Chinese Proficiency Test

Degree programs taught in Chinese require students to have reached a certain level of Chinese language proficiency before they are admitted. This is to ensure that students are able to understand classes, complete assignments and sit exams. Most universities ask that applicants pass the Chinese Proficiency Test (HSK) to a certain level as a means of proving sufficient language proficiency. More information about the HSK is outlined below.

Background, Purpose and Use

Development began in 1984 at Beijing Language and Culture University and in 1992 the HSK was officially made a national standardized test. By 2005, over 120 countries had participated as regular host sites and the tests had been taken around 1 million times. While today one may register online, all testing is still done in person, and all assessment is still handled within China.

The HSK test approximates the English TOEFL. The test aims to be a certificate of language proficiency for higher educational and professional purposes. Based on the test's original format, a rank of between 3 and 8 was needed to enroll in a Chinese university, depending on the subject being studied. A score of 9 or higher was a common business standard.

Current Structure: The New HSK

Hanban; China National Office for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language (Hanban) is currently responsible for the HSK exams and introduced a new format in November 2009. See more about Hanban: https://www.hanban.org/.

The new ranking system reduces the three test formats to Elementary, Intermediate, and Advanced. Each level has two sub-levels: "acceptable" and "with honors".

New HSK (Revised Version) Structure

Official website of the new HSK: https://www.chinesetesting.cn/.

Former Structure: The Old HSK

Development began in 1984 at Beijing Language and Culture University, and in 1992 the HSK was officially made a national standardized test. Formerly, there were 11 possible ranks (1-11) and 3 test formats (Basic, Elementary/Intermediate, and Advanced). A student taking the Basic test could attain a rank of 1 through 3 , or fail to meet requirements and thus not receive a rank. The Elementary/Intermediate test covered ranks 3-8, with ranks below 3 not considered. Likewise, the Advanced test covered ranks 9-11, with scores below 9 not considered.

The previous format for both Basic and Elementary/Intermediate HSK included four sections: listening comprehension, grammar structures, reading comprehension, and written expressions. Aside from written expressions portion (which requires writing of chinese characters), these two tests were completely multiple-choice. The Advanced HSK however, added an additional two portions: spoken and written.

Interpretation of the Score Levels of HSK

Official website of the old HSK: https://www.hsk.org.cn/.

Correlation between the Old HSK Score and the New HSK Score

The new Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi (new HSK) is based on the recent development of the structuralism and social linguistic theories. Its new concept of combining both teaching and testing in the testing design fulfills the old HSK's deficiency in the lower-level tests, and extends the old HSK's higher-level tests. This unique system of testing continually adjusts to the growing demand for Chinese globally. The below table shows the correlation in scores between the new HSK (level 3-6) and the old HSK (level 3-11).