General FAQs

• What makes JLS different from other schools?

  Quality assurance, unique approach, best team and Jasmine Club make JLS different from any other schools. Click Why us to get more information about this question.

• How many students do you have and where do they come from?

  On average, every year, JLS welcomes more than 500 students from all over the world. Students of all ages have studied at JLS - we’ve had students ranging from 5 to 80 years old! However, most of our students average between 18 and 55 years old for Part-Time and Intensive classes. For our Summer Camp, we have students who are between 7 to 17 years old. Most students come from America, Europe, and Asia.

• Where is the school located?

  Our school is located in the New District of Wuxi, which is the centre of the expat community in town. You can find our address and contact information here.

• What are your opening hours?

  Our business hours are from 8am to 9pm on weekdays, and from 9am to 18:00pm on weekends. See below for more details:
  8:30-10:20am
  10:30-12:20am
  1:00-2:50pm
  3:00-4:50pm
  5:00-6:50pm
  7:00-8:50pm
  Students who take 1 on1 classes can choose to have their class at the time of their preference. For more information, please contact us.

• How can I apply for a course?

  1.You can sign up from our website wherever you are; 
  2.If you are in town, you can drop by at any time and sign up;
  3.If you are abroad, you can sign up from our website and we will reply to you within 1 - 2 business days with a confirmation. Depending on the course you are taking, we may require a deposit of 50% of the tuition fees so that we can book your place and if you need accommodation, we will need the payment for this to secure it for you. You can also ask family or friends in China to come to our school to pay for you.
  4.If you prefer to call us first, please feel free to do so and we can walk you through the process and discuss your requirements – here are our contact details

• When should students apply for their program?

  In order to guarantee a smooth application process, we recommend that students apply 2 to 3 months before they plan to arrive in China or they plan to begin their study. However, applications can be submitted anytime before the intended starting date if the student does not require accommodation, although we cannot guarantee there will be a space available. If students need accommodation, applications should be submitted at least 6 weeks in advance.

Chinese Class FAQs

• What kind of study formats do you offer?

  1.Intensive program and part-time program for adults and a summer and winter camp for children and adults
  2.Our intensive program is designed for students who want maximum progress in a short time
  3.Our part-time program has a more flexible schedule, suitable for students who are working or studying in Wuxi
  4.1 to 1 or private courses, which can be either in an intensive course format or flexible time
  5.Online courses for students who cannot attend the course in Wuxi

  
  We also have a number of specialised programs that cater to specific language and lifestyle needs, such as our English Courses, International Courses, Special Programs, Tailor-Made Program for individual and businesses. For more information, please come to our courses page.

• Which programme is best for me and should I take private or group classes?

  If you work full time in Wuxi, our Part-time courses with their flexible schedule will be your best choice. If you’re searching for a fast track to learning Chinese, then our Intensive Chinese courses could be just what you’re looking for! Once you have taken this first step we can move onto the most suitable class types and create a tailored learning plan to get your Mandarin where it needs to be!
  If you work full time and don’t have a fixed schedule or you have a specific study direction in mind (for example the law field or preparing for a certain exam), we would recommend our private class for you. Private classes are very flexible and more personalised to your interests and needs.
  You can decide the time when you would like to study, how many classes per day and how many days per week. If you need to rearrange your times in case of an emergency, just let us know 24 hours beforehand and there will be no charge. Of course, private classes are more expensive than group classes.
  If you have more time and would like a fixed class schedule and classmates to study with, then our mini group or elite group classes will be your best choice. Our mini group has only 3~5 students and our elite group has an average of 8 students to ensure a better learning environment. Of course, another benefit is that the group class is cheaper than a private class. However, please note that we cannot cancel or reschedule small group classes. If you can’t come to class, you can’t make it up later.

• How many students do you have in group courses?

  As we group students strictly according to students' level, our mini group classes have 3~5 students and our elite group classes have 6~12 students with an average of 8 students per class.

• Will the classes be taught in English?

  All our classes will be taught in Chinese to give students a fully immersive Chinese atmosphere. Even for absolute beginners, our teachers will only use a little English to help you understand. As your Chinese level progresses, less and less English will be used in your classes and you will be able to understand more and more every day.

• What are your teachers like?

  All our teachers are university graduates with significant experience in the language they are teaching.
  We also provide all our teachers with training and encourage them to continue their development by offering English/Chinese courses to them depending on their native language. We also encourage our Chinese teachers to join the national exam for teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language ensuring they can provide students with the most professional and enjoyable experience.

• Will I always have the same teacher?

