About
Santa Barbara Chinese School offers Weekend Mandarin Classes, After-School Chinese Clubs, Full-Immersion Camps, and Online Sessions. Weekend Mandarin Classes are available for beginners, intermediate, and advanced students, and After-School Chinese Clubs are offered during the week. Full-Immersion Camps are held in spring and summer.
Programs
- Weekend Mandarin Classes — children and adults; beginners, intermediate, advanced; preschool and up for beginners; TK and elementary school students for intro to intermediate; elementary school students for intermediate; middle-school to high-school students for advanced · Saturdays and Sundays; 1 hour 45 minutes; beginners and intro to intermediate Saturdays 9:00am-10:45am and Sundays 10:00am-11:45am; intermediate and advanced Sundays 1:00pm-2:45pm
- After-School Chinese Clubs — kids · During the week · Offered with various elementary schools within SBUSD and GUSD; open to students enrolled at host schools. Also offered weekly at Montecito Public Library and open to all kids.
- Full-Immersion Camps — kids 4-17 · Spring and Summer camps
- Online Sessions — Online classes are offered for more flexibility.
At a glance
- Ages: 4–17 years old
- Current session: Spring Camp 2027 (Mar 29–Apr 2, 2027); Family Abroad in Taipei, Summer 2027 Session 1 (Jun 21–Jul 3, 2027); Family Abroad in Taipei, Summer 2027 Session 2 (Jul 12–Jul 24, 2027)
About the provider
Santa Barbara Chinese School was established in 1985 and registered as an NPO in 2001. Its mission is to provide Chinese language instruction through student-centered pedagogy and to offer educational programs for learners in the multicultural community to discover and develop an appreciation for the Chinese language and culture. The leadership team includes Principal Jenny Mazanec, Wenjing Chen, Yunxia Hallowell, Chloe Hsun Lin, Jie Zhang, Lin Yang, LiTing Huang, Kathie Liu, and Rebeca Hu.
- Family Abroad in Taipei 2027 Early Bird tuition — $1,380 through December 31, 2026; $1,490 thereafter
- Family Abroad in Taipei 2027 early bird enrollment — Enroll before January 15, 2027 for Early Bird Special
What families say
“The children enjoy the ways that the Mandarin language is implemented with a learning-through-play pedagogy. As the teachers get to know the children, they adapt and refine the class to meet the needs and desires of the students. This class is well-attended and the children look forward to Mandarin class each week! We love Santa Barbara Chinese School!” — Laura Donner, Education Director, SB Charter School
“I couldn’t be more pleased with the experience. The program offers a perfect balance of language learning, cultural exploration, and fun activities.” — Megan Morf, Isla Vista Elementary PTA President
“My child has not only learned new words and phrases but has also gained a deeper appreciation for Chinese traditions and history. Additionally, the program maintains a small student-to-teacher ratio, which allows for individualized attention and a more tailored learning experience.” — Parent from weekend Beginner Level Session
Last updated October 30, 2026.
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