3 Best HSK Courses to Learn Online | All Levels Included

The Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi (HSK) is an internationally recognized standard Chinese language test. Non-natives who want to study and work in China or get a job that requires proficiency in Chinese generally need to pass on the highest level of the HSK.

Based on my experience, passing the HSK test can be extremely difficult, especially at the higher levels. This is because you need to remember up to 11000 words and understand how to use them in a real-world context (speaking, writing, etc.) by heart.

Although many passed the HSK tests by self-studying through books, I find the path tedious and time-consuming. It would be more effective to learn live online from professional HSK instructors who are native Chinese speakers.

This is because your instructor can help you identify your weaknesses, clarify several points that you are confused about, and provide you with tips and techniques that will help you pass the exam in a single attempt.

You can enroll in online training through various online Chinese schools. Unfortunately, not all schools are trustworthy or offer decent training. Hence, you have to choose carefully; otherwise, you can become a victim of scammers.

I decided to do the heavy lifting for you. This article will provide you with a list of top-notch online HSK courses or training that you can reliably take to prepare for the HSK exam. You can then select the school that suits your preferences and start learning right away.

Affiliate Disclosure: This blog post from Victory Tale contains affiliate links. We will receive a small commission from our partners if you enroll in the training through those links.

Nonetheless, we always value integrity and prioritize our audience’s interests. Hence, you can rest assured that we will present each course truthfully.

Things You Should Know

New Format for HSK Exam

As of 2022, the HSK curriculum has a new format (introduced in 2021). It currently comprises 9 levels in 7 tests.

The new one will be much more in-depth compared to the previous format. To pass the final level (HSK7-9), you will need to understand complicated and abstract materials, including classical Chinese expressions popularly used in the modern context.

Hence, it is more necessary than before to learn HSK from a professional Chinese instructor who can clarify this complicated stuff in detail.

Criteria

Below are the criteria for the best HSK courses/training:

1. eChineseLearning

eChineseLearning is unarguably one of the finest options for HSK training. Throughout the past 16 years, the school has trained numerous students to succeed in the HSK test.

Instructors

All eChineseLearning instructors are native Chinese speakers who are certified teachers with years of teaching experience. Hence, you can be confident that the quality of instruction will be top-notch.

Curriculum and Format

According to the website, eChineseLearning’s curriculum is still based on the former test format. There are six courses in total designed exclusively for HSK 1-6.

I think the curriculum will be updated soon to reflect the new test format. eChineseLearning is the online Chinese language school that offers the most diverse and advanced Chinese language courses (they even have a standalone course on Chinese culture).

Therefore, they are more ready than other competitors to provide high-level training for HSK 7-9.

Those who have taken the HSK test before can select the level at will. However, others can take a free Chinese proficiency test to determine the HSK level they belong to.

Unlike many others that strictly follow the standard HSK curriculum, eChineseLearning adjusts the training according to each student’s preferences, learning style, pace, or even cultural background.

Hence, you will get a personalized learning experience, which can be extremely helpful in identifying your weaknesses so that you can score better on the test.

All lessons are 1-to-1 and conducted through eChineseLearning’s online classroom platform. Hence, you will gain access to specific features that assist your language learning (schools that offer HSK online courses via regular video conference tools (Zoom/Skype) cannot provide those).

Each session lasts 50 minutes, which I believe is an optimal length for students to “digest” the knowledge they have learned. However, you have complete flexibility in scheduling. Thus, you can book multiple continual sessions a day (if your preferred instructor is available).

The best part is that eChineseLearning is one of the few online schools that allows you to schedule your online classes at any time (24/7). Therefore, timezones and irregular study/work timetables will not cause an issue.

If you are still unsure whether eChineseLearning is the right choice for you, I suggest taking the free lesson to assess the quality of instruction.

Note: In addition to a regular HSK course, eChineseLearning also offers a prep course for the HSKK test. HSKK is the HSK equivalent for verbal skills. International students or non-native Chinese speakers usually take it to demonstrate their Chinese fluency.

Currently, there are very few online schools that offer such programs. Thus, if you plan to take the HSKK, eChineseLearning is 100% worth your consideration.

Pricing

You will need to buy a subscription package consisting of multiple lessons per month. The price per lesson will depend on package duration and the number of lessons you need each month.

