 布拉姆·施密特

  • 亚历山大·桑切斯(Alexander Sanchez)

  • 塞缪尔·斯蒂尔尼

  • 黛安娜·纳特

  • 格雷厄姆·莱因哈德

  • 帕特里克·巴特勒

  • 贝内特·爱泼斯坦

  • 约旦

  • Daniel Keresteci

书面语

What 70 students told us about their time at CLI. Words in square brackets are ours, added for context.

I highly recommend CLI mostly because of the teachers — the seriousness of their commitment and their desire to see that you actually learn Chinese. This is not a business as much as it is a cultural bridge.
Harry MattisonWatch the video
  • … The feeling of security in a foreign country is extremely important, and it allowed me to totally enjoy myself, and learn! In my opinion, the one-on-one style of teaching is the best. When combined with cultural immersion, and the necessity of speaking Chinese outside of the classroom every day, you can get an entire year’s worth of study in just one month. It’s amazing!
    Hanna Lichtenstein
  • The most useful aspect of CLI’s program is the one-on-one instruction. It brought me from not being able to speak at all, to the point where I could understand the people around me and hold basic conversations in just five weeks.
    Kasey Crumpton
  • The teacher’s flexibility helped me address speaking issues I have had for a long time, because classes were tailored to practice the grammar I most struggled with. I also really appreciated the teacher follow-up. If I raised a question one day, the teachers prepared an exercise for that question the next day.
    Michael Kehoe
  • The teachers at CLI are outstanding. They are all enthusiastic and committed. When the weaknesses of the textbook and my weakness learning the material became apparent, [my teachers] worked hard to create supplemental materials to help me drill the vocabulary and grammar. The activities organized by [CLI’s Activity Manager] were fantastic. They really add to the experience of CLI. I learned many things about Chinese habits and customs I never learned in six years in Shanghai.
    Alexandra H.
  • After studying at CLI twice now, I’ve found that the greatest advantage of learning Chinese here is not only the one-on-one class environment, but also that being located in a smaller city, like Guilin, provides students with a perfect atmosphere for truly learning the language.
    Wilson Griffith
  • So many strengths! Having the Chinese environment where you speak with everyone day to day was the best feature. It meant I became used to speaking very quickly, with no option to fall back to English. I would definitely encourage everyone to keep this subtle pressure up!
    Brendan Corney
  • CLI’s greatest strength is how well they look after their students leading up to and after arrival. CLI arranged someone to pick me up at the train station, show me around the city, and even take me grocery shopping. This makes all the difference when arriving somewhere new.
    Emma Leeson
  • The teachers were incredibly knowledgeable and helpful. They went the extra mile to incorporate material into the classes that were relevant to my interests and working life.
    Michael Salmon
  • How personal everything is at CLI is probably the school’s biggest strength. One-on-one teaching, on top of home-cooked meals, Chinese interns and so much more. Don’t ever lose that! It’s essential that CLI is so interconnected and active in the student’s everyday lives.
    Elizabeth Lazo

On Reddit, r/ChineseLanguage

Three months at CLI, in a student’s own words

An almost total beginner spent about three months at CLI. Later, after recommending CLI in a Reddit thread, the student was asked to describe the experience in a post of its own. Their one regret: not staying for six months or more.

The post walks through the timetable: a main teacher, a reading and writing teacher and a speaking and listening teacher, with two two-hour classes a day. One-on-one lessons were hard at first, because there is nowhere to hide when you don't understand something, and then highly effective. The verdict: now that i've done it, i'm convinced this is the most powerful way to learn a language.

Lunch at the school and the activities, from calligraphy to weekend trips, both get a strong recommendation. So does using Chinese even when all you can manage is 走吧 (zǒu ba, “let’s go”). The post ends its advice by asking future students to treat everyone at CLI with respect.

