- Who This Guide Is For: Heritage learners, non-native beginners, working professionals, and academic researchers seeking Persian (Farsi) classes across NYC, Northern New Jersey, and Great Neck, NY.
- What’s Covered: 7 dedicated Persian community schools, 1 multi-language institute (ABC Languages), and 4 university programs (Columbia, NYU, Princeton, Rutgers) — all verified for the 2025–2026 academic year.
- Key Findings: The Ferdowsi Schools (IAS-NY) anchor the heritage landscape with Saturday morning classes ($1,150–$1,325/year). Pardis for Children offers arts-immersion for ages 2–14. ABC Languages serves adult professionals online. Princeton and Rutgers finally give New Jersey residents credit-bearing options.
- What You’ll Learn: Exact schedules, tuition, contact info, and B2B partnership angles for every institution — plus which schools were deliberately excluded and why, so you know this list is truly definitive.
The tri-state area, encompassing New York City, New Jersey, and the specialized enclave of Great Neck, is home to one of the most vibrant and dense Persian-speaking diasporas in the United States. With an estimated 45,000 to 50,000 Persian speakers in the New York metro area, the demand for heritage literacy and language acquisition has never been higher. Great Neck, in particular, stands as a unique “Persian Island”, where the community’s commitment to cultural preservation is reflected in its local institutions and public school interest.
This guide serves four distinct personas:
- Heritage Learners: Second and third-generation Iranian-Americans reclaiming their ancestral literacy.
- Non-Native Beginners: Individuals seeking to engage with Persian culture, literature, or professional opportunities.
- Professionals: Those requiring functional proficiency for international relations, journalism, or business.
- Academic Researchers: Students seeking college-level credit and rigorous philological training.
Data Disclaimer: All information is verified through official institutional websites and active social media channels as of July 2026. However, schedules and tuition are subject to change. We strongly recommend contacting institutions directly to confirm current availability.
Persian Language Schools
Ferdowsi Farsi School of Long Island (IAS-NY)
Overview: Founded in 1990, the Ferdowsi Farsi School of Long Island is the flagship educational arm of the Iranian American Society of New York (IAS-NY). It serves as a cultural anchor for families in Nassau County and Great Neck, emphasizing the Persian alphabet, arts, and traditional festivals.
Course Varieties: Pre-K through 12th grade, heritage literacy, and adult conversation classes.
Class Format: In-person group classes (Saturday mornings).
Curriculum: Proprietary IAS-NY materials focusing on the Persian alphabet, reading, writing, and cultural immersion.
Schedule (2026-2027):
| Class Name | Level | Age | Day | Time | Format |
| Pre-K / Kindergarten | Beginner | 4-5 | Saturday | 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM | In-Person |
| Elementary Farsi | Levels 1-5 | 6-11 | Saturday | 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM | In-Person |
| Advanced Literacy | Levels 6+ | 12-17 | Saturday | 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM | In-Person |
| Adult Conversation | All Levels | 18+ | Saturday | 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM | In-Person |
Tuition/Fees:
- IAS Members: $1,150 per child ($1,100 early bird).
- Non-Members: $1,325 per child ($1,250 early bird).
Contact & Direct Links:
- Address: Brookville Reformed Church, 2 Brookville Road, Glen Head, NY 11545
- Phone: (516) 343-0047
- Email: Ferdowsi@IASNewYork.org
- Website: iasnewyork.org/ferdowsi-farsi-school-of-long-island
- Socials: Instagram | Facebook
Ferdowsi Farsi School of Westchester (IAS-NY)
Overview: Now in its 11th year, the Westchester campus provides the same high-quality IAS-NY curriculum to families in the northern suburbs. It is known for its intimate community feel and focus on traditional celebrations like Yalda and Nowruz.
Course Varieties: Pre-K through 12th grade and adult classes.
Class Format: In-person group classes (Friday evenings).
Curriculum: Standardized Ferdowsi Schools curriculum.
