Next cohort · August 2026

Learn to read Tibetan, properly

The Tibetan Alphabet & Reading Pre-Course. In six weeks — with live classes, a native tutor, and a small reading group beside you — you'll go from your very first letter to reading and pronouncing the script in the Central Tibetan dialect.

Register for the Pre-Course

Join 300+ students, guided since 2021
A learner reading a page of Tibetan script aloud

At a glance

Learn to Read at a glance

Six weeks to go from your very first Tibetan letter to reading and spelling aloud — with two live classes a week, a weekly one-on-one with a native tutor, and a small reading group to practise with.

Duration 6 weeks
Format Live classes + 1:1 tutor
Each week 2 classes + 1 tutor session
Prerequisite None — for total beginners already read Tibetan? go straight to Beginner 101
  • Two live classes every week
  • A weekly 1:1 with a native tutor
  • Small reading groups

What you'll achieve

Learning Outcomes

The whole focus is one skill, done properly: reading Tibetan script out loud.

By the end of the six-week pre-course, you will:

A learner reading and transliterating the Tibetan script

Read and transliterate the Tibetan དབུ་ཅན། script with confidence

A learner practising Tibetan pronunciation

Pronounce Tibetan accurately, following the Central Tibetan dialect

Learners reading Tibetan together in a small group

Read together with peers in small groups, reinforcing every step

A learner reading a Tibetan text aloud

Read a wide range of texts — including Sanskrit mantras written in Tibetan script

What's included

What You'll Get in This Course

A learner reading one-on-one with a native Tibetan tutor

Live Classes & Tutor

This is where reading becomes real — taught live, then practised aloud with a tutor of your own.

A weekly 1:1 with a native Tibetan tutor Six one-on-one sessions across the course — reading aloud, corrected in the moment.
  • Two live classes every week (Wednesdays & Saturdays)
  • Pick the 9:00 or 16:00 CEST slot, week to week — no need to commit
  • Every class recorded, in case you can't attend live

Small Reading Groups
  • Short daily reading tasks with a study buddy
  • A small group that keeps the practice going between classes
  • Read out loud, together, until the letters stick

Course Materials
  • All alphabet and reading materials, included
  • The reading rules — prefixes, suffixes, stacks — laid out clearly
  • A Wylie transliteration reference you'll use everywhere
Tibetan reading materials open on a desk

A Method Made for Reading
  • A dedicated curriculum by <span class="bo">རྒན་</span> Anastasia Stoliarova <span class="bo">ལགས།</span>
  • Built just for reading — a different approach from the main courses
  • No tests, no pressure: steady, patient, out-loud practice

Who it's for

Who Can Join

This pre-course is for complete beginners with no prior knowledge of the Tibetan script. If you're planning to join Beginner 101, this is the step that gets you ready — 101 assumes you can already read and pronounce the script.

It's just as welcome if you simply want to learn to read Tibetan, with no plans to continue into the main program. Either way, you'll leave able to read.

Already read Tibetan — through Classical Tibetan study, for example? Then you can skip the pre-course and go straight to Beginner 101.

A beginner learning to read the Tibetan script at home

Ready to begin

Ready to Read Tibetan?

Learn the alphabet the right way — with live teaching and a native tutor reading beside you — and arrive at Beginner 101 already able to read.

Register for the Pre-Course See Beginner 101

Next cohort

When Does the Pre-Course Start?

Six weeks of live classes and weekly tutor sessions, timed to finish just before Beginner 101 begins.

First Class

Saturday, 1 August 2026

Final Class

Saturday, 5 September 2026

Then

Ready for Beginner 101 in September

$150 · monastic rate $120 · includes six 1:1 tutor sessions Register for the Pre-Course

Before you start

Learn to Read FAQ

The questions we hear most, answered.

What is the Alphabet & Reading Pre-Course?
It's a live, 6-week course that teaches you to read and pronounce the Tibetan script fluently, following the Central Tibetan dialect. It has its own curriculum, designed by Gen Anastasia Stoliarova, distinct from the method used in the main courses.
Do I need to know any Tibetan already?
No. This is the very first step, for complete beginners with no prior knowledge of the script. We start from the letters and build up from there.
Is this required for Beginner 101?
Beginner 101 assumes you can already read and pronounce Tibetan script, so if you can't yet, this pre-course is the step that gets you ready. If you already read Tibetan (through Classical Tibetan study, say), you can skip it and go straight to Beginner 101. And if you only want to learn to read, with no plans to continue, you're warmly welcome too.
When are the live classes?
There are two live classes a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Two time slots are offered each day — 9:00 and 16:00 CEST — so you can pick whichever suits you that week, and you don't need to commit to one in advance.
How do the tutor sessions work?
You get one 1:1 session a week — six across the course — with a native Tibetan-speaking tutor, focused on reading aloud and being corrected as you go. Between classes, you'll also practise in a small reading group with a study buddy.
How much time should I plan each week?
Plan for a few hours a week: your two live classes, your weekly tutor session, and short daily (or every-other-day) reading practice with your group. Most of it fits around your life, and every class is recorded.
What if I miss a class?
Every live class is recorded, so you can catch up afterward, and you can send your questions ahead of time. You can also switch between the two time slots week to week.
How much does it cost?
Tuition is $150, which includes all materials, the live classes, and six 1:1 tutor sessions. Monastics can apply for a sponsored rate of $120 — please use the course listing for monastics to access it.
Is this the same as your self-paced Learn to Read course?
No. This is the live version, following a fixed 6-week timetable with live classes, a weekly tutor session, and a reading group. If you'd rather work through videos and materials on your own schedule, see the self-paced Learn to Read course instead.