China Scholastic Competency Assessment (CSCA)
Putting an end to all speculation, from 2025 the admission test for Chinese universities is finally set to begin. Yes, you heard it right! The Chinese government, under the name China Scholastic Competency Assessment (CSCA), will hold the first online admission test for international students on December 21, 2025.
This unified admission test will be conducted following the model of China’s famous Gaokao exam. From 2026, students applying for undergraduate admission in 306 designated universities must compulsorily take this exam. Gradually, by 2028, this admission test will be made mandatory for international students seeking admission to all Chinese universities.
Key Points:
- The first CSCA will be held on October 12–13, 2025 in Vietnam and Thailand. These will be paper-based offline exams.
- The first global online CSCA will be held on December 21, 2025.
- Online registration will start in November 2025.
- Exams will be taken in Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry. Mathematics is compulsory for all students, while Physics and Chemistry are optional.
- For applicants to Chinese-medium programs, a Chinese language exam will also be required (those with HSK 4 may be exempt).
- Each subject carries a maximum score of 100.
- For undergraduate admissions to the initially designated 306 universities, the CSCA score will be mandatory. However, those who complete the preparatory course at 17 designated universities will be exempt.
- Other universities outside the 306 may also require CSCA scores as part of their admission criteria from this year.
CSCA Syllabus
Although the CSCA syllabus has not yet been officially published, it will follow the Grade 12 standard. Based on the analysis of past admission tests conducted by various Chinese universities, along with recommendations from our affiliated universities, our subject experts have prepared a comprehensive preparation module for CSCA in Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry.
Format and Schedule
The first paper-based CSCA will be held on October 12–13, 2025 at test centers in Vietnam and Thailand.
Details:
- Mode: Offline, classroom-based exam.
- Offline centers: Vietnam & Thailand (computer-based or paper-based).
- Question format: Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ).
- Languages: Chinese & English.
- Subjects:
- Compulsory: Mathematics
- Optional: Physics, Chemistry (depending on major)
- Duration: 1 hour per subject.
- Exemption: Students who have completed preparatory courses at the 17 designated universities.
First Global CSCA Exam – December 21, 2025
- Mode: Mainly online from home.
- Subjects:
- Specialized Chinese (Humanities Chinese or Science Chinese, depending on major).
- Exemptions:
- Applicants for English-taught undergraduate programs.
- Applicants for Chinese Language majors with HSK Level 4 or above.
- Exemptions:
- Mathematics (compulsory for all).
- Physics (optional, but compulsory for science/engineering/agriculture/medical majors).
- Chemistry (optional, but compulsory for science/engineering/agriculture/medical majors).
- Languages: Chinese & English (chosen according to instruction medium).
- Question types in Specialized Chinese:
- Character recognition
- Cloze exercises
- Word distinction
- Sentence completion
- Paragraph construction
- Reading comprehension
- Schedule: December 21, 2025 (Beijing Time).
- Registration: Opens November 2025.
Number of Exams
From the 2026 undergraduate intake, CSCA will be conducted in both online and offline modes (computer-based & paper-based). Initially, offline exams will be available in Vietnam and Thailand, but within 2–3 years, test centers will expand to India, South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Kazakhstan, and the top 20 student-source countries for China.
Additionally, the CSCA will be offered five times a year (January, March, April, June, December):
- December, April, June → Asia-Pacific
- January, March → Europe & Americas
Registration and Fees
Registration for the December Global CSCA Test will begin in November 2025. Students can register via the official CSCA website or offline exam centers.
Fees:
- RMB 450 → Single subject
- RMB 700 → Two or more subjects
Results
- Each subject will carry 100 marks.
- Result release:
- Online & computer-based → within 7 working days.
- Paper-based → within 14 working days.
- There will be no pass/fail system in CSCA. Instead, each university will set its minimum score requirement.
- Universities will have access to students’ total scores and rankings.
How to Prepare Yourself?
Based on Grade 12 Chinese Senior High School standard in Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry, our expert panel has developed a complete CSCA preparation module after analyzing past exam papers and consulting with affiliated universities.
Aalokbortika Education will launch a CSCA Preparation Course and Mock Test Program from the last week of October.
What you will get in this special program:
- 10 classes per subject.
- Lecture sheets for each class.
- Small batch size: only 20–30 students.
- Continuous support group.
- 5 Mock Tests with solution classes after lectures.
- Assistance with online registration & fee payment for the CSCA test.
- Attractive discounts on various Aalokbortika Education service packages for participants.
