Where HSK Level 3 is asked for in the scholarship texts
Two scholarship texts name HSK Level 3. Section IV, items 8 and 9 of the Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship name it for two Chinese-taught scholar programmes. The Level 3 lines in items 4, 5 and 8(a) of the Application Guidelines for International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship 2025 print minimum scores of 180, 210 and 270.
See also HSK on this site. This page covers only where a Level 3 score is asked for. HSK test content is not covered here; the tests are described on the official test site.
Chinese Government Scholarship
The Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship asks for HSK Level 3 in section IV, items 8 and 9. Under section IV, an applicant must meet the listed conditions to be eligible.
- Item 8: an applicant must have passed HSK (Level 3) when applying for a Chinese-taught general scholar program (excluding Chinese language majors).
- Item 9: an applicant must have passed HSK (Level 3) when applying for a Chinese-taught senior scholar program.
- Item 10: an applicant must have passed HSK (Level 4) when applying for a Chinese-taught master's or doctoral program. This is a Level 4 line and is not covered here.
- Item 11: for a program taught in a language other than Chinese, the applicant must meet the admission requirements of the university of preference in terms of language proficiency and academic ability, among others. Item 11 names no HSK level.
Items 8 and 9 print no score. These conditions belong to the Chinese Government Scholarship. This page does not present them as admission rules for self-funded study.
International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship, 2025 guidelines
The Application Guidelines for International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship 2025, published by the Center for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC), name HSK Level 3 in items 4, 5 and 8(a). The dates in these guidelines are for the 2025 cycle. Item 4 gives a start in September 2025. Item 5 gives a start in September 2025 or March 2026. Items 8(a) and 8(b) give a start in September or March each year. Readers must read the current year's guidelines.
| Item | Programme named | HSK Level 3 wording and score | HSKK wording |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4, one-year | International Chinese language education programs | shall have a minimum score of 270 | an HSKK test score is required |
| 4, one-year | Chinese language study programs | shall have a minimum score of 210 | priority will be given to applicants who provide an HSKK test score |
| 5, one-semester | International Chinese language education, Chinese language and literature, Chinese history, or Chinese philosophy programs | shall have a minimum score of 180 | an HSKK test score is required |
| 8(a), online one-year | Online Program for One-Year Chinese Language Study | under most circumstances, a score of 180 is required | priority will be given to those who also provide an HSKK test score |
Other lines in the same guidelines:
- Item 5 also has a line for traditional Chinese medicine or Taiji culture programs. That line requires HSK test scores and names no level.
- Item 8(b), the online one-semester program, requires under most circumstances an HSK test score "regardless of level or score". Item 8(b) names no level.
- Item 4 also has a Level 4 line for Chinese language and literature, Chinese history, and Chinese philosophy programs. That line is not covered here.
These lines are conditions of the International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship. They are not general admission rules for self-funded students.
The HSK Level 3 score report
The official HSK page describes the Level 3 score report. The report shows four scores: Listening, Reading, Writing and Total. The page gives 300 as the full score. It gives 180 as the passing mark for the cumulative score. The page states that HSK scores are valid for two years, starting from the day of the exam.
The 180 on the HSK page is a passing mark. In the 2025 guidelines, 180 is a minimum score in items 5 and 8(a). Items 8 and 9 of the Chinese Government Scholarship guide print no score.
Sources
- Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship, China Scholarship Council (Campus China, campuschina.org)
- Application Guidelines for International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship 2025, Center for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC, chinese.cn)
- HSK and HSKK level pages, Chinese Tests Service Website (chinesetest.cn), Chinese Testing International
Checked 10 October 2026 (2025 guidelines) and 11 October 2026 (the other two pages).
This page is an unofficial summary. It is not legal or immigration advice, and it is not published by the bodies named. The official text and the instructions of the body handling your case prevail if they differ.