Dalian or Qingdao?

[suntree]

I'm currently in Beijing studying Mandarin but I want to go somewhere else this spring. I can't choose between Dalian University of Foreign Language and Qingdao's Ocean University. Where would you choose? Which place is better in terms of teaching quality, facilities, local accents, weather, and quality of life?

I want to rent a decent 1-bedroom apartment within walking distance from school. Is it possible to find such a place in either of those cities? If anyone has been there, please share your experience.

Thanks in advance for any comments.

[jlowrance]

I studied at Qingdao University in the fall of 2004 and summer of 2005. I loved Qingdao. the weather was really nice, warm in the summer and cold during the winter. The accent is a little different than in Beijing but it's not that big of a deal. The air is clean for China. The quality of life is high. It's a pretty nice place to live. I've never been to Ocean U but I know people who studied there but never heard anything about it, good or bad. Plenty of apartments for cheap.

[AxelManbow]

I would be cautious with DUFL. I currently live in Dalian and although I do not attend DUFL I know others that do and none of them are totally happy with it - most complaints arise from the administrative side, although class sizes are also said to be too large (20+ but varies with course). Of other unis in Dalian I only know of feedback from two: DUFE and Li Gong, while not outstanding they generally they receive less negative feedback from their students than DUFL does.

For DUFL, DUFE and Li Gong I know people who after two years there have achieved a pretty good level of Chinese, so while there may be complaints the same people are achieving.

I know nothing about Qingtao.

[gato]

Maybe take a look at this thread:

http://www.chinese-forums.com/showthread.php?p=88351&highlight=qingdao+university#post88351

choosing locale for immersion study