CSCA Mathematics and Physics: Exam Format and 8-Week Study Plan
Learn the CSCA Mathematics and Physics exam format and build an 8-week study plan. Each paper has 48 questions in 60 minutes; verify required subjects with your university.
The China Scholastic Competency Assessment (CSCA) is organised by the China Scholarship Council (CSC) with experts from Chinese universities. It helps universities assess international applicants to undergraduate programmes. The exam has separate Professional Chinese, Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry papers, with a score for each paper. The papers you need depend on your university, programme, scholarship route and language of instruction. Check your target university’s latest admission notice before booking. This independent guide explains the Mathematics and Physics formats and offers a practical study plan. Official source: https://csca.cn/about/examintro (checked 14 October 2026).
Who needs Maths and Physics?
Mathematics is required under the published CSCA rules for relevant undergraduate applicants. Physics and Chemistry requirements vary by university and programme: science, engineering, agriculture and medicine applicants commonly need at least one. Applicants to fully English-taught programmes are exempt from Professional Chinese, but should confirm the exact papers and exam language in each university’s latest admission notice. Source: https://csca.cn/about/examintro.
The exam format at a glance
- Mathematics: 60 minutes, 48 single-answer multiple-choice questions, scored 0–100
- Physics: 60 minutes, 48 single-answer multiple-choice questions, scored 0–100
- Paper language: Chinese or English. Choose the one your programme requires.
- Delivery: home-based online testing and authorised test centres may be offered. Check the available format for your sitting on csca.cn.
- Fees published in the official overview on 14 October 2026: 450 RMB for one subject or 700 RMB for two or more. Verify the current amount at registration.
- Each subject is scored separately; there is no combined CSCA total.
Each 48-question paper lasts 60 minutes, an average of 75 seconds per question. Practise deciding when to skip a difficult question and return to it. Check the current candidate instructions on csca.cn for permitted equipment and materials before exam day.
What the syllabus covers
The official Mathematics syllabus groups the content into four modules. Download the current version at https://csca.cn/testprep/examsv before planning your revision:
- Sets and inequalities: set notation and operations, and solving quadratic and rational inequalities
- Functions: domain and range, monotonicity, parity (odd and even functions), and power, exponential, logarithmic and trigonometric functions
- Geometry and