What does YCT stand for?
Why take the YCT Course with EliteKid?
At EliteKid, we use the Standard Course Book for YCT, published by Higher Education Press (HEP), integrating technology to bring the textbook content to life online. Engaging games and visual activities are seamlessly blended into the learning process, making knowledge acquisition easier and more enjoyable for young learners.
Students are paired with highly qualified native-speaking teachers based in China. While developing reading and writing skills through interactive in-class activities, they are also immersed in authentic Mandarin pronunciation, naturally enhancing their listening and speaking abilities.
Our approach ensures balanced exposure to all four key aspects of language learning—Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing—in a fun, interactive environment that fosters intrinsic motivation and a love for learning.
YCT Levels
Written Test
Oral Test
- Test takers who have passed YCT Level I are able to understand and use commonly used Chinese words and sentences, and are able to pursue further study of Chinese.
- Test takers who have passed YCT Level II are able to understand and use some simple Chinese words and sentences, and are able to meet communication demands in specific situations.
- Test takers who have passed YCT Level III are able to use Chinese to conduct simple and direct communication on daily topics they are familiar with and meet the excellence level for Chinese beginners.
- Test takers who have passed YCT Level IV are able to use Chinese to accomplish basic communication tasks in life and study. When travelling in China, they can handle most of the communication tasks they encounter.
For more information on the test, please refer to the following official test taking organization based in Singapore:
https://hsk-crestar.com.sg/youth-chinese-test-yct/
YCT Curriculum Guide
Test Structure
The YCT (Level 1) exam is divided into two sections: listening and reading, featuring a total of 35 questions. The entire exam lasts 35 minutes, which includes 5 minutes for completing personal information.
| Test content | Number of test questions（items） | Test duration | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Listening | Section 1 | 5 | 20 | About 10 minutes |
| Section 2 | 5 | |||
| Section 3 | 5 | |||
| Section 4 | 5 | |||
| Reading | Section 1 | 5 | 15 | 15 minutes |
| Section 2 | 5 | |||
| Section 3 | 5 | |||
| Filling in the answer sheet (transferring the answers of the listening part to the answer sheet) | 5 minutes | |||
| Total | 35 | About 30 minutes | ||
Test start time (all local times): 09:00.
The YCT (Level 1) score report includes scores for listening, reading, and the overall total. The highest possible score is 200, with a passing score being 120 or higher. YCT scores remain valid for an extended period.
The YCT (Level 2) exam is divided into two sections: listening and reading, featuring a total of 40 questions. The exam lasts 50 minutes, which includes 5 minutes for filling in test-taker information.
| Test content | Number of test questions（items） | Test duration | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Listening | Section 1 | 5 | 20 | About 15 minutes |
| Section 2 | 5 | |||
| Section 3 | 5 | |||
| Section 4 | 5 | |||
| Reading | Section 1 | 5 | 20 | 25 minutes |
| Section 2 | 5 | |||
| Section 3 | 5 | |||
| Section 4 | 5 | |||
| Filling in the answer sheet (transferring the answers of the listening part to the answer sheet) | 5 minutes | |||
| Total | 40 | About 45 minutes | ||
Test Start Time (All local times): 09:00.
The YCT (Level 2) score report includes scores for listening, reading, and the total score. The highest possible score is 200, with a passing score being 120 or above. YCT scores remain valid for an extended period.
The YCT (Level 3) exam is divided into two sections: listening and reading, with a total of 60 questions. The exam duration is 60 minutes, which includes 5 minutes for filling in test-taker information.
| Test content | Number of test questions（items） | Test duration | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Listening | Section 1 | 10 | 35 | About 20 minutes |
| Section 2 | 10 | |||
| Section 3 | 10 | |||
| Section 4 | 5 | |||
| Reading | Section 1 | 5 | 25 | 25 minutes |
| Section 2 | 5 | |||
| Section 3 | 5 | |||
| Section 4 | 10 | |||
| Filling in the answer sheet (transferring the answers of the listening part to the answer sheet) | 10 minutes | |||
| Total | 60 | About 55 minutes | ||
Test Start Time (All local times): 09:00.
The YCT (Level 3) score report provides scores for listening, reading, and the total score. The maximum score is 200, and a passing score is 120 or higher. YCT scores remain valid for an extended period.
The YCT (Level 4) exam consists of three sections: listening, reading, and writing, with a total of 80 questions. The exam lasts 85 minutes, including 5 minutes for filling in test-taker information.
| Test content | Number of test questions（items） | Test duration | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Listening | Section 1 | 10 | 40 | About 30 minutes |
| Section 2 | 10 | |||
| Section 3 | 10 | |||
| Section 4 | 10 | |||
| Reading | Section 1 | 5 | 30 | 25 minutes |
| Section 2 | 10 | |||
| Section 3 | 10 | |||
| Section 4 | 5 | |||
| Writing | Section 1 | 5 | 10 | 15 minutes |
| Section 2 | 5 | |||
| Filling in the answer sheet (transferring the answers of the listening part to the answer sheet) | 10 minutes | |||
| Total | 80 | About 80 minutes | ||
Test Start Time (All local times): 09:00.
The YCT (Level 4) score report includes scores for listening, reading, and the total score. The maximum possible score is 300, with a passing score of 180 or higher. YCT scores remain valid for an extended period.
The YCT Oral (Primary) exam consists of three sections, with a total of 25 questions. The exam duration is 19 minutes, including 7 minutes of preparation time.
| Test content | Number of test questions（items） | Test duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Section 1 | Listen and Repeat | 15 | 6 minutes |
| Section 2 | Listen and Reply | 5 | 2 minutes |
| Section 3 | LIsten and Answer | 5 | 4 minutes |
| Total | 25 | 19 minutes, including 7 minutes of preparation time | |
Test Start Time (All local times): 11:00.
The YCT Oral Test (Primary Level) has a maximum score of 100, with a passing score of 60 or higher.
The YCT Oral (Intermediate) test is divided into three sections, with a total of 14 questions. The exam lasts 21 minutes, including 10 minutes of preparation time.
| Test content | Number of test questions（items） | Test duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Section 1 | Listen and Repeat | 10 | 5 minutes |
| Section 2 | Listen and Reply | 2 | 3 minutes |
| Section 3 | LIsten and Answer | 2 | 3 minutes |
| Total | 14 | 21 minutes, including 10 minutes of preparation time | |
Test Start Time (All local times): 11:00.
The YCT Oral Test (Intermediate Level) has a maximum score of 100, with a passing score of 60 or higher.
