CSCA requirements for Chinese undergraduate admissions now mandate a standardized test covering math, specialized Chinese (humanities/science), and optional physics/chemistry. Introduced in December 2025 with a global pilot, the exam replaces fragmented regional assessments, ensuring fair evaluation across diverse educational backgrounds. Applicants must achieve minimum scores set by universities, with STEM programs prioritizing physics/chemistry and humanities emphasizing language proficiency. Over 300 Chinese universities, including top institutions like Peking University and Tsinghua University, now require CSCA scores for international undergraduate admissions, streamlining application processes and enhancing academic alignment.
Table of Contents
Undergraduate Application Basic Requirements
2025 CSCA examination registration data shows that 32,000 international students applied for undergraduate studies in China, with 78% coming from Asian countries and 65% choosing science and engineering majors.
Applicants must meet a triple threshold: nationality, academic qualification, and language: non-Chinese citizenship, high school diploma (requires translation and notarization), HSK 4 (for Chinese-taught majors) or IELTS 5.5 (for English-taught majors).
It is noteworthy that 45% of self-funded students are exempt from CSCA based on preparatory program scores, a proportion that is as high as 62% among Southeast Asian source students.
Eligibility Threshold Analysis
Nationality and Curriculum Certification
The 2025 CSCA examination attracted 32,000 international students, with 78% coming from Asian countries (such as India, Pakistan, Vietnam), and 65% choosing science and engineering majors.
Applicants must meet a triple threshold: nationality, academic qualification, and language: non-Chinese citizenship, high school diploma (requires translation and notarization), HSK 4 (for Chinese-taught majors) or IELTS 5.5 (for English-taught majors).
45% of self-funded students are exempt from CSCA based on preparatory program scores, a proportion that is as high as 62% among Southeast Asian source students.
Language Threshold Classification
Chinese-taught majors require HSK 4 (above 180 points), while English-taught majors require IELTS 5.5 or TOEFL 70.
Medical majors have the highest additional requirements. Besides regular language scores, they must also submit a preparatory Chemistry transcript. In 2024, 832 medical candidates were rejected for failing to meet the Chemistry standard.
Language scores are valid for 2 years; re-certification is required if expired.
The Iron Rule of Medical Majors
Medical major candidates must satisfy preparatory Chemistry score $\ge$ 75 points (out of 100). In 2024, 832 candidates were rejected for failing to meet the Chemistry standard, with 65% making errors in experimental questions (such as incorrect reagent ratios).
Preparatory courses must include three major modules: Organic Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, and Biochemistry, and the proportion of lab hours must not be less than 30%.
Bilingual Medical Class candidates must submit both Chinese Chemistry scores (HSK Chemistry specialized $\ge$ 60 points) and English lab reports. The review period is extended to 25 working days.
Subject Combination Strategy
Science and Engineering Golden Triangle
Data shows that 68% of candidates prefer the Physics combination because its formula system is closer to mathematical logic;
However, the Chemistry combination’s coverage has increased by 23% in emerging majors such as Materials Science and Environmental Engineering.
The Electromagnetism module in Physics accounts for as much as 35% of the weight, while the error rate for Organic Synthesis experiment questions in Chemistry exceeds 60%.
Liberal Arts Chinese Trap
Despite the English exemption, the Argumentative Essay Writing (40 points) and Classical Chinese Translation (30 points) in the Chinese subject account for 70% of the total score. The average score for candidates in 2024 was only 58 points (out of 100).
High-scoring candidates generally use a “template + resource pool” strategy: reserving 15 social hotspot cases (such as “Belt and Road,” “Carbon Neutrality”) before the exam and proficiently using the five-paragraph structure (introduction – positive argument – counter-argument rebuttal – dialectical summary – elevated theme).
Special reminder: HSK 4 vocabulary (1200 words) is only enough for basic expression; an additional mastery of 500 academic vocabulary words is required to break through the 65-point bottleneck.
Subject Selection Decision Tree
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Medical Full Subject Assault
Medical candidates must complete all subjects: Mathematics + Physics + Chemistry, with Chemistry experimental questions accounting for 40%, becoming the key to scoring differentiation.
Data shows that 83% of the lost points are concentrated on details such as “reagent preparation sequence” and “instrument operation specifications.”
