A growing interest for the chinese

A growing interest for the language
http://www.chinesetime.cn learn chinese

More and more foreigners are showing interest in learning Chinese
as China increases exchanges with the outside world.
More than 9,600 foreign students from 113 countries came
to Shanghai to learn Chinese in 2005.

It is estimated that the number of foreigners coming to China
to learn the language over the last few years has maintained an
average annual growth rate of 35 percent.

Universities welcome Western http://www.chinesetime.cn learn chinese
students for the extra revenue
they bring. Courses usually
cost about US$1000 a semester.
Accommodation costs around
US$10 a day.

In Shanghai, there are more
than 10 universities offering
Chinese language courses.
So, the problem for many
foreigners is to select one
between all these universities. http://www.chinesetime.cn learn chinese

Students are usually given a placement test before the course
starts and administered an HSK upon completing the course.
Classes are generally in the morning Monday through Friday,
8:30-12:30. Intensive classes have an additional 2 hours a day from 2-4. Optional classes are available, including tai-chi, calligraphy, HSK　prep, etc.

Students are predominantly from Asia: Korean (60-85%), Japanese (15-35%), Thai or Indonesian. Westerners are a definite minority.
There is no official interaction or activities between short term
students and chinese students on campus.

http://www.chinesetime.cn learn chinese