China Academic Assessment (CSCA) is a standardized test for international undergraduates in China, featuring 4 core subjects: Professional Chinese (split into Arts/Science tracks), Mathematics (mandatory), and Physics/Chemistry (elective). The exam is offered 5 times annually (Jan, Mar, Apr, Jun, Dec), with the first global session on December 21, 2025. Fees start at 450 RMB per subject for single exams and 700 RMB for multiple subjects. Professional Chinese includes 80 multiple-choice questions over 90 minutes, while Math covers 48 questions focusing on algebra, geometry, and probability. Physics/Chemistry exams blend 40% theoretical questions and 60% practical simulations, such as circuit design or molecular structure analysis. Results are released 7–14 working days post-exam, depending on format (online vs. paper-based).
Table of Contents
Exam Fee Details and Payment Rules
The China Scholastic Assessment (CSCA) exam fee structure includes single-subject and multi-subject combinations. The specific standard varies depending on the subject combination and exam format.
Taking Fudan University’s 2026 admissions policy as an example, the registration fee for a single subject is 450 RMB, and the registration fee for a combination of two or more subjects is 700 RMB. The fee covers the examination fee, basic service fee, and the first score report printing.
Payment must be completed within 48 hours after the mock exam results are announced, or the test slot will be automatically released. Data shows that 83% of candidates choose Alipay for payment, while WeChat Pay accounts for 62%. The slot vacancy rate reached 15% due to some candidates failing to pay on time.
Subject Fees and Additional Costs
The China Scholastic Assessment (CSCA) exam fee system covers three major modules: subject registration, material certification, and additional services. The specific standards vary depending on the exam format and geographical location.
Taking Fudan University’s 2025 admissions policy as an example, the single-subject registration fee is 450 RMB, and the fee for a combination of two or more subjects is 700 RMB. The fee includes the basic examination fee, the first score report printing, and the system service fee.
Payment must be completed within 48 hours after the mock exam results are announced. Failure to pay on time will automatically release the test slot. Data shows that 15% of candidates lost their exam eligibility due to delayed payment.
Analysis of Subject Fee Standards
CSCA exam subjects are divided into compulsory and elective categories. Mathematics is compulsory for all majors, with a single-subject fee of 450 RMB. Physics and Chemistry are elective subjects for science and engineering majors, with the single-subject fee also being 450 RMB.
The Professional Chinese subject is categorized by liberal arts and science/engineering. The liberal arts Chinese exam focuses on literature reading and writing, while the science/engineering Chinese includes modules on formula derivation and logical analysis.
Based on Tsinghua University’s 2025 application data, 68% of candidates chose the Mathematics + Physics combination, 22% chose Mathematics + Chemistry, and single-subject applicants accounted for 10%.
Cross-regional registration requires an additional 200 RMB handling fee. For instance, a candidate from the Beijing test center who chooses the Hong Kong test center needs to resubmit identity verification materials and pay the surcharge.
Detailed Breakdown of Additional Costs
Degree notarization fees are approximately 500-1,000 RMB. This requires submitting original diploma and transcript to a notary office, with a processing period of about 7-15 working days.
Regarding textbooks, the official recommended textbook “CSCA Mathematics Core Exam Point Analysis” is priced at 128 RMB, and “Physics Experiment Operation Guide” is 98 RMB. Some candidates choose second-hand textbooks to save costs but should be aware of the risk of version updates.
Technical support services, such as the mock exam system usage fee of 80 RMB/month, include error analysis reports and personalized preparation advice, with an utilization rate of about 37%.
Payment Channels and Cycle Management
Mainstream payment methods cover Alipay (52%), WeChat Pay (38%), UnionPay (6%), and international credit cards (Visa/MasterCard, 4%).
The payment deadline is strict. For example, Xiamen University requires the application fee to be paid 48 hours before the registration deadline, and the system closes the payment channel daily at 23:59.
Data shows that 73% of candidates concentrate their payments within 24 hours of the deadline, leading to an instantaneous peak load on the payment system of 23,000 transactions/hour.
