In short: if you’re ready for your level now and need a certificate soon, the last HSK 2.0 sittings are this autumn. Otherwise, plan for HSK 3.0. It starts worldwide on 13 December 2026 and asks for more words at every level.[1][5] The bodies that ask for HSK results haven’t yet said how they’ll compare the two versions, so check with yours.
Where things stand
As of 23 October 2026:
- The last HSK 1–6 sitting on CTI’s calendar before the switch is 7 November 2026. Computer-based registration closes on 28 October; paper registration closed on 11 October.[2] That sitting uses HSK 2.0.[3]
- Some centres add HSK 2.0 dates of their own. The Sheffield Confucius Institute runs one on 5 December 2026.[4]
- The new exam starts on 13 December 2026.[1] Sheffield says all its HSK exams move to the HSK 3.0 format from that date.[4]
Not yet official: CTI’s launch announcement doesn’t say whether any HSK 2.0 sittings continue after 13 December, and we found no other CTI statement on it.[1] Every date is listed in HSK test dates for 2026 and 2027.
The difference that matters most
The new exam tests more words at each level.
| Level | HSK 2.0 | HSK 3.0 |
|---|---|---|
| HSK 1 | 150 | 300 |
| HSK 2 | 300 | 500 |
| HSK 3 | 600 | 1,000 |
| HSK 4 | 1,200 | 2,000 |
| HSK 5 | 2,500 | 3,600 |
| HSK 6 | 5,000+ | 5,400 |
| HSK 7–9 | none | 11,000 |
Sources: Hanban’s HSK 2.0 levels[6] and the new exam syllabus.[5] The new HSK 3 to 6 also each come with a speaking test, and HSK 7–9 includes speaking in the exam itself.[4][3] Under HSK 2.0, speaking is a separate exam, the HSKK.[4] The full picture is in HSK 3.0: what changed.
Sit HSK 2.0 if…
- You’re ready now. If you already know the HSK 2.0 words for your level, a 2.0 sitting asks for fewer words than the same level will from December. HSK 4, for example, is 1,200 words under 2.0 and 2,000 under 3.0.[6][5]
- You need a result for an application soon. CTI hasn’t published 2027 dates yet, and some centres won’t run the new exam right away: Sheffield plans its first for early spring 2027.[4] A sitting you can book today is worth a lot if a deadline is close.
- You can still make a date. That means the computer-based test on 7 November (register by 28 October), or a centre’s own date such as Sheffield’s on 5 December.[2][4]
Wait for HSK 3.0 if…
- You’re not ready for the remaining dates. The new exam starts on 13 December, and centres such as Sheffield are moving all their HSK exams to it.[1][4] Study for it rather than cramming the old lists.
- You’re early on. If your exam is months away, learn towards the new word counts from the start. The new HSK 1 alone is 300 words.[5]
- You’re aiming above HSK 6. HSK 7–9 only exists in the new nine-level system.[11]
What universities, scholarships and employers ask for
Hanban, which used to run the HSK, described results as a reference for university admissions and for employers.[6] Here’s what three current official documents ask for. None of them says which version of the HSK it means.
- Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC). For 2026/27, Chinese-taught general and senior scholar programmes ask for HSK 3. Chinese-taught master’s and doctoral programmes ask for HSK 4. Applicants submit a valid HSK score report.[7]
- International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship. At Beijing Language and Culture University, a bachelor’s place asks for at least 210 in HSK 4 plus 60 in the intermediate HSKK. A master’s place asks for 210 in HSK 5 plus the same HSKK score. Score reports must be within their two-year validity.[8]
- Working in China. China’s work permit points system gives up to five points for Chinese: one point for HSK 1, rising to five for HSK 5 or above.[9]
Not answered yet: we found no official guidance on whether “HSK 4” in these documents means HSK 2.0, HSK 3.0 or either, or how a 2.0 result compares with a 3.0 result at the same level. If you’re applying for something specific, ask the university, scholarship office or employer which versions they accept, and keep their answer in writing.
How long a result lasts
HSK results are treated as valid for two years from the test date. The Barcelona Confucius Institute says this of HSK 2.0 certificates, and scholarship guides ask for scores within that window.[3][8] So an HSK 2.0 result from 7 November 2026 would run to November 2028.
We found no official statement on whether HSK 2.0 results will be treated differently once HSK 3.0 is running.
How to prepare for each
For HSK 2.0
- Learn the HSK 2.0 word list for your level and every level below it.
- Practise with HSK 2.0 papers, so the question types and timing are familiar.
- If a programme asks for a speaking score, book the HSKK as well; it’s a separate exam.[4]
For HSK 3.0
- Learn from the new syllabus word list, which is longer at every level.[5] Every word is in our HSK 3.0 word lists.
- Work through the official sample papers. They include a separate speaking paper for HSK 3 to 6.[10]
- Practise speaking from the start, not just in the last month.
Either way, steady daily vocabulary work is the part you can plan. For the time each level takes, see how long each HSK level takes and how long it takes to pass HSK 4. Purlingual’s word lists follow the new HSK 3.0 levels, HSK 1 to 6: see the HSK vocabulary lists.
Sources
- Chinese Testing International: HSK 3.0 launch announcement · 8 September 2026
- Chinese Testing International: 2026 test calendar · December 2025
- Confucius Institute of Barcelona: changes to the HSK (in Chinese) · 17 September 2026
- University of Sheffield Confucius Institute: HSK tests
- HSK exam syllabus (新版HSK考试大纲) · CLEC, November 2025, in effect July 2026
- Hanban: HSK 2.0 levels (archived) · snapshot of 9 January 2020
- Embassy of China in Estonia: 2026/2027 Chinese Government Scholarship application · 8 November 2025
- Beijing Language and Culture University: International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship guide · 3 March 2026
- Shanghai government: understanding China’s work permit points system · 13 August 2026
- Official HSK 3.0 sample papers · 2026
- Chinese Proficiency Grading Standards for International Chinese Language Education (GF 0025—2021) · Ministry of Education and National Language Commission, 2021
