PRC Study Academy

PRC Study Academy is PRC Study Consulting Limited's affiliated school. Like other top centers of education in China, such as Beijing Language and Culture University, Tsinghua University and Peking University, the Academy offers Mandarin Chinese language programs to international students in China. Where PRC Study Academy is different is in the high degree of personal tailoring offered to students, with smaller class size and private tutoring options, flexible courses and a range of direct support services.

The PRC Study Academy was founded in 2004, in response to students' requests for smaller classes to learn Mandarin Chinese with greater speed and efficiency, and for more flexible course start dates, durations and lesson times than those offered by universities.

The Academy provides students with an international network in a safe and supervised environment. Emphasis is placed on complete immersion in Chinese language and society, with comprehensive services, such as student counseling, progress assessment and educational guidance, to support and enhance students' experiences. The multilingual staff are experienced, knowledgeable, professional, and enthusiastic, with a deep understanding of both eastern and western cultures founded upon real-life experience.

Operating out of a two-story building on a property belonging to the Chinese Ministry of Education, PRC Study Academy has over 15 medium-sized class rooms able to accommodate over 200 students every day. Students ranging from 15 to 70 years old have studied at the Academy, with the majority of students aged 18 to 32. Students have come from 40 countries around the world, including those from the United States, Canada, the UK, Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Russia, Korea, Japan, and Brazil being among some of the nations represented by Academy alumni, in addition to students from the Hong Kong and Macau SARs.

PRC Study Academy's strengths are epitomized by its five core guarantees to students:

Classes at PRC Study Academy are characterized by the personal touch, with a guaranteed maximum class size of 8 students per class, and average class size generally around 5 students per class. In comparison with an average of 20 students per class at universities, the greater degree of intimacy at PRC Study Academy ensures students receive more attention from teachers, and learn more quickly as a result. Smaller class sizes also allow teachers to adapt more quickly and effectively to students' levels and needs.

While university courses and large class sizes can make for fixed, rigid lesson planning, flexibility is one of the cornerstones of classes at PRC Study Academy. The Academy can even arrange private one-on-one lessons for students who want maximum student/teacher contact time and classes fully tailored to their own specific learning requirements and goals. Smaller class sizes ensure flexibility, but also have the welcome benefit of facilitating accelerated learning. With a lower student-teacher ratio, more class time is spent practicing Chinese and study is naturally more intensive, allowing for a faster-paced learning environment than the larger university classes.

Since people eager to learn Chinese do not always have a whole semester to enroll on a university course, students can choose when their courses at PRC Study Academy begin. We have new programs beginning every month, and students who are non-total beginners can join a course on any Monday, including non-scheduled program start dates. Moreover, students can choose the duration of their study period to suit their own demands, from as little as one week to one year!

Students at PRC Study Academy are provisionally placed according to the Chinese language proficiency level they indicate on the application form, but a placement test upon arrival at the Academy will determine which class level the student actually enters. In some cases, students who advance more quickly may move to a higher level during the course program ¨C this offers flexibility to meet students' needs and enhance their learning experience.

PRC Study Academy's Mandarin Chinese language programs incorporate all aspects of Chinese learning, including speaking, reading, writing, listening, and grammar, with a constant focus on Chinese culture, business and way of life. To enable students to advance in all aspects of Mandarin Chinese, the classroom curriculum is divided into four main areas: Phonics & Interactive Spoken Chinese, Listening Comprehension, Grammar & Vocabulary, and Reading Comprehension & Writing.

In addition, more advanced students will be presented with topics related to business and economy, newspaper reading, periodicals, literature and understanding television and radio programs. Students at the Upper Advanced level will also be presented with topics related to classical Chinese literature and Chinese philosophy. The Academy also provides elective workshops, one-on-one tutorials, a supervised homework hour and other varied opportunities for students to develop their Chinese skills.

At the PRC Study Academy, we strongly encourage a ˇ°Mandarin onlyˇ± policy, advising students to use Chinese in all situations, even in the presence of fellow students from their home countries. Of course, the ˇ°Mandarin onlyˇ± policy is challenging to students, but guarantees real rewards as students visibly (and audibly!) make progress, allowing them to integrate into Chinese society, building friendships with Chinese people and classmates from other countries.

