Study in China
Which HSK level do you need for the CSC scholarship?
Leon & Qiqi·Updated November 10, 2026·7 minFacts checked on November 10, 2026. Sources are at the end of the page.
To apply for a CSC scholarship to do a master's or PhD taught in Chinese, you need HSK 4. A non-degree program taught in Chinese needs HSK 3. If you go to China to study the Chinese language itself, you do not need an HSK score.
These are the minimums in the China Scholarship Council's application requirements for 2026/2027. Your university can ask for more.
We make Dengdeng, an app with real stories from China at four reading levels. If you are working toward HSK 4, you can read at your level and keep the words you tap as flashcards.
We wrote this guide together. Leon studied in China, and Qiqi is Chinese.
The HSK level for each program
The CSC lists one HSK level for each type of program. The level applies when the program is taught in Chinese.
| Program | Taught in Chinese | Taught in English |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree | No CSC minimum. The university sets its own level. You also take the CSCA test. | The university's English requirement |
| Master's degree | HSK 4 | IELTS, TOEFL or what the university asks for |
| PhD | HSK 4 | IELTS, TOEFL or what the university asks for |
| General scholar (non-degree study), | HSK 3 | The university's English requirement |
| General scholar who studies the Chinese language | No HSK score needed | — |
| Senior scholar, | HSK 3 | The university's English requirement |
The CSCA is the China Scholastic Competency Assessment. Every bachelor's applicant takes it, also for a program in English.
In Chinese, a master's is , a PhD is and a bachelor's is . A non-degree student is a .
Your university can ask for more
The CSC text says that applicants must also meet the university's own language requirements.
Some universities ask for a minimum score inside the level. Beijing University of Chemical Technology, for example, asks for HSK 4 with at least 180 points for its programs taught in Chinese.
Read the program page of each university before you plan your test.
Your HSK score must be less than two years old
The application needs an HSK score report that is still valid. An HSK score report is valid for two years from the date of the test, for admission to Chinese universities.
If you took the test more than two years before your application deadline, you need a new test.
HSK 3.0 starts in December 2026
From 13 December 2026, the HSK test uses the new HSK 3.0 standard. It has nine levels instead of six, and HSK 3 to HSK 6 come with a separate speaking test.
The CSC requirements say "HSK Level 4". They do not name a version. A test you take after December 2026 is an HSK 3.0 test.
The new HSK 4 list is larger than the old one. In the HSK 3.0 lists that we use, HSK 1 to HSK 4 together have about 3,200 words. If your test is close, compare the two versions on our HSK versions page.
How many words you need
HSK 3.0 counts its words level by level. Each level adds the words of the levels below it.
| Level | Words in total (HSK 3.0) | Word list |
|---|---|---|
| HSK 3 | about 2,200 | HSK 3 words |
| HSK 4 | about 3,200 | HSK 4 words |
| HSK 5 | about 4,200 | HSK 5 words |
From HSK 3 to HSK 4 you add about 970 words. At 10 new words a day, that is about three months. At 20 new words a day, it is about seven weeks.
From zero to HSK 4 is about 3,200 words. At 15 new words a day, that is about seven months.
These numbers count new words only. Reviews take time too, and knowing a word on a flashcard is not the same as reading it in a sentence. How hard is each HSK level shows what each level adds.
When to take the HSK test
Each embassy and each university sets its own CSC deadline. For the 2027/2028 year, the Chinese embassy in the United States asks for the online application by 15 February 2027. Other countries and universities have other dates. Find yours on Campus China or at the embassy that receives your application.
Your score must be out before the deadline. For the HSK 3.0 trial test in January 2026, the test was on 31 January and the scores came out on 14 March. That is six weeks.
So work back from your deadline:
- Find the deadline of the embassy or university that receives your application.
- Take the HSK test at least two months before it.
- Register early. Registration closes some weeks before the test: for the January 2026 trial, on 7 or 15 January. Test dates and registration are on chinesetest.cn.
- Plan your study backwards from the test date.
If the deadline is too close for HSK 4, look at programs taught in English, or at a year of Chinese language study first. Language study needs no HSK score.
Chinese words on the application
You can fill in the CSC form in Chinese or in English. Universities in China often use the Chinese names in letters and on their sites.
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| zhōng guó zhèng fǔ jiǎng xué jīn | Chinese Government Scholarship | |
| hàn yǔ shuǐ píng kǎo shì | HSK, the Chinese proficiency test | |
| hàn yǔ yán zhuān yè | Chinese language as the field of study | |
| yù lù qǔ tōng zhī shū | pre-admission letter | |
| xué xí jì huà | study plan | |
| tuī jiàn xìn | recommendation letter | |
| hù zhào | passport | |
| wài guó rén tǐ gé jiǎn chá biǎo | Foreigner Physical Examination Form | |
| wú fàn zuì jì lù zhèng míng | non-criminal record certificate |
The results of the physical examination are valid for six months. The non-criminal record certificate is usually issued in the six months before you apply.
Common questions
Do I need HSK for the CSC scholarship?
Only for a program taught in Chinese. A master's or PhD taught in Chinese needs HSK 4, and a non-degree program taught in Chinese needs HSK 3. Chinese language study and programs taught in English need no HSK score.
Is HSK 4 enough for a master's in China?
It is the CSC minimum for a master's taught in Chinese. Some universities ask for a minimum score inside HSK 4, so check the program page.
Does an old HSK certificate still count?
The score report counts for two years from the test date. After that, you need a new test for your application.
Can I apply for the CSC scholarship with no Chinese?
Yes. Programs taught in English need no HSK score, and neither does a year of Chinese language study.
Sources
- China Scholarship Council, General Requirements of 2026/2027 Chinese Government Scholarship Application, in Chinese and English. Copy published by the Vrije Universiteit Brussel.
- Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United States, Chinese Government Scholarship Application, updated 4 November 2026.
- Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Chinese Government Scholarship, 28 August 2025: HSK 4 with at least 180 points.
- Chinese Testing International, HSK level pages: HSK scores are valid for two years from the test date.
- Beijing Municipal Government, Registration opens for HSK 3.0, 22 December 2025: the January 2026 trial dates.
- Confucius Institute at the Athens University of Economics and Business, an HSK test centre, HSK 3.0, updated September 2026: HSK 3.0 starts worldwide on 13 December 2026.
- Word counts: our HSK 3.0 word lists, the same lists as the Dengdeng dictionary.
Check every date with the embassy or university that receives your application. Requirements change from year to year.
More guides for studying and traveling in China are on Study, travel and live in China.
If you want to read Chinese while you study for the test, today's stories are free to preview. One story from every edition is free in the app.
A week of reading Chinese
Seven short Chinese texts about everyday life in China, one a day, with the hard words explained.
