Starts September 13, 2026

Continue where Beginner left off, into real intermediate conversation

Six modules of new grammar and real-life vocabulary, travel, health, housing, work, that turn what you built in Beginner into conversations you can actually hold. The grammar itself starts sounding like something a teaching is made of: conditionals, probability, the shape of what could happen.

Join 300+ students, guided since 2021

At a glance

Intermediate 201 at a glance

Over six modules (Lessons 11–15, plus review), you'll expand your grammar and take on real-life topics like travel and health. You'll keep practicing one-on-one with your tutor every week, inside the same kind of small group that got you through Beginner. It's where your Tibetan starts flexing into real situations, and where the new grammar you're building, the kind that expresses possibility and consequence, is exactly the material a teaching runs on.

Modules 6 (Lessons 11–15 + review)

Format Live + Tutor + Moodle

Time Commitment ~10–12 hrs/week here's how it breaks down ↓

Starting point You've completed Beginner 101 & 102 or equivalent reading, grammar, and conversation skills

Small groups of ~4
Weekly 1:1 with a native tutor
A method that finally clicks

What you'll achieve

What You'll Achieve

By the end of Intermediate 201, you will:

A learner reviewing Tibetan grammar at home

Review and lock in your Beginner grammar, then build past it

A learner working through Tibetan grammar with her manuals and laptop

Use new structures like conditionals, modal verbs, and auxiliaries of probability, the pieces real explanations are made of

A learner talking with a Tibetan woman in Dharamshala

Grow your vocabulary into real-life topics like travel and health, and hold longer, more varied conversations with real confidence

Build the grammar a teaching actually runs on, one structure at a time, another step closer to following along without waiting for the translation

A peek inside

A Peek Inside Intermediate 201

Watch a key-point video or a webinar snapshot, and meet your non-human classmates before you even sign up.

What's included

What You'll Get in This Course

Students from around the world together in a live SINI class call

Live Learning

Weekly live classes, small-group support, and one-on-one time with a native speaker: this is where the grammar starts sounding like something you'd actually say.

One-on-one tutor sessions with a native Tibetan speaker The single feature our students call a game changer.

Weekly live classes, in two time slots, plus a live forum discussion on cultural and meta-cognitive topics
Small Learning Communities (SLCs): about 4 students who meet weekly, often the same group from Beginner
White Wednesday Talks (optional), on Tibetan culture

Study Resources

Key-point videos (15–20 minutes, with your non-human companions)
Grammar webinars (45 minutes to 1h15, with detailed explanations)
Dialogues, songs, and end-of-module challenges

The non-human classmates who make games, songs, and practice stick

Digital Tools

Anki flashcards with audio and example sentences
Language-lab style speaking practice and interactive exercises on Moodle

The Moodle learning platform, where you follow your progress on any device

Support & Progress

E-Portfolio with personal feedback from your teacher
Moodle platform, on any device, with IT HelpDesk support
Class recordings for every session, shared via YouTube
Send your questions ahead if you'll miss a class

Our methodology

A Method Built to Finally Make Tibetan Click

Intermediate 201 continues the course Franziska Oertle designed, the teacher her students say "cracked the code" of teaching Tibetan, and taught live by Bhargavi Viswanath and Lhakpa Tsering. Instead of forcing Tibetan into Latin-style rules, it teaches the language from the inside out, and always explains why. It's rigorous, and there are no tests and no pressure.

Dr. Fink's Taxonomy

Underneath, we draw on Dr. Fink's 6-fold Taxonomy of Significant Learning, which brings together knowledge, application, integration, the human dimension, caring, and learning how to learn.

Soft Skills

We also give real attention to soft skills: reflection, self-awareness, collaboration, and empathy. You'll keep an e-Portfolio and share reflections in forums, tracking your growth as a person alongside your progress in Tibetan.

Joy and Humor

Joy and humor are built into the method itself. A smile, a little laughter, and curiosity keep learning light while the real progress happens underneath.

Want to Learn More about our Methodology? Here's a Detailed Video

What learners say

What Our Learners Say

A few words from our Intermediate 201 cohort.

Solid methodology, very good books, right attitude of the teachers.

Dimitri L.Intermediate 2026

After so many years of yearning to learn Tibetan language, I am immensely grateful to have found SINI and Franziska Oertle's course in colloquial Tibetan. I particularly appreciate the grammatical explanations and tables, and the small learning communities and e-portfolios, through which the study becomes a spiritual practice as well.

