New online "at home" HSK exam dates: Oct & Dec 2020

[mungouk]

New online "at home" HSK exam dates have just been announced for 31 October and 12 December:

 

http://www.chinesetest.cn/gonewcontent.do?id=44581484&fbclid=IwAR2KBgwNNiBSrfqchBwM2xKZCEsLg6_MRpf8FwgfdxCyw6IASFNJCuYDN4U

 

The software looks like it will be the same as in the last batch of exams back in May and June.  See the earlier thread for more information.

[xinoxanu]

Thanks Mungouk, might consider it if time allows

[mungouk]

Update:

 

There's nothing on their website at present, but the Confucius Institute at Manchester University have just confirmed that they will be running the "at home" online test in December, but not in October.

 

[kouch]

Hi, 

 

Thanks!

 

Received an email from the Confucius Institute at Cleveland State University. They'll be running the exam in October, but I find the fees quite expensive.
If you have any information about other centres running it in October, it would be nice to share

 

Thank you

 

Kenza

[mungouk]

@lulu2064 reported taking the at-home test with the Confucius Institute at UNC Charlotte in May, so you could ask them if they're running them again?

 

How much is "quite expensive"?

 

For the at-home HSK 4 that I took in the UK in June (University of Nottingham) I paid £40 — about USD 50.   They were charging about £10 higher for each level I think.

[kouch]

80 USD for HSK 4, 95 for HSK5, i've never paid that much for a HSK exam, they have administration fees that get more expensive as the level increases, which I don't understand...

 

HSK Test Center Karlsruhe is running it! For 35 euros HSK4 and 50 euros HSK5!

 

Kenza

[mungouk]

FWIW when I took HSK 3 in Shanghai two years ago, the charge was RMB 350, so that's about the same ball-park... USD 50.

 

[Reka]

Hello All,

I cannot open the https://test.chinesetest.cn:36165/ website from Europe. Has anyone else experiened the same?

I also tried to download the client via a direct link, but it said access forbidden.

 

[mungouk]

Same here, in the UK.  Also the client software doesn't connect... just sits there with a white screen, so I guess the system is down just now.

 

I have a copy of the original ZIP file with the software in, although it's no use until the system comes back up.

 

Here's a copy on WeTransfer, available for 7 days: https://we.tl/t-SIEqcyDrkS

 

This was scanned with AVG and declared clean, plus I was using it daily in June. 

 

 

[Reka]

Thank you! 

I hope they will restore the connection. I might as well skip the "real" December test due to the panademic situation (we only have HK twice a year over here), and if there is no computer test, I will have more time to prepare for the March exam date. 

[mungouk]

Leeds Confucius Institute (UK) will also be running the at home test on 12 December, for levels 1-4:

 

https://twitter.com/LeedsConfucius/status/1308753822798483459

[kouch]

Hi guys,

 

I came to know that the Confucius Institute in Erfurt, Germany, is running the exam in October.
I contacted them but they told me that I'm not allowed to take the exam as I don't live in Germany...

 

Has someone experienced that before?
 

Kenza

[mungouk]

27 minutes ago, kouch said:

I contacted them but they told me that I'm not allowed to take the exam as I don't live in Germany...

 

Has someone experienced that before?

 

I suppose this is a very weak attempt at security...?

 

The tests all seem to be organised according to local time,  9am for HSK 2, 4, 6 and 1.30pm for HSK 1, 3, 5. 

 

So for example if you're in the US but doing a test at 9am in Germany that would mean you could take it again — or maybe advise a friend on the contents — at 9am local time in the US.

 

 

 

[kouch]

@mungouk Hi, thanks. Sorry, maybe I was not clear, but I actually want to attend the test at the same time as everyone. If the test is at 9am in Germany, I'll join at this time.  Not at my 9am, if that makes sense

 

 

[mungouk]

1 minute ago, kouch said:

I actually want to attend the test at the same time as everyone.

 

Yes, but if you do that then you will have advance knowledge of the test in the US, when it finally comes around at 9am local time... you see?

 

 

[kouch]

@mungouk But all the people who will attend this 9am exam will also have advance knowledge, whether it's me or them doesn't make a different, right?

 

I live in Qatar, where there's just 1 hour of difference with Germany.
If the test is at 9am is Germany, I'll make sure I'm connected at 10am here to join the exam.

 

Does that make sense ?

 

Kenza

[mungouk]

Ah I assumed you were in the US since you were talking about the Cleveland CI.

 

In any case, I think this is the reason for the "rule" that you have to be in the same country where the test is conducted.  (Also same timezone!?)

 

This is all my assumption.

 

 

[kouch]

@mungouk yes, might be the case. I contacted another centre in Germany, they seem to be fine with it, i'll confirm with them and will update you

 

Thanks!

 

Kenza

[brigitte]

@kouch Could you tell us what center was fine with you being abroad signing up through them? I live in Taiwan so I'm interesed too.

[brigitte]

I’ve emailed basically every Confucius institute in the UK running the session in December and they all told me that I should be in UK to take the test.

For those who did take the test on may, is there any kind of location check on the day of the test? Maybe they have access to that information through their software? Or even during the inscription? If it’s only on the test day I’m actually considering using a vpn...