The best online Chinese courses to try in Shanghai

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Photograph: Freddie Marriage via Unsplash

School may be out, but no matter how long you've been in Shanghai it's never too soon or too late to improve your Mandarin. For those with tight schedules, looking for flexibility or wanting to study right from home, Shanghai has language centres that offer online classes for all levels and types of learner. That means no more excuses.

Looking for more things to do indoors? Check out these new film releases, workouts you can stream from home or our essential Shanghai reading list.

Recommended: The best Chinese language classes in Shanghai

That's Mandarin

With its own Chinese learning platform NihaoCafe for both online and offline classes, That’s Mandarin language school has had over 50,000 students since 2005. The learning experience you’ll get online mirrors the experience in its physical schools. For HSK1-3, the platform follows a newly produced TV series with star actors and for higher HSK levels, you can build your own tailor-made program to focus on specific goals, language skills and topics. NihaoCafe takes the class notes for you, and you’ll have a lifetime access to your class materials as well as additional exercises.

For more information about That’s Mandarin’s Online programs, click here.

Hutong

Hutong’s online Mandarin courses offer complete flexibility to study wherever, whenever you like – all you need is a stable Internet connection and a computer. The classes provide different levels from beginner and intermediate to somewhere in between, as well as help you achieve different specific learning goals. Here you’ll not only learn the language, but you’ll also gain a deeper understanding of Chinese culture, including dos and don’ts in everyday life and the business environment.

For more information about Hutong’s programmes, click here.

GoEast

GoEast is another of Shanghai’s popular Mandarin schools. It offers all language levels at all of its campuses and online classes, and helps you achieve your learning goals through its fun and customised courses. Every instructor at GoEast has a university degree in Chinese, a linguistics-related major or is a Chinese native speaker and is also fluent in English.

For more information about GoEast’s programmes, click here.

Easy Mandarin

Popular for its location in Jingan, Easy Mandarin also offers online courses for free. Go to its official website, and you can get free audio and text lessons as well as tips and advice on how to get the most out of learning Mandarin while living in the city. Best part yet, you can also test your Chinese level for free.

For more information about Easy Mandarin’s programmes, click here.

Mandarin Tutor

There is no faster or better way to learn than with a professional Chinese tutor. Choose your tutor and learn Chinese one-to-one online from wherever you are. Regular classes are 50-minutes long via Skype, but if you’re still shopping around, you can try its 25-minute free trial to experience the lessons before making any commitments.

For more information about Mandarin Tutor’s programmes, click here.

Duolingo

If paying for Chinese classes is out of your budget, download Duolingo on your phone or use it on your computer and start learning Mandarin (or any other language) for free. Duolingo lets you progress at your own pace with simple phrases and gradually move to more complex sentences. The app focuses on reading, writing and pronunciation by challenging you with a fun range of activities. Plus, you can pick it up whenever you like and not have to worry about a tuition fee.

For more information about Duolingo’s programmes, click here.