Intermediate 201 student

I am grateful for this opportunity to learn the Tibetan language that I consider a sacred language just like Sanskrit, and am amazed at all the care and creativity that goes into the making of this course.

Intermediate 201 student

Meet the team

Your Learning Team

Meet the teachers, tutors, and companions who make learning fun.

Bhargavi Viswanath

Teacher

Holds a master's in Tibetan history from Columbia, and has studied Tibetan at Esukhia, Tibet University, and Rangjung Yeshe Institute. Teaches the live Intermediate 201 classes, built on the course Franziska Oertle designed.

Lhakpa Tsering

Teacher

Nepal-born Buddhist scholar with a Shastri in Buddhist philosophy and an Acharya in Tibetan linguistics. Also teaches the live Intermediate 201 classes.

Tutor Team

Native speaker tutors

Kind, patient speakers in India & Nepal.

Meet your non-human classmates

Every class comes with a few extra students — here to keep the pace kind and the grammar playful.

Mr. Sloth

Here to remind you there's always a way to learn at your own pace, especially now that the grammar is getting more layered. Slowing down here is allowed too.

Ms. Giraffe

Nerdy grammar scout.

P.S.

Pets are welcome learning buddies too. They're patient listeners who never complain about a grammar mistake.

Worried about the time, or that Intermediate means starting over?

Most of the ~10–12 hours a week still fit around your life:

Live class
Your 1:1 with your tutor
Your small-group meeting
Self-study, on your own schedule

Miss a Saturday? Every class is recorded, you can pick either time slot week to week, and you can send your questions ahead.

Starting Intermediate doesn't mean starting from zero. It builds directly on what you already know, and rest is still genuinely part of the method here. You'll keep meeting Mr. Sloth, whose whole job is to remind you there's always a way to learn at your own pace, especially now that the grammar is getting more layered.

Many of our Intermediate students are busy people with no Tibetan community anywhere near them, some don't do anything Tibetan-related in their day job, and they still get there. We've seen students as far as South America build real fluency without ever setting foot in a Tibetan-speaking community.

Mr. Sloth, the learning companion who reminds you to go at your own pace

Flexible option

Prefer a lighter commitment? Audit the course

If a lighter commitment suits you better, you can audit the course. Auditors follow the same weekly pace as full students, joining an SLC, a tutor class, and self-study, with access to Moodle resources and recordings. You won't attend the Saturday live classes (except the forum) or receive teacher feedback, and tuition is lower. We just ask that you keep up with the group so your SLC stays lively and supportive.

Practical details

Practical Details

Everything you need to know before enrolling

Prerequisites

Completion of Beginner 101 & 102, or equivalent studies (The Heart of Tibetan Language, Volume 1)
Newcomers: a short entrance video (partly in Tibetan, partly in English) to confirm your level and tech skills
Module 0 (Learning how to learn online) before the course starts

Tuition & Financial Support

Sliding scale tuition: $475 minimum
Monastic rate: $325
Auditing version: $300 ($225 for monastics)
Payment plans and scholarships available

Sliding scale

Pay what you can, starting from the listed minimums.

Monastic discount

A dedicated scholarship for monks and nuns.

Payment in installments

Pay in a few installments — just contact us to arrange it before registering.

Sponsor option

Add $108 to support fellow students and help sustain the program.

Refund Policy

Refund depends on withdrawal timing
Up to 70% refund if leaving during Module 1
Reduced percentages as the course continues

See the full refund schedule

If we can fill your spot from the waiting list

Module 1 — 70%
Module 2 — 65%
Module 3 — 55%
Later — 40%

If we can't fill your spot

Module 1 — 55%
Module 2 — 40%
Module 3 — 30%
Later — no refund

Discover the textbook that accompanies this course

The Heart of Tibetan Language, Vol. 2

Lessons 11–15, with accompanying workbook

Look inside (sample pages) Coming soon Order hardcopy Order in Europe via Vajra Bookstore Get eBook on Google Play

Why Intermediate 201

Why Choose Intermediate 201

This course takes what you built in Beginner and puts it into motion. The new grammar gives your Tibetan real nuance, letting you hedge, guess, and imagine, exactly what real conversations and real explanations run on. You'll cover real-life topics like travel and health, hold longer conversations with more confidence, and build, piece by piece, the kind of Tibetan a teaching is actually made of. With small groups, a tutor of your own, and the same playful, no-pressure method that got you this far, you'll keep growing and enjoying the process.