  We cannot assure that you will take classes with the same teacher each class as it depends on both your and our teachers’ schedules. Usually, we will arrange more than one teacher for one student. In this way, students can be familiar with different pronunciation of different people. If you have a fixed schedule, we will try our best to arrange the same teacher for you. What’s more, we will ask for each student’s opinion whether they would like to change teachers after a period of time. Most importantly, all of our teachers have extensive teaching experience and have undergone our full training program. You can request a change of teacher if you are unhappy with the teacher assigned to you.

• How will I know whether I like the class or not?

  We can arrange a free trial class for you so that you can experience our methods directly and find out what makes us different from other Chinese language schools. It will also give you a chance to meet our teachers and to discuss your exact requirements so that we can put together the best possible course for you. We will also give you some recommendations and make a study plan for you after the trial lesson.

• How long are your classes and what does a typical class schedule look like?

  Each class lasts 50 minutes. As the vast majority of our students take more than one class per day, we find a ten minute break between classes to be both necessary and helpful. Having a break in between helps by giving students a bit of a rest and allowing them to process what they've learned.
  1.For our Intensive 1on1 Class, you can take 2, 4 or 6 classes per day from Monday to Friday. You can choose whatever time slots you like from the following options:

  2 classes format: Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 10:20am or 10:30am to 12:20pm

  4 classes format:  Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 12:20pm. or 13:00pm to 16:50pm

  6 classes format:  Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 15:20pm.(1 hour for the lunch)

  2.For our Part-Time 1on1 Class, you can decide whenever you would like to study - how many classes per day and how many days per week. For our part-time small group class, you will take 2 classes each time and 1, 2 or 3 times per week.

• Is it possible for me to have class in my office?

  Yes, we can arrange for a teacher to go to your office for class during periods when your schedule requests can be accommodated. Because of the travel and time involved, we will add some extra fee each time.

• Can I register for group classes for 6 months or more?

  For our part-time small group class, we start many new classes at different levels every month. Naturally, each student’s rate of progress is different, so we design our group class as 20, 40 or 60 classes (10 weeks). When you finish one class, our teacher will judge your level and will suggest which class you can join next. In this way, you can keep taking the part-time group class for 6 months according to your schedule and progress without the risk of missing class if your schedule changes (as the schedule for the group class is fixed and cannot be rescheduled).

  For our intensive small group class, students will take 40, 80 or 120 classes (4 weeks) intensively for one month, so students will make great progress very quickly. In this way, it can be difficult to find enough students with a similar level to start a small group class after just one months of study. It can also be difficult finding students who are keen to study similar material as you. Therefore, we recommend students to take private 1on1 or 1on2 classes after four weeks of group class. Of course, if you want to study with your friends who are at the same level and have the same studying interests as you and would also like to take an intensive group class, we will be glad to arrange one for you.

Financial FAQs

• Where can I find information about pricing?

  You can find information about the pricing for our different courses here.

• Are cultural activities, excursions and field trips included in the price?

  Many cultural activities are included in the price of the Intensive Chinese Program. Excursions and field trips cost extra depending on number of participants and season. If you take one of our other programs, cultural activities and excursions can be included for an extra cost. Contact us for more information. We organize film screenings, excursions and a variety of cultural events including Mahjong nights, cooking lessons, calligraphy and many others. All activities are designed to help you experience Chinese culture and get to know your fellow students, our events focus on fun, learning and being social. Most of our activities are free or offered with a low cost to our students. For our events’ schedule click here.

• Can I change to another programme even after I have already started or cancel my course before it be

  A program including accommodation cannot be changed or altered after registration. All other program changes must be made in writing to JLS at least 4 weeks in advance of the change or program start. The date of the notification will be considered to be the date our office receives your email notice. Any additional payments due because of the change must be paid immediately. Any refunds owed will be sent by cheque upon completion of the program. Any program change will be charged with a 500RMB service fee. However, the deposit fee will not be refunded in case a participant cancels his/ her program prior to the start of the program.

• What types of payment do you accept?

  For students who are already in Wuxi, we accept cash, Wechat pay, Alipay, debit or credit cards, which can be any Chinese cards, VISA and MasterCard. For students who are abroad, you can pay by Paypal or bank transfer.

  Paypal: Click "buy now" to pay from your paypal account.

  

   

   

  Remittance :

  *Intermediary Bank:  China Merchants Bank Co. Ltd., New York, SWIFT Code: CMBCUS33
  *Beneficiary’s Bank: China Merchants Bank, H.O.,CMB TOWER,7088 SHENNAN BOULEVARD, Shenzhen, China, SWIFT Code: CMBCCNBS
  *Beneficiary’s name:         CHEN YUZHU
  *Beneficiary’s A/C No.:     6225 8851 0557 2242

Accommodation FAQs

• What accommodation can JLS help me get?

