The HSK test is administered by the Hanban(the abbreviation for the Office of Chinese Language Council International). HSK stands for the Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi, pronounced in Pinyin: Hànyǔ Shuǐpíng Kǎoshì, translated as the Chinese Proficiency Test. It is the standardized test of Standard Chinese language proficiency of China.
The HSK test approximates the English TOEFL. The test aims to be a certificate of language proficiency for higher educational and professional purposes for non-native speakers such as foreign students and overseas Chinese.
HSK provides Chinese language test standards for Chinese learners to test their academic performance, study in China, apply for scholarships to study in China, conduct teaching evaluations in schools, and recruit and promote employers.
Like HSK, YCT is also administered by the Hanban. YCT stands for Youth Chinese Test. It is an international standardized test of Chinese language proficiency. It assesses young foreign students’ abilities to use Chinese in their daily and academic lives.