Studying in China is the most ideal way to learn Chinese . But the question   remains :  How should I choose a city and a school to study Chinese  ? Many who have studied in China in the past would recommend that Beijing, China’s capital, is THE place to learn Mandarin Chinese, as Beijing’s accent is accepted as the most standard accent in China-Putonghua  .

Studying at a university or at a private Chinese language school in Beijing are both great options . Making the decision of whether to study at a university or private language school depends largely on whether you’re looking to study Chinese in a group setting with a set curriculum, or whether you’re looking to study in a one teacher to one student setting with a curriculum custom-tailored to your needs. At this point it would be helpful to identify what your goals are for learning Mandarin . It’s helpful to know that on a day to day basis,  speaking time is about 80% of your class time  .

If your aim is to get a language credit and be fairly strong in Chinese reading and writing , then university is the way to go.  Some popular universities  are Tsinghua, Peking, and Beijing Language and Culture University.

 But, if you want to speak Chinese fluently within a limited period of time  , private language study is the best choice. The teacher will be able to give you the attention you need to correct your mistakes, and  give you the time to do more speaking in the class. 

 If you are thinking to  learn Chinese in Beijing, my experience is that a private language school would be the best choice when first start to learn Chinese in order to build a solid foundation on Chinese tones and pronunciation. Some private schools that specializes in one teacher per student customized Chinese training. And within 6 months, students are able to confidently converse in basic everyday Chinese conversation. Within a year, students speak at a more fluent, intermediate level, and are able to carry on conversations with ease.  After 2 years of study Chinese, students are at advanced level and can take the HSK exam.