NSFZ International Department

HSK Study

HSK (Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi) or the Chinese Proficiency Test is a standardized test at the state level to assess the Chinese proficiency of non-native speakers (foreigners, overseas Chinese and students of Chinese national minorities). It was developed in 1984 and the first test was held overseas in 1991. Since then, more than 1.3 million people from over 120 countries and regions have appeared for the test. HSK testing centers have been set up in 34 Chinese cities and 37 countries. In 2005, more than 110,000 students signed up for the HSK.

Foreign students are required to take the HSK test (Chinese Proficiency Test) to enter a college or university as an undergraduate or graduate student. NSFZ international department assists our students preparing for HSK test and applying to the top universities such as Peking University, Tsinghua University, Fudan University, Zhejiang University and Nanjing University.

As tests of general language proficiency, HSK is not based on any particular textbook or course of study. Differentiated by levels of difficulty, HSK is divided into three categories with eleven score levels:

HSK Basic (Levels 1, 2, 3)
HSK Elementary - Intermediate (Elementary Level 3, 4, 5; Intermediate Level 6, 7, 8)
HSK Advanced (Levels 9, 10, 11)

The highest level in HSK Basic overlaps the lowest level in HSK Elementary - Intermediate. HSK Applicants have to decide which of the three categories of the test is applicable to them.

HSK (Basic) applies to those learners with the basic Chinese proficiencies, namely, those who have taken 100 to 800 hours of regular modern Chinese learning (including those with the equivalent learning experiences).

HSK (Elementary-Intermediate) is for those who are at the elementary and intermediate level in Chinese proficiency, i.e. those who have taken 400-2000 regular hours of modern Chinese courses (including those whose proficiency in Chinese is similar to that standard).

HSK (Advanced) is designed to measure the Chinese proficiency of those who are proficient in Chinese, i.e. who have taken 3000 regular hours or more modern Chinese learning (including those whose proficiency in Chinese is similar to that standard).

Learn more about HSK test, please visit - HSK Section