Step 1 in Your HNC Application

The Hopkins-Nanjing Center Library

It's the first week of classes at the Hopkins-Nanjing Center but here in the admissions office we are already preparing for next year's class.  The first step in the application process is Chinese proficiency testing.  All applicants to the Hopkins-Nanjing Center are required to take the Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL) Chinese proficiency exam. The CAL is the most convenient way to ensure that you will be prepared to study at the Center.

To help you do your best on the CAL, we’ve answered a few commonly asked questions about the exam below:

• The CAL is entirely multiple choice, and focuses mainly on listening and reading comprehension. There is no oral component.
• There are no formal study guides for the exam, but when you request the CAL from our office, we’ll send you an Examinee Handbook that explains the structure of the exam and provides some sample questions.
• You can take the CAL independently with a proctor or at scheduled testing dates in DC or Nanjing. Professors, work supervisors, university administrators, or tutors are all suitable choices to proctor a CAL exam.   
• We are able to send the test anywhere in the world, though do ask that applicants outside of the US and Canada pay for shipping.
• Unlike many standardized tests, the CAL is quite test-taker friendly and requires little preparation for quirks or trick questions. It aims to be a straightforward assessment of Chinese listening, reading, and grammar skills.

Completed CAL materials must be received by the DC office by January 21st to guarantee scoring before the February 1st application deadline.
 

If you are planning to take the CAL exam, we encourage you to submit your CAL test request soon! Good luck!