China is one of the superpowers in the world currently and you have heard there are plenty of opportunities out there for you to explore as well, thus you have decided to pack your bags and head over for the journey of a lifetime, be it study or work. However, you need to have a certain level of Chinese proficiency before you can start doing anything.

This Chinese proficiency we are talking about is not your usual kopitiam-or-restaurant-order-food Chinese, or the annual-Chinese-New-Year-small-talk Chinese. So how do you know if your proficiency level is sufficient or not? You have to take the HSK test to find out for yourself.

What is HSK test?

The HSK test aka Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi is a standardised examination that assesses your ability to understand the Chinese language. It measures four key components of your language proficiency: reading, writing, listening and speaking. The test is centrally administered by the Hanban, an agency of the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China.

For the reading, writing and listening component, there are 6 levels namely: HSK (level I), HSK (level II), HSK (level III), HSK (level IV), HSK (level V), and HSK (level VI). The test can either be taken in the traditional way with paper and pen, or the modern way with computer for some levels.

For the speaking component, there are 3 levels namely: HSKK (Primary level), HSKK (Intermediate level) and HSKK (Advanced level). The oral / speaking test is conducted in the form of audio recording in a specialized computer lab to ensure integrity and accountability.

Along the lines of Chinese proficiency testing, there has been other many tests over the years as well, for example Youth Chinese Test, Business Chinese Test, OPIcorganized by the American Foreign Language Teaching Committee (ACTFL), HNK by the Hanban/Confucius Institute Headquartersand the Korean-Chinese Association for Korean Language and Culture affiliated with the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Korea.

How useful are the HSK results?

Over the past few years, there has been a significant increase in the number of candidates taking the examination. This is clear empirical evidence that the test is useful and results can be used, whether you are thinking of studying or working in China.

If you are studying, the results can serve as a gauge for your Chinese proficiency before major examinations like PSLE and Cambridge GCE O-Levels. Also, the good results can increase your likelihood of securing a scholarship when doing undergraduate or postgraduate studies in China.

If you are working, the results can serve as a guide for job positions that require a certain level of Chinese competency, especially for companies expanding into the Chinese market. For anyone who wants to teach pre-school children Chinese Language, this test is one of the prerequisites for the official certification as well. It is also a bragging right which you can add to your resume and give yourself an edge over fellow competitors.

If you are looking at working in China, passing of this test will give you an additional of 5 to 10 points in China’s new work permit scoring system, granting you a bigger chance of successful application.

Where can I take HSK test in Singapore?

There is only one test center and it is HSK Centre (Crestar) located along Upper Serangoon Road. And the computerized assessments will take place at the SEAMEO Regional Language Centre in RELC International Hotel. At the end of the year, the 4 test dates for following year will be announced for candidates to do the necessary. For the registration process and other important details, speak to us to find out more.

Lastly, if you need crash courses just before the examination to secure a higher chance of good grades, just contact Singapore Success Stories and help will be just around the corner.

Singapore Success Stories has been helping Singaporean students gain placement in universities and educational institutions abroad successfully. We offer a holistic approach that covers pre-programmepreparation, applications, test preparation, and post-acceptance academic support. We also enjoy strong working relationships with over 300 educational institutions in China.

If you’re keen to find out more about pursuing further studies in China, click HERE now!