A teacher stands at the board in front of Chinese characters.

Once admitted into the Master in Chinese, you have the flexibility to choose one of two options.

Option 1: Middlebury Only

Complete the master’s degree entirely in Middlebury, Vermont over four summers. Students live on the Middlebury College campus.

All courses are taught in Chinese and focus on teaching Chinese as a second language. Course requirements must be completed within ten years. Graduate summer sessions do not need to be consecutive.

Option 2: Academic year at the Middlebury Institute

Complete the master’s degree during two summers on the Vermont campus with one academic year at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey in the Teaching Foreign Language (TFL) program. Students must complete introductory and final coursework in Middlebury, Vermont. Courses in Monterey are mostly taught in English. Students who choose the Institute option will register for 18-20 credits (roughly 6-7 courses) during the academic year.

Application Instructions: 

1. Apply and receive admission to the Middlebury Chinese School M.A. program. (application instructions).

2. Apply to the Middlebury Institute Teaching a Foreign Language program. (application instructions below)

  • Log in to the application and choose the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, with program type Teaching a Foreign Language.
  • With the exception of transcripts, all other required documents are waived. 
  • You can use your own name and email in the Letter of Recommendation section. 
  • As a placeholder for Resume and Personal Statement you can attach a document that reads “Please see previous essay/ resume in Middlebury Chinese/ Arabic School application.” 
  • When you have completed the application, please use application fee waiver code: MIISMIDD
  • Any questions you have, please reach out to: enroll@middlebury.edu.

Funding and Housing:

To apply for federal loans to help cover the cost of tuition and living expenses at the Middlebury Institute, students must complete the FAFSA (school code 001241) and the Institute’s financial aid application. Enrolled students receive a 50% scholarship. For questions, email miisfinaid@middlebury.edu.

The Institute offers housing options including limited on-campus housing, and a proprietary list of off-campus housing available in the community. For an estimate of costs for housing, books, and other living expenses, please visit the Institute tuition page.

Transfer Credits

After the initial summer, master’s degree candidates may transfer up to three courses toward the degree. A transfer course must meet certain requirements and be approved in advance (before the course is taken) by the director and registrar.