on the 30th of August, AOE conducted a livestream session on Wechat with the topic "The important steps & advantages of Chinese HSK exam"

Today, we are going to talk about something all of you will have to face when you come to China: the HSK exams. And we are going to break this topic down to three parts: 1) What is HSK 2)Why should we learn HSK 3)How does the HSK system work?

part 1 ) what is HSK exam ?

HSK is the Chinese language proficiency test officiated by Hanban, and has been used by various employers and Chinese educational institutions to assess the Chinese abilities of nonnative Chinese language learners. Enrollment at university degree programs or acceptance in certain work positions in China would require passing a certain HSK level. Chinese government also require HSK scores for obtaining visa.

Chinese is a difficult language. It starts with Pinyin and tones to make up characters, and characters make up words, words make up phrases, and phrases can be combined to make sentences. There are also lots of radicals in Chinese characters which are hard to understand. And grammar can also be difficult for nonnative learners. Chinese is an extremely complex yet properly structured language, and with the help of a course, you can learn systematically and understand everything a lot better.

HSK1-HSK2 are relatively easy. You will mostly be learning Pinyin, and simple characters. At this level, you will be expected to explain yourself in very simple ways, and there is not a huge requirement on understanding Chinese characters. It is for simple conversations.

HSK3 is where Pinyins disappear on the exams and you are tested on your understanding of Chinese characters. You will be at beginner to intermediate level and you should be able to communicate in Chinese in your daily life, work, and studies.

It is generally not difficult to progress from HSK1-HSK3.

HSK4 is for intermediate learners who can discuss a wide range of topics in Chinese and use Chinese in high standards. At this level, you should be able to describe all kinds of situations in your everyday life.

HSK5 is for advanced Chinese learners who can read Chinese news, watch Chinese TV shows, and make long speeches. And your Chinese at this level shall be relatively good. And it will be good for academic research and complicated topics.

HSK6 is the holy grail of learning Chinese. At this level, you will demonstrate exceptional Chinese skills, and you can communicate almost everything in Chinese, and you will become a master of Chinese language. You will have a profound understanding of Chinese language that even most ordinary Chinese civilians do not possess.

Part 2) why should we learn HSK ?

There are seven reasons why we should learn HSK,

here are the top 7 reasons for you down below ,

• The HSK test is the most renowned and acknowledged language test that certifies your Chinese language proficiency across the world. It is recognized by all schools and colleges in China. If you’d like to apply to several universities, the HSK test is a great way to keep all your options open without having to take a different language exam for each university. The HSK will be useful not only if you wish to apply to schools, but also if you seek an internship or a work placement where Chinese is used. Getting a high HSK level means demonstrating your linguistic abilities to various actors. Passing the HSK ensures your Chinese level will be recognized in the corporate world.

• The HSK test is available almost anywhere in the world, with testing available in more than 150 countries and territories. Whichever way, you can get your results as soon as two weeks after your test (one month for the paper edition) – handy if you’re using the results to apply for a university or job in China.

• If you have your heart set on studying in China, preparing well for the HSK test should be one of your top priorities as it’s an official requirement by most major Chinese schools. If you’re an international student, before a Chinese university accepts you into an academic program, the admissions board needs to know that you can handle the course load of a Mandarin-based program. Nearly all schools and universities in China use the HSK as a standardized metric for your Chinese skills, meaning your school of choice will most likely require you to take the HSK as part of your application .

• You can also apply for various Chinese scholarships using your HSK test results.

The Chinese government provides an abundance of scholarships, grants, and        fellowships to meriting students from different countries to study in Chinese          universities, and HSK scores are necessary for several. Depending on your          program, you’ll need to meet or exceed a minimum HSK score at a specific level for acceptance. Achieving excellent scores on your HSK test demonstrates your linguistic aptitude and passion for China, and this increases your chance of getting sponsorship.

• The HSK is also useful when you apply for a work permit in China.

Unless you already own a Chinese Green Card, you’ll need a work permit to legally work in China. China now uses a work permit scoring system through which every foreigner is graded according to their qualifications and skills.

For example, if you have a bachelor’s degree, you can get 10 points in this system whereas you can get 15 points if you hold a master’s degree. To be granted a work permit and visa in China, You need to reach at least 60 points out of 120 for professional workers or 85 points for high-level experts.

• Outside of the academic and professional realm, the HSK does not seem that important on the surface, but it can still be very useful.

For starters, tests are useful study techniques to help you improve quicker. They give you a focal point, a specific goal, something concrete to structure your learning around. Many people take the test as a psychological boost. The different HSK levels help break down Chinese into bite-size pieces so you don’t feel so overwhelmed. Finishing each level serves as motivation in itself to keep going higher.

Part 3 ) how does the HSK system work?

The current HSK test comprises six independent levels: levels I, II, III, IV, V, and VI. The HSK 1 and 2 includes include writing and reading skills. In comparison, HSK 4, 5, and 6 have writing, reading, and listening. There is no speaking section.

The HSK exam is split into sections. Listening, Reading and Writing (HSK3-6). Each section is broken down into a number of questions to test your ability in all forms of Chinese. You can choose to take either the written test or the computer test.

HSK tests can be taken either on paper or computer. When you sign up for an HSK test, you have to make a choice , One of the most common questions we receive regarding the HSK is " Can I take the HSK at home?". Luckily, the answer is "yes"! Indeed, it is now possible to take the HSK at home, but only if you are currently outside of China . and also you can take HSK test in any of the authorised  HSK test centers. It’s relatively convenient to take  HSK test while you are in China at a HSK test  centers (normally established on campus) can be  found in most of first-tier and second-tier cities  across China .

Your total score is the overall score you get on the test and is equivalent to the sum of your three section scores for Listening, Reading, and Writing. The maximum score you can get on the HSK 5 test is 300 (100 for each of the three sections) , Students learning Chinese from scratch typically need 4-6 weeks of committed study to progress to HSK Level 1. Of course, it'll also depend on how much time you dedicate to learning Chinese every week. If you study with a teacher, 40 hours of tutoring is usually sufficient to bring you to HSK Level 1 thats the reason why i recommend you to contact AOE chinese for your best preparation to pass sucessfully you hsk exams .