Schedule (2026-2027):
| Class Name | Level | Age | Day | Time | Format |
| Youth Farsi | All Levels | 4-17 | Friday | 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM | In-Person |
| Adult Farsi | All Levels | 18+ | Friday | 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM | In-Person |
Tuition/Fees:
- IAS Members: $1,150 per child ($1,100 early bird).
- Non-Members: $1,325 per child ($1,250 early bird).
Contact & Direct Links:
- Address: Highlands Middle School, 128 Grandview Avenue, White Plains, NY 10605
- Phone: (866) 767-6498
- Email: Ferdowsi@IASNewYork.org
- Website: iasnewyork.org/ferdowsi-farsi-school-of-westchester
Ferdowsi Persian Classes for Adults — Virtual (Iranian American Society of New York)
Overview: IAS’s dedicated adult track, run entirely online and recorded, so it’s genuinely accessible to adult learners anywhere in the NYC/NJ/Long Island footprint (and beyond) who can’t commit to a fixed in-person weekly slot.
Course Varieties: Three parallel classes covering beginner alphabet through advanced reading/writing.
Class Format: Virtual, small group, recorded (10 sessions per class).
Curriculum/Textbook: Not publicly specified; instruction is delivered live over Zoom with recordings provided.
Schedule (2026 Spring Session):
| Class Name | Level | Day | Time |
| Class A | Beginner Alphabet | Tuesday | 8:30pm–9:30pm |
| Class B | Intermediate Alphabet | Wednesday | 8:00pm–9:00pm |
| Class C1 | Advanced Reading/Writing | Thursday | 8:00pm–9:00pm |
| Class C2 | Advanced Reading/Writing | Thursday | 9:00pm–10:00pm |
Tuition/Fees: $499 per class (10 sessions), non-refundable.
Contact & Direct Links:
- Phone: (866) 767-6498
- Email: Ferdowsi@IASNewYork.org
- Website: iasnewyork.org/ferdowsi-persian-classes-for-adults
ABC Languages
Overview: A premier multi-language institutes in NYC since 1998, ABC Languages offers a communicative approach to Farsi, focusing on practical conversation and cultural nuances. Course Varieties: Group classes (Total Beginner to Advanced), Private Lessons, and Corporate Training.
Class Format: Online group classes; in-person or online private lessons.
Curriculum: Conversational focus using professional native instructors.
Schedule (2026):
| Class Name | Level | Age | Day | Time | Format |
| Farsi Total Beginner | Beginner | 18+ | Monday | 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM | Online |
| Farsi Intermediate | Intermediate | 18+ | Wednesday | 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM | Online |
Tuition/Fees: Group classes start at ~$350 per 8-week cycle.
Contact & Direct Links:
- Address: 26 Broadway, New York, NY 10004
- Phone: (800) 426-6008
- Email: info@abclang.com
- Website: abclang.com/farsi
Pardis for Children
Overview: Founded in 2011, Pardis for Children is a non-profit organization that provides an engaging space for children to discover Persian culture through art, music, and language. It is highly regarded for its creative, immersion-based approach.
Course Varieties: Immersion classes for children, music (daf, tombak), and dance.
Class Format: In-person (Sunday mornings) and virtual options.
Curriculum: Creative immersion method using original Pardis materials, music, and storytelling.
Schedule (2025-2026):
| Class Name | Level | Age | Day | Time | Format |
| Pardis Immersion | All Levels | 5-12 | Sunday | 10:30 AM – 1:00 PM | In-Person |
| Online Farsi | Beginner | 6-10 | Tuesday | 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM | Virtual |
Tuition/Fees: Term-based pricing; approximately $850–$950 per semester.
Contact & Direct Links:
- Location: 272 Sixth Ave, New York, NY 10014 (LREI School)
- Phone: (646) 450-4143
- Email: info@pardisforchildren.org
- Website: pardisforchildren.org
- Socials: Instagram
Aabrang School
Overview: Brooklyn’s first dedicated Farsi school for children, founded and run by artist-educator Armin Antighechian (“Armin Antique”) with over a decade of experience. Aabrang School offers flexible, arts-integrated Persian (Farsi) language instruction for children and teens (roughly 18 months–18 years). Classes emphasize music, art, storytelling, creative play, movement, and hands-on activities rather than a textbook-first approach, with content tailored to each student’s age, interests, and pace.