Generally speaking, you should expect to pay $25-$40 per hour (adjusted).

Pros & Cons

2. Preply

Preply is the best option to choose from if you want complete flexibility. Unlike other alternatives above, Preply is NOT a Chinese language school but a tutoring marketplace that connects students with Chinese teachers.

Choosing Your HSK Instructor & Pricing

Since Preply has more than 5900 Chinese tutors, you need to pick your HSK instructor carefully. Otherwise, the learning experience may not be worth your time and investment.

First, you need to select “HSK” from the specialties menu. This setting will filter out tutors who cannot teach HSK.

The next step is to select “Only Chinese Native Speakers.” This option is not necessary since non-native instructors might also teach HSK well.

However, I think the chance that they will be better than native speakers is slim. Thus, I recommend sticking with instructors who are native Chinese.

The final step is to view their profile. I suggest selecting a certified instructor with the highest academic credentials (Ph.D. or Master’s Degree in Linguistics, Journalism, etc.) possible and years of experience in teaching HSK or high-level Chinese.

Keep in mind that the higher the HSK level, the more complicated the language. Hence, only a few native speakers can teach you this stuff. This is why you should stick to the cream of the crop.

Another vital factor to consider is the price per hour. However, the overall fees are much lower than eChineseLearning and Instant Mandarin. You can take a lesson with an instructor of high caliber by paying approximately $10 per hour.

Once you have completed the selection process, you can schedule a trial lesson with your chosen instructor. This lesson is not free. You will pay all total lesson fees (as determined by your instructor.)

However, if you are unsatisfied with your instructor, you can request a full refund or schedule another trial lesson with another instructor without paying extra fees.

Curriculum

Preply is known for personalized language learning. Thus, this approach applies to HSK as well. The instructor will consider your preferences and goals when creating a curriculum.

Furthermore, if needed, you can request your instructor to focus on specific parts of the test or even use your own training material in the classes. In other words, you will have a flexible curriculum tailored to your needs.

Pros & Cons

Self-Studying HSK Preparation Courses

Self-studying HSK courses are another excellent method to prepare for the HSK test. They offer top-notch training based on the standard HSK curriculum at a price far less than live training.

I recommend taking self-studying courses along with live training because they explain the vocabulary, grammar points, and other use cases in great detail and provide you with additional crucial learning resources.

You can then review concepts that you may not understand well without bothering your live instructor to explain them again (which will cost you extra fees).

3. HSK Preparation Course by Peking University

This Coursera series consists of step-by-step courses that prepare students for HSK 1-6. You will learn from faculty members of Peking University, one of the most prestigious Chinese universities.

I recommend taking this series before the test date. The reason is that each course delves into test strategies, which I find particularly useful for test takers of all HSK levels.

Course Content

Students can select the course/program according to their target HSK levels.

1. Learn Chinese: HSK Test Preparation Specialization – This specialization comprises four minor courses, covering all HSK 1-3 content. You will learn the best strategies to tackle each part of the test and gain access to several practice tests and questions.

Pricing: Audit (Free), Full Course ($39 per month)

2. Chinese for HSK 4 – This standalone course introduces you to hundreds of HSK 4 vocabulary and offers detailed tips and techniques to improve your score on reading and listening comprehension.

Pricing: Audit (Free), Full Course ($39 one-time)

3. Chinese for HSK 5 – The curriculum structure is similar to HSK 4. However, you will notice a stark difference between this course and previous counterparts. All instructors will not use English in all of the course content. This can help strengthen your skills for the high-level Chinese language proficiency test.

Pricing: Audit (Free), Full Course ($49 one-time)

4. Chinese for HSK 6 – The final course will drill deep into HSK 6 questions. The instructors will explain them in detail and outline the best strategies to tackle them. Like HSK 5 course, this one is entirely in Chinese.

Pricing: Audit (Free), Full Course ($49 one-time)

In every lesson, you will gain access to excellent reading materials and transcripts that will help you practice and prepare for the test.

Pros & Cons

Additional Resources

Super Test– Suppose you run out of HSK practice tests. I suggest you download this HSK prep app (iOS and Android).

You will get ten complete practice tests and thousands of exercises for each HSK level. I found the quality of the tests to be exceptional and match the difficulty of the actual exam.