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Beijing Cultural and Language University (BLCU)

Overall Reviews
4.11 / 5 based on 87 reviews
1 – 6 of 22
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Useful  |  4
yogi888
University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
Language, Undergraduate, Independent
Overall
I wish I had known...
When visiting mainland China, there is never enough room for souvenirs. Travel light!
Read more >
In my opinion:
Most people loved it.
Important factors in my choice
(1) Unimportant – (4) Very important
Academic reasons
4
Culture
4
Costs
3
Activities
2
Campus life
3
Party / people
3
Weather / location
4
Personal recommendation
Beijing Language and Culture University is one of MYRIAD language schools in Beijing. However, it is among the most reputable. From my experience, BLCU's strong reputation seems well-deserved. That being said, there may be less costly ways to learn Mandarin. A classmate of mine mentioned the availablity of student tutors for 10 RMB per hour (about CDN $2). The obvious benefit here, aside from the low cost, is the effectiveness of one-on-one learning. I'd recommend considering tutoring in CONJUNCTION with a language course, such as at BLCU. Although class sizes may seem unwieldy (15 to 25 students), the classes at BLCU provided a well-structured approach. No regrets.
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During my experience abroad, I ...
(1) Never – (4) A lot
Became familiar with another culture
4
Traveled
3
Improved language skills
4
Met people from other countries
3
Became more independent
4
Partied a lot
3
Experienced a change in life
3
Advanced my studies & career
4
Final comments
Make the most of your time! Everyone's priorities will be unique. However, try to find the right balance between mainstream social activities (e.g., nightlife), and language- & culture-oriented activities (access to which may be more limited to your period of stay in Beijing).
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Useful  |  1
Alex R
University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
Short course Language, Undergraduate, Independent
Overall
I wish I had known...
I wish I had known it was impossible to get deoderant in China.
Read more >
In my opinion:
Most people loved it.
Important factors in my choice
(1) Unimportant – (4) Very important
Academic reasons
2
Culture
4
Costs
4
Activities
2
Campus life
3
Party / people
3
Weather / location
2
Personal recommendation
The best thing about the university, is that it is a really comfortable way to ease into living in China. You have the opportunity to speak Chinese as much as you want, but at the same time you can converse with a range of students from around the world. The university itself is not beautiful, nor is it in a great position, but the staff are all very friendly and it is a fun place to be.
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During my experience abroad, I ...
(1) Never – (4) A lot
Became familiar with another culture
3
Traveled
3
Improved language skills
4
Met people from other countries
4
Became more independent
4
Partied a lot
3
Experienced a change in life
2
Advanced my studies & career
2
Final comments
The Beijing language and Culture University offers courses from 4 weeks to 1 year. I only stayed for for weeks, as a introduction to staying in China, for many months. In this capacity, life at the University is an ideal way to come to grips with everyday life in China. Remember you deoderant though.
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Useful  |  1
the most racist, hostile and fraudulent experience I have ever had
tom
United States, Other courses
, 2021
Overall
Going to BLCU was akin to being a prisoner. This was the most racist and hostile experience of my life, and in no way was what happened at this clown college an education. BLCU was rife with fraud as well and it seemed like they were above the law and if you were not Chinese you were not worthy of consideration. Between the discrimination, rudeness of the staff, and the utter inability and/unwillingness to teach anything, I was shocked at how uncivilized the whole experience was. 

after taking our money, we were banned from the campus for not being Chinese, exclusively, while the Chinese students were free to go. They refused to explain this or address this and would become aggressive if pressured to be fair with us. Even before this, we would have to call security and be examined at the door like criminals, when Chinese students could just walk in. It got to the point that if we had to deal with any documents we would have to stand on the street and wait for staff to come outside to deal with us, as if we were lepers, in the freezing winter. This is uncivilized.

The staff will threaten you if you if they don't get their way, don't listen to questions and no one on the campus speaks any language other than Chinese. While I was there, students were banned from the campus on a racial basis with no explanation. Teachers would often raise their voices disrespectfully at students for not understanding them(in a level 0 Chinese course) and I was mocked and discriminated in front of the class by one "teacher" called "arigatou" on WeChat. Her actual name was Zhou and she is in her 30s. I stopped attending her class entirely in protest and no one cared about my report or that I didn't go anymore. The staff and school itself as a whole did not enforce any rule on the handbook unless it came at the expense of the foreign student. In class the staff would rattle off uncomfortably nationalist and factually incorrect data like "China is 5000 years old". Everything anything said in class was about how YOU are not Chinese and you don't know anything about China. the head of my department fell asleep during our exam and I took a video of him doing so. When brought up to the administration, they just ignored me. Staff would tell us about what time our next class was at sometimes 1-2 in the morning the night before. We were expected to study and know all of the material for the next class before we ever went to it. There was no learning in any class. What was the point of the class? The list of atrociously unprofessional and disrespectful experiences I had at BLCU is a very long list. Bizarre and depressing experience. 

