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HSK 3.0 Starts December 13, 2026: Format, Word Counts, Dates
10 tháng 10, 2026
Quick answer
CTI has set December 13, 2026 as the first official HSK 3.0 sitting. What each band tests, word counts from the 2025 syllabus, and which sitting to pick.
CTI, the body that runs the HSK worldwide, announced on September 9, 2026 that HSK 3.0 launches officially worldwide with the Sunday, December 13, 2026 sitting. Registration for that sitting closes at 24:00 Beijing time on November 16 for the paper test and on December 3 for the computer test.
That is CTI's date. Your test center publishes its own calendar and registration window, and its notices do not always match CTI's. One example: the December 13 notice from Hanoi National University of Education in Vietnam still lists the old format for that date (HSK 3 in 90 minutes plus a 30-minute beginner speaking test). The notice may simply not be updated yet, or the center may switch later; we cannot tell which. So before you pay, ask your center one question: does my sitting use the HSK 3.0 format or the old one?
This post collects what has been published officially, keeps apart what has not, and helps you pick a sitting.
Frequently asked questions
When does HSK 3.0 start?+
CTI says the first official HSK 3.0 sitting worldwide is Sunday, December 13, 2026. Registration closes at 24:00 Beijing time on November 16 for the paper test and December 3 for the computer test. Ask your test center which format your sitting uses.
Was July 18, 2026 the first HSK 3.0 exam?+
No. The July 18 and August 23 sittings were regular sittings in CTI's HSK 1–6 and HSK Speaking Test calendar. The official HSK 3.0 start is December 13, 2026.
Does HSK 3.0 have a speaking test at every band?+
No. In the official sample papers, Bands 1 and 2 have no speaking test, Bands 3 to 6 each have their own speaking test, and Bands 7 to 9 include speaking in the main exam.
How many words does each HSK 3.0 band need?+
Under the HSK exam syllabus published in November 2025, the cumulative counts are 300 for Band 1, 500 for Band 2, 1,000 for Band 3, 2,000 for Band 4, 3,600 for Band 5, 5,400 for Band 6 and 11,000 for Bands 7 to 9.
What is the HSK 3.0 pass mark?+
As of October 10, 2026, CTI has not published a score scale or pass mark for HSK 3.0. The 180/300 and 60/100 figures you often see are HSK 2.0 and HSKK pass marks.
HSK 3.0 timeline so far
Milestone
Date
Source
HSK 3.0 exam syllabus published
November 2025 (cover says "implemented July 2026")
HSK exam syllabus
CTI announces the official start date
September 9, 2026
CTI notice
Second worldwide trial sitting, Bands 1–6
September 20, 2026
CTI notice of August 12, 2026
First official HSK 3.0 sitting worldwide
December 13, 2026
CTI notice of September 9, 2026
One date gets misread a lot. The syllabus cover says "implemented July 2026", but that is when the syllabus took effect, not when regular sittings moved to the new papers. In July, several articles, one of ours included, read it as "every sitting from July 18 is HSK 3.0". CTI's September 9 notice shows that was wrong. The July 18 and August 23 sittings were regular sittings in CTI's HSK 1–6 and HSK Speaking Test calendar.
What each band tests
The official sample papers released in September 2026 give the structure below. Times include 5 minutes for filling in your personal details.
Band
Written test
Speaking test
Band 1
40 items: listening 20, reading 20. About 40 min
None
Band 2
60 items: listening 25, reading 25, writing 10. About 60 min
None
Band 3
70 items: listening 30, reading 30, writing 10. About 83 min
15 items, about 15 min
Band 4
70 items: listening 32, reading 32, writing 6. About 85 min
5 items, about 20 min
Band 5
72 items: listening 35, reading 35, writing 2. About 110 min
5 items, about 23 min
Band 6
82 items: listening 40, reading 40, writing 2. About 125 min
5 items, about 23 min
Bands 7–9
91 items: listening 40, reading 40, writing 2, translation 4, speaking 5. About 200 min
Part of the main exam
If you know HSK 2.0, three changes stand out.