Course Varieties: Group, semi-private, and private sessions for children; both in-person (Brooklyn) and online options.
Class Formats & Availability:
| Type | Mode | Group Size | Session Lengths | Availability / Notes |
| 1-on-1 Private | In-person | Individual | 45 or 60 min | Currently available (Brooklyn) |
| Semi-Private | In-person | 2–5 students | 45 or 60 min | Not currently offered at their location; returning Fall 2026 |
| Private (1-on-1) | Online (Zoom) | Individual | 30, 45, or 60 min | Available; package-based |
| Semi-Private | Online (Zoom) | 2–4 students | 30, 45, or 60 min | Available; package-based (per student) |
| Workshops | Online (Zoom) | Group | Not specified | Available; pricing on inquiry |
Key notes on format:
- Highly flexible, student-centered approach.
- No fixed weekly group schedule published — families propose preferred days/times; the school accommodates as best as possible.
- Runs year-round with package options (no strict semester calendar mentioned on the Classes page).
Curriculum: Language taught through singing, drawing, storytelling, and hands-on creative activities rather than a textbook-first approach.
Schedule: Runs on a semester system (Fall, Winter, Summer); specific days/times are set at the start of each semester — recent terms have used Friday afternoon slots. Contact directly for the current term’s calendar.
Tuition/Fees:
In-Person Tuition (per session)
| Type | 45 minutes | 60 minutes | Notes |
| 1-on-1 Private | $120 | $150 | Available now |
| Semi-Private (2–5 students) | $60 | $75 | Per student; currently paused until Fall 2026 |
Online Tuition (packages of 5 / 10 / 15 sessions — per student)
| Type | 30 min sessions | 45 min sessions | 60 min sessions | Notes |
| Private (1-on-1) | $225 / $440 / $645 | $310 / $610 / $900 | $360 / $710 / $1,050 | Flexible content (art/music/storytelling/creative play) |
| Semi-Private (2–4 students) | $190 / $360 / $530 | $240 / $460 / $675 | $275 / $545 / $790 | Per student; same tailored approach |
Online Workshops:
Pricing not publicly listed on the Classes page — contact the school directly.
Additional details:
- All online sessions via Zoom.
- Content is engaging and personalized; pace adjusted to the child’s age and needs.
- Registration via “Sign up” links on the Classes page (leads to contact/arrangement form).
- No additional fees mentioned.
- Birthday party performances (music/dance/singing, Persian + English) are also offered separately.
Contact & Direct Links:
- Location: Brooklyn, NY (Fulton Street area)
- Website: aabrang.com
- Facebook: facebook.com/aabrang.school (active)
- Also reachable via WhatsApp per recent posts
The Academic Summary (For College Credit)
For those seeking formal academic recognition and rigorous study.
| Institution | Region | Program Type | Focus Area | Link |
| Columbia University | NYC (Morningside) | Major/Minor (MESAAS) | Classical & Modern Literature | mesaas.columbia.edu |
| New York University | NYC (Greenwich Village) | Minor (MEIS) | Proficiency-based / Colloquial | as.nyu.edu/meis |
| Rutgers University | New Brunswick, NJ | Concentration (AMESALL) | Translation & Regional Studies | amesall.rutgers.edu |
| Princeton University (Near Eastern Studies) | Princeton, NJ | Undergraduate Persian language sequence (modern & classical) + weekly Persian Language Table | Three-level Persian sequence plus the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Iran and Persian Gulf Studies | nes.princeton.edu/Persian |
Joy of Persian: A Digital Partner for Teen and Adult Learners
While local schools provide essential community and in-person interaction, Joy of Persian serves as the specialized digital complement to these programs. Our platform offers self-paced courses, live workshops, and a unique dual-register audio system that bridges the gap between Formal (Ketabi) and Spoken (Mohaverei) Persian—a common challenge for heritage learners.