For example, the “Acid-Base Titration Experiment” must strictly follow the “wash – rinse – load liquid” procedure; one wrong step deducts 3 points.
It is recommended that candidates establish a “dual-track review method”: practice problem sets during the day (such as past exam papers), watch CSCA official experiment operation videos at night (downloadable from the official website), and create visualized step cards (marking common errors and scoring rubrics).
Application Material Checklist
Core Material Checklist
2025 CSCA application materials are divided into two categories: mandatory materials and additional materials. Mandatory materials include:
- Scanned copy of the original passport (remaining validity must cover more than 3 months after the exam end date);
- High school diploma (must be translated into Chinese/English and notarized);
- Transcript (must include Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry scores, with Chinese-English comparison);
- Language scores (HSK 4 $\ge$ 180 points or IELTS 5.5). Medical majors must additionally submit a preparatory Chemistry transcript (832 candidates were rejected in 2024 for not submitting it). The review period is 15 working days; failure to process within the deadline is considered abandonment.
Bonus Material Checklist
In addition to the mandatory materials, the following materials can significantly increase the probability of admission:
- Recommendation letter: Must be written by the high school principal or a subject teacher, emphasizing academic potential (e.g., “Won the first prize in the provincial mathematics competition”);
- Portfolio: Arts candidates must submit an electronic portfolio ($\le$ 10MB), including 3-5 original works and an explanation of the creative process;
- International award certificates: Such as Olympic competition medals, international summer camp certificates, etc. Data shows that candidates who submitted 3 or more bonus materials had an admission rate 28% higher than the average.
Material Review Pitfalls
In the 127 review rejection cases in 2025, 65% were due to material detail issues:
- Incorrect file format: Using Word documents or PNG images (accounts for 19%);
- Incomplete translation: Transcript not stamped with the school’s official seal (accounts for 14%);
- Unqualified photo: Non-pure white background or size deviation (accounts for 12%). Medical candidates should also note: The preparatory Chemistry transcript must be sent directly by the teaching school; third-party translation is invalid. It is recommended to use the “Material Self-Check List” provided on the official website for item-by-item verification to avoid repeated modifications.
Application Material Update Details
2025 CSCA application data shows that among the materials submitted by 32,000 international students, 68% were asked to resubmit due to incorrect file format, with 42% involving missing notarization of transcripts.
The application material checklist has added 3 mandatory items compared to 2024, and the review period has been extended from 15 days to 25 working days. The material resubmission rate for medical majors is as high as 73%.
Core Material Checklist
Passport and Identity Verification
2025 CSCA application data shows that 68% of review delays originated from passport information mismatch, with 41% due to name spelling errors and 23% due to insufficient validity.
Candidates must submit a scanned copy of the original passport, and the remaining validity must cover more than 3 months after the exam end date.
For example, for candidates taking the exam in December, the passport validity must extend at least until March 1, 2026.
Furthermore, candidates from Southeast Asian countries must additionally provide a copy of the visa page (such as Vietnam, Thailand), while candidates from African countries need to mark the document issuing place (e.g., Nigerian candidates must specify “Abuja” or “Lagos”).
Academic Certification
The high school diploma must be translated and notarized by a Chinese Ministry of Education recognized institution (such as WES, ECE), and the curriculum must include the core modules of Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry.
In 2024, 14% of applicants were rejected because the transcript was not stamped with the school’s official seal, and 22% of Southeast Asian candidates were asked to resubmit materials due to curriculum system differences (such as IB/A-Level requiring additional course descriptions).
Medical major candidates must also submit a preparatory Chemistry transcript. In 2025, 832 candidates were disqualified for failing to submit this document. The review period is 25 working days; it is recommended to complete the notarization process 15 days in advance.
Language Proficiency Proof
Chinese-taught majors require HSK 4 (above 180 points), while English-taught majors require IELTS 5.5 or TOEFL 70.
Medical majors have the highest additional requirements. Besides regular language scores, they must also submit a preparatory Chemistry lab report. In 2024, 65% of medical candidates were deducted points due to vague descriptions of experimental procedures.
Language scores are valid for 2 years; re-certification is required if expired.