Those who fail to pay on time must wait for the next exam cycle. Retake slots are only 10% open, and an additional 150 RMB retake fee is required.
Some universities, such as Sun Yat-sen University, require candidates to complete the Professional Chinese and Mathematics double-subject exam within 90 minutes. The elimination rate increases by 28% for candidates whose time allocation error exceeds 5 minutes.
Implicit Costs and Optimization Strategies
Implicit costs are often underestimated, such as physical examination fees (497 RMB), visa service fees (300 RMB), and transportation and accommodation fees (daily average of 150-300 RMB in first-tier cities). Taking the Beijing test center as an example, out-of-town candidates need to reserve an average of 3 days for preparation, with a comprehensive cost of about 1,200-1,800 RMB.
Optimization strategies include: bulk purchase of textbooks (80 RMB discount for purchases over 500 RMB), utilizing free mock exam resources (such as Fudan University offering 3 times mock exam access), and choosing non-peak payment times (such as 1:00-5:00 AM when the system load is 40% lower).
Data shows that candidates who plan their expenses 3 months in advance reduce their risk of overspending by 58%.
Payment Channels and Deadline Management
The China Scholastic Assessment (CSCA) payment system adopts a multi-platform access model, covering Alipay, WeChat Pay, UnionPay, and international credit cards (Visa/MasterCard). There are significant differences in load pressure and deadline execution rules across different channels.
Taking Huazhong University of Science and Technology’s 2026 international graduate program as an example, the application fee of 600 RMB must be paid before 23:59 on March 1st. The system starts closing the channel daily at 23:30, and the final payment success rate drops to 41%.
Data shows that 52% of candidates choose Alipay, 38% use WeChat Pay, while the failure rate for international credit card payments is as high as 27%, mainly due to delayed deductions caused by exchange rate fluctuations.
Proportion and Restrictions of Mainstream Payment Channels
Alipay and WeChat Pay account for 90% of the total payments but have regional restrictions: Alipay’s support rate in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan is only 63%, and the payment success rate for WeChat Pay with overseas IP addresses drops to 55%.
UnionPay covers 100% of domestic test centers but has a single transaction limit of 5,000 RMB, requiring split payments if exceeded. International credit card payments require an additional 3% handling fee and a daily limit of 2,000 USD, leading some candidates to perform multiple transactions.
For example, during the December 2025 exam cycle, 17% of candidates were forced to split their payment 3 times due to the UnionPay single transaction limit, with an average time consumption of 18 minutes.
Details of Deadline Execution
The payment deadline is precise to the minute. The system uses dynamic load balancing technology: the first 24 hours account for 72% of the total processing volume, while the instantaneous concurrency in the last 1 hour reaches 120,000 transactions/minute.
Taking Xiamen University as an example, the 2026 application fee payment channel closes 5 minutes after the deadline. Candidates who fail to complete the payment must wait for the next cycle and pay an additional 150 RMB late fee.
Data shows that 89% of payment failures occur within the last 30 minutes before the deadline, mainly due to network congestion (accounting for 64%) and insufficient account balance (accounting for 22%).
Cross-Regional Payment and Exception Handling
Cross-regional payment requires a 200 RMB handling fee and re-verification of identity information.
For example, a Hong Kong candidate choosing the Beijing test center needs to submit 4 notarized documents, and the processing time is extended to 15 working days.
Payment exception handling includes a 3-level response mechanism: automatic retry for the first failure (3 times), manual review for the second failure (within 24 hours), and submission of physical proof for the third failure.
2025 data shows that 12% of abnormal orders were resolved through offline counters, with an average time consumption of 4.3 hours.
Payment System Technical Parameters
The system uses a distributed architecture, supporting a peak processing capacity of 5,000 transactions/second, but the actual load is affected by region: peak in first-tier cities like Beijing and Shanghai reaches 8,200 transactions/second, requiring the activation of backup servers.
Synchronization to the admissions system occurs within 5 seconds after successful payment. Orders with a delay exceeding 30 seconds are flagged as high-risk, requiring manual review.
