Heads Up, Future International Students! Big Change for 2026 Intake.

各位未来的国际学生请注意！2026年本科入学迎来重大变化。

The China Scholastic Competency Assessment (CSCA) is officially becoming a mandatory standardized test for undergraduate applicants.

中国学业水平考试（CSCA）现已正式成为本科申请者的必备标准化测试。

Mark Your Calendars! The very first CSCA test is scheduled for: December 21, 2025

请圈出这个日期！首场CSCA考试时间定于：2025年12月21日

This new requirement is set to reshape your application strategy. What Does This Mean For You? Ready to learn what this means for you and how to prepare? Let's break it down together.

这一新要求预计将重新规划你的申请布局。这对你有何影响？想了解这对你意味着什么，以及该如何准备吗？让我们一起深入了解吧！

What is CSCA?   CSCA是什么？

The China Scholastic Competency Assessment (CSCA) is a new, unified standardized test for international undergraduate applicants. Administered by the China Scholarship Council, it evaluates students' academic readiness and foundational knowledge to ensure they are well-prepared for success at Chinese universities. In the admissions process, CSCA scores are considered alongside high school performance and interview results.

中国学业水平考试（CSCA）是一项面向国际本科申请者的新型统一标准化考试。该考试由中国奖学金委员会主办，旨在评估申请者的学术能力与中文水平，确保其具备在中国高校顺利完成学业的潜力。在录取审核中，CSCA成绩将与高中阶段学业表现及面试结果共同作为综合评定的依据。

Who Need to Take Exam?   考试适用人群

1. Examinees and Implementation timeline 考生范围及实施时间表

2025 Pilot Phase  2025年试考阶段

On October 12, 2025, the pilot test will be administered to undergraduate students already admitted to Chinese Government Scholarship universities.

2025年10月12日，中国政府奖学金院校已录取的本科生参加试考。

2025 Global Launch  2025年首次全球考试

The first global CSCA administration is scheduled for December 21, 2025, open to all eligible applicants.

2025年12月21日，举行首次全球CSCA考试，面向相关申请者。

2026 Mandatory Requirement  2026年起申请要求

Starting in 2026, all applicants to undergraduate programs under the Chinese Government Scholarship must take the CSCA and submit their scores as a mandatory part of the application process.

自2026年起，所有申请中国政府奖学金院校本科的申请者须在提交申请前参加考试，成绩作为必备材料。

2028 Full Implementation  2028年计划推广

By 2028, the CSCA will become a universal requirement for all international undergraduate.

计划自2028年起，中国高校所有本科生申请者均需参加考试，并设立本科入学最低标准。

2. Examination Format and Administration 考试形式与组织实施

October 2025-Pilot Test  2025年10月试考

Format: In-person, computer-based testing in classrooms.

Paper: Multiple-choice questions. Bilingual (Chinese/English) papers are available.Subjects: Mathematics (mandatory), with Physics and Chemistry as electives. Each subject lasts 1 hour.

Exemption: Graduates from 17 designated preparatory colleges are exempt.

线下教室机考，试卷为选择题；设中英文试卷，数学必考，物理、化学为选考，每科考试1小时；17所预科院校结业生可免考。

December 2025-First Official Global Session  首次全球考试

Format: Primarily online proctored testing from home, with the first physical test centers established in Vietnam and Thailand.

以居家网考为主，越南、泰国设首批线下考点。

The CSCA adopts a classification model of compulsory and optional subjects, with a total of 5 subjects divided into two major categories: Professional Chinese and Fundamental Disciplines. For detailed information, please refer to the table below.

CSCA 在科目设置上采用必考加选考的分类模式，共设5个科目，分为专业中文与基础学科两大类。详细信息请见下表。

Note: Considering the diverse native language backgrounds of international students, the CSCA provides bilingual test papers (Chinese and English) for the three subjects of Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry. Candidates can choose the language version of the test based on the medium of instruction at their target university or in accordance with their school's requirements.