The PRC Study Academy is committed to providing students with the highest quality language teaching and instruction available. All of our teachers are bachelors degree holders (as a minimum), many of them having graduated from top Chinese universities. Additionally, our teachers have attained certificates to teach Mandarin Chinese as a Second Foreign Language issued by the Chinese Ministry of Education, and as such are fully qualified to teach Chinese to international students.

In addition to their qualifications, PRC Study Academy teachers are professionals with years of proven experience and expertise in the Mandarin Chinese teaching field. In fact, we have made agreements and cultivated relationships to secure the services of teachers from China's very best Chinese language teaching centers, including those from Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU) and Tsinghua University.

Our teachers apply special teaching methodologies which combine speed and effectiveness of learning with the top-quality teaching standards expected of our partner universities. We use the same curriculum and teaching materials as Tsinghua and BLCU, ensuring course content is in line with that of other first-class Mandarin Chinese programs. In addition to the mainstream Mandarin Chinese programs, PRC Study Academy can arrange for students preparing to take the Chinese proficiency test to follow the HSK (Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi) Chinese proficiency exam syllabus.

Library

The PRC Study Academy library is equipped with a fine collection of books, CDs and DVDs, in addition to spaces set aside for study, and a language lab where students can work on their spoken Chinese. Computers are also available for students' use, with Internet access allowing students to use online language-learning tools and keep in touch with family and friends in their home countries.

Recreation Facilities

A number of gyms and swimming pools are available in the Academy's surrounding area, offering convenient and accessible opportunities for working out, swimming, table tennis and other exercise options. Additionally, the Academy's close proximity to a number of universities means that students can take advantage of the basketball, tennis and badminton courts, football fields and running tracks available for public use on the university campuses.

Laundry

The Academy does not have any on-site laundry services, but student's accommodation will have washing machines provided. Dry cleaning services are available within ten minutes walking distance from the Academy.

Money & Banking

A number of China's top banks, such as Bank of China, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and China Construction Bank can be found within 5 - 10 minutes walk from the Academy. All banks have 24-hour ATMs, and give students the option of opening accounts for depositing and withdrawing money, in addition to international services such as currency exchange and money transfer.

Medical Care

Several pharmacies can be found nearby the Academy, stocking Chinese and most Western medications for common complaints. For more serious cases, International SOS is one of Beijing's top international hospitals, providing medical assistance and comprehensive medical services for the whole family, including dentistry, counseling, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, nutrition and TCM (traditional Chinese medicine).

ISOS provides a 24-hour emergency medical services. Highly-trained expatriate and overseas-trained Chinese GPs provide services in English, Chinese, French, Spanish and many other languages. A well-stocked pharmacy provides Western medication and TCM ingredients.

ISOS
Building C, BITIC Jing Yi Building, No. 5 Sanlitun Xiwu Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing
Clinic appointments: (8610) 6462-9112
Dental appointments: (8610) 6462-0333

Food & Groceries

Since students need to relax after doing their homework, comfortable couches are provided in the Academy's student lounge, which is also equipped with a coffee machine. A fridge and microwave are also provided, in case you have to grab your lunch quickly before going to class!

There are also many supermarkets, shops, restaurants and cafes in the area, guaranteeing a fulfilling daytime and exciting nightlife. Several small shops in the area stock a decent range of imported groceries for students craving a taste of home, while Carrefour and Wal-mart both have large stores a 10 ¨C 15 minute taxi ride away from the Academy.

Postal Services

There is a post office within ten minutes walking distance from the Academy providing post boxes, stamps and packaging supplies and allowing students to send and receive mail and parcels from around the world.

Located in a student-populated residential area, the Academy is able to offer clean and conveniently located student dorms, student flats, apartments, hotel and homestay accommodation for students. PRC Study can arrange safe and suitable accommodation of good quality for students during their study period at the Academy.

PRC Study Academy is conveniently located in the heart of Wudaokou, in Beijing's dynamic and lively university district. The Academy is within walking distance of many of Beijing's major universities, such as Beijing Language and Culture University, Peking University, and Tsinghua University, among others.

The Academy offers easy access to the nearby light rail/subway station and many bus routes, allowing for easy transportation around Beijing.

From airport: 50 minutes by taxi

From train station: 30 minutes by taxi