HSK Exam Guide Changing or cancelling an HSK booking: what the regulations allow
The test regulations set out when a candidate can ask to withdraw from an HSK booking, ask for a refund, or move the test to a later date. The refund depends on how many days remain before the test date. A full refund is possible within 27 days before the test date (including the 27th day). A 50% refund is possible from 27 days down to 10 days before the test date. After the 10th day before the test date, no further requests are accepted.
This is an unofficial summary of the test regulations page published by Chinese Testing International. The official page prevails.
Refunds and withdrawal
Where you apply depends on where you registered. Candidates registered at test centres in the Chinese Mainland region (excluding Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan regions) apply online. They log in to the Chinese Test Service Website (www.chinesetest.cn) and open the "Exam Records" section in "My Account".
Candidates registered at Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan regions' test centres and foreign test centres apply by contacting the test centre. The test centre confirms whether the candidate meets the conditions for withdrawal and rescheduling under the applicable rules.
The refund bands are:
| Time before the test date | Withdrawal and refund | Rescheduling |
|---|---|---|
| Within 27 days (including the 27th day) | Full refund of the test service fee | Deferred test free of charge |
| From 27 days (excluding the 27th day) to 10 days (including the 10th day) | 50% refund of the test service fee | Deferred test by paying a service fee equal to 30% of the test fee |
| After the 10th day (excluding the 10th day) | No further requests accepted | No further requests accepted |
Only one application for withdrawal is accepted per test registration. Refunds go back to the original payment method within 7–10 working days after the application is formally accepted.
The sixth step (Pay the Test Fee) on the same page says the following for registrations at test centres in other parts of China (excluding Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan regions): "For registrations at test centers in other parts of China (excluding Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan regions), no application for withdrawal, refund, or adjustment of exam type/level/format/test center will be accepted once the registration is confirmed and the fee is paid."
The page carries this sentence and the withdrawal rules above as separate passages. This article does not reconcile them. Ask the test centre which rule applies to your registration.
Rescheduling
Only one application for a deferred test is accepted per test registration. The new date must be within six months after the original test date. The test centre, test subject, test level and test format cannot be changed.
The bands for rescheduling are in the table above. Within 27 days (including the 27th day), the deferred test is free of charge. From 27 days to 10 days before the test date, the deferred test requires a service fee equal to 30% of the test fee. After the 10th day, no further rescheduling requests are accepted.
Special circumstances
The special circumstances passage covers candidates who cannot take the test because of unforeseen circumstances, such as force majeure or sudden illness. This applies after the deadline for withdrawal or rescheduling has passed.
The candidate must contact the test centre before the test date to apply for withdrawal or rescheduling. The application must include valid supporting documents. These must be issued by an official authority and bear its official seal. Medical documentation must be provided by a qualified physician and must clearly indicate that the candidate is physically incapable of taking the test on the test date. Personal statements from the candidate alone will not be accepted.
No applications for withdrawal or rescheduling are accepted after the test date or once the candidate has taken any test subject.
The special circumstances passage applies to the Chinese Proficiency Test, including HSK, HSK Speaking Test, YCT and BCT, for both paper-based and internet-based formats.
The special circumstances passage does not say whether a fee is refunded in these cases. Ask the test centre.
Submitting a request does not mean it will be accepted. The regulations set the conditions, and the test centre applies them.
Sources
- Exams information for candidates (test regulations), Chinese Testing International (CTI), Chinese Tests Service Website chinesetest.cn
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.