Mandarin Jumpstart+ Course (Online)

Asia Society is thrilled to launch a brand new Mandarin course series offered in partnership with iCanMandarin. Join us for a new cohort to gain conversation skills and insights into China’s art, culture, policy, sustainability, and business.

WHAT TO EXPECT

• 60 minutes a week
• Learn with peers
• Real teachers, no apps!
• Online & Interactive
• Meet where you are; proceed at your pace

EXCLUSIVE CURATED CONTENT

• Virtual 3-D Tour of Mirror Image: A Transformation of Chinese Identity
• China’s 20th Party Congress Analysis Hub
• Coal + Ice Podcast: A Conversation on Climate Change
• Interactive Toolkits and More!

Registration and Schedule

$320.00 for 2 months (8 classes). The course renews every 2 months.

Asia Society members and their friends receive 10% off. Use code “newyearmandarin” upon checkout.

For a limited time only! Schwarzman Scholars also receive 10% off. Use code "MandarinSchwarzman" upon checkout.

Pick a time you can join class weekly. The first lesson starts on the date specified.

• Mondays, 7:30–8:30pm ET (first lesson on May 1)
• Wednesdays, 7:30–8:30pm ET (first lesson on February 8)
• Thursdays, 7:30–8:30pm ET (first lesson on March 9)
• Saturdays, 10–11am ET (first lesson on April 8)

Register Now

Check with your employer about education credits.

This course is designed for those with little to no prior knowledge of Chinese. The learning will focus on speaking for the needs of daily life. Pinyin (Chinese pronunciation guide system) and reading and writing of Chinese characters will also be introduced. Chinese culture, arts, and policy will be integrated into the learning.

In about 40 lessons, we will cover topics such as “The ABCs of Chinese,” “Greetings and Introductions,” “Family,” “Birthdays,” “Seasons and Weather,” “Likes and Dislikes,” and “Chinese Festivals.” Learners will be able to greet people and introduce themselves and their family members in a culturally appropriate manner. They will also be able to make simple conversations about the weather and personal preferences for drinks and food at social occasions. Along with learning the language, students will gain a basic understanding of Chinese cultural traditions embedded in daily life and social settings.

Most importantly, this course will guide the learners to begin their study of the Chinese language on the right track and help them build a solid foundation with ease, excitement, and a lot of fun!

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What platform is used to conduct the classes? 
Classes are held on zoom. The teacher and the learning activities will take advantage of zoom’s capabilities.

2. Where are the teachers? 
All teachers must be native Chinese speakers, have graduate-level training related to language education in the US, and be based in North America.

3. How many students per class?
Enrollment per class is capped at 6.

4. If I miss a class, can I attend another one that week make-up? 
Each cohort is moving at a slightly different pace so joining a different cohort won’t be very productive for you. We advise using take-home practices—including vocabulary exercises and other materials provided to catch up on the lesson missed.

5. What’s the refund policy?
While tuition is transferrable or deferrable, but not refundable. You may choose to gift or transfer the tuition credit to anyone you designate, or you can choose to start the class at a later date.

6. How long is this course? 
The introductory course will include 40 weekly lessons over a one-year period. You Tuition is payable every 8 lessons, to provide you with a high degree of flexibility. Students can opt out of renewing the course at any time.

In partnership with