FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

About our Chinese School

• When was the Hutong School founded?
The Hutong School was founded in March 2005 and started its Internship Program in September 2005. The Intensive Chinese Program was started in October 2006.

• How many people have taken part in our programs? Where do they come from?
So far, the Hutong School has welcomed more than a thousand people from no less than 38 different countries, namely Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Congo, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Serbia, Spain, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Trinidad & Tobago, Turkey and the USA.

• Where is the Hutong School located?
With schools in both Beijing and Shanghai you have the option to partake in our programs in either of both cities. Take a look at our locations page for more information.

Procedures and Formalities

• Who provides health insurance?
The Hutong School requires every student to organize her/his own health insurance valid for the duration of the program.

• When do the programs start?
The programs start on the first Monday of every month, but the schedule can be changed according to the starting date of the internship. It is usually no problem if you arrive a few days before the start of your program. In case you arrive a few days later, we will make sure that you can catch up with your class.

• Can programs be longer than 12 months?
The 12 months limit for our programs is just a guideline. Programs can be extended for as long as you wish.

• When should students apply at the latest?
In order to guarantee a smooth processing of applications, we recommend students to apply as early as possible, about 2 to 3 months in advance. However, applications can be submitted anytime before the intended starting date.

• What happens in case I have to cancel?
That depends on when we receive your official cancelation. Please see General Terms and Conditions for more information.

• Who provides the visa?
L and F visas are both acceptable to enter the country. Every student's case is different so we will help you decide which visa is the most appropriate case by case.
For more detailed information, please go to our China visa section.

• How do I pay?
The Hutong School prefers bank transfer as way of payment. The service costs for bank transfer are to be carried by the student.

Internship

• Does the internship pay a salary?
Hutong School helps people from abroad to find internships in China and to get living and working experience in China. Most of the internships at our partner companies pay a small salary, which is actually rather a ‘living allowance’. However, some companies don’t pay any salary at all, especially when the duration is short (3 months or less) or when the applicant’s qualifications are not that high (e.g. only high school diploma).

• What are normal working hours?
Normal working hours also depend on your Chinese classes, e.g. if you have Chinese classes from 8 am to 10 am, your working hours are from about 10.30 am - 18.00 pm

• What kinds of internships are available?
Depending on your qualification and preferences we will search for the best possible match. We can offer you anything from internships in small start-ups to internships in multi national corporations. See our current Internship positions for updated information.

Chinese Classes

• Is it possible to only take Chinese classes without an internship?
Certainly. People who already have a job or internship, but would like to take Chinese classes as well, can simply join the morning or evening classes of our Internship Program. If you want to study Chinese more intensively, you can join the classes of the Intensive Chinese Program. Finally, you can also get private tutoring if preferred.

• What if I have studied Chinese before?
We always have a number of different level groups simultaneously and chances are high that you will join one of these groups. If the level of these groups does not fit, 4 school hours of one-to-one classes are included in the tuition fee. Further one-to-one classes must be paid for separately by the student.

• How many students are in one class?
Class size will vary up to a maximum of eight students.

• Class duration
Hutong School classes usually last 50 minutes, followed by a 10 minutes’ break.