Thanks to Varsity Tutors, students of all ages can start mastering the Chinese language. Whether you're a freshman at Westlake High School, an undergraduate student pursuing your bachelor's degree at Austin Community College, or a doctoral candidate at the University of Texas-Austin examining how Chinese characters influenced Japanese Kanji, an Austin Chinese course could be your path to becoming proficient in Chinese.
There are plenty of professional, personal, and intellectual benefits of learning a language. For one, being multilingual has been shown to have a very positive impact on cognition. Learning and speaking another language not only improves cognition and decision-making skills but also makes you less likely to develop certain neurodegenerative issues that tend to arise in old age.
In a similar vein, knowing another language can also make you more compassionate and open to diverse viewpoints. Learning another language forces you to step out of your own shoes and walk a mile in someone else's, so it can be a great way to deepen your connection to other people, cultures, and traditions.
Since our economy today is highly interconnected and dependent on the transnational flows of people, goods, and services, it's also highly useful to be able to communicate with someone who has a different cultural background from you. Your competitors, colleagues, and bosses may be from another country, so your ability to communicate with them clearly and effectively could be the key to your success in the workplace.
Although there are thousands of spoken languages in the world, one of the most useful to learn is Chinese. Mandarin Chinese, in particular, is a language that may offer you a host of opportunities. Although Chinese encompasses various different dialects including Xiang, Wu, and Hakka, the most widely spoken is Mandarin Chinese. One billion people call Mandarin Chinese their native language.
Today, China is a global superpower that cannot be ignored. The Sinosphere - the Chinese linguistic and cultural sphere - has a massive influence on the way that international affairs and political economy function today. Furthermore, the Sinosphere itself is mind-boggling in its diversity. While Japan and South Korea are a couple of major countries that form the core of the Sinosphere, China's growing global influence means that you are likely to find Chinese speakers everywhere from Jakarta to Johannesburg. As China continues to invest heavily in Africa, mastering Chinese can not only land you that prestigious job in Chengdu, but maybe even catapult you to exotic locales like Durban and Dakar.
Even as knowing Chinese can offer you innumerable exciting opportunities, the process of learning the language can be fairly time-consuming and frustrating. Linguists and scholars have long been making the argument that consistent practice and an immersive environment tend to be the keys to fluency. Yet, with a hectic schedule and no time for an extra commute to Chinese class, how can you expect to learn, and eventually master Chinese?
That's where an Austin Chinese course can help you out. An Austin Chinese course is held at various different times, including weekends and evenings, so you don't have to rush through your other commitments to make it to a class. Moreover, it's all online!
The online Live Learning Platform mimics the regular classroom, but without the stress of navigating traffic when you're already busy. With the powerful digital tools built into the Live Learning Platform, you can have conversations with your peers and instructor alike. It's easy to request one-on-one time as well, so you can stop worrying about lagging behind or dragging the pace of the class for your peers.
So, whether you're translating interviews for your ethnography on Mississippi's Chinese-American population or still wrapping your head around pinyin, getting signed up for an Austin Chinese class can be one way for you to take your Chinese language learning goals forward. Dedicated instruction time, rigorous practice, and a collaborative classroom environment can help make your ride to proficiency a smooth one.
What types of skills would an instructor generally go over in a Chinese class?
Mandarin Chinese has a very distinct pictographic script, grammar, and phonology or sound system. Students may find it surprising to learn that the different Chinese dialects are not even mutually intelligible. So, not only is Mandarin Chinese distinct from the Hokkien or Harbin dialects, but it also has practically nothing in common with English. In other words, while languages like French and Spanish have features in common with English which make the simpler for English speakers to master, the same cannot be said for Mandarin. Mandarin contains no articles, verb inflections, or plurals. In addition, all words have only one grammatical form. For a typical monolingual English speaker, this can be fairly tricky and confusing to understand.
An Austin Chinese class acknowledges these challenges and puts your language learning needs first. From pronunciation to the complex set of characters, your knowledgeable instructor can help make the process of learning Chinese - an extremely difficult but rewarding language to speak - stress-free and enjoyable.
What advantages are there to signing up for a class?
You're managing multiple responsibilities and there's no space in your schedule for any more commitments. An Austin Chinese course recognizes this fact and strives to offer you the greatest convenience. So, classes are held entirely online and at various different times, including weekends and evenings.
Furthermore, the Live Learning Platform gives you the ability to engage with your peers and instructor just like you would in a standard classroom. You have the added benefit of being able to request individualized time with your instructor, too. This one-on-one time can be used to review lessons in greater depth to address any struggles.
Another crucial advantage is that an Austin Chinese class does not discriminate on the basis of proficiency. That is, no matter where you find yourself in your Chinese journey, you are welcome in an Austin Chinese class.
How can I get registered and start taking Chinese classes?
Signing for an Austin Chinese class is simple - contact the educational consultants at Varsity Tutors today and get the process started. New sections begin on a monthly basis and classes are held at many different times. So, you can find a class that works for your schedule and doesn't burden you with one more commute.
Whether you're in your very first semester of Chinese at Vandegrift High School or eager to go out for hot pot with your group of Chinese exchange student friends, register for an Austin Chinese course and get going. Begin your Chinese adventure with Varsity Tutors today.

