Unofficial guide
HSK Exam Guide

Chinese-taught bachelor's degrees: the Level 4 floor and what universities add

Sources checked

The Ministry of Education's 2018 standard says the Chinese entry requirement for a program taught in Chinese should be at least level 4 of the International Chinese Language Proficiency Standards. Universities set their own entry standards within that floor. This is a level of the Standards, not an HSK level, and the passages of the standard quoted here do not mention the HSK test.

What the 2018 standard says

  • Entry: for a program taught in Chinese, the Chinese ability required should be at least level 4 of the Standards.
  • Graduation: the section on language ability says that Chinese ability at graduation should reach level 5 of the Standards for programs taught in Chinese.
  • Universities: each university sets its entry standard under national rules and this standard. The entry standard covers academic background, academic ability, language ability, status qualifications and financial ability.
  • Preparatory study: universities may open preparatory programs. These teach Chinese and basic subject knowledge, so that students reach the undergraduate entry standard.

What the Scholarship guide asks

The Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship, published by the China Scholarship Council on Campus China, lists eligibility in Section IV. Its rows on language tests say the following.

  • Row 7: applicants for bachelor programs must take the China Scholastic Competency Assessment (CSCA) and upload a valid score report.
  • Row 8: applicants for a Chinese-taught general scholar program, excluding Chinese language majors, must have passed the HSK (Level 3).
  • Row 9: applicants for a Chinese-taught senior scholar program must have passed the HSK (Level 3).
  • Row 10: applicants for a Chinese-taught master's or doctoral program must have passed the HSK (Level 4).

Row 7 names no HSK level. Rows 8 to 10 name HSK levels for those program types only, and they name no score. These rows apply to this scholarship's eligibility list.

What the HSK Level 4 page gives

The HSK (Level 4) page from Chinese Testing International gives 300 as the full score. A cumulative score of 180 or above is the passing mark. The score report shows four scores: Listening, Reading, Writing and Total. The page says the scores are valid for two years, counted from the exam date.

These figures apply to HSK Level 4 only. The HSK page and the Ministry's level 4 of the Standards are different measures, and the Ministry text does not link them to each other.

Which test a university accepts

The Ministry standard does not name a test or a score for entry. The test and score that a given university accepts are stated in its own admission brochure. For the answer to your own case, check that brochure.

Sources

Checked 11 October 2026

This page is an unofficial summary; it is not published by Chinese Testing International, the Center for Language Education and Cooperation or the Ministry of Education, and the official page prevails if they differ.

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