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The HSK test is a standardised proficiency test for Chinese as a foreign language, where candidates’ language skills are assessed. The HSK includes a written (HSK) as well as an oral exam (HSKK), which are held and graded together from 2024. All participants from level HSK 3 must also register for the corresponding oral exam.
HSK is suitable for:
| - anyone willing to acquire a language certificate |
| - undergraduates as well as postgraduates and PhD students who need a language certificate to be admitted to a specific study programme in China. |
The paper-based written tests (HSK) for levels 1 to 6 as well as the oral tests (HSKK) at primary, intermediate and advanced level are held annually at the Institute of Asian and Oriental Studies of the University of Zürich.
tentative date: 15 November 2025
Six (written) respectively three (oral) levels are assigned to the exams:
| Written exams | Corresponding oral exams | |
| HSK 1 | 150 words, characters and Pinyin | --- |
| HSK 2 | 300 words, characters and Pinyin | --- |
| HSK 3 | 600 words, characters only | HSKK Primary |
| HSK 4 | 1200 words, characters only | HSKK Intermediate |
| HSK 5 | 2500 words, characters only | HSKK Advanced |
| HSK 6 | over 5000 words, characters only | HSKK Advanced |
The written exams (HSK) include the following, depending on the level:
| Level 1 (ca. 35 mins.) | Listening comprehension: 20 tasks / 15 mins. |
| Reading comprehension: 20 tasks / 15 mins. | |
| Level 2 (ca. 50 mins.) | Listening comprehension: 35 tasks / 25 mins. |
| Reading comprehension: 25 tasks / 25 mins. | |
| Level 3 (ca. 85 mins.) | Listening comprehension: 40 tasks / 35 mins. |
| Reading comprehension: 30 tasks / 25 mins. | |
| Written expression: 10 tasks / 15 mins. | |
| Level 4 (ca. 100 mins.) | Listening comprehension: 45 tasks / 30 mins. |
| Reading comprehension: 40 tasks / 35 mins. | |
| Written expression: 15 tasks / 25 mins. | |
| Level 5 (ca. 120 mins.) | Listening comprehension: 45 tasks / 30 mins. |
| Reading comprehension: 45 tasks / 45 mins. | |
| Written expression: 10 tasks / 40 mins. | |
| Level 6 (ca. 135 mins.) | Listening comprehension: 50 tasks / 35 mins. |
| Reading comprehension: 50 tasks / 50 mins. | |
| Written expression / essay: 45 mins. |
The oral exams (HSKK) include the following, depending on the level:
| Primary (ca. 20 mins.) | Listen and repeat: 15 tasks / 6 mins. |
| Listen and answer: 10 tasks / 4 mins. | |
| Answer questions: 2 tasks / 3 mins. | |
| Intermediate (ca. 23 mins.) | Listen and repeat: 10 tasks / 5 mins. |
| Speaking based on pictures: 2 tasks / 4 mins. | |
| Answer questions: 2 tasks / 4 mins. | |
| Advanced (ca. 25 mins.) | Listen and repeat: 3 tasks / 8 mins. |
| Read aloud: 1 task / 2 mins. | |
| Answer questions: 1 task / 5 mins. |
Candidates will receive a score report detailing the results of every part of the test.
As the tests are assessed in China, the score reports are only issued eigth weeks after the test date. After about one month, candidates can preview their results online.
Tests may be repeated indefinitely.
Practice tests can be accessed here.
hsk@aoi.uzh.ch