During the December 2025 exam cycle, 0.7% of orders were mistakenly judged as failed due to network jitter and were eventually recovered through log tracing.
Global Exam Time Slots
The China Scholastic Assessment (CSCA) exam schedule is designed to cover different global time zones. After the first global exam on December 21, 2025, there will be five fixed annual cycles, held in January, March, April, June, and December.
The Asia-Pacific region focuses on April, June, and December, while Europe and America focus on January and March, ensuring candidates can choose the most suitable exam window based on their time zone.
For example, registration for the December 2025 exam opened in early November and closed on the 25th of that month. Starting from 2026, standardized exams will specify the exact date each month, such as the April exam being fixed on the third weekend of the month.
Data shows that 83% of candidates choose the Asia-Pacific exam cycle, mainly concentrated in December and April, aligning with university application deadlines (usually January of the following year).
Exam Cycle and Regional Distribution
The design of the China Scholastic Assessment (CSCA) exam cycle and regional distribution aims to cover major global source countries. After the first global exam on December 21, 2025, five fixed annual cycles will be established, covering the Asia-Pacific and Europe/America regions.
The exam time and regional distribution strategy directly influence candidate choices. For example, 68% of Asia-Pacific candidates prefer the December window, while 75% of North American candidates choose the March exam.
In terms of test center layout, the first batch of offline test centers was established in Vietnam and Thailand in 2025. The plan for 2026 is to expand to 10 countries, including India and South Korea, achieving offline test center coverage in the top 20 global source countries.
Differences in Asia-Pacific and Europe/America Exam Periods
The Asia-Pacific region has three exams per year (December, April, June), focusing on East Asia, Southeast Asia, and Oceania. The Europe/America region has two exams per year (January, March), focusing on North American and European candidates.
Taking 2025 as an example, registration for the Asia-Pacific December exam opened on November 1st and closed on the 25th of that month, while registration for the Europe/America January exam was brought forward to December 1st of the previous year.
Data shows that 42% of Asia-Pacific candidates choose the April exam, aligning with the university application deadline (January of the following year); 37% of European/American candidates concentrate on the March window, avoiding conflicts with local semester exams.
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Test Center Layout and Coverage Plan
2025 offline test centers are prioritized in countries with a high concentration of international students. For example, 2 computer-based testing centers were established in Hanoi, Vietnam, and Bangkok, Thailand, each with a capacity of 1,200 people per session.
The 2026 expansion plan includes 8 new test centers in New Delhi (India), Seoul (South Korea), Tokyo (Japan), etc., aiming to cover 15 of the top 20 global source countries.
Each test center is equipped with 30 testing terminals, supporting simultaneous exams for Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry. Data shows that 15% of offline test center applications were rejected due to incomplete materials, with the main issues being missing degree notarization (62%) and non-compliant photo specifications (28%).
Registration and Score Timeline
The exam registration period is typically 6-8 weeks before the exam. For example, registration for the December 2025 exam lasted from November 1st to the 25th. The peak daily new registration volume occurs between 19:00-21:00 (accounting for 37%).
The score release time varies depending on the exam format: at-home online exam scores are released within 7 working days after the exam, while paper-and-pencil exam scores require 14 working days. For the December 2025 exam, scores will be available for inquiry on January 5, 2026, with the latest application deadline being January 15.
Data shows that 29% of candidates missed scholarship eligibility due to late submission of materials, with 34% of the delays resulting from not paying attention to time zone differences.
Registration and Exam Time Interval
The time interval between the China Scholastic Assessment (CSCA) registration and the exam is designed to meet the needs of global candidates. After the first global exam on December 21, 2025, a standardized timeline is established: the registration window is typically 6-8 weeks before the exam, scores are released 4-6 weeks after the exam, and the university application deadline is closely linked to the score release cycle.
For example, Tsinghua University’s first round application deadline in 2026 is January 2, 2026, requiring candidates to submit scores within 7 working days after the December 21, 2025 exam. Applications with a time error exceeding 3 days are automatically invalidated.
