CSCA's latest detailed interpretation

The CSCA, or China Scholastic Competency Assessment (CSCA), stands for the China Scholastic Competency Assessment (CSCA), a standardized academic proficiency test for undergraduate students in China. It is administered by the China Scholarship Council (CSC) of the Ministry of Education of China to comprehensively and scientifically assess the academic foundation of incoming undergraduate students. It assesses the language proficiency and academic foundation of international undergraduate applicants, and scores serve as a key consideration for Chinese universities in undergraduate admissions and scholarship evaluation. This article provides a detailed introduction to the CSCA, including its applicable population, exam dates, subjects, fees, score release, and future trends.

1. Eligible Population

• Scholarship applicants (especially Chinese government scholarships);

• International students applying for undergraduate programs in China in 2026 and beyond;

• Self-funded students who meet certain requirements at certain universities.

2. Exam Date

The first global CSCA exam will be administered on December 21, 2025. Starting in 2026, the CSCA will enter its normal operating phase, establishing a fixed exam cycle with five exams held annually in January, March, April, June, and December.

The December, April, and June exams will focus on the Asia-Pacific region, while the January and March exams will have a moderate emphasis on the European and American regions. This ensures that candidates in different time zones around the world can choose a suitable exam time.

3. Exam Subjects

Exam subjects include Chinese (Liberal Arts/Science), Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry. All exams, except for Chinese, are offered in both Chinese and English. The Chinese exam lasts 90 minutes (80 questions), while the other exams last 60 minutes (48 questions). All questions are objective-based. The subject selections for each major are as follows:

• Liberal Arts Majors: Chinese Language and Mathematics

• Economics, Trade, and Management Majors: Chinese Language and Mathematics

• Science, Engineering, and Agriculture Majors: Chinese Language and Mathematics, Physics, or Chemistry

• Traditional Chinese Medicine Majors: Chinese Language and Mathematics, Chemistry

• Western Medicine Majors: Chinese Language and Mathematics, Chemistry

Applicants for Chinese-taught programs must choose the Chinese language version of the CSCA test; they cannot choose the English language version. Applicants for English-taught programs must choose the English language version and do not need to take the Chinese language test.

4. Exam Fees

The fee for a single exam is RMB 450.

The fee for two or more exams is RMB 700.

The registration payment system supports major domestic and international payment methods such as Alipay, WeChat Pay, UnionPay, VISA, and MasterCard.

5. Exam Format

Initially, the exam will primarily be online and at home. In-person testing centers (either computer-based or paper-based) will also be established in key source countries and regions. In 2025, CSCA will establish its first offline testing centers in Vietnam and Thailand, completing a hybrid online and offline testing experience. Currently, more testing centers are under construction in other countries and regions.

6. Scoring

All CSCA subjects are graded on a 100-point scale. Scores are for reference only, and each institution setting its own admissions standards based on its own program requirements will be responsible for scoring.

Score release times vary depending on the exam format. Results for online and offline computer-based exams will be released within 7 business days of the exam; results for paper-based exams will be released within 14 business days.

7. Future Trends

Beginning in 2026, all applicants to Chinese government scholarship programs for undergraduate studies will be required to submit transcripts, which will be a required document for university admissions review.

Beginning in 2028, all undergraduate applicants to Chinese universities will be required to take the exam, and minimum admission standards will be established.

These are all the details about CSCA. Students applying to study in China in 2026 must carefully understand the university's application requirements and prepare for the exam in advance. For follow-up information, please visit relevant websites or follow PandaAdmission’s official account.

CSCA是指来华留学本科入学学业水平测试，全称China Scholastic Competency Assessment，是中国教育部国家留学基金管理委员会（CSC）为全面、科学评估来华留学本科新生的学业基础能力，面向来华留学本科生推出的统一学术水平考试。它是针对国际本科申请者的语言能力与学术基础，测试成绩将作为中国高校在招收本科生及奖学金评审中参考的重要依据之一。本文将从适用人群、考试时间、考试科目、考试费用、成绩发布和未来趋势等方面详细介绍CSCA。

1. 适用人群

• 奖学金申请者（特别是中国政府奖学金）；

• 2026年及以后申请中国本科的国际学生；

• 部分高校有相关要求的自费学生。

2. 考试时间

2025年12月21日将启动CSCA 考试的全球首考。自2026 年起，CSCA 进入常态运营阶段，形成固定考试周期，每年分5 次组织考试，时间分别安排在1 月、3 月、4 月、6 月及12 月。

12月、4月和6月的考试时间将重点覆盖亚太地区，1月和3月的考试时间则适当侧重欧美地区。通过这一设置确保全球不同时区考生均可选择合适的考试时间。

3. 考试科目

  考试科目有中文（文科/理科）、数学、物理、化学，除中文外均设中文和英文试卷。中文考试时间90分钟（80道题），其他各科考试时间均为60分钟（48道题），题目全部为客观题。各专业科目选择大致如下：

 • 文科类专业：文科中文、数学

 • 经贸、管理类专业：文科中文、数学

 • 理工农类专业：理科中文、数学、物理或化学

 • 中医类专业：文科中文、数学、化学

 • 西医类专业：理科中文、数学、化学

申请中文授课项目的学生，请务必选择CSCA 测试科目中文语种试卷，不可选择英文语种试卷:英语授课项目的申请者必须选择英语考试试卷，无需参加专业中文测试。

4. 考试费用

单科考试费用为450元人民币。

两门及以上科目的考试费用为700元人民币。

报名支付系统支持支付宝、微信支付、银联、VISA、万事达等国内外主流支付方式。

5. 考试形式

   考试初期以居家网考为主，同时逐步在重点生源国家和地区设立线下考点（集中机考或纸笔考）。

  2025年CSCA将在越南、泰国两国设立首批线下考点，实现线上线下相结合的考试布局。目前，其他国家和地区的更多考点正在稳步建设中。

6. 成绩相关

CSCA各科目均采用百分制评分，成绩作为参考性依据，由各用分高校根据自身专业要求自行设置录取标准。

成绩发布时间根据考试形式有所不同。居家网考和线下集中机考将在考后7个工作日内公布成绩；纸笔考试则将在考后14个工作日内公布。

7. 未来趋势

  自2026年起，所有申请中国政府奖学金院校本科生的申请者均须提交考试成绩单，考试成绩将作为高校招生审核的必备材料之一。

计划自2028年起，中国高校所有本科生申请者都必须参加考试, 并且会设立本科入学的最低标准。

以上就是CSCA的全部细节，申请2026年来华留学的同学们一定要仔细了解学校申请要求，提前备考。后续有关信息欢迎关注相关网站或关注PandaAdmission官方账号。