HSK Exam in Chinese is Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi (汉语水平考试) literally meaning “Mandarin Level Test”.

The HSK exam is an official examination designed to assess the Chinese language proficiency of non-native speakers from beginners to advanced Level. It is an internationally recognized standard in assessing your Chinese language level and the result can be used to apply for the International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship. It is also accepted by universities in China as proof of Chinese proficiency. It is organized by Hanban (汉办) the part of the Chinese Ministry of Education also in charge of the Confucius Institutes (孔子学院).

The HSK Exam is administered by testing centres around the world, including private language schools, universities and Confucius institutes. Exam questions and dates are the same everywhere in the world, however not all testing centres choose to offer the HSK test every month.

Many students wish to take a HSK Exam for a number of reasons which range from finding their current level of Chinese, achieving a personal goal, or for future career progression.

The ABCI is a registered and authorised HSK Testing Centre for all HSK Levels.

In late 2009, the HSK underwent huge revisions to conform to the Chinese Proficiency Standards released in 2007: new test patterns were introduced, vocabulary requirement was substantially lowered, grading system was re-designed, and writing started to have a much heavier weighting. The test was released as the “HSK 2.0” in 2010, which is the version of the exam still being used today.

In the current HSK system, the test taker’s mastery of Chinese is measured through six levels (six independent tests), from HSK 1 (basic) to HSK 6 (advanced).

HSK 2.0 gained great success for its lowered requirements and gentle learning curve. According to the test organizer, in 2019 alone, over 800,000 people took the HSK test from 1229 testing centres across the globe.

In 2020 it was announced it would get its second big overhaul. On March 31, 2021, China’s Ministry of Education announced the new HSK 3.0 levels details. These changes on the new HSK levels will go into effect from July 1, 2021.

The New HSK 3.0 will adopt the “Three Stages and Nine Levels” test grading system, aiming to describe learners’ Chinese abilities more accurately. In this new system, Levels 1-3 are categorized into the Beginner stage, Levels 4-6 are categorized into the Intermediate stage and for advanced learners to acquire native-level proficiency certifications, the highest classification (Advanced Stage) will be further divided into three distinct levels (7-9).

The biggest change in the 2021 NEW HSK 3.0 is the three new levels: Level 7 to Level 9. These are meant to be a better gauge for students who major in Chinese language and literature or sinologists. The student will only need to take one exam for this range, and based on the score a certificate of HSK 7, HSK 8 or HSK 9 will be given. Besides the original requirements of abilities of listening, reading and writing, the ability of translation will also be tested.

The number before the slash means the new vocabulary within that level, the number after the slash means the accumulated vocabulary. For HSK 6, students will now be required to learn 5,456 words and for HSK 9 students will be expected to know over 11,000 words!

From July 2021, a brand new 3-stage-9-level scale, aiming to describe learners’ Chinese abilities more accurately will be incorporated. In this new system, Levels 1-3 are categorized into the Beginner stage, Levels 4-6 are categorized into the Intermediate stage and Levels 7-9 are categorized into the Advanced stage.

Learners will be able to:

• Understand simple Chinese texts
• Make daily conversations on limited topics
• Use simple communication strategies to help
• Have some knowledge of Chinese culture and cross-cultural communication skills

Chinese characters are required right away from the very beginning, while the old HSK1 and HSK2 only required Pinyin on exams

Culture and cross-cultural communication are included.

Learners will be able to:

• Talk about things outside of their personal sphere; to communicate about general topics, about the society
• Understand language context, culture, sarcasm, humour, etc. This sounds vague but here’s an example: “你真是细心极了!” (Nǐ zhēnshi xìxīn jíle!)
• Compose long articles to express their opinions or comments well, appropriate for different situations even with some literacy skills
• To translate, as this is added in intermediate HSK levels. The test will involve mostly casual or informal occasions
• To study and work in China using Mandarin Chinese. In the past, a lot of companies required the old HSK5 for applying for a job; in the future, it probably will be ‘intermediate level’, which is more difficult to achieve.

