HSK 3.0: the new version of the HSK announced by Chinese Testing International
Unofficial entry · Sources checked
HSK 3.0 is the name Chinese Testing International (CTI) gives to the new version of the Chinese Proficiency Test (HSK). Its launch notice, published on 9 September 2026 on the Chinese Tests Service Website, says the test will be officially launched worldwide on December 13, 2026. The HSK page of the same website calls the upgraded test "the new HSK".
See also Tests and verification on this site.
Definition
The "About the New HSK" text of the HSK page describes the new HSK as an evolution, optimization and systematic upgrade of the existing test. It is guided by the Chinese Proficiency Grading Standards for International Chinese Language Education. The text says the test has been upgraded from the current six-level system to a "Three Stages, Nine Levels" framework, covering elementary, intermediate and advanced proficiency.
What the official text says
The launch notice. The notice is titled "HSK 3.0 will be officially launched worldwide on December 13, 2026!" It states that the new version "represents a comprehensive upgrade of the Chinese Proficiency Test (HSK)".
Section 01, Test Date, gives December 13, 2026.
Section 02, Registration Period (Beijing Time), gives the following deadlines:
| Test type | Registration period (Beijing Time) |
|---|---|
| Paper-based Test | From now until 24:00 on November 16, 2026 |
| Computer-based Test | From now until 24:00 on December 03, 2026 |
Section 03, How to Register, directs readers to the Chinese Tests Service Website at www.chinesetest.cn to find test centres in their country and to register online. It states that further test information will be released through that website and through CTI's official WeChat account (WeChat ID: HKGJ-CTI).
Sections 01 to 03 of the notice give no levels and no fee. Sections 01 to 03 also name no existing certificate and no transition period.
The HSK page. The "About the New HSK" text says the new HSK assesses five language skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing and translation, with translation assessed at advanced levels. It states that the new HSK introduces adjustments and optimizations to question types, number of questions, test duration and listening speed. It states that the test syllabus covers five components: tasks, topics, vocabulary, grammar and Chinese characters.
The "About the New HSK" text does not name the nine levels of the "Three Stages, Nine Levels" framework.
Related terms
- Tests and verification
- Chinese Proficiency Grading Standards for International Chinese Language Education
- Three Stages, Nine Levels
- New HSK Test Syllabus
- Chinese Tests Service Website
Sources
- Notice: HSK 3.0 will be officially launched worldwide on December 13, 2026! — Chinese Testing International (CTI), Chinese Tests Service Website
- HSK page of the Chinese Tests Service Website — Chinese Testing International (CTI), Chinese Tests Service Website
Checked 11 October 2026.
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