The first step for enrolling in all exams: Create an account on www.chinesetest.cn
The first thing you have to do is go to the site www.chinesetest.cn; if you’ve never studied Chinese, look at the highest point on the top right of the page and you’ll see a listing of all available languages (简体中文 | English | 日本語 | 한국어 | Français | Русский | Español), from which you can choose the language that works best for you. For explanations, I will use the command terms in Chinese.
Once you’ve chosen your language, you must create an account by clicking on the blue rectangle with the writing 注册 (registration, see the photo at the beginning of this article).
You’ll then see a form 用户注册 (user registration, see the figure below) to fill out. The writing in parentheses in the middle (以下带*表示必填项) indicates that everything that has an asterisk (*) must be filled out.
In reference to the figure above, here’s a list of the fields that must be filled out:
- Email 地址 (email address): [email protected] (use an email address that you check often)
- 密码 (password): rowling123 (it must be at least 6 letters long, and obviously don’t use the password we’ve used as an example!)
- 密码确认 (confirm password): rowling123
- 国籍 (nationality): English
- 母语 (native language): English
- 出生日期 (date of birth): 31 July 1980
- 您是 (You are a): 学生 (student), 在职人员 (employee), 其他 (other) [select an option]
- 你学习汉语多长时间了 (how long have you studied Chinese): 1年 (one year)
- : 你为什么要学习汉语 (reason for leaning Chinese): 研究 (research), 个人兴趣 (personal interests), 工作需要 (work reasons), 留学 (studies abroad) [select an option]
- 验证码 (confirmation code): [insert the code that will appear]
- 我已经阅读并同意《注册协议》(I have read and accepted the registration terms): [click on the checkbox].
Once you’ve filled out the form, click on the blue button to the lower left 提交 (send).
Signing up for the HSK, HSKK, BTC and YCT exams
Signing up for the HSK, HSKK, BTC and YCT exams is done exactly the same. The only thing that changes is the level you choose: for the HSK there are levels from 1 to 6; for the HSKK there’s 初级 (elementary), 中级 (intermediate) and 高级 (advanced);for the BTC there are levels A, B and 口语; for the YCT there are 一，二，三，四，五，口试初级 (elementary oral)，口试中级 (intermediate oral).
At some Confucius Institutes you can no longer sit for the BTC and YCT exams, while you can take the HSKK once or twice a year. So I will use the example of enrolling for the HSK exam to help you understand better, since the HSK is the most traditional and most requested.
Once done with the registration (see the previous section), go back to the www.chinesetest.cn homepage to log in: to the right you’ll find a form with three fields to fill out (the first two of the same size while the last is smaller) preceded by the following words:
- 用户名 (user name): [email protected] [you have to use the registered email address]
- 密码 (password): rowling123 [use the same password as at registration]
- 验证码 (confirmation code): [insert the code you see]
When done with that, click on 登录 (log in).
You’ll then see the message: [email protected] 已经登录成功！([email protected] has successfully logged in), followed by other writing that’s underlined and in bold letters:
进入个人信息中心 (go to the personal information center) and 立即报名 (register immediately).
Click on 立即报名 (register immediately).
You will see a rectangle with options. The labels are in the following order: 汉语水平考试HSK, 汉语水平口语考试HSKK, 中小学生汉语考试YCT, 商务汉语考试BCT.
Since in this example we’re looking to enroll in the HSK level 1 , click on option 汉语水平考试HSK (which is usually already chosen).
You’ll see all six levels of the HSK exam in order of lowest to highest:
HSK一级报名 (HSK level 1)
HSK二级报名 (HSK level 2)
HSK三级报名 (HSK level 3)
HSK四级报名 (HSK level 4)
HSK五级报名 (HSK level 5)
HSK六级报名 (HSK level 6)
The enrollment procedure is the same for all levels, with the only difference being that starting from the fourth level they require a passport-type photo.
So click on HSK一级报名 (HSK level 1).
You’ll then see the following message:
HSK（一级）考查考生的日常汉语应用能力，它对应于《国际汉语能力准》一级、《欧洲语言共同参考框架（CEF）》A1级。通过HSK（一级）的考生可以理解并使用一些非常简单的汉语词语和句子，满足具体的交际需求，具备进一步学习汉语的能力。
HSK（一级）主要面向按每周2-3课时进度学习汉语一个学期（半学年），掌握150个最常用词语和相关语法知识的考生。
You really don’t care to know what the message at the end of registration means.