Despite false advertising, fraud and failure to deliver the services agreed upon, BLCU was unwilling to offer any form of refund or take responsibility for any(provable) behavior and CA would have nothing to say about it either when approached/didn't respond to emails or WeChat messages. BLCU casually and consistently engaged in criminal activity. Mr. Feng, the foreign assistance staff, was patronizing and very disrespectful and didn't speak a word of any other language. 

It's hard to believe China Admissions had no idea what was going on here. I asked multiple students who were there for years and they all said the abuse was like this for many years. Those students explained that they were at BLCU purely for the visa and they didn't even participate in the classes at all and no one cared. What kind of joke is this place? How could CA not know something so obvious and if they did know, that would mean that they are complicit. CA even failed to get my money back for an application to another university that ignored my application, even though that was the terms of our agreement. When I'd email and WeChat them about all of this they just vanished and I never heard from them again. 

I pointed out the discrimination for being a non Chinese person, and I told them it was completely illegal, and no one cared or even reacted to my comment, and these were all head staff. I said "this is a crime, you must address it" and no one cared. 

BLCU is an indicator of a greatly escalating problem in China, which is a hatred, distrust, and disrespect of immigrants but love of their money. This is palpable on the BLCU campus. 

If you walked by any staff they'd pull up their masks(only for you) and leave elevators and stairwells if you were inside, be unwilling to speak to you or help you while be fine with Chinese students, and more.

BLCU is not ready to be part of the civilized world. Though it physically looks like a university, BLCU on a fundamental level doesn't know what education is, or is an elaborate scam, and CA is complicit. The fact that this advertisement from BLCU is still up speaks volumes about CA.

A whole year after this experience, the owner of the company responded to something I had written about CA online. It seems like CA only responded because it was public and looked bad. 

At BLCU you will not be treated like a human being. China Admissions failed, BLCU failed, and the justice system of China failed. I can't think of any sane reason to come to study at BLCU or China at all.
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Pros
Nothing. If you're not Chinese you're treated like a pre-WW2 Jew in Nazi germany.
Cons
This place is so far gone its unthinkable to ever consider it for anything at any point
Useful  |  0
Gabriel S
Universität Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
Language, Undergraduate, Independent
Overall
I wish I had known...
No
Read more >
In my opinion:
Everybody loved it, you will too!
Important factors in my choice
(1) Unimportant – (4) Very important
Academic reasons
3
Culture
3
Costs
3
Activities
2
Campus life
2
Party / people
3
Weather / location
2
Personal recommendation
If you want to learn chinese efficiently and want to mingle with local people, don't go to this university. I recommend this University for short term students and people who like it clean and comfortable.
Read more >
During my experience abroad, I ...
(1) Never – (4) A lot
Became familiar with another culture
4
Traveled
4
Improved language skills
4
Met people from other countries
4
Became more independent
3
Partied a lot
4
Experienced a change in life
3
Advanced my studies & career
4
Final comments
Try to avoid meeting foreigners. That may be extremely difficult, especially at the beginning of your stay. Try to meet chinese and other non-english speaking people like japanese or koreans and speak chinese with them.
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Useful  |  1
Mark v
Aston University, Birmingham, United Kingdom
Language, Undergraduate, Independent
Overall
I wish I had known...
Learn a few basic phrases before you go; when you get in a taxi at the airport..the driver will NOT speak English!
Read more >
In my opinion:
Most people loved it.
Important factors in my choice
(1) Unimportant – (4) Very important
Academic reasons
4
Culture
4
Costs
4
Activities
4
Campus life
3
Party / people
3
Weather / location
2
Personal recommendation
I recommend this university. Not only are you at a good university but also sharing Beijing with 13 million other inhabitants means that there is always plenty to do and see when not studying.
Read more >
During my experience abroad, I ...
(1) Never – (4) A lot
Became familiar with another culture
4
Traveled
4
Improved language skills
4
Met people from other countries
3
Became more independent
4
Partied a lot
4
Experienced a change in life
4
Advanced my studies & career
4
Final comments
Going to a unique country like China is not only interesting but the difference in culture will broaden your mind.
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Useful  |  0
m l
University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
Language, Undergraduate, Independent
Overall
I wish I had known...
Bring your laptop! Most friends regret now bringing one - otherwise you always have to go to internet bars.
Read more >
In my opinion:
Most people loved it.
Important factors in my choice
(1) Unimportant – (4) Very important
Academic reasons
4
Culture
4
Costs
2
Activities
2
Campus life
3
Party / people
4
Weather / location
2
Personal recommendation
Have international AND local friends. It maximises your experience.
Read more >
During my experience abroad, I ...
(1) Never – (4) A lot
Became familiar with another culture
4
Traveled
4
Improved language skills
4
Met people from other countries
4
Became more independent
3
Partied a lot
4
Experienced a change in life
4
Advanced my studies & career
3
Final comments
While locals are friendly, be careful that they don't increase the prices just because you are a foreigner!
Read more >
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