黑料吃瓜网

Chinese is the most challenging language I have learnt but our teacher has said many times in class: ‘See, learning Chinese is easy!’ and somehow it does feel easy with her. (Olivia Wolfheart)

Please note: The information on this page is only applicable to members of the public. If you work at the university, or are an existing undergraduate or postgraduate student, to find out about language courses.

Available courses

Core courses are based on the , an international standardised test for Chinese language proficiency. Please note not every course runs every term.

Chinese In Your Suitcase: An introductory course designed for complete beginners who want to take their first steps learning Mandarin Chinese, with a focus on practical language for travel and everyday communication. No prior knowledge of Chinese is required. Through an interactive approach, you will develop basic speaking/listening skills needed for real-life situations. Learn essential vocabulary and everyday expressions commonly used when travelling, such as greeting people, asking for directions, ordering food, and handling simple interactions in social settings. You will gain an accessible introduction to pronunciation, including tones and pinyin, as well as a basic understanding of Chinese characters.

• Alongside language learning, the course offers insights into Chinese culture and communication styles, helping you feel more confident when interacting in Chinese-speaking environments
• The learning experience is supportive and engaging, with opportunities to practise simple conversations
• By the end of the course, you will be able to manage basic travel-related situations and communicate simple ideas, making it an ideal starting point for anyone planning to visit Chinese-speaking regions.

Stage 1.1: If you have never studied Chinese before. We recommend you take a 'Chinese Characters' course alongside this course.

Stage 1.2: If you have taken Stage 1.1 with us, or can:

• note down words and phrases you hear using pinyin
• engage in basic conversations, exchanging information such as age, name, nationality, and occupation
• read and write around 50 basic Chinese characters

We recommend you take a 'Chinese Characters' course alongside this course.

Stage 2.1: If you have completed Stage 1.2 with us, or achieved the Chinese standard examination HSK 1, or can:

• engage in conversations on topics such as the weather, routine and leisure activities, state preferences
• read and understand short texts written in Chinese characters on familiar topics
• produce short texts using Chinese characters to give basic information and describe simple situations

We recommend you take a 'Chinese Characters' course alongside this course.

Stage 2.2: If you have completed Stage 2.1 or achieved the Chinese standard examination HSK 1, or can:

• perform simple tasks such as shopping and ask for information such as directions and opening hours
• understand straightforward written resources on familiar topics written in Chinese characters
• write short texts using Chinese characters to give essential information and describe simple experiences

Stage 3.1: If you have completed Stage 2.2, or achieved the Chinese standard examination HSK 2, or can:

• engage in conversations on a number of non-abstract topics such as travel and leisure activities
• read and understand straightforward written resources on a variety of familiar topics
• produce structured texts in Chinese characters on a variety of familiar topics, including past events and future plans

Stage 3.2: If you have completed Stage 3.1, or achieved the Chinese standard examination HSK 2, or have a degree of confidence to:

• engage in conversations in a variety of situations
• read and understand written resources in Chinese characters on familiar matters and some abstract topics
• produce structured texts in Chinese characters on topics such as shopping, travel, jobs and abstract topics

Chinese Characters: ?These classes supplement the core Mandarin Chinese courses. We strongly encourage all Stage 1 and Stage 2 students to register for this additional course, as it offers valuable practice with Chinese characters, an essential part of the Mandarin Chinese curriculum. It is offered free of charge and is only available to students enrolled on a Stage 1 or Stage 2 Mandarin Chinese course. Please speak to your teacher if you'd like to attend.

HSK Exam Preparatory Workshops: 5 preparatory workshops for students who opt to sit . These are held in Spring and offered free of charge to anyone enrolled in another Mandarin Chinese course; they are not available to join as standalone classes.

Placement test

If you have never learned Mandarin Chinese with us before, so that you know which course is suitable for you.

We recommend reading our Terms and Conditions for information about what to do if you enrol at the wrong level and need to transfer to a different class.

Autumn 2026 course timetable

The following courses are running in Autumn 2026. Enrolments will open at midday on 3 August 2026. If you would like to be notified when enrolments are open, please .

All courses start week commencing 5 October 2026 and run for 10 weeks. The last week of teaching will be 7 December 2026.

Enrolments for all courses will close at midday on 24 September 2026, and we will not be able to accept any late enrolments. If you would like to join a course in Autumn 2026, please ensure you have enrolled before the deadline date.

Course fees

Course fees are ?210 per person per course. Fees include all tuition and course materials and must be paid in full at the time of enrolment, through our online booking system.

The Chinese Characters courses are offered free of charge to anyone enrolled on a Stage 1 or Stage 2 course.

Discounts

No discounts or concessionary fees are available.

Qualification fees

You may wish to take up the opportunity of entering for a globally recognised language qualification, to accredit your language proficiency. Exam preparation workshops are offered in the Spring alongside the core language course at no additional charge. You must be enrolled on a language course to be able to join the exam preparation workshops; they are not available to enrol onto as standalone courses.

If you choose to enter for an examination, additional costs will be payable for examination entry to the respective awarding organisations. These costs vary by language, level and provider and are subject to change, but typically range from ?70 to ?250 per exam. Full details of costs can be found on the awarding bodies' websites and will be provided by your teacher. Please note that if you choose not to take an exam, the costs are limited to the course fees.

Terms and Conditions

Please make sure you have read and understood our Terms and Conditions before enrolling on a course. By purchasing a course, you will be deemed to have accepted the Terms and Conditions, so it's important you have read them before you complete your purchase.

All personal data will be collected and processed in accordance with UK GDPR and any other relevant legislation. Further details of how your personal data will be processed can be found in our Terms and Conditions. Some of our courses are delivered online. As part of the online delivery via Teams / Zoom, please note that your username and email address used to attend the lessons will be visible to other students.

Qualifications

In the spring, you have the option of sitting HSK qualifications 1, 2 or 3. Exams take place in official HSK centres in London and other cities (please note, there is no test centre in 黑料吃瓜网).

To help you prepare for the exams, you can join , which are offered free of charge to anyone enrolled on another Mandarin Chinese course in the spring; they are not available to join as standalone classes. If you would like to join the relevant workshop, please speak to your teacher after you have enrolled on your core course.

More ways to develop your Mandarin Chinese language skills

For more information on what it’s like to learn Mandarin Chinese with us, .

We also organise our own cultural events and Language Cafés. If you are enrolled on a language course, you are welcome to take part in these; please ask your teacher for more details after you have enrolled.

Information for students and staff

The information on this page is only applicable to members of the public, who are not employed by the university or studying here as an undergraduate or postgraduate student.

If you work at the university, or are an existing undergraduate or postgraduate student, to find out about the language courses available to you.

Meet the teacher

If you have enrolled on a course, you can come along to meet the teacher and ask any questions you might have before teaching starts the following week. Just drop in to any of these sessions:

Please note that parking is extremely limited on the campus during the day. Before travelling to the University, we recommend reading our guidance on where to park if you are driving, and other ways of getting to the campus.

This campus map will help you find the right room for each session.