Program Reviews

My experience with the Hutong School Internship Program has been great! The staff are there to support you with any troubles and questions you might have during your stay and help you feel at home and become a part of the new community. They offer such a wide selection of possible internships and help you prepare for your interviews. The skills I learned during my internship are definitely ones that will be very beneficial for the future.

My internship through Hutong School was a great experience. I was in a marketing company called Adsmith China, and my professional experience there was very good because I acquired a lot of new skills and understood better the Chinese market. Hutong School was very helpful during my 6 months here, always available when I had issues or questions. The team was really nice and I enjoyed going to the school for Chinese classes! Also, I made a lot friends through the social events of Hutong and my flatmates in my apartment (provided by the school) were really nice. I would highly recommend Hutong School services because they contributed to one of the best experience of my life!

I was placed in an internship by Hutong School for 1 month, and it was fantastic! I stayed in an apartment in the middle of the city, right on the subway line. The apartment was in a very convenient location and let me explore the city with my friends. I also enjoyed the structure of the apartment, as I got my own room but also had flatmates. I got to meet other people from around the world as well, and we had a great time together! The apartment was well-furnished and in great condition. Thank you Hutong for a great time in Shanghai!

My experience with Hutong School was more than excellent and way above expectation.
Professional and super friendly staff, great environment, high quality language teaching, excellent and clean accommodation services, full immersion in the Chinese culture, lots of travelling opportunities and meeting awesome people from all over the world - all because of Hutong!
I wouldn't change anything from my experience in China.
There is so much to gain from this program especially for young professionals beginning their career. Not only it boosts your CV and differentiates you from this competitive world, but you will also make friends from all over the world.
For avid travellers like me, there is so much to see and experience in China.
So I definitely recommend it!

I wouldn't change anything to my experience in China with Hutong School.

My classes and especially my internship were great and to be honest, even better than I expected. This is certainly an experience that I won't forget. I've made friends with people from all over the world and even with the staff of the school (miss you!).

I'd recommend this program without a doubt and I will probably come back as soon as I can. You won't regret that choice!

Ni hao - I have been to Shanghai to do an internship for an automotive supplying company for two month in 2015! I would have loved to stay longer but it is quite hard to get a visa to do so!
Everything beside my work was organized by Hutong School... accomodation, trips and of course language courses
It is a lot of fun to learn Mandarin and to explore this totally different culture! Through the school and its events get get in touch with a lot of other students which makes the stay much more enjoyable!
My accomodation although it was about 2 hours away from my office was fantastic - we had three balconies on the 28th floor which provided a stunning view over Shanghai and its monuments!
Zai tian

I followed the Intensive Chinese Program in Shanghai and had classes everyday from Monday to Friday, 4 hours a day, so my Chinese really improved on a daily basis!

I was really surprised by how much we were taught in one day and was happy that I got to expand my vocabulary so quickly. My teacher's English was really good and she taught in a very structured way. She also gave us homework everyday and from time to time we had a small test, something I definitely appreciated because this really encourages you to study and practice your Mandarin after school hours.

Besides teaching Mandarin, Hutong School also organizes weekly activities, ranging from cooking classes to tai chi, movie nights or even trips to other cities in China. Like this, you meet a lot of new people and you're constantly immersing yourself in the Chinese culture.

I loved everything about my stay in China and I would definitely want to go back! Highly recommended :)

At the beginning I was a bit skeptical about going to China, and for someone who has never been there the first two weeksw where overwhelming but before you realize it you´ll have adapted so well you won´t want to leave. It´s a whole different experience, for me it was from going to the wall on school trips, with family or friends to like almost every section in beijing to staying out partying every weekend, sometimes weekdays..ooops ´til 5 or 6 am, fighting to get a taxi and then trying to explain with your basic chinese where you want to go, trying out those food street wraps and loving them..specially after the club... going to work everyday with only chinese people and trying to connect with them and somehow becoming basically their english teacher, making new and incredible friends that you´ll never forget, going to a restaurant and have the table next to you be full of half naked men drinking baijiu, sharing it with you to drink shots and then having one of then throw up in the middle of the restaurant, surviving the burning hot summer and the freezing winter (makes packing a bit complicated), anyways it turns out to be a really unexpected experience with unforgettable moments to make you not want to leave or definitely come back!

I was in Shanghai for only 6 weeks, of which 4 of them I was doing my internship in marketing. I chose marketing as I thought I would learn a lot on the job. Unfortunately, it was far from that, the only thing I learnt was how not to run a start-up company. However, I enjoyed meeting new people and the location was ideal. I think I would have had more luck had I stayed longer and chosen a company that was used to having interns.

I was born in China and have been back eight times, and the last, with Hutong School was the first time I felt like I belonged in China. The perfect balance of academics, social events, and independent living made for a truly unforgettable experience. I had the opportunity to experience the city in my own way, with freedom to explore with new friends. We all lived in close proximity to each other, and with the added class time, grew close within a number of days.

The accommodations were clean, friendly, and located in flats shared with full-time residents. It gave a unique view into the city, as we were not in student-only housing. I was able to say hello to my 40-year old neighbor with a 3-year old daughter every morning. Most of the accommodations were located three-four tube stops away from the school, so my classmates and I were able to enjoy a morning commute. The school was a short walk from the tube station, and it was a beautiful walk each day.

If I could give the staff a 12 or of 10, I would. Early into my visit, I injured my foot badly and required hospitalization. The staff went above and beyond to make sure I was comfortable. It was daunting to be in an international hospital with very little language skills and no parents, but there always was a translator available. Furthermore, many staff members would simply stop by to visit, just to make sure that I was doing alright.

The social scene in Shanghai is wonderful. It was difficult to branch out at first, but Hutong School made it easy with their social events. They planned overnight trips to Beijing, and day trips to Suzhou. Additionally, we met at bars several times to get to know each other. The staff attended these events and we were able to hang out with them, as friends. As we got more comfortable with the city, Hutong School gave recommendations of great places for nightlife.

I connect with China on an extremely personal level. Hutong School classes allowed me to learn Chinese at my own pace, and by the end of my time in China, I was able to communicate with others around me. The classes were small, capped at seven students. Each teacher gave us a true one-on-one experience, and pushed our abilities as far as they could. I have become inspired by the program that Hutong School has put forth, and would recommend it in a heartbeat.