Note to Educators & Schools: We invite local institutions to explore the Simorgh Initiative, our STEM-based bilingual curriculum aligned with NGSS standards. Joy of Persian can serve as the “interactive textbook backbone” for your school, providing students with high-quality digital resources that reinforce their weekend lessons. We are committed to empowering the next generation of Persian speakers through technology and academic depth.
Our Learning Ecosystem
- Self-paced Courses (asynchronous): Persian language courses—Core and Beyond the Core—as well as Persian literature
- Live Workshops (small-group, flipped-classroom Zoom sessions)
- Private 1-on-1 Classes (fully customized for professional, academic, or research goals)
- Expert Audio Lectures by renowned scholars such as Professor Mohammad Dehghani
Our Course Catalog: Students’ Learning Pathway
Your Learning Path
Persian Alphabet
– Effortless Persian: Learn Persian with Rumi
– The Complete Persian Alphabet (Coming Soon!)
→ Core Curriculum
– Let’s Learn Persian! (A1)
– Let’s Learn Persian! (A2)
– Let’s Learn Persian! (B1-1)
– Let’s Learn Persian! (B1-2) (Coming Soon!)
→ Beyond the Core
→ Persian Literature
Classical Texts:
– Golestan of Sa’di
– Masnavi of Rumi
– Rubaiyat of Khayyam
– History of Beyhaghi
Modern Texts:
– Little Black Fish
Experience the first lesson of any course for free—instantly, no account required.
Excluded Institutions: Transparency in Research
To ensure this guide remains the most accurate resource for 2026, the following institutions were encountered but excluded based on our strict quality criteria.
| Institution Name | Website | Reason for Exclusion |
| Ferdowsi Farsi School of Brooklyn (IAS-NY) | iasnewyork.org/ferdowsi-farsi-school-of-brooklyn | Stale 2023 data; flagged as risky |
| Roudaki Farsi School | No verified website | Defunct/Inactive; no verified web presence or active schedule since 2023. |
| Pirooz Farsi Classes (Iranian American Cultural Group of New York — IACGNY) | No dedicated program page | Limited Persian activity; only generic directory listings with no active curriculum. |
| NY Persian Cultural Center | nypersiancenter.org | Website unavailable (503 error); no verifiable 2026 class offerings. |
| Language Loop NY | languageloopny.com | No Persian/Farsi program confirmed. |
| Various Preschools | N/A | Excluded per prompt: Daycare/Preschool focus only, no structured K-12 Farsi curriculum. |
FAQ
How much do Farsi classes cost in NYC?
Tuition varies by institution. Community schools like Ferdowsi typically cost between $1,100 and $1,325 per academic year. Professional institutes like ABC Languages charge approximately $350 per 8-week cycle for group classes.
Are online Persian classes available?
Yes. Most institutions, including Pardis for Children and ABC Languages, offer robust virtual options. Joy of Persian also provides a comprehensive digital platform for self-paced and live online learning.
What is the difference between heritage and non-native Farsi programs?
Heritage programs (like Ferdowsi) focus on literacy and cultural identity for those who hear Persian at home. Non-native programs (like ABC Languages) emphasize foundational grammar and conversation for beginners with no prior exposure.
Can I get high school credit for Persian classes?
While community schools provide certificates, formal high school credit usually requires a partnership with your school district. However, university programs like Columbia and NYU offer credits that are widely transferable.
How do I choose between a community school and a language institute?
Choose a community school for children’s heritage immersion and social connection. Choose a language institute for adult-focused, intensive, or professional language acquisition.
Conclusion
Few metro areas outside Iran carry as much Persian-speaking history as the New York tri-state region. From the Mashhadi and Persian-Jewish enclaves of Great Neck, Long Island, to the academic Persian programs at Columbia and NYU, to Westchester and Bergen County families driving their kids to Saturday classes, the diaspora here is old, large, and deeply invested in passing Farsi to the next generation.
Reclaiming your language is a powerful act of cultural connection. Whether you are a heritage learner in Great Neck, a professional in Manhattan, or a student at Rutgers, the NYC and NJ metro area offers unparalleled resources to master the Persian language in 2026. Reach out to these institutions today to begin your journey, and don’t forget to explore Joy of Persian for your digital learning needs.
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