Data shows that 73% of candidates choose to complete the payment within 3 days before the registration deadline, leading to an instantaneous peak load on the system of 21,000 transactions/hour.
How the Registration Window is Distributed
The CSCA registration window is divided into Asia-Pacific and Europe/America phases: Asia-Pacific registration is concentrated 4 weeks before the exam (e.g., December exam registration from November 1st to 25th), and Europe/America is brought forward to 6 weeks before the exam (e.g., January exam registration starts in late November of the previous year).
Taking Tsinghua University’s 2026 application as an example, the first round requires submitting scores from the December 2025 session, and the second round accepts scores from both December 2025 and January 2026.
Data shows that 68% of candidates choose the first exam session, but 42% turn to the subsequent session due to unsatisfactory scores, leading to a 180% surge in payment volume within 48 hours before the subsequent session’s registration deadline.
- Within 24 hours after the registration deadline, the system automatically closes the channel and releases 15% of the remaining test slots
- Cross-regional registration (e.g., mainland China $\to$ Hong Kong) requires an additional 200 RMB handling fee and resubmission of identity verification
- The 7 days before the exam are the “golden modification period,” where 37% of candidates adjust their subject combination
Score Release and Application Alignment
The score release time is closely tied to the university application cycle: at-home online exam scores are released within 7 working days after the exam (e.g., December 21, 2025 exam scores are available for inquiry on January 5, 2026), and paper-and-pencil exam scores require an extension to 14 working days.
Taking Fudan University’s 2026 admissions policy as an example, applicants must submit materials within 48 hours after the score release, or they lose eligibility for scholarship consideration.
Data shows that 29% of candidates missed opportunities due to delayed submission of materials, with 34% of the errors stemming from time zone differences (e.g., European candidates misjudging Beijing time).
- Direct score report push functionality covers 90% of the global TOP 100 universities, but requires an additional 50 RMB service fee
- The university review period is 10-15 working days after score submission. Failure to receive feedback after this period is considered an automatic withdrawal
- Starting from 2026, the system offers a “score comparison” tool, allowing candidates to view score fluctuation trends across subjects to aid retake decisions
Special Time Slot Management
For highly competitive majors (e.g., Computer Science, Clinical Medicine), some universities set a “dual exam window”: for example, Zhejiang University requires applicants to take both the April and June exams and uses the highest score for admission.
Data shows that 81% of medical students choose the dual-exam strategy, but only 45% achieve a score improvement.
Additionally, arts majors (e.g., Design, Fine Arts) use a “preliminary + final assessment” model. Preliminary scores are valid for 1 year, and the final assessment must be completed before March of the following year.
- Medical students must submit an additional 2,000-word research proposal for the Professional Chinese subject
- Arts candidates must submit their portfolio within 5 working days after the score release
- Cross-major applicants (e.g., science/engineering switching to business) must take an additional aptitude test, extending the exam duration to 3 hours
Score Validity and Retake Strategy
According to Tsinghua University’s 2025 admissions policy, CSCA scores are valid for two years. Candidates can take the exam multiple times within the validity period, but universities typically prioritize the latest score.
For example, the score from the December 2025 exam is valid until December 2027. If a candidate retakes the exam in June 2026, the system will automatically compare the two scores and recommend the optimal score for submission.
Data shows that 65% of candidates choose to retake the exam within 3 months of the first attempt, with Mathematics having the highest single-subject retake rate (48%).
How Score Validity is Calculated
CSCA score validity starts from the day the exam ends and is valid for two years. For example, the score from the December 21, 2025 exam is valid until December 20, 2027.
If a candidate takes the exam multiple times within the validity period, the system defaults to submitting the highest score, but some universities (e.g., Fudan University) require the submission of all historical score reports.
Taking the 2026 application season as an example, 37% of candidates had incomplete application materials due to not updating their scores on time.
Additionally, merging scores from different cycles requires an additional 200 RMB review fee. For example, Mathematics and Physics must be completed within consecutive exam cycles, or the candidate must re-register for both subjects.