The New HSK 3.0 高等 (Advanced Stage) Levels 7, 8 and 9 are learning goals for students who are (or will be):

• Planning to get a university or above degree in China or other countries in a program that is taught in Chinese
• Professional translators or Chinese language educators, sinologists, academic researchers
• Involved in international politics, affairs and international trade
• Lawyers or policy/regulation analysts

Overall requirements:

• Speak and write correctly and elegantly
• Fully understand Chinese culture and associated implicit meaning, similar to the way Chinese people think

• Understand complex texts on a variety of subjects, in a variety of styles, conduct smooth communication on complex topics include social life, academic research, and other fields, with great logic, structure, and coherent text organization
• Hold in-depth discussions
• Have an international perspective and great cross-cultural communication skills

Just one HSK exam:

There’ll be only one HSK written exam and your HSK level (7 or 8 or 9) will be decided based on your score. For the Advanced Stage, learners are required to know 1.110 pinyin syllabus, 3.000 Chinese characters (know how to handwrite from memory 1.200 characters), and 11.092 vocabulary words.

The exam dates are always either on a Saturday or a Sunday. For HSK levels 2, 4 and 6 the exam starts at 9am and for HSK levels 1, 3 and 5 at 1:30pm. HSK exam hours for levels 7, 8 and 9 are yet to be confirmed.

For direct deposit and web/mobile banking:

Bank Name:                            National Bank of Greece

Account holder:                     OPA / ELKE / Business Confucius Institute of Athens

Account Number:                  110/4 8015 124

IBAN:                                      GR20 0110 1100 0000 1104 8015 124

Transaction Purpose: The name of the examinee & HSK Level

Ι. To successfully register for the test, please follow the steps

II. Requirements for test takers’ photo 

Requirements for the photo are applicable mainly to HSK Levels 4‐6, HSKK, BCT and YCT oral test, and the test score report for other levels does not carry a photo.

Preparation for the photo and its usage should meet the following requirements:

Format requirements for the photo:

‐ Test takers’ recent photo for identification (in a standard, two‐inch form), and photos of daily life or landscape will not be accepted;

‐ No hat, scarf, headband or sunglasses are allowed to appear (except for special religious reasons);

‐ Both black‐and‐white and color photos are acceptable, and a white background is preferred.

To submit the photo, test takers may either log into the Chinese testing service website and upload the electronic photo in line with guidance from the website or bring the photo to teachers at the test center responsible for the registration and ask them to assist with the uploading.

III. Test admission ticket 

Information on the test admission ticket includes test takers’ name, nationality, gender, type and number of the identity certificate, test subject, test time, test center, test location and test rules, etc. After receiving the test admission ticket, test takers shall carefully check the accuracy of the information on it item by item. Such information as test takers’ name, gender, date of birth and identification number must be identical with that on his/her valid identity certificate; otherwise he/she will not be allowed to take the test.

If any incorrect information is found, please contact the test center to make appropriate modification; otherwise test takers’ test results will become invalid.

The test admission ticket is an important proof that test takers have got the admission to the test, and those who do not carry a test admission ticket will not be admitted to the test room to take the test.

After the test, test takers shall still keep their test admission ticket, which will be required before the receipt of the score report. To view the test results online or enjoying such value‐added service as applying for an additional score report, test takers also need to provide the number of his/her test admission ticket no.

Click here  to download a Reference Admission Ticket Sample. 

IV. How to change the test date 

After the registration and payment, test takers can apply to change the test date within the stipulated time, but cannot cancel the registered test; neither can the registered test center nor test level be changed.

To change the test date, test takers need to log into the Chinese testing service website (www.chinesetest.cn) and enter the Personal Center to make an application. The new test date shall be one at the same level and test center in the same year.

Deadline and charges for changing the test date are as follows:

• Before the registration deadline (including the deadline): test takers can change the test date for free.

• Between the registration deadline and 10 days before the test (including the 10th day): test takers need to pay an amount equal to 30% of the test fee before they can apply for the change during this period.

• Within 10 days before the test (excluding the 10th day): No application for changes of this kind will be accepted.

For test takers to take the internet‐based test, the valid period for changing the test date for free is 27 days before the test, and other relevant rules are the same with the paper‐based test.

V. Test regulations 

1. Articles Carried for the test

On the test date, test takers must bring the following articles to the test room:

‐ Test admission ticket;

‐ Identity certificate (copies are invalid) which is authentic, valid, identical with the registration information and carries a photo;

‐ 2B pencils (two or more) and eraser, in the event that it is a paper‐based test.

Other personal articles of test takers cannot be carried with them during the test but shall be placed in the depository or place designated by the test examiner. Do not bring any valuables to the test room; otherwise no compensation will be made for the loss.

Test takers who are unable to present the valid identity certificate and test admission ticket will not be permitted to take the test, nor will the test fee be refunded.