  We can arrange a variety of accommodation options including homestays and several different types of hotel accommodation to suit all budgets and individual needs.
  We strongly recommend our home-stay option as you will live with a real Chinese family, enabling you to practice your Mandarin on a daily basis whilst experiencing Chinese life and language in a real-life setting.

• What is your home-stay accommodation like?

  Our home-stay families have all been carefully chosen! Most of the hosts are teachers or office ladies whose children are studying abroad or recently married, leaving them with a spare room. They have all hosted home-stay students before, so they can speak some or fairly simple English. Generally, they offer one bedroom for one student, including free Wifi, 24-hr hot water, air conditioning and a shared bathroom. Please let us know your specific moving-in/out date, and we will send you detailed information about the home-stay families who are available at that time.

• Can I find my own accommodation?

  Of course! However, for students who will only be staying in Wuxi for less than 3 months, we strongly advise arranging accommodation through JLS. It can be very difficult to find a landlord willing to rent out a room for only a short time period in Wuxi, and the price is often driven up by a short contract. In addition, because we can guarantee the comfort, safety and quality of our accommodation, we feel much more comfortable knowing our students are secure. Please contact us at info@jasmine-school.com  or call us at +86 510 8521 8051 for further details about the price for this option.

• Do you include full board or is it only breakfast included?

  Our homestay family can offer you breakfast and dinner, lunch is not included. Hotel accommodation only provides breakfast and you need to cook by yourself if you order service apartment.

• What happens if I leave early?

  No refund will be given for early returns. However, if you must cancel your program due to a personal emergency, please notify JLS in writing as soon as possible prior to your departure, and we will review your claim. We reserve the right to make the final decision on any refunds.

Travel to Wuxi FAQs

• How is Wuxi like?

  Wuxi is on the Yangtze River and located half way between the cities of Shanghai and Nanjing, in the south of Jiangsu Province, China. Because of its recent growth, Wuxi has been dubbed the "little Shanghai".
  Wuxi has a population of nearly 6.4 million and is designated an 'investment grade city' which means that the city is growing significantly and it’s a modern city.
  Wuxi however also has an ‘old charm’ it has several touristic attractions and it’s one of the oldest cities in China.

• Will you introduce me to the main points of the city once I’m there?

  Yes, if it’s your first time in the city we will offer you a tour, a local guide and tell you about English websites you can browse for more information. We will also give you a memo which you can bring when you plan to travel in Wuxi.

• What things can I do for fun in Wuxi?

  Well, there are a lot of things you can do for fun in Wuxi. You can visit it’s touristic attractions, visit many of its restaurants, coffee and tea shops, go shopping at one of its many malls or small local shops, etc.

• Can I travel to other places in China from Wuxi?

  Of course! Wuxi is well connected and it’s easy to travel with different forms of transportation. Wuxi train station has high-speed trains and tickets vary in price as there are several types of seats and classes. There is also a bus station and an international airport. Shanghai is only 45 minutes away using the high-speed train and you can easily get access to its airports and transportation.

• Is there public transport in Wuxi and is it easy to use if I don’t speak or read Chinese?

  Yes, public transportation is available and it’s easy to use as it has information in English (for example all the stops and announcements are also in English).
  Since the metro Line 2 opened on Dec 28, 2014, Wuxi has become the first city where two subways were put into operation within a year and it has ambitious plans to grow. At the time of writing this post, new lines are being built.
  Wuxi has developed 20 new bus lines, adjusted 19 ones, and purchased 273 new buses. New bus lanes reached 11.7 kilometers in urban areas.
  In addition, 65 “microcirculation” bus lines have been developed in the urban area, providing more convenience for citizens who live far away from the city.
  The city has made out a comprehensive bus line adjustment plan for better and more sustainable development of Wuxi.

Health FAQs

• Should I get a health insurance?

  JLS requires each student to organise her/his own health insurance, which will be valid for the duration of the program. We will need to have a copy of your insurance just in case of an emergency.

• Do I need any vaccinations before travelling to China?

  We advise you to visit your doctor prior to travel to check with them which vaccinations they recommend. Be aware that for some vaccinations, you may need to go over several weeks, so make sure you check with your doctor far enough in advance.

• What happens if I get ill?

  In the event of illness, a representative from JLS will take you to the hospital if required and will help you to acquire any medicine you need.

• Do you provide airport pick up and drop off services?

  Yes, we can provide both airport pick up and drop off services. Just let us know your departure or arrival information at least 2 weeks in advance, and we will promptly get back to you with pricing information.