CSCA : le test académique désormais obligatoire pour toute candidature en licence

What CSCA is and is not

CSCA — the China Scholastic Competency Assessment — is an academic subject test administered in a similar spirit to the SAT or the Chinese Gaokao, but adapted for international candidates. It tests subject knowledge and reasoning, not Chinese language ability.

It is not a substitute for HSK: if you are applying for a Chinese-taught programme you still need the required HSK level, and if you are applying for an English-taught programme you still need IELTS or TOEFL where the university asks for it.

Who must take it

Every applicant for a Chinese Government Scholarship undergraduate programme must register for and sit CSCA and upload a valid score report before the scholarship deadline. For September 2026 enrolment, the required test dates were 21 December 2025 and 25 January 2026.

Beyond CSC, an increasing number of universities require CSCA or accept it in place of their own entrance examination for self-funded bachelor's applicants. Consult the target institution about which subject papers are required for your intended major — mathematics is standard, and engineering, science, medicine and economics programmes usually require a second paper.

How to prepare

Register at csca.cn with your passport, choose the test date and subjects, and pay the fee. Test centres operate in a growing list of countries; if CSCA is not offered where you live, contact your target university and your local Chinese embassy for guidance on the nearest centre.

Preparation should follow the published syllabus rather than a Chinese high-school curriculum. Past-paper practice and mathematics revision are the highest-yield activities, and applicants from countries whose school systems cover the topics late should start two to three months ahead.