If the course on which you would like to enrol is fully booked, please check the timetable to see if the same course is being offered at a different time (many of our courses have several iterations, each with a different day/time for the ‘class’). In addition, we operate a first-come, first-served waiting list, simply click on the Join the Waiting List button alongside the course of your choice and we will email you if a space becomes available.
Mandarin
How to learn Mandarin at the Language Centre including pathways, timetables and fees.
Course Timetable: Michaelmas term 2023
For Learners without an Oxford University SSO, or who are not members of the University, enrolment information can be found here.
| Course Pathway | Mode of delivery | Stage* | Part | Duration | Day and time of classes | Date of first class | Date of final class | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENROL | General | Online | 1 | 1 | 6 weeks (MT Weeks 2-7) | Wednesday 15:00 to 16:30 | 18 October 2023 | 22 November 2023 |
| ENROL | General | In person | 1 | 1 | 6 weeks (MT Weeks 2-7) | Thursday 13:30 to 15:00 | 19 October 2023 | 23 November 2023 |
| ENROL | General | In person | 1 | 1 | 6 weeks (MT Weeks 2-7) | Thursday 17:30 to 19:00 | 19 October 2023 | 23 November 2023 |
| ENROL | General | In person | 2 | 1 | 6 weeks (MT Weeks 2-7) | Thursday 12:00 to 13:30 | 19 October 2023 | 23 November 2023 |
| ENROL | General | Online | 3 | 1 | 6 weeks (MT Weeks 2-7) | Wednesday 12:00 to 13:30 | 18 October 2023 | 22 November 2023 |
| ENROL | General | Online | 4 | 1 | 6 weeks (MT Weeks 2-7) | Tuesday 12:00 to 13:30 | 17 October 2023 | 21 November 2023 |
| ENROL | General | Online | 5 | 1 | 6 weeks (MT Weeks 2-7) |
Tuesday 15:00 to 16:30 |
17 October 2023 | 21 November 2023 |
| ENROL | General | Online | 6/7 | 1 | 6 weeks (MT Weeks 2-7) | Tuesday 16:30 to 18;00 | 17 October 2023 | 21 November 2023 |
| ENROL | Fast Track | In person | A1 | 22 weeks (MT23 2-8, HT24 1-8, TT24 1-7) | Wednesday 17:00 to 19:00 | 18 October 2023 | 5 June 2024 | |
| ENROL | Fast Track | Online | A1 | 22 weeks (MT23 2-8, HT24 1-8, TT24 1-7) | Wednesday 12:00 to 14:00 | 18 October 2023 | 5 June 2024 | |
| ENROL | Fast Track | In person | A2 | 22 weeks (MT23 2-8, HT24 1-8, TT24 1-7) | Wednesday 17:00 to 19:00 | 18 October 2023 | 5 June 2024 | |
| ENROL | Fast Track | Online | B1 | 22 weeks (MT23 2-8, HT24 1-8, TT24 1-7) | Tuesday 12:00 to 14:00 | 17 October 2023 | 4 June 2024 |
- Enrolment for Michaelmas term courses will open on 21 September and close at 12 noon on Wednesday of Week 1 of term (11 October 2023).
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To ensure that we have time to set you up with access to our Virtual Learning Environment (Canvas), please make sure you have enrolled and paid no later than five working days before your course starts.
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MT = Michaelmas Term (October - December); HT = Hilary Term (January - March); TT = Trinity Term (April-June)
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*For General and Academic courses, a Stage is made up of three Parts, usually Part 1 is Michaelmas term, Part 2 is Hilary term and Part 3 is Trinity term. However, in some instances we will run another Part 1 in Hilary or Trinity term due to popularity. Please check the timetable carefully. Please note, complete beginners (Stage 1) cannot join Parts 2 or 3 if they have not completed Part 1.
Waiting Lists, funding, enrolment and mode of delivery
If you need to learn a language to support your studies, you can ask your college, department or faculty to sponsor you via our Priority Funding scheme. You'll need to seek permission from your tutor/supervisor, obtain the email address of the financial signatory in your college/department/faculty, and fill in the Priority Funding Application Form via the link below.
Priority Funding is not available for Fast Track courses. See our course handbook for more information.
Payment for the full year must be made by the student upon enrolment for a Fast Track course in Michaelmas term. Some colleges/departments may consider refunding students a proportion of the Fast Track course fee on completion of the course and assessments at the end of Trinity term. Please contact your college/department to find out more about their policy before you enrol. A form to record any agreement between a student and their college/department is available for students to download below. It should not be returned to the Language Centre.
For Learners with an Oxford University SSO (Single Sign-On) simply click on the enrol button next to the class that you wish to join.