2. Time of admission

Test takers shall arrive at the exam room half an hour before the start of the test, so as to avoid being late. After the admission, no test takers are allowed to leave the test room until the end of the Listening part.

Paper‐based test: Before the start of the Listening part, late test takers can enter the test room and take the test; after the Listening part has started, late test takers have to wait till its end before entering the test room to work on the Reading part, with no extra time added to make up for the delay; after the start of the Reading part, late test takers are not allowed to enter the test room to take the test.

Oral test: Before the start of the recording, late test takers can enter the test room and take the test; but after the recording has started, late test takers are not allowed to enter the test room to take the test.

3. Test Methods

(1) Test takers shall take the test in line with the arrangements and instructions of the examiner(s).

(2) All the answers shall be provided by filling in the answer sheet with a 2B pencil.

(3) Answering of the oral test shall be in the form of live recording, and test takers shall complete the test with their own recording device separately in line with the instructions and arrangements by the examiner(s).

4. Test regulations

(1) Test takers must sit in the assigned seats and have no right to choose seats.

(2) Test takers must follow instructions of the examiner(s), observe the test rules, and independently complete various parts of the test.

(3) No break will be set during the test. If, due to any special reason, test takers need to leave the exam room halfway, he/she shall first obtain the consent of the examiner(s) and then submit his/her test admission certificate and identity certificate to the examiner(s) before leaving the exam room. After his/her return, the examiner(s) will give back the test admission ticket and identity certificate.

(4) In the oral test, no test takers shall temporarily leave the room. If any test takers has to leave, then the departure means to withdraw from the test.

5. Handling of emergencies

(1) In case of any unfair treatment of test takers due to mismanagement of the test room, such as insufficient test time and damage to the paper or test equipment, which makes test takers unable to complete the test, the Chinese Testing International will make timely arrangements for a new, free test for him/her, but it will not assume any indirect loss and the test site cannot be changed.

(2) In case of any force majeure, such as a natural disaster or accident, which makes test takers unable to complete the test, the Chinese Testing International will make timely arrangements for a new, free test for him/her or fully refund the test fee to him/her, but it will not assume any indirect loss.

6. Absence from the test

If test takers fail to take the test on the test date due to certain reason that is not attributable to the test organizer, no test fee will be refunded.

7. Violations and penalties

Test takers shall not open the paper in advance or write down the answer out of the right answering area, neither shall they tear, replace, copy the paper, nor take the paper or the answer sheet outside the test room. In case of any of such acts as cheat, substitution of the test taker, plagiarism, smuggled material, or disobedience to instructions of the examiner(s), the test results will be canceled.

VI. Test scores

1. Score enquiry

One month after taking the test, test takers can log into the Chinese testing service website (www.chinesetest.cn) and enter his/her test admission ticket number as well as name to view the test scores.

2. Score report

The printed official test score reports will be delivered to Athens Business Confucius Institute within 2 months after the test date, and test takers can get it there by presenting their test identity certificate and admission ticket.

Click here  to download a Score Report Sample. 

3. Validity period of score report

The test result is a long term available, but the score report to be used for the application to Chinese universities and colleges is valid within two years (from the test date).

VII. Additional services concerning score report

1. Delivery of an additional score report

For the purpose of helping test takers present their score reports of the Chinese test as a proof of their Chinese proficiency for college application, graduation, recruitment, promotion, etc., it’s available for test takers to apply for the delivery of an additional score reports via the Chinese testing service website (www.chinesetest.cn). For details of the application forms and fees, please visit the Chinese testing service website (www.chinesetest.cn).

2. Modification of the score report

The HSK score report serves as an important proof of test takers’ Chinese proficiency. In view that some test takers may fail to carefully check the information as required during their registration online or at the test center or fail to carefully check the registration confirmation or the test admission ticket after the completion of the test registration, which may lead to discrepancy between the personal information on the score report and the real information, the Chinese testing service website (www.chinesetest.cn), in order to ensure the normal use of the report, allows test takers to apply for the modification of the score report.

Requirements for test takers’ application to modify the score report:

(1) An application to modify the information is limited to the following situations:

• Misspelling of the name
• Error of the nationality information
• Error of the gender information

(2) Test takers must provide the relevant supporting certificates, such as his/her passport and identity card.

(3) The application shall be filed within the validity period of the test results report (i.e., within two years after the end of the test).