kimtaymour wrote:Guys I would like to know if there is a Chinese Language Institue who can prode you a student visa? You know any one which is recognize by the Ministry of Education?
Also My concern is this I want to learn Mandarin as a full time and work as a part-time in starbucks or burger's places... I know that to work (part-time) as a student in Singapore you must meet some criteria Like those Universities listed on the MOM websites and things like that...)
Well I found these 2 Institute
http://www.hua.com.sg
http://hanlanguage.edu.sg (this is a quiet confusing link though can't find the intakes and the wanted infos- will send them an email to enquire)
They could apply for a student visa but can I work as a part-time or not.. here is my Main Concern or I'll need to go through some process ??
Because I'llbe doing some job hunt if nothing turned up positive within the given time then join the Language Institute.
I am missing the Master Intake in NUS & NTU so I said why not to take in the mean while mandarin class to improve my chinese better and join the January intake
Please advice me !
You would be a fool to study Chinese here in Singapore, for a few reasons.
1. That Singaporeans main language is English and they speak that badly.
2. Most Singaporeans would send their kids to China for mandarin, reason cost and better chance, to focus on speaking Mandarin.
Even the Vice president of NUS sent her son to mainland China, because I studied at the same uni, and met them both.
here's the link, although they have a centre in Singapore now...you will be distracted from focusing and it will cost you a fortune in Singapore, probably half the price in Beijing, they do everything for you, to get Visa.
But take my advice don't learn in Singapore, you need to be thrown into the deep end of society, where you are forced to communicate in Mandarin, not pigeon god knows what else, and tha's all you will experience out in Singapore, probably end up speaking English all the time.
I can vouch the the Beijing Institute, i studied there in 1991, and there were foreigners from every country, although the teaching methods are hard, and can be humiliating, the communist way, is to humiliate in front of all students. You will have 20 characters a day, as a beginner and you will be tested every morning, other than that, you don't get fed, if you cannot communicate.
I even got lost the first night because i was drunk, and couldn't find the way home, slept under a tree and woke up surrounded by a very large group of Chinese, trying to hide me from the local police. I was followed for the whole 9 months by secret police, but they were okay, just wanting to know my politic. It's most definitely changed for the better now! Go for it, I had a great time, I loved it, better than Singapore any day of the week. Back then I paid a hundred pound a month tuition and I think 25 US a night digs, and they were great with en suit shower and toilets, 2 to a room, for a full time 26 week. Go for it! but you will have to be quick to get the documentation done, I would advise not to do the medical before you get there, they will ignore it, because they want your money, you will have to join a long queue, if you want processing fast, a charge will probably be made.
There is also the british council teachers on campus. you can also study online, although in Beijing there is a minefield of books and flash cards, which i have been selling in UK for along time. it's moe than paid for my study trip. I sent language books home every week for libraries and W H Smith, and sold them on my return. still selling a box of flash cards for 10 pounds a box, 1450 characters, with pin yin and stroke order, too! Although they are not here in Singapore so, you have had it, but you can get them at the branch office in Sing, i guess.
http://www.blcu.edu.cn/blcuweb/english/index-en.asp