阅读 完整帖子及后续问题 在Reddit上。作者与该平台没有任何关联。 CLI 除了是校友之外。

r/ChineseLanguage Posted by u/ii_akinae_ii

我在汉语语言学院的经历(CLI)

免责声明:这不是广告或推广。我与该公司没有任何关联。 CLI我只是个前学生。在我推荐之后,我发表了一条评论。 CLI 对一位询问沉浸式体验的人说: 有人问我 我打算另发一篇帖子分享我的经历,所以我正在这样做。

我在桂林喜爱中文(CLI)的那段时光,美好得改变了我的人生。我 2019 年在那里待了大约三个月,如果可以重来一次,我唯一想改的就是多待一些时间,待上六个月(或更久!)。

CLI 它采用了一种非常创新的教学模式。你会被分配到三位老师:一位主课老师、一位阅读/写作老师和一位听说老师。你每天有两节课,每节课两小时。每天都会有家庭作业,你必须完成,而且你还有机会报名参加课外活动。

关键就在这里: 你的“课程”实际上是1对1辅导课。现在我亲身体验过了,我确信这是学习语言最有效的方法……我再也不会坐在教室后排了。这确实非常难,因为如果你不理解某个概念,就无处可藏。这令人望而生畏,但一旦你克服了自尊心的障碍,它的效果就非常惊人。我几乎是零基础去的,我认为这种方式对我打下语言基础非常有价值。我没有中级水平的学习经验,所以无法评价中级水平的学习效果,但我相信中级水平的学习也肯定有很多优势。

i also mentioned activities, but i'd like to dive a little deeper into that. some of the activities are as simple as playing sports or hiking the mountain near CLI, and some of them are more like weekend road trips. activities i participated in included: a calligraphy workshop, making 月饼 for 中秋节, visiting 阳朔 (including boating down the Li River), visiting the LongJi rice terraces, and more. if you go, i strongly recommend participating in activities: they're an excellent way to gain a deeper cultural insight to go along with your language learning.

老师们都很棒。虽然每个学生只有三位老师,但由于各种课外活动(以及如果你选择在学校用餐的话,午餐时间也有机会和老师们互动——我强烈推荐在学校用餐!那里的饭菜超级好吃!),你几乎可以和所有老师都有不同程度的交流。他们都非常友善、博学,而且非常关心学生。

住宿选择有很多种。我选择住在宿舍。 CLI 就我个人而言,我认为这是最“稳妥”的选择,尤其适合完全零基础的语言初学者。如果你想挑战一下自己,可以选择寄宿家庭,但我觉得这个项目本身就很有挑战性,所以住在宿舍可能是最好的选择。而且,宿舍里有西式马桶,这种马桶在其他地方并不常见。你还能和其他学生一起生活,这很好,也有助于建立社群。

my best piece of advice for you, if you decide to go, is to practice the language as much as you can. it's exhausting (literally, your brain will hurt), but it's so important. and if you can't say everything you're trying to say in chinese, even just little things can be very useful, like replacing "let's go" with "走吧" or being sure to use the appropriate greetings with people (e.g. 吃好了吗,去哪儿,etc). the way to begin getting natural with the language is to use it often, even if your usage is limited. don't be afraid to make mistakes. language is a sort of semantic negotiation: you can make mistakes, but if people can still understand your meaning, that's what matters. and you build from there.

最后还有一件事……我的语气可能会稍微严厉一些,请见谅,但有些话必须说。千万不要把这些人当成你的仆人,或者觉得自己高人一等。虽然这种情况并不常见,但我确实看到过一两个学生表现出这种极其无礼的态度,这让我非常生气。这些人都是很棒的人,他们创建了这个美好而有效的项目,你应该谦逊地对待他们,给予他们应有的尊重和感激。从文化角度来看,他们不宜反抗这种态度,所以他们选择沉默——如果你在其他同学身上看到这种行为,请不要容忍。

please feel free to AMA here! :) and if you do decide to go to guilin and study at CLI, i hope you remember me and DM me: i'd love to stay in touch over wechat in case you need any tips while you're there (plus, selfishly, i'd love for you to pass along my well-wishes to my former teachers, haha).

Two CLI students watching the sunset over Guilin from a hilltop

欢迎来桂林 huānyíng lái Guìlín

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