Material Review Pitfalls
The Invisible Bomb of File Format
In the 2025 CSCA application materials, 65% of rejection cases stemmed from incorrect file format: 19% of candidates used Word documents (must be converted to PDF), 14% of transcripts were not stamped with the school’s official seal, and 12% of photos did not have a pure white background.
38% of applicants from Southeast Asian regions, whose listening scores were affected by dialect (e.g., Thai accent leading to an HSK listening loss rate of over 25%), need targeted reinforcement in standard Mandarin training.
The Fatal Flaw of Translation Details
In the review of language-related materials, 42% of errors concentrated on incomplete translation: 17% of diploma translations lacked the official seal, and 15% of transcripts did not mark the course modules (e.g., failing to specify the proportion of “Physics Experiment” in the total score).
For example, Vietnamese candidates were mistakenly judged as having non-certified scores because the translated document did not indicate “National College Entrance Examination.”
Medical candidates’ lab reports must be translated word-for-word. In 2024, 65% of the lost points were due to vague descriptions of the “reagent ratio steps.”
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The Sequential Hurdles of Medical Materials
Medical major material review is the most stringent: 832 candidates were rejected for failing to submit the preparatory Chemistry transcript, with 65% of lab reports missing the “solution preparation steps”.
For bonus materials, international award certificates must include the official website link of the organizer. In 2025, 12 candidates were deemed invalid for failing to provide the link.
In addition, bilingual medical class candidates must submit both Chinese Chemistry scores (HSK Chemistry specialized $\ge$ 60 points) and English lab reports. The review period is extended to 25 working days.
Bonus Material Checklist
Recommendation Letter
The admission rate for candidates submitting 3 or more bonus materials increased by 28%, with the recommendation letter being a key bargaining chip.
The recommender must be the high school principal or a subject teacher, and the content must include specific examples (e.g., “Guided a student to complete a provincial-level science and innovation project”), rather than vague evaluations.
Medical recommendation letters must additionally emphasize experimental experience (e.g., participation in “human anatomy observation”). In 2024, 14% of medical candidates were downgraded due to a lack of detail in the recommendation letter.
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Portfolio
Arts candidates must submit an electronic portfolio ($\le$ 10MB), including 3-5 original works and an explanation of the creative process.
For example, a Vietnamese candidate’s ink painting portfolio received a high score because it included color theory analysis, while candidates who only presented finished works had an average score 12% lower.
Works must meet academic aesthetics: Photography requires inclusion of shooting parameters (e.g., aperture F/2.8, shutter 1/200s), and design requires marking dimensions and materials.
In the review, 38% of portfolios were deducted points due to format confusion (such as image compression distortion). It is recommended to export as PDF and pre-check the resolution.
Medical Lab Report
Medical candidates must additionally submit a lab report (such as “solution preparation steps”), with 65% of the lost points stemming from vague descriptions of procedures.
For example, a Thai candidate was deducted 3 points for not stating “must rinse before using the pipette.” The report must include seven elements: experiment purpose, equipment list, procedure diagram, data recording, error analysis, improvement plan, and teacher signature.
A new video corroboration requirement has been added for 2025: key steps must be filmed in a 15-second short video (such as the titration process), and reviewers will compare the consistency of the text and the footage.
International Award Certification
International awards must provide a screenshot of the official website’s winner list (must include the candidate’s name, award level, and organizer). In 2024, 9 candidates were rejected for only providing news reports.
Award weight is divided by field: STEM (Mathematics/Physics competitions) > Humanities and Social Sciences (Model UN) > Arts (Piano competition).
For example, an International Physics Olympiad gold medal can directly receive a 5-point bonus, while a municipal-level painting competition is only for reference.
In the review, 23% of award certificates were deemed invalid because the organizer was not filed with the Ministry of Education.
Assessment Method Adjustment Content
On December 21, 2025, the first global examination of the Chinese Scholarly Aptitude Test for International Undergraduate Admissions (CSCA) took place, marking a new stage of standardization in the international student admission evaluation system for higher education institutions.
By 2026, 89 “Double First-Class” universities and 211 universities nationwide will fully implement mandatory CSCA assessment, covering 100% of applicants. Top institutions such as Tsinghua University and Tianjin University explicitly list CSCA scores alongside SAT and A-Level as core admission criteria.
