Frequently Asked Questions

What is Taiwan Chinese Academy?
TCA is a Ministry of Education licensed private Mandarin Chinese school located in Taipei, Taiwan. Our school provides high quality Mandarin instruction with private courses, small-sized group courses, and online courses. We have a passion for teaching Mandarin to people from all over the world and we truly care about each student’s learning experience.

Does TCA offer student visas?
TCA can support visitor visas for learning Mandarin Chinese for full-time students of 3 to 6 months with the possibility of extension. Student must learn in our Intensive Program or Private Course for 15 hours or more per week to qualify for the visa.

What if I cannot attend a class during my schedule?
We cannot refund or reschedule absences for group classes. Private classes can be rescheduled if TCA is notified by email 24 hours in advance of class schedule. Private classes cannot be rescheduled with less than 24 hours notice.

When should I apply?
You can apply at any time but we advise students to apply as early as possible. After your apply, we will spend some time to make sure we have the right course for you. Your course is only reserved after tuition payment is received.

What are your course levels?
Beginner 1: A Course in Contemporary Chinese Textbook 1-1, 1-2, 1-3.
Beginner 2: A Course in Contemporary Chinese Textbook 2-1, 2-2, 2-3
Intermediate 1: A Course in Contemporary Chinese Textbook 3-1, 3-2, 3-3
Intermediate 2: A Course in Contemporary Chinese Textbook 4-1, 4-2, 4-3
Advanced 1: A Course in Contemporary Chinese Textbook 5-1, 5-2, 5-3
Advanced 2: A Course in Contemporary Chinese Textbook 6-1, 6-2, 6-3

How can I be sure that I am enrolled in is the right level class?
Placing students in the right class level is very important. We understand that a student placed in too difficult or easy of a class can disrupt the pace of the course. We recommend students to join a slightly easier level class which will benefit you and the other students in the long-term.

What should I do if I am unsure of my level?
Just choose the level that you think suits you best and share your previous learning experience with us. Please include textbooks used and the lesson you learned up to if this information is available. We will place you in the most suitable class for you and we will make adjustments to your level placement if necessary.

What is the Private Course?
The Private Course is a 1 on 1 personalized class. Students can use a book of their choice and can be taught in either traditional or simplified Chinese. Students can also choose their topic, such as business Chinese, conversational only, reading, writing, and etc. Students can pick any day(s) of the week to have class but schedules may be subject to availability.

What is the Regular Course?
The Regular Course is a 6 week course for a small group of 2 to 6 students that meets from Monday-Thursday with schedules for 9:00am-11:00am and 2:10pm-4:10pm. This course has 8 hours of class per week for a total of 48 hours.

What is the Intensive Course?
The Intensive Course is a 3 week course for a small group of 2 to 6 students that meets from Monday-Friday from 11:10am-4:10pm. There is a lunch break for the class from 1:10pm-2:10pm. This course has 20 hours of class per week for a total of 60 hours.

What is the Evening Course?
The Evening Course is 12 week course for a small group class of 2 to 6 students that meets twice a week on Monday & Wednesday or Tuesday & Thursday from 7pm-9pm. This course has 4 hours of class per week for a total of 48 hours.

What is the required textbook?
The required textbooks for our Regular, Intensive, and Evening Course is “A Course in Contemporary Chinese” textbook and workbook.

What if I cannot attend the full-term but still want to enroll?
Students can notify us before enrolling and we will give a customized tuition price. Please contact us with your schedule to confirm. We cannot adjust the tuition price after payment for the term.

Can I buy the textbook at TCA?
The “A Course in Contemporary Chinese” textbook and workbook is required for the Regular Course and Evening Course. You may purchase the textbooks at TCA. Textbook + Workbook price varies from NT$550 to NT$1100.

When can I start taking classes at TCA?
For Private Course, we can start as soon as we have availability. This could take 1 or 2 weeks for us to prepare. For group classes, absolute beginners need to wait for a new term, once every 2 months and students with previous learning experience can join as soon as we have a class at the right level available.

Does TCA offer any discounts?
We offer a NT$500 friend referral discount. The referrer and referred student will both receive the discount. The referred student must be a new student. Restrictions may apply.

When and how should I pay the tuition?
Tuition must be paid before start of the first class. We can accept cash, bank transfer, or credit card.

Can I pay for the course in multiple installments?
Yes, please let us know if you need to pay in multiple installments and we will offer you a special payment plan. However, course discounts cannot be applied for tuition paid in multiple installments.

Have a question?
Send us an email at nihao@tcamandarin.com.