Taiwan Specialty Tea Course
Online Classes, Tea Garden Visits & Official TBRS Certification
Introduction
Get to know our course
Taiwanese tea is one of the most technically rich and least understood tea traditions in the world. Behind every cup lies over two hundred years of history, a unique classification system found nowhere else on earth, and a native tea species that most tea lovers — even serious ones — have never heard of.
We built this course to change that.
Taught by José Ellena, a certified Seed Teacher for TBRS (Tea and Beverage Research Station, Taiwan's Ministry of Agriculture) and founder of Yang Tea Taiwan, this course takes you from your first sip of Wulong to a government-recognized professional certification — without ever needing to leave home, unless you want to.
What makes our course different
1 / Direct farm access
We don't just teach theory — we source, export, and work hands-on with tea gardens and factories across Taiwan.
2 / Official TBRS standing
José is one of the few instructors worldwide authorized to guide foreign nationals toward the official TBRS International Certificate.
3 / Built for global audience
Classes run live online, are fully recorded, and everything lives in your own student profile — so distance and time zones are never a barrier.
4 / A real upgrade path
Start with the online course, then decide if you want to add guided technical visits, and ultimately the official certification — at your own pace.
How the course works
Everything is hosted on our website, inside your own student profile — our own learning platform built specifically for Taiwanese tea.
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Live online classes, taught in real time so you can ask questions directly
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Every session recorded and added to your profile, so you can rewatch anytime
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Pre-recorded supplementary videos covering techniques and material that go beyond the live sessions
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2 months after finishing the course of access to the materials inside your student dashboard
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Two formats available:
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Standard Track — 7 modules at a comfortable pace, ideal if you want to absorb the material alongside a study schedule
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Intensive Track — the same 7 modules condensed into a shorter, accelerated format, ideal if you're preparing for an upcoming trip to Taiwan or simply want to move faster
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You will receive:
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A kit with 40 or more high grade tea samples
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An ISO 3103 Tea Judging Set with our logo (you can add more for US$14 each
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If you also take the certification (see below) you will get the official TBRS booklet with all necessary information
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The Curriculum: 7 Modules
This isn't a generic "intro to tea" syllabus. Each module builds on the last, taking you from the history and terroir behind Taiwanese tea to the exact frameworks professionals use to classify, evaluate, and brew it — the same knowledge base the official TBRS certification draws from, with one addition you won't find in a standard program: dedicated sections on Camellia Formosensis, Taiwan's own native wild tea tree.
Module 1
Overview of the history and industry of Taiwanese tea
Module 4
Deep dive into traditional Roasted Wulong Teas
Module 7
Preparation for TBRS International Primary Certificate
Module 2
Introduction to TBRS and
the 10 Specialty Teas of Taiwan
Module 5
Deep dive into highly oxidized Wulong teas
Module 3
Deep dive into Green Teas and Fragrant Wulongs
Module 6
Deep dive into Taiwanese Red Teas
Choose your path
Three stackable options to align with your needs. Build up your Taiwanese tea knowledge working towards the official TBRS Certification, from the Ministry of Agriculture of Taiwan.
(1)Online Course
Online or In-Person
The complete 7-module curriculum, live and recorded, with all materials in your student profile. Pass the subject test and tasting assessment to earn your Yang Tea Taiwan Certificate of Completion.
18+ hours live course
Includes kit with 40+ samples and ISO 3103 Tea Judging Set with YangTea Logo
We offer a limited number of scholarships, let us know your background!
Contact José directly in the following button to enroll.
(1) + Technical visits
Access tea fields and factories
Everything in (1), plus guided, in-person visits to tea factories and tea gardens in Taiwan — see and do the processes you studied online happen in front of you, harvest alongside local growers, and connect directly with the people behind the tea. Pricing is tailored to each group, whether you join one of our organized cohorts or bring your own group to Taiwan.
3 Days - 2 Nights
(adjustable to your schedule)
(1) + (2) + Official TBRS Certification
Certifying your tea knowledge
Everything in (2) + the full path to becoming internationally certified by TBRS, Taiwan's tea research station from the Ministry of Agriculture — a credential that carries real institutional weight in academic and commercial settings. As with the Technical Visits, pricing is tailored to each group's size and needs.
Around 8 hours of cultural visit and TBRS examinations.
About
About the official TBRS Certification
The TBRS International Certificate of Taiwan Specialty Tea is issued directly by the Tea and Beverage Research Station, part of Taiwan's Ministry of Agriculture — not a private or in-house credential. It's part of a five-level system (Beginner through Master) used to standardize professional tea knowledge across the industry, and this course prepares you for the Primary (Beginner) level.
To complete the official certification, you'll need to:
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Complete the theoretical and practical preparatory course (this is what this program covers)
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Pass the official TBRS theoretical exam
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Pass the official TBRS practical exam (tasting and classifying Specialty Teas)
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Visit two TBRS-approved tea gardens or factories in Taiwan
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Document your visits and submit them to the TBRS platform along with a short reflection
We guide you through every one of these steps — including arranging your factory and garden visits — so the process feels supported from start to finish.
Who
This course is for...
We recommend our course if you are:
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A tea importer, distributor, or shop owner who wants real technical grounding in what you're sourcing
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An aspiring tea educator or enthusiast who wants to go beyond hobbyist knowledge
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An entrepreneur building a tea-related business who wants credibility backed by an official certification
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Or if you are planning a trip to Taiwan and wants to turn it into a meaningful, hands-on learning experience
Meet your instructor
My name is José Tomás Ellena Salinas
I am the Co-founder of Yang Tea Taiwan and one of the few instructors worldwide certified as a TBRS Seed Teacher — authorized to guide non-Taiwanese nationals through the official TBRS certification process. Combining direct farm access across Taiwan, an iMBA from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and a background in data analytics with years of hands-on relationships with tea masters across the island's tea growing regions.
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