This standardized test organized by CSC will be a requirement for you to apply for undergraduate programs at Chinese government scholarship institutions from the 2026/2027 academic year. Your CSCA scores, along with high school academic records and other materials, will be the key basis for college admissions and scholarship evaluation.
This Q&A will answer your questions one by one and help you prepare for the exam calmly. Let's take a look!
Question 1 Do I have to take this CSCA exam?
Yes, it is required for most applicants.
Starting from the 2026/2027 academic year, all international students applying for undergraduate programs at Chinese government scholarship institutions must take the CSCA exam before submitting their applications and use their scores as one of the required application materials.
Question 2 What subjects are included in the exam?
The test includes four subjects: Chinese, mathematics, physics, and chemistry.
1. Professional Chinese Major Chinese provides two types of tests: liberal arts Chinese and science Chinese. Applicants who apply for undergraduate professional studies taught in Chinese should take the professional Chinese test in the corresponding direction according to the type of major they are applying for.
Applicants applying for an all-English-taught undergraduate degree education do not need to take a professional Chinese test; Applicants applying for undergraduate Chinese language majors can be exempted from the professional Chinese examination if they can provide a valid HSK Level 4 score report.
2. Basic subject mathematics (compulsory): Mathematics is an important basis for examining the applicant's basic academic ability and thinking logical ability, and mathematics is a compulsory subject regardless of the major you are applying for.
Physics and Chemistry (Elective): Each school can determine whether to require applicants to take the test of elective subjects according to the training needs of the school. In principle, for those applying for science, engineering, agriculture, and medicine, each school requires applicants to take at least one of the above two subjects.
3. Test language Mathematics, physics and chemistry are all provided in Chinese and English, and applicants can choose the language of the test paper according to the language of instruction.
Question 3 If I am not applying for a Chinese government scholarship institution, can I still take this exam?
Absolutely!
We welcome and encourage all students who plan to study in China to take the CSCA exam. An excellent CSCA transcript can be a powerful plus for you to apply to any Chinese university and fully demonstrate your academic ability.
Question 4 When can I register? How much does the exam cost?
1. Registration time: Registration for the first exam will open in November 2025. Please pay close attention to the official website (https://csca.cn) for specific dates.
2. Registration fee: 450 yuan for two or more subjects: 700 yuan
3. Please prepare photos, valid documents and credit cards for registration materials, and please refer to the official website (https://csca.cn) requirements when registering for a specific list of materials.
Question 5 When is the exam usually scheduled? How many opportunities are there in a year?
1. The first test time is December 21, 2025
2. Specific time schedule (Beijing time) Chinese: 13:00-14:30 Mathematics: 15:30-16:30 Physics: 17:30-18:30 Chemistry: 19:30-20:30
Please pay attention to the rest time between examination subjects and make reasonable arrangements.
From 2026, the CSCA exam will enter the normal operation stage, forming a fixed examination cycle, and the examination will be organized five times a year, scheduled in January, March, April, June and December.
Question 6 In what form is the examination conducted?
The CSCA exam offers three test formats: offline centralized computer-based test, paper-based test and home online test, and you can choose the type of exam according to your needs.
1. Centralized computer-based test in authorized test centers, through computers, under standardized conditions.
2. The paper-and-pencil examination is taken in the form of traditional paper and pencil at the authorized test center.
3. Take the online test at home and be monitored in real time by the online invigilator.
In the early stage of the examination, the online test was mainly conducted at home, and offline test centers (centralized computer-based test or paper-based test) were gradually set up in key student source countries and regions. *The specific form and test center information are subject to the actual release on the official website (https://csca.cn).
Question 7 How to check the results after the exam is completed?
After the exam, you can check the exam results on the CSCA official website (https://csca.cn).
Each subject of the CSCA exam is graded on a percentage scale. The release time of the results varies depending on the test format. The results of the home online test and the offline centralized computer-based test will be announced within 7 working days after the test; The paper-and-pencil exam will be announced within 14 working days after the exam.
Question 8 What are the suggestions for exam preparation?
Collect and follow the official website (https://csca.cn), it is the first channel to obtain the most authoritative information. On the official website, you can also download and view exam preparation resources such as the "Exam Syllabus" for the exam subjects.