For Learners without an Oxford University SSO, or who are not members of the University, once enrolment opens, please email admin@lang.ox.ac.uk with the following details:
- Full name
- Email address and phone number
- The name of the course you wish to study (including Stage and Part)
- The start date and time of the course
- Your connection to Oxford University, if any (to determine course fee)
We will then provisionally enrol you onto the course and send you a link to the Oxford University Online Store for payment. Once payment is received we will confirm your place on the course. Please note that we will be unable to assist you until enrolment has opened, so please do not send us your enrolment details in advance.
What happens after I enrol?
After enrolment you will receive an automated booking email to confirm your payment. From Week 1 you will be added to the course on Canvas (Oxford University's Virtual Learning Environment). You will receive an invitation to join Canvas, please accept it and follow the instructions for your course and make sure to go through your learning pathway before your first live session with your tutor. Course materials will be available a week before each live session. Please make sure that you read the course handbook for the course you wish to take with us as this contains more detailed information.
For Learners without an Oxford University SSO, please find useful information about Canvas in the dedicated page for external learners.
We teach our courses through a flexible and inclusive mode of delivery. In 2023/24 we are offering courses which are either entirely online (these courses all have ‘online’ in their title) or which have the live classes held in person at the Language Centre.
Our courses include a combination of online learning pathways, activities and feedback using the University’s Virtual Learning Environment, Canvas, and small group conversation classes every week (either online or in person).
This mode of delivery enables you to:
• Work flexibly at your own pace
• Have access to a complete set of learning materials before each class and beyond the life of the course to master and review
• Get high quality generic and individual feedback
• Interact in small groups, which gives you an excellent opportunity to put your weekly learning into practice.
General Pathway
- Focus on communication and use of all four skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking)
- Term by term commitment
- Entry: first-come, first-served
- Fully funded option available with Priority funding scheme
- Certificates of attendance and completion available
- Taught in weeks 2-7 every term (part 1 in Michaelmas, part 2 in Hilary and part 3 in Trinity)
- Number of classes per week: 1
- Length of class: 90 minutes
- Learning pathway including language instruction and guided learning: 1.5 - 2 hours per week
- Recommended self-study and practice time: 2 hours per week
Fast Track Pathway
- Focus: Communication and use of all four skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking)
- Full-year commitment
- Course duration: October to June (22 weeks in total)
- When: Weeks 2-8 (Michaelmas term), Weeks 1-8 (Hilary term), Weeks 1-7 (Trinity term)
- Number of classes per week: 1 (online or in person)
- Length of class: 2 hours
- Online learning pathway and private study: Up to 4 hours per week (instruction videos and guided learning activities, communicative tasks and feedback)
- Entry: first-come, first-served
- Student funding: Colleges will consider offering a reimbursement of up to 50% of the Fast Track fee upon completion of the course and assessments in Trinity term
- Fully funded (and contributory) options available from selected faculties/departments (Mathematical Institute, Material Sciences, Physics and Chemistry). See the Fast Track Course Guide for further information.
- Certificates of attendance and completion available
- Further information is available in the Fast Track Course Guide
Intensive Pathway
Whether you have been short of time or found it difficult to keep up with your course, or if you prefer learning in a more intensive and focussed manner, we run a selection of our most popular General and Academic courses during Weeks 8, 9 and 10 at the end of each term. Enrolments for these courses will normally open in Week 6 .
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Limited variety of Stages available, mostly beginner and advanced
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Term by term commitment
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Taught in Weeks 8, 9 and 10 every term (part 1 in Michaelmas, part 2 in Hilary and part 3 in Trinity)
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Number of classes per week: 2
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Length of class: 90 minutes
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Expected hours of self-guided study learning outside the classroom (supported by Canvas, the University’s new Virtual Learning Environment): 12
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Entry: first-come, first-served
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Fully-funded Priority places available for students sponsored by their college/department (see Priority Funding box on this page for further information)
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Certificates of course completion and attendance are available, please see the course handbook for conditions
Don't miss out
Join our newsletter to receive notification of the courses we will be offering as Intensives this year!
Course fees & funding
Course Guides
- General Pathway Course Guide 2023/24
- Academic Pathway Course Guide 2023/24
- Fast Track Pathway Course Guide 2023/24
Useful links
- View language courses
- Tailored courses for departments
- Funding for Oxford students
- Information for external learners
Course textbooks
Details of textbooks can be found in the Course Guide for each pathway (see above).
Oxford University 2023/24 Term Dates
- Michaelmas 2023: Sunday 8 October (Week 1) - Saturday 2 December (Week 8)
- Hilary 2024: Sunday 14 January (Week 1) - Saturday 9 March (Week 8)
- Trinity 2024: Sunday 21 April (Week 1) - Saturday 15 June (Week 8)
