Testing your Chinese (CEFR)
Finding the right course takes three steps; Test your language level, then find courses for your level and then choose your pathway.
Step 1: Test your language level
Important, please read
These are indicative self-checks to help you choose a course, not formal qualifications or a substitute for a recognised proficiency exam. We do not run them and are not responsible for their content. Availability, cost and accuracy change over time. Our research is a starting point, and you will likely need to do some of your own. If in doubt, get in touch.
Which form the tests assess
A few things shape how a Chinese result should be read:
These tests assess Mandarin (Putonghua), which is the standard for professional Translation and Interpreting.
They use Simplified characters, the mainland standard. If you work mainly in Traditional characters, a Simplified-based result may not reflect your written strength, which matters for Translation.
The usual Chinese qualification is the HSK, which has its own levels and only maps loosely to the CEFR (see below). The HSK is also mid-transition from a six-level system to a nine-level one, so you may see either.
The test/s we have found:
We couldn't find a free official quick test that reports CEFR directly, so for a fast result we point to a reputable free test.
EF offers a free Mandarin Chinese test that gives an instant level estimate in around 15 minutes.
It is one of the more credible free options, and indicative rather than a certification.
Link: ef.edu/test/chinese
Most other free Chinese tests report an HSK level rather than a CEFR level, which you then map across using the guide below.
Please let us know if these links don’t work or you find a better test - this can help other students!
If you need formal proof
Should an employer or university ever ask for certified proof of your Chinese, the recognised qualification is the HSK (Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi), the official exam of the PRC Ministry of Education, with the HSKK testing speaking. It uses Mandarin and Simplified characters. It is a paid, formal exam separate from choosing a course with us.
Reading / 'mapping' your result
If your test gave a CEFR level, it reads straight across to our course levels (B1 upwards). If it gave an HSK level (the six-level system), use this approximate guide, treating it as rough since the HSK and CEFR do not line up neatly and the HSK tends to overstate at the top:
HSK 1 is roughly A1
HSK 2 is roughly A2
HSK 3 is roughly A2 to B1
HSK 4 is roughly B1 to B2
HSK 5 is roughly B2 to C1
HSK 6 is often nearer B2 to C1 in practice, despite sometimes being labelled C2
If your result uses the newer nine-level HSK, or you land on a boundary, take the lower level as your working level and contact us if you are unsure.
Step 2: Find courses for your level
Now that you have your CEFR level, go back and find the courses available to you: find courses for your level at linguisttraining.com/whichcourse#findcourses.
Step 3: Choose your pathway
From there, choose whether you want to qualify as a Translator, an Interpreter, or both, and follow the pathway that leads to your recognised professional qualification.
Last reviewed: June 2026
You can also enrol on one of our Translation Practices to truly test your written language level. We provide an appropriate Source Text (often an exam past paper) that you translate, then one of our LanguagePartners will proofread it and provide guidance / scoring - it’s an excellent way of ascertaining your written translation level. Find these at linguisttraining.thinkific.com/collections/translationpracticegeneral.
