The new version of Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi (HSK), the International Chinese Language Proficiency Test, will be inaugurated with the contents and levels of the exam to be adjusted.Oral and writing tests will be included in all levels of the new HSK and this is the most significant difference, according to Sun Dejin, director of the HSK Center of Beijing Language and Culture University. Currently only the examinees registered for the highest level of HSK sit oral and writing tests.
In the written sections of the exam new parts will be included covering reading and listening with the aim of checking examinees' Chinese comprehension and communication abilities.
And the former 11 levels of the HSK will merge into just three--namely elementary, middle, and high levels. Every level will involve two grades: qualified and excellent.
The Chinese Proficiency Test (HSK) is the internationally standardized test for assessing the Chinese language proficiency of non-native speakers. Authorized by the China National Committee for Chinese Proficiency Test (CNCCPT), China National Office for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language (Hanban) develops the HSK and offers scholarships for studying in China foreign candidates with excellent HSK scores. The HSK certificates are issued by CNCCPT .
Functions of HSK Certificates
• To certify that you’ve reached the required Chinese proficiency to enter a college or university in China as an undergraduate or graduate student;
• To certify that you’ve reached the required Chinese proficiency and thus, you may be exempted from taking Chinese language courses at your institution in the United States (Please consult your institution’s requirements );
• To serve as a reference when you apply for a job that requires a certain level of Chinese competence;
• To test your Chinese proficiency with the international standard.
