What is CSCA? A plain-English guide for Southeast Asian students

If you want to study for a degree at a Chinese university, you will keep hearing one acronym: CSCA. This guide explains it in plain English.

What the letters mean

CSCA is an academic test for international undergraduate applicants to Chinese universities. It is organised under the China Scholarship Council (CSC). Universities can use the scores when they decide who to admit and who to give scholarships to.

The five subjects

• Mathematics — 48 questions in 60 minutes, available in Chinese or English
• Physics — 48 questions in 60 minutes, Chinese or English
• Chemistry — 48 questions in 60 minutes, Chinese or English
• Professional Chinese (Humanities) — 80 questions in 90 minutes, Chinese only
• Professional Chinese (Science) — 80 questions in 90 minutes, Chinese only

You do not take all five. Each university says which subjects it needs for each programme. Our university list shows demo examples of how that looks.

How the test is taken

The test is a computer-based exam. It is offered several times a year, and the official site describes the home online arrangement, the fees and the registration steps.

Always check the official website csca.cn before you register. Dates, fees and rules can change, and this article is a draft written for practice purposes.

How to start

1. Find out which subjects your target universities ask for.
2. Take our free 3-question check to see roughly where you stand.
3. Sit a full mock exam under real timing.
4. Practise your weakest topics one by one in topic practice.

中文摘要

CSCA 是来华本科留学生的学业水平测试，由国家留学基金委（CSC）组织。共五科：数学、物理、化学（各 48 题 60 分钟，可选中文或英文），专业中文文科和理科（各 80 题 90 分钟，只有中文）。考哪几科由学校决定。报名、日期和费用以官网 csca.cn 为准。