The Announcement of the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China on the Permission of Foreign Students' Registration with New HSK Transcript

Office of Foreign Affairs, MOE [2010] No. 02

To education administrations/bureaus of all provinces, autonomous regions and the education bureau of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps:

To better adapt to the developmental needs of global Chinese teaching, Hanban/Confucius Institute Headquarters has developed the New Chinese proficiency test papers (from here on referred to as the New HSK; the HSK is still in use). According to the statistics of the New HSK's trial test and first run, the passing score for the New HSK Levels Four, Five and Six is 180; equal respectively, to the Elementary Certificate Level C, Intermediate Certificate Level C and Advanced Certificate Level C of the HSK.

The New HSK and the HSK will be in concurrent use for a period of time. In order to maintain the consistency of the 'Regulations for the Recognition of the HSK Transcript as a Diploma for Foreign Students in Admittance to Chinese Schools' (Office of Foreign Affairs, MOE [1995] No. 668), we would like to make the following statement:

Ⅰ. Foreign Students can apply for undergraduate programs with the use of either the HSK Certificate or the New HSK Transcript;

Ⅱ. 180 is the passing score of the New HSK Level Four, and it is, for the time being, considered equivalent to an Elementary Certificate Level C of the HSK for foreign students. It is the expected Chinese language proficiency of Chinese Government Scholarship winners for undergraduate study in natural science, engineering, agriculture science, medical science (excluding traditional Chinese medicine), economics, Laws, management, education science etc. finished one year preparatory program. Chinese universities reserve the right to establish criteria on self-sponsoring foreign students' Chinese proficiency in reference to Chinese government's requirements on Chinese government scholarship winning students.

Ⅲ. Deciding upon whether foreign students take the New HSK or the "old" HSK is a choice reserved by Chinese schools.

Ⅳ. Please inform relevant schools in your area in a timely fashion.

The General Office of Chinese MOE

2010-06-28