Retake Time Window and Restrictions
Retakes must adhere to strict cycle interval rules: the interval between two attempts of the same subject must be at least 90 days, while there is no interval restriction for cross-subject retakes.
For example, if a candidate takes the Mathematics exam in December 2025, they can retake Mathematics as early as March 2026.
Data shows that 81% of medical students choose the dual-exam strategy (e.g., April and June exams), but only 45% achieve a score improvement. Retake registration must be completed within 72 hours after the score release, or the candidate must wait for the next cycle.
After the December 2025 exam, 29% of candidates missed retake eligibility due to delayed payment.
Subject Retake Strategy and Cost
The retake fee for the single subject of Mathematics is 450 RMB, Physics and Chemistry are 450 RMB/subject, and Professional Chinese retake requires submitting an additional 2,000-word research proposal.
Based on 2025 data, the average score increase for Mathematics retake is 12.3 points, Physics is 9.8 points, while Professional Chinese retake has a score improvement rate of only 37% due to strict grading standards.
Additionally, arts majors (e.g., Design, Fine Arts) require preliminary scores to be valid for 1 year, and the final assessment must be completed before March of the following year, which compresses the retake time window.
Subject and Exam Format Details
The exam includes 4 core subjects: Professional Chinese (divided into Liberal Arts and Science/Engineering), Mathematics (compulsory), Physics, and Chemistry (elective). Each subject is graded on a 100-point scale.
Mathematics is compulsory, and Physics and Chemistry are chosen based on the university major requirements. For example, science/engineering majors usually require at least one science subject score.
The exam language supports both Chinese and English. Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry allow a choice between Chinese or English papers, but Professional Chinese must be answered in Chinese only.
2025 data shows that 68% of candidates chose the Chinese Mathematics paper, while 75% of international candidates preferred the English Physics paper.
Subject Structure and Content Distribution
The exam subjects include Professional Chinese (divided into Liberal Arts and Science/Engineering), Mathematics (compulsory), Physics, and Chemistry (elective). Each subject uses standardized grading, with a total score of 400 points (Mathematics 120 points, other subjects 80 points each).
Subject combinations are strongly linked to university major requirements. For example, science/engineering applicants need to pass at least Physics or Chemistry with a single-subject threshold of 70 points, while humanities and social sciences majors focus more on Professional Chinese scores.
Professional Chinese
Professional Chinese is divided into Liberal Arts and Science/Engineering directions, each with 80 questions, covering three major modules: character and word recognition (30%), reading comprehension (40%), and paragraph construction (30%).
The Liberal Arts direction focuses on classical text analysis and literary theory. For example, a question analyzing a selection from “Records of the Grand Historian” accounted for 15 points in the 2025 exam; the Science/Engineering direction emphasizes reading technology documents, including applied questions like interpreting chemical equations and writing physics experiment reports.
Data shows that 62% of candidates lost points in paragraph construction questions, with the main issues being loose logical connections (48%) and misuse of professional terminology (37%). International candidates must also complete a 200-word English abstract writing, with an average score rate of only 54%.
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Mathematics Exam
The Mathematics paper includes 48 multiple-choice questions, totaling 120 points, with an average difficulty coefficient of 0.68 (out of 1). The question type distribution is: Arithmetic Sequences (15 Qs), Geometry (12 Qs), Probability and Statistics (10 Qs), and Functions and Calculus (11 Qs).
A new question type, Practical Application Questions, was added in 2025, such as calculating compound interest growth rate combined with economic models. The error rate for this question type reached 52%.
Candidates must complete the exam within 90 minutes, with an average time consumption of 1.875 minutes per question. Time pressure is concentrated in the last 10 questions (accounting for 35% of the score).
Data shows that 73% of candidates scored below 80 points due to failure to complete the last 5 questions.
Physics and Chemistry
Physics (48 questions) and Chemistry (48 questions) both feature a Virtual Simulation Experiment Module, accounting for 30% of the single-subject score (24 points each).