So click on the blue button: 立即报名 (register now).
You’ll then see the following (the data we’ve inserted is obviously just an example):
HSK一级 –报
- –考点选择 (HSK level 1 – Registration – Choose the place of the exam)
- 洲 (Continent)：欧洲 (Europe)
- 国家/地区 (Nation/place):意大利 (Italy)
- 考试形式 (exam format): 纸笔考 (pen and paper), 机网考 (computer)
- 考点 (place of exam): 意大利恩纳科雷大学孔子学院 (Università Istituto Confucio Kore di Enna, Italia)
- 考试时间 (date of exam): 2018-07-14
- 我已经阅读并同意《汉语考试考生须知》(I have read and accepted the notice of the exam): [click on the little box]
After that click on 提交 (send).
When you’ve done that, another form called HSK 1级—报名—考生信息注册 (registration of information of the one taking the exam, HSK 1 registration) will appear, and is to be filled out like this:
- 用户名 (user name): [email protected]
- 姓名 (name and surname): Potter Harry
- 中文姓名 (Chinese name): [if you don’t have a Chinese name leave this blank]
- 性别 (gender): 男 (male), 女 (female) [make sure you don’t mess this up because otherwise during certification you’ll end up with the wrong sex and some examination centers won’t let you take the test]
- 生日 (date of birth): 31 July 1980
- 国籍 (nationality): English
- 母语 (native language): English
- 证件类型 (document type): 护照 (passport), 身份证 (identity card), 居留证 (stay permit), 其他 (other) [choose one]
- 证件号码 (document number): AX 398421
- 联系电话 (telephone number): 345 084 1807
- 你学习汉语多长时间了 (how long you have been learning Chinese): 1年
- 您是 (You are a): 学生 (student), 在职人员 (employee), 其他 (other) [choose one]
- 推广码 (promotional code): [you don’t need to write anything here]
- 通信地址 (address at which you can be contacted): Privet Drive, 4, London
- 备注 (notes): [you don’t need to write anything here]
After that click on 下一步 (next step).
You’ll then be directed to a page where you can upload your photo (not required until level 4).
Once again click on下一步 (next step).
At this point you’ll see a summary of your information: make sure everything is correct and click on 确认并提交 (confirm and submit).
These words will appear:
预报名成功，考试确认函已发至您的邮箱 (you will receive a confirmation email)
1.请在 2018-06-17 前到 [preselected Confucius Institute] 交纳考试费或咨询考点交费方式,过期未收到您交纳的考试费,您的考试预定将被自动取消。考试费支付成功以后，不可以取消考试。
2.请仔细核查您所填写的信息是否正确、属实。如发现信息有误且尚未支付考试费，请登录个人中心修改信息；如已支付考试费，请联系考点修改信息。
3.预计从 考试周周一 开始，可以登录本网站，打印您的准考证。
The writing says that you have to provide payment before the date indicated by the preselected Confucius Institute in order to take the exam; check to make sure that everything written is correct and authentic, if not, it’s best to cancel this enrollment attempt and do another one before sending payment.
Important: a week before the test you’ll need to print out the admission ticket from the site, without which they won’t let you take the exam.
At this point, what is there left to do? Once you have sent the wire transfer, scan it (or a high-resolution photo of it converted into PDF format) and attach it to an email along with a registration form (in PDF format, see below for a graphic example), required by the majority of Confucius Institutes; after that send the email to the preselected Confucius Institute and write “Enrollment for HSK exam level 1-14 July 2018” in the message line and in the body you can write something like the following:
Confucius Institute,
I am Harry Potter, a Chinese language student from Hogwarts. With this message I intend to confirm my enrollment for the HSK exam level 1 on 14 July 2018. Attached you will find a scan of my wire transfer and the registration form.
Sincere greetings
H.P.
Below you’ll find a model registration form. You should try to create a similar file on Office Word (or Open Office), fill it out, and then convert it to a PDF:
Please note: ID Type would be the type of document chosen for the registration; ID No. is the number of the document in question.
Now, all you need to do is study! Break a leg! 加油！