注:考虑到国际学生的母语背景差异，CSCA的数学、物理、化学三门科目均提供中文、英文双语种的试卷。考生可根据目标高校的授课语言，或按学校要求报考相应语种的测试。

The professional Chinese test is mandatory only for applicants to Chinese-taught programs. However, applicants for the undergraduate Chinese Language major who hold a valid HSK4 certificate are exempt from this test. Students applying for English-taught programs do not need to take the Chinese test and they are only required to take examinations in Mathematics, plus Physics and/or Chemistry.

中文考试仅限申请中文授课项目的学生参加。其中，报考汉语言专业本科者，若持有有效HSK4级证书可免考。申请英文授课项目的学生无需参加中文考试，只需参加数学及物理/化学考试。

From 2026 Onwards-Regular Sessions  2026年起常态化考试

Schedule: Five sessions annually in January, March, April, June, and December.

Format: A hybrid of online and in-person testing.Regional Focus: Sessions are primarily held in December, April, and June for the Asia-Pacific region, and in January and March for Europe and the Americas.

Details: Comprehensive schedules will be published on the official website: www.csca.cn. 

线上线下结合，每年1月、3月、4月、6月、12月举行5次，亚太地区主要在12月、4月、6月，欧美地区在1月3月。官方网站(www.csca.cn)将公布详细安排。

* The official exam syllabi for all CSCA subjects have been released. For access, please contact an ScholarshipChina consultant.

所有CSCA科目的官方考试大纲现已正式发布。如需获取，敬请联络ScholarshipChina咨询顾问。

Score and Results   分制与成绩发布

Each CSCA subject is graded on a 100-point scale. Test results wil serve as a reference for universities, which will set their own admission criteria based on individual program requirements.

每门CSCA科目均采用百分制评分。考试成绩将作为高校的参考依据，各院校将根据专业要求自行设定录取标准。

Score release dates vary by test format: results for online and onsite computer-based tests will be announced within 7 working days after the test, while paper-based test results will be released within 14 working days.

成绩公布时间因考试形式而异：线上及现场机考成绩将在考试结束后7个工作日内公布，纸笔考试成绩则将在14个工作日内发布。

Universities can also view each applicant's percentile ranking among all global test-takers to better understand their academic standing within the international applicant pool.

高校还可查看申请者在全球考生中的百分位排名，从而更准确地评估其在国际申请群体中的学术水平。

Exam Registration and Fees  报名流程与缴费

1. Registration Period  报名时段

Registration will be open from early to late November 2025. The specific schedule and detailed procedures will be announced on the official CSCA website: www.csca.cn. 

2025年11月上旬至下旬开放报名，具体时间和操作流程将在CSCA官网(www.csca.cn)公布。

2. Registration Method  报名方式

The primary method is online registration via the official CSCA website (www.csca.cn), which supports both Chinese and English languages. For candidates at some overseas test centers with limited internet or technical access, offline registration assistance is available.主要通过CSCA官网线上报名，支持中英文双语操作；部分海外考点为网络或技术条件受限考生提供线下报名协助。

3. Exam Fees  考试费用

Single subject test: 450 RMB

Two or more subjects: 700 RMB

Accepted payment methods include Alipay, WeChat Pay, UnionPay, VISA, and MasterCard.

报考单科测试费用450元人民币，两科及以上700元人民币；支持支付宝微信、银联、VISA、MasterCard等支付方式。

*The official list of 306 schools designated by official requirements to organize the CSCA exam is included in this document. Please contact the ScholarshipChina team to obtain the school list Excel file.

*根据官方要求，共有306所院校被指定为中国学业水平考试（CSCA）的组织单位，完整名单已收录于本文件中。如需获取院校列表Excel文件，敬请联系ScholarshipChina团队。

No CSCA transcript is needed for Spring 2026 undergraduate applications. We encourage all students aiming to study in China in 2026 to seize this spring opportunity and finalize their applications promptly.

2026年春季本科申请无需提交CSCA成绩单。我们鼓励所有计划于2026年来华攻读本科的学生把握此次春季申请机会，并尽快提交申请。

For more information about the CSCA and how to successfully pass the CSCA exam, follow the ScholarshipChina team. Our professional consultants are here to provide you with personalized guidance and answers. 

如需了解更多关于CSCA考试的信息及成功通过考试的策略，请关注ScholarshipChina团队。我们的专业顾问随时为您提供个性化指导与解答。