Jay: Austin Mandarin Chinese course instructor
...get out of a two-year ESL (English as a Second Language) program in just a semester. I have tutored students since I was in high school in English, Chinese, mathematics, and most subjects in the area of natural sciences. I don't want to just teach my students the subjects themselves. I want to teach them my strategies and SECRETS to learning quickly and efficiently. I am easy to reach and will provide fast responses. Feel...
Education & Certification
- The University of Texas at Austin - Bachelor in Arts, Fine and Studio Arts Management
Subject Expertise
- Mandarin Chinese
- Math
- Elementary School Math
- IB Language A: Language and Literature
- +52 subjects

Ingrid: Austin Mandarin Chinese course instructor
...at University of Texas at Austin and a graduate of Singapore American School. I learned French after attending a local school in France, and in my sophomore year, I received a 5 on AP French. For Chinese, I completed the highest level of HSK (Chinese Proficiency Test). Additionally, as a member of both Chinese Honor Society and French Honor Society, I have tutored high school and middle school students in both languages. While I mainly...
Education & Certification
- The University of Texas at Austin - Current Undergrad Student, International Relations
Subject Expertise
- Mandarin Chinese
- Mandarin Chinese 4
- Mandarin Chinese 1
- Conversational French
- +16 subjects

Ashleigh: Austin Mandarin Chinese course instructor
...Visual Arts but an early background in Molecular Biology. In addition to her love of teaching science and even mathematics (algebra to calculus) alongside general SAT prep, Ashleigh can also provide ESL and Russian tutoring to students of all ages and experience. She loves to share stories of her adventures teaching English in Ukraine, building animations and 3D computer Models in Estonia, and working in film festivals in Croatia. If you have a love of...
Education & Certification
- Harvard University - Bachelors, Visual and Environmental Studies
Subject Expertise
- Mandarin Chinese
- High School Chemistry
- High School Biology
- Chemical Engineering
- +39 subjects
Education & Certification
- The University of Texas at Austin - Bachelor of Science, Mathematics
Subject Expertise
- Mandarin Chinese
- Statistics
- Algebra
- Technology and Coding
- +40 subjects

China: Austin Mandarin Chinese course instructor
...pursuing my master's degree in global policy studies. I have a BA in political science from Southwestern University. After graduation, I studied Mandarin Chinese for a year in Taiwan and then went backpacking through China. I can help you learn basic Mandarin Chinese (1 and 2), walk you through your political science studies, or bang out a killer essay. My two biggest priorities as a tutor are to teach you the *practical* skills you need...
Education & Certification
- Southwestern University - Bachelors, Political Science and Government
- The University of Texas at Austin - Current Grad Student, Global Policy Studies
Subject Expertise
- Mandarin Chinese
- GRE Verbal
- GRE Quantitative
- GRE
- +10 subjects

Rita: Austin Mandarin Chinese course instructor
...me Rita. I studied and graduated at The University of Texas at Austin. I am an outgoing, organized, friendly and responsible person. I am fluent in Mandarin and English, and I'd love to help more people to know and learn about Mandarin. Most people think Mandarin is hard, but I will say it is super beautiful, interesting and worth learning. I hope you are interested in it and thank you for visiting my profile:)
Education & Certification
- The University of Texas at Austin - Bachelors, Economics
Subject Expertise
- Mandarin Chinese
- Mandarin Chinese 2
- AP Chinese Language and Culture
- Mandarin Chinese 4
- +3 subjects

Dominique: Austin Mandarin Chinese course instructor
...a passion for science and nutrition. I am aware of the challenges school can bring, so therefore, I am prepared to teach students of all ages and equip them for the next stage in their academic career. Learning was definitely a long process for me when I was in middle/high school, but after much trial and error, I was able to level up in academic performance. I hope to share the my wisdom with all...
Education & Certification
- The University of Texas at Austin - Bachelor of Science, Nutrition Sciences
Subject Expertise
- Mandarin Chinese
- Middle School Science
- English
- AP Chinese Language and Culture
- +20 subjects

Renee: Austin Mandarin Chinese course instructor
...with major in Business & Marketing. With ~10 years of progressive experience in the Business Analysis field, including 5 year-career in a Fortune 500 company and 2-year career in a reputed European management consulting firm based in Shanghai China, I accumulated solid knowledge of Financial Services Industry and Management Consulting in China. I was interested to connect East and West culture and business market through my tutoring in Mandarin, business & economics. And looking forward...
Education & Certification
- Dalian Maritime University - Bachelor of Economics, Business Administration and Management
- Shanghai University of Finance and Economics - Master in Management, Marketing
Subject Expertise
- Mandarin Chinese
- Mandarin Chinese 1
- C#
- Mandarin Chinese 4
- +22 subjects

Rachel: Austin Mandarin Chinese course instructor
...to be tutored for. I strive to not only teach them the concepts and materials, but how to study more efficiently and develop conceptual capabilities that will benefit their academic career in the future. In the past, I have been a writing mentor at my high school and worked with children through a organization called Breakthrough Austin. I was also a leader for a summer camp where we taught English to non-English speakers. I love...
Education & Certification
- Williams College - Bachelor in Arts, Political Science and Government
Subject Expertise
- Mandarin Chinese
- SAT Writing and Language
- PSAT Mathematics
- Algebra 2
- +41 subjects

Jason: Austin Mandarin Chinese course instructor
I have tutored mainly math-related subjects for K-12 and college students for more than 5 years. I utilize graphs, interesting symbols, and a more user-friendly language to convey complex math concepts according to my students. I also teach conversational Chinese Mandarin. My goal is to let my students learn the subject efficiently and be prepared for exams, such as PSAT, SAT, or GRE, in a rather relaxing environment.
Education & Certification
- Stony Brook University - Bachelor of Science, Applied Mathematics
Subject Expertise
- Mandarin Chinese
- Finite Mathematics
- ACT
- ACT Math
- +25 subjects