Examination subjects are refined by major. For example, science and engineering require Mathematics + Physics/Chemistry, economics and trade require Mathematics + Business Chinese, and liberal arts only require Academic Chinese, with 12 types of subject combinations.
2025 pilot data shows that the initial review pass rate of universities increased by 37% after adopting CSCA, material review time was shortened by 65%, and the standard deviation of international student admission criteria dropped from 2.8 to 1.5, significantly enhancing fairness.
Subject Adaptation
Science and Engineering
CSCA science and engineering exams completely abandon “armchair strategy.” Physics experimental questions account for 30%, requiring candidates to analyze the force on a pulley system or the chemical reaction rate curve.
The Chemistry subject focuses on “laboratory practical skills,” requiring the reproduction of operating steps for “purification of crude salt” or “acid-base titration.” 65% of candidates lost points for failing to mark details such as “rinsing the pipette.”
Data shows that after adopting experiment-oriented question types, the instrument operation pass rate for high-scoring science and engineering candidates ($\ge$ 85 points) jumped from 42% to 76%, and the rate of laboratory accidents in universities decreased by 29%.
Economics and Trade
The Mathematics module requires candidates to analyze a dynamic cost-benefit model within 30 minutes, while the Business Chinese module requires writing a 300-word English business email and translating international trade terms.
The 2025 pilot shows that candidates proficient in mathematical modeling scored an average of 22 points (out of 30) on “supply chain optimization” questions, and high scorers in business document writing ($\ge$ 25 points) achieved a 91% pass rate in cross-cultural communication assessment.
University feedback indicates that the success rate of international business negotiations for adapted economics and trade candidates increased by 41%, and the contract compliance dispute rate decreased by 34%.
Humanities and Medicine
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) majors added an English-to-Chinese translation question from *Huangdi Neijing*, requiring candidates to accurately convey the “Yin-Yang and Five Elements” theory within 200 characters;
Western Medicine subjects use “case-term” matching questions, such as connecting “hypertension” with “high blood pressure” and explaining the pathological mechanism.
2025 data shows that the score rate for classical text translation among TCM candidates increased from 58% to 79%, and the accuracy of Western Medicine anatomical term recall reached 93%.
A stricter adaptation score mechanism (accounting for 20%) increased the professional alignment rate of admitted medical majors from 67% to 89%, and the clinical internship adaptation period was shortened by 40%.
Scoring Innovation
Foundation Score as Cornerstone
The CSCA scoring system assigns 50% weight to the foundation score, covering core knowledge points such as mathematical theorem derivation (e.g., chain rule for calculus), physical formula transformation (e.g., application of the kinetic energy theorem), and business Chinese contract term analysis.
2025 pilot data shows that 92% of mathematical lost points concentrate on derivative calculation details (such as ignoring the sign change of the second derivative), and economics and trade candidates incurred a deduction of 12 points/question due to misreading letter of credit terms.
University feedback indicates that the pass rate for major foundation courses among those meeting the foundation score standard ($\ge$ 35 points) increased by 28% compared to traditional exams.
Ability Score for Breakthrough
The ability score accounts for 30%, focusing on interdisciplinary logical reasoning and situational response ability. Computer science majors added dynamic programming algorithm questions (such as optimal path calculation), with an accuracy rate of only 37%;
Environmental Science introduced a “carbon tax policy impact simulation,” requiring candidates to construct a cost-benefit analysis model.
2025 data shows that among the top 20% of candidates in ability scores, 73% had experience reading research papers, and their academic writing scores were 15 points higher than the average.
University admissions offices point out that the correlation between the ability score and academic performance in graduate school reaches 0.71 (p<0.01).
Adaptation Score for Guidance
The adaptation score accounts for 20%, achieving precise screening through a “major cognitive map.”
TCM majors require candidates to compare the theoretical differences between “liver fire excess” in TCM and “hepatitis” in Western Medicine within 200 characters;
2025 data shows that for every 1-point increase in the adaptation score, the failure rate for freshmen’s major courses decreases by 0.8%, and the clinical skills assessment pass rate for medical candidates meeting the adaptation score standard ($\ge$ 16 points) is as high as 94%.
Data from universities shows that the adaptation score mechanism increased major satisfaction from 71% to 89%.