Continues right where Beginner left off Your own native tutor A method that clicks

Next cohort

When Does the Next Course Start?

Opening Ceremony

Sunday, 13th of September 2026

First Class

Saturday, 19th of September

Closing Ceremony

March 2027

Ready to begin

Ready to Take Your Tibetan Further?

Join our next Intermediate 201 cohort, and keep building toward richer conversations, and the day you can follow a teaching without waiting for the translation.

Haven't finished both Beginner courses yet? Start with Beginner 101 →

Before you start

Intermediate 201 FAQ

The questions we hear most, answered.

What is Intermediate 201?

Intermediate 201 is the Lower Intermediate Course. It begins with a short review of Beginner grammar and then continues with Lessons 11–15 of The Heart of Tibetan Language, Volume 2.

Who can join Intermediate 201?

If you completed Beginner 101 and 102 with us, you're ready. If you studied The Heart of Tibetan Language, Volume 1 elsewhere, you can also join. If you learned Tibetan in other settings, we recommend reviewing Volume 1 first, or buying access to the Beginner videos and webinars ($150). Except for alumni of Beginner 101 & 102, you'll submit a short entrance video (partly in Tibetan, partly in English) to confirm your level and tech skills.

What will I learn during Intermediate 201?

You'll expand into intermediate grammar and conversation, covering topics like traveling, clothing, health, housing, and different kinds of jobs. Grammar includes verbalizers, conditionals, modal verbs, auxiliaries of probability, and more, the same structures a real explanation is built from.

How much time should I plan each week?

Plan for about 10–12 hours a week: live classes, self-study, practice with your learning group, and your weekly 1:1 with a native speaker. See "Worried about the time?" above for how it actually breaks down.

How long is each module?

Each module runs for four weeks, a middle pace between "speedy Ms. Giraffe" and "relaxed Mr. Sloth."

When are the live classes?

There are four live sessions per module, all on Saturdays, in two time slots (morning and evening CE(S)T). You can choose week by week, no need to commit in advance. One live session per module is a forum discussion focused on soft skills. Optional White Wednesday cultural talks are also included.

What if I miss a class?

All live sessions are recorded and shared via Moodle or YouTube. Send your questions ahead of time if you know you'll miss a class.

Who are the teachers?

Intermediate 201 continues the course Franziska Oertle designed and is taught live by Bhargavi Viswanath and Lhakpa Tsering. You'll also work with native speaker tutors and your SLC.

What materials are included?

Live classes with practice, games, songs, and discussions; key-point videos with your non-human companions; grammar webinars; a live forum on soft skills; weekly SLC meetings; weekly 1:1 conversation with native speakers; a digital practice lab; an e-Portfolio for reflection; Anki flashcards; and end-of-module challenges.

Which textbook do I need?

We use The Heart of Tibetan Language, Volume 2, plus the exercise book. Hard copies are available from Dharma Publishing (US) or Vajra Bookstore (Kathmandu). eBooks are also available at an affordable rate.

What platforms and tools are used?

Moodle for resources and assignments, Zoom for live classes, YouTube for recordings, Gmail and Google Drive for sharing, and WhatsApp for conversation partners.

How much is tuition?

Tuition follows a sliding scale. The minimum fee for Intermediate 201 is $475. Monastics can apply for a sponsored rate ($325). Auditing is available for $300 ($225 for monastics). You can also pay in installments, contact us before registering.

Do you offer scholarships or sponsorships?

Yes. Monastics can apply for a scholarship, and students with means are invited to add a $108 sponsorship to help others join.

What is the refund policy?

If you withdraw and we can replace you from the waiting list, you'll receive a partial refund: Module 1, 70%. Module 2, 65%. Module 3, 55%. Later, 40%. If we can't replace you, refunds are smaller: Module 1, 55%. Module 2, 40%. Module 3, 30%. Later, no refund.

Not sure this is your level?

If you haven't completed both Beginner 101 and 102 yet, start there first. Intermediate 201 assumes you can already hold simple conversations and read Tibetan comfortably. Already comfortable with conditionals and everyday vocabulary? Intermediate 202 continues where 201 leaves off.