HSK scores asked for by Chinese language study programmes: the 2025 scholarship guidelines
Under the 2025 guidelines of the International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship, the four-week study programme asks for an HSK score with no minimum, the one-semester programme asks for 180 on HSK Level 3 plus an HSKK score, and the one-year Chinese language programme asks for 210 on HSK Level 3. Self-funded language study is different: the national rules set no HSK level, and each university's brochure decides.
The three study programmes side by side
| Programme | Field | HSK | HSKK |
|---|---|---|---|
| Four-week study | Chinese language study, traditional Chinese medicine, Taiji culture, or language plus homestay | A score report, no minimum stated | Not mentioned |
| One-semester study | International Chinese language education, Chinese language and literature, Chinese history, Chinese philosophy | 180 on Level 3 | A score is required |
| One-semester study | Traditional Chinese medicine, Taiji culture | A score report | Priority if provided |
| One-year study | Chinese language study | 210 on Level 3 | Priority if provided |
| One-year study | International Chinese language education | 270 on Level 3 | A score is required |
| One-year study | Chinese language and literature, Chinese history, Chinese philosophy | 180 on Level 4 | 60 on Intermediate |
These lines come from Section II of the guidelines, published by the Center for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC) in January 2025. The 2025 edition was the latest we found on CLEC's website on 10 October 2026. Read the current edition before you apply.
What else the guidelines ask for
- Applicants are non-Chinese citizens aged 16 to 35 on 1 September of the intake year. For in-service Chinese language teachers the limit may be extended to 45.
- HSK and HSKK score reports must be within their two-year validity.
- Every applicant needs a reference letter from the head of a Recommending Institution, such as a Confucius Institute, a selected HSK test centre or a Chinese embassy or consulate.
- In principle, an applicant who received a similar scholarship within the last three years is not eligible for the one-semester or one-year programme.
Start months and length
The four-week programme starts in July or December. The one-semester programme starts in September or March and is funded for up to five months. The one-year programme starts in September and is funded for up to eleven months.
If you are paying your own way
The Measures for the Administration of Schools Recruiting and Educating International Students (Order No. 42) do not set an HSK level for entering study. They say Chinese is the basic language of instruction, that a school may provide remedial study for students whose Chinese falls short (Article 18), and that each university recruits by the conditions in its own published brochure (Article 11). So for a self-funded language course, the requirement is whatever the university's brochure states.
The Chinese Government Scholarship, for comparison
The China Scholarship Council's application guide asks for a pass in HSK Level 3 for Chinese-taught general scholar programmes, but excludes Chinese language majors from that condition. It asks for a pass in HSK Level 4 for Chinese-taught master's and doctoral programmes.
Where to read about the test itself
This site does not cover HSK levels, formats or test dates. They are published on the official test website, chinesetest.cn.
Sources. Application Guidelines for International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship 2025 (PDF), Center for Language Education and Cooperation; Order No. 42 (in Chinese), Ministry of Education; Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship, China Scholarship Council. Checked 10 October 2026. This page is an unofficial summary and is not published by CLEC, the Ministry of Education or the CSC.