Physics experiments focus on Mechanics and Electricity. For example, a circuit design question in the 2025 exam required the completion of series resistor debugging within 90 seconds, with a correct rate of only 41%;
Chemistry experiments involve titration operations and molecular structure simulation, with the loss rate for stereoisomer identification questions reaching 67%.
Both subjects include 10% interdisciplinary comprehensive questions, such as combined calculations of chemical thermodynamics and physical energy conservation, with an average score rate of 38%.
Exam Format and Operational Details
2025 data shows that 82% of candidates chose the at-home online exam, and 18% participated in the offline centralized computer-based exam. The entire exam process uses real-time monitoring and data tracking systems.
The at-home online exam requires candidates to use a computer with a dual-screen setup (main screen for answering, secondary screen for monitoring). Calculators are prohibited, but marking questions for later review is allowed;
Offline test centers equip each lab with 50 terminals. Terminal devices disable USB ports and external storage devices, and the system automatically records operation tracks and generates anti-cheating reports.
At-Home Online Exam
The at-home online exam relies on the Prometric ProProctor™ system. Candidates must complete a network environment test beforehand (bandwidth $\ge$ 10 Mbps, latency $\le$ 50 ms). The camera must cover the candidate’s full body and the desktop (error $\pm$ 10°). Mobile devices, such as phones, are prohibited during the exam. If there is a network or power outage, the system allows a maximum recovery time of 20 minutes. Exceeding this time automatically terminates the exam.
In the December 2025 exam, 7.3% of candidates experienced answer interruptions due to network fluctuations, and 41% chose to reschedule the exam.
- Physics and Chemistry experiment questions use a virtual simulation module. Candidates must complete circuit connection or chemical reaction simulation within 90 seconds. Overtime automatically submits the current progress
- The system provides step-by-step grading for experiment operations. For example, an incorrect wire connection in a circuit experiment deducts 1 point/step, but a correct final result can receive 50% compensation points
- 2025 data shows that 67% of chemistry experiment question loss was due to errors in stereoisomer identification, with an average score rate of only 54%
Offline Test Centers
Offline test centers use a centralized computer-based testing model, with each session equipped with dual-screen monitoring (front camera records the candidate’s face, rear camera monitors the operation interface).
Exam terminals are pre-installed with dedicated software, disabling hotkeys and browser back functions. The system automatically blocks processes unrelated to the exam.
Taking the December 2025 exam as an example, 93% of offline test centers used the Windows 11 system, and the browser was compulsorily locked to Chrome version 120 to prevent plugin interference.
Candidates must pass facial recognition and ID verification upon entry. Exceeding 3 times of incorrect attempts will automatically lock the test slot.
- The test paper random allocation algorithm ensures no repeated test question combinations in the same test room. The similarity of test questions between adjacent candidates is below 15%
- Paper-and-pencil exams use dedicated answer sheets. Filling errors exceeding 2 mm are judged as invalid, resulting in 2.1% of scores being invalidated in 2025 due to such errors
- Test centers are equipped with emergency power and network redundancy systems, ensuring real-time backup of exam data to the cloud in case of emergencies
Score Submission and University Review
Score release time is highly correlated with the exam format: at-home online and offline computer-based scores are released 7 working days after the exam (e.g., December 21, 2025 exam scores are available for inquiry on January 5, 2026), while paper-and-pencil exams require an extension to 14 working days.
The university review period is 10-15 working days after score submission. Failure to receive feedback after this period is considered an automatic withdrawal.
2025 data shows that 29% of candidates missed scholarship eligibility due to delayed submission of materials, with 34% of the errors stemming from time zone differences (e.g., European candidates misjudging Beijing time).
- Direct score report push functionality covers 90% of the global TOP 100 universities, but requires an additional 50 RMB service fee
- Universities can query candidates’ global percentile rank (precise to two decimal places). For example, candidates in the top 5% of Mathematics single-subject scores automatically enter the fast-track review channel
- Cross-regional score review requires the submission of original answer records, extending the review period to 20 working days, and only allowing appeals for technical errors (e.g., system misjudgment)