Because I have never needed the official certificate, I’ve taken several mock tests, though, and have sat the TOCFL several times (test of mandarin as a foreign language, the proficiency level in Taiwan). I did the mock HSK test and official TOCFL tests for benchmarking purposes, but I also took later twice, the 1st time it was needed for scholarship and the 2nd time because it was needed in the Master’s degree program in teaching Chinese as a foreign language that I was enrolled in. The main difference between the present HSK and the New HSK 3.0 The New HSK system has a further specific level categorization The old HSK test has six levels, while the New HSK 3.0 has three levels, every including three distinct bands. Unlike the present HSK, the New HSK 3.0 has 3 more bands for ranking advanced students. The increased difficulty of New HSK 3.0 standard As compared to the present HSK, there’s a clear increase in the difficulty and collection of words needed for every band. In other meanings, if you took the present HSK exam and passed, that just equals the New HSK 3.0 basic level band ½. Several new words have been included and also a few outdated and less often used words have been dropped from the list. The 4 dimension benchmark for the New HSK 3.0 The New HSK 3.0 uses 4 basic Chinese language elements to form its 4 dimension benchmarks that perfectly determine student’s mandarin proficiency. These benchmarks include vocabulary, grammar, characters, and syllables. Every level and band has its own specific needs for every dimension.