Exam guide

The complete CSCA exam guide

The China Scholastic Competency Assessment (CSCA) is how Chinese universities screen international applicants for undergraduate admission. It's the same idea as an SAT or A-Level in other systems: a standardized score universities can compare across very different applicant backgrounds.

One thing to keep in mind throughout this page: the CSCA itself is standardized, but which subjects you need and what score counts as competitive is decided separately by each university and program. Treat the numbers below as the framework, and confirm the specifics for your target school directly with them or via csca.cn.

What's tested, and how

Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry are each 48 multiple-choice questions in a 60-minute window, and you can sit any of them in either Chinese or English. Professional Chinese runs longer — 80 questions in 90 minutes — and is Chinese-only, since testing your Chinese proficiency is the point. Every subject is scored independently on a 0–100 scale, so a weak subject doesn't drag down a strong one.

Subject	Language	Time	Length
Mathematics	Chinese or English	60 min	48 MCQ
Physics	Chinese or English	60 min	48 MCQ
Chemistry	Chinese or English	60 min	48 MCQ
Professional Chinese	Chinese only	90 min	80 MCQ

Professional Chinese actually comes in two versions — Humanities and STEM — and your target university or program decides which one you need, not you. Confirm the right one before you register.

The exam is mostly taken at home, online, on a computer. Onsite computer-based test centers are gradually being added in key countries and regions — there's no paper option either way.

If you're sitting more than one subject

Each session runs across two days: Professional Chinese and Mathematics are held on Day 1, Physics and Chemistry on Day 2. Depending on the session, the first subject of the day starts at either 08:00 or 14:00 Beijing time — csca.cn publishes the exact per-subject start times for each session ahead of registration, and your admission ticket has the final word.

Home-based online exams and computer-based exams at physical test centers run at the same time, with the same content, duration, and scoring. Do the timezone math early — if you're testing from outside China, an 08:00 or 14:00 Beijing-time start will likely fall late at night or early morning where you are.

Upcoming sessions and cost

Every confirmed session through June 2027, straight from csca.cn's official schedule. Registration for each one typically opens on csca.cn a few weeks ahead — the two exam dates below are the same for both the home-based online exam and computer-based test centers.

Session	Exam dates	Registration
November 2026	Nov 14–15, 2026	Oct 15–21, 2026 — Registration opening soon
December 2026	Dec 19–20, 2026	Registration not yet open
January 2027	Jan 23–24, 2027	Registration not yet open
March 2027	Mar 13–14, 2027	Registration not yet open
April 2027	Apr 24–25, 2027	Registration not yet open
June 2027	Jun 26–27, 2027	Registration not yet open

Results are released within 10 working days after the exam. Registration windows for sessions past January 2027 haven't been announced yet — check csca.cn directly as your session approaches.

What it costs

¥450 CNY for one subject.

¥700 CNY flat if you're sitting two or more.

Figuring out which subjects you need

Applying for a CSC scholarship

Professional Chinese plus Mathematics is the combination most commonly asked for. Science and engineering majors are often asked for Physics or Chemistry on top of that — but the scholarship channel and the university both drive the final list, so check both before you register.

Applying and paying your own way

Here it depends even more on the specific program: the teaching language, the university, and your major all factor in. Medicine, engineering, and the sciences generally pull in Mathematics, Physics, or Chemistry.

When in doubt, register for the exam that keeps your options widest — dropping a subject you didn't end up needing costs nothing; discovering too late that you're missing one can cost you an admissions cycle.

What's actually on each subject

Mathematics

Algebra and functions
Calculus
Geometry
Probability and statistics

Physics

Mechanics
Electricity and magnetism
Optics
Modern physics

Chemistry

Organic chemistry
Inorganic chemistry
Physical chemistry
Chemical reactions

How we'd approach studying for it

There's no shortage of generic exam advice out there. This is the version we actually built the platform around — each point below maps to something you can do inside CSCA Prep itself.

Find out where you actually stand

Run a diagnostic across each subject before you commit to a study plan. Most students assume they're weaker (or stronger) somewhere than they really are — a few real questions per topic settles it fast.

Study the exam, not the textbook

Past papers repeat the same high-yield topics far more than any syllabus list suggests. Drilling those topics specifically moves your score more than reviewing chapters in order.

Keep a running list of what trips you up

Every missed question goes on the list until you can solve it cold. That list, revisited often, is usually the fastest source of extra points in the final weeks.

Rehearse the real thing

Timing yourself on full-length simulations is the only way to know if your pace holds up under the actual clock — reading a worked solution later is not the same skill as solving it live.

In practice: subject and difficulty practice cover the diagnostic and drilling, missed questions get detailed explanations instead of a bare answer key, and full timed simulations are what stand in for exam-day rehearsal. See how it works for the details.

Ready to see where you stand?

Start with a free practice series — no credit card required, one per subject on the free plan.

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