How long is an HSK score valid?
Unofficial answer · Sources checked
HSK scores are valid for two years. The chinesetest.cn level pages count the period from the exam date, and HSK Speaking (HSKK) scores are counted the same way from the test date. The Chinese Government Scholarship guide asks for a "valid" HSK score report for some programs, but it does not give a period of its own.
What the chinesetest.cn pages say
Each level page gives the same two-year period, with slightly different wording:
| Test | Validity wording on the official page |
|---|---|
| HSK Level 3 | "valid for two years, starting from the day of the exam" |
| HSK Level 4 | "valid for two years, starting from the exam date" |
| HSK Level 5 | "valid for two years, starting from the exam date" |
| HSK Level 6 | "valid for two years, starting from the exam date" |
| HSK Speaking, intermediate (HSKK 2) | "valid for two years, starting from the test date" |
| HSK Speaking, advanced (HSKK 3) | "valid for two years, starting from the test date" |
The period is measured from the exam or test date. None of the six level pages in the table says whether the certificate itself expires or what happens to a score after admission.
Why the scholarship guide asks for it
The Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship uses HSK levels as eligibility conditions for Chinese-taught programs. Under section IV, item 8, an applicant for a Chinese-taught general scholar program (excluding Chinese language majors) must have passed HSK Level 3. Item 9 sets HSK Level 3 for a Chinese-taught senior scholar program. Item 10 sets HSK Level 4 for a Chinese-taught master's or doctoral program.
Section VI, item 5 says applicants for master's, doctoral, general scholar and senior scholar programs taught in Chinese must submit a valid HSK score report that meets the corresponding Chinese language proficiency requirement. Section VI, item 5 sets no time limit for that report. The guide does not define "valid" anywhere in its text; the two-year period comes from the test pages.
These are conditions of that scholarship. They do not state the rule for studying in China in general.
Where to check the rest
For a question about how the guide applies to a particular application, the CSC admission contacts in section VII of the guide are the named offices to ask. Questions about a university's own language rules should go to the university's international student office.
Related questions
Does the two-year HSK period start on the exam date?
Yes. The HSK Level 3 page says the scores are valid for two years "starting from the day of the exam". The Level 4, 5 and 6 pages say "starting from the exam date".
Is HSK Speaking valid for the same two years?
Yes. The HSKK 2 and HSKK 3 pages both say the scores are valid for two years "starting from the test date".
Which HSK level does the scholarship guide require for a Chinese-taught master's program?
Section IV, item 10 of the guide sets HSK Level 4 for a Chinese-taught master's or doctoral program.
Sources
- HSK Level 3 — Chinese Tests Service Website (chinesetest.cn), Chinese Testing International
- HSK Level 4 — Chinese Tests Service Website (chinesetest.cn), Chinese Testing International
- HSK Level 5 — Chinese Tests Service Website (chinesetest.cn), Chinese Testing International
- HSK Level 6 — Chinese Tests Service Website (chinesetest.cn), Chinese Testing International
- HSKK Intermediate — Chinese Tests Service Website (chinesetest.cn), Chinese Testing International
- HSKK Advanced — Chinese Tests Service Website (chinesetest.cn), Chinese Testing International
- Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship — China Scholarship Council (Campus China, campuschina.org)
Checked 11 October 2026
This page is an unofficial summary and is not legal or immigration advice. It is not published by or affiliated with the bodies named. If the official text differs, the official text and the instructions of the university, embassy or exit-entry office handling your case prevail.