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Chinese Language Tests
Chinese Placement Test
The Placement Test is only for students who have the intention to TAKE a Chinese course but do not have recent U-M Chinese course credit or do not have an acceptable prior grade. The test results will only serve to "place in" to a class and not to "place out." In other words, the results will only be an internal reference for placement purposes within the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures. We are not obligated to send them to anybody or any unit outside our department.
Fall Placement usually takes place on the Friday before Labor Day. The written part of the test starts at 1:00 PM, followed by oral interviews. An announcement about testing location usually becomes available at the web site of the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures in the summer. NO REGISTRATION IS NEEDED FOR A PLACEMENT TEST. Test-takers can just show up 10 minutes early and start from the room in the announcement. Directions will then be provided as to who should go to which room to do what.
The written test for this purpose is consisted of two parts: (1) translation of designated passages from English into Chinese for all the levels, and (2) an essay of 300-400 characters based on a provided article, which is only required for the third-year and higher levels. This written test lasts about 60 minutes. Waiting time for an oral interview varies.
The Chinese Program reserves the right to modify its placement decisions based on additional information. Although we try to give overrides into courses for each student who passes beyond first year, PLACEMENT IN A COURSE DOES NOT GUARANTEE A PLACE IN THE CLASS. A placement result is good for one year only.
Finally, a student with a placement will not automatically get an override. To get an override, he or she should lose no time in contacting the relevant instructor via e-mail and show up at the first meeting of the class.
Chinese Proficiency Test (HSK)
If a student intends to "place out" so that he or she does not have to take any Chinese course on this campus (or on another campus), he or she should take the Chinese Proficiency Test (or, in pinyin, Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi, hence HSK). We will then have the relevant unit notified of the result with a suggestion whether a certain requirement can be waived. This is a standardized Chinese proficiency test and is considered the most influential method of testing Chinese ability in the world, like the English TOFEL. It is sponsored by the PRC educational authorities. There are fees to take the test.
The first HSK at the University of Michigan was offered on November 14, 1998. The test has been offered on an annual basis since then. In Michigan nowadays, HSK takes place two times in a year: the fall HSK is offered on the University of Michigan campus around the end of October on a Saturday. All HSK-takers must register online. Online registration usually starts in early October and lasts about three weeks. Before a test-taker can access his or her Admission Ticket online after registration, he or she will have to pay the testing fee in cash at the U-M HSK office during announced office hours or send in a money order before the registration deadline. Current test information and registration guide can be accessed at the
U-M HSK page (<--this is a link).
Please notice that this page keeps being updated whenever new information becomes available until the test date. It is strongly advised, therefore, that you check the page again before you try to register.
The spring test is offered by Chinese Schools in the Detroit area (as a U-M HSK Branch Office) in mid-May on a Saturday. An announcement about this test usually appears in local Chinese newspapers in March.
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