Speaking goes with your band. The three-tier HSKK (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced) gives way to a separate speaking test for each band from 3 to 6. For the September 20 trial, CTI required Band 3 to 6 candidates to register for the matching speaking test together with the written test. The December 13 notice does not repeat that rule, so prepare as if speaking is required. The Band 3 speaking test has 8 listen-and-repeat items at 10 seconds each, 5 picture items at 15 seconds each, and 2 questions where you get 3 minutes to prepare and 1.5 minutes to answer.
Writing starts at Band 2. The Band 2 sample paper already has 10 writing items. At Band 3, writing is 5 items where you write the character for a given pinyin and 5 items where you use a given word to make a sentence about a picture.
Translation appears only at Bands 7–9. Bands 1 to 6 have no translation section.
How many words each band needs
The HSK exam syllabus published in November 2025 numbers its word list continuously from Band 1 to Bands 7–9, so you can read the cumulative count for each band straight off the list:
Band
HSK 3.0 (2025 exam syllabus)
HSK 2.0
1
300
150
2
500
300
3
1,000
600
4
2,000
1,200
5
3,600
2,500
6
5,400
5,000
7–9
11,000
None
The jump is big at the lower bands. Band 1 doubles, and Bands 3 and 4 grow by about two thirds. By Band 6 the two standards are close: 5,400 against 5,000.
You may have seen Band 1 listed at about 500 words or Band 3 at about 2,245. Those figures come from the 2021 proficiency standard, a different document from the 2025 exam syllabus. For exam prep, go by the exam syllabus.
Who this affects
You already hold an HSK 2.0 certificate. CTI has not announced that issued certificates will be cancelled. What matters is the institution reading your application, since many universities and employers only accept results from about the last two years. More in Is your HSK 2.0 certificate still valid?
You test before December 13, 2026. Since CTI names December 13 as the official start, regular sittings before it should still use the old format. In Vietnam, the published notices for October 17 and November 7 confirm this. Elsewhere, read your center's notice or ask the center directly.
You test on December 13 or later. Prepare for the 3.0 structure above, and still confirm with your center, because center notices can lag behind CTI.
You are at Band 1 or 2. There is no speaking test at these bands, but the word counts are double or close to double the old levels, and Band 2 already has writing.
You are at Bands 3 to 6. The biggest change is the speaking test for your band. If you have only practiced listening and reading so far, start speaking practice now.
If you still want the old format
According to CTI's 2026 calendar, the last HSK 1–6 sitting before the official launch is Saturday, November 7, but ask your center which sittings it actually runs. CTI's general registration deadlines for it are October 11 for the paper test and October 28 for the computer test, and centers often close earlier. Hanoi National University of Education, for example, closed registration for its November 7 paper sitting on October 6.
If November 7 is no longer open at your center, move your prep to HSK 3.0. So far, no official notice says the old format will run after December 13.
For sittings, centers and reference fees in Vietnam, see our 2026 HSK test dates page.
Not announced yet
You will see confident claims about the following online, but as of October 10, 2026 there is no official document for any of them:
The HSK 3.0 score scale and pass marks. 180/300 and 60/100 are the HSK 2.0 and HSKK pass marks.
An end date for HSK 2.0. CTI has said when 3.0 starts, not when 2.0 stops.
Whether every test center switches exactly on December 13. At least one center's notice still lists the old format.
How speaking is scored, and how character input works on the computer test. The sample papers give questions and timings, not marking guides.
We will update this post when CTI publishes more, and note the update date at the bottom.
How to prepare now
Not sure of your level? Take a free mock test first. Our HSK 3 mock test and HSK 4 mock test follow the HSK 2.0 format, which is what you will sit before December 13, and the vocabulary and reading practice carries over to 3.0.
For the listen-and-repeat part of the new Band 3 speaking test, the HSKK Beginner mock test has repeat items, and AI scores your pronunciation and tones against the model sentence. To check a single sentence, record it on the pronunciation check.
Compiled by the HSK Ace team on October 10, 2026 from CTI notices (chinesetest.cn), the HSK exam syllabus, the official HSK 3.0 sample papers and test center notices. Dates and rules can change, so check your test center's notice before you register.
Will my HSK 2.0 certificate be cancelled?+
CTI has not announced any cancellation of issued HSK 2.0 certificates. What usually matters is the institution reading your application, since many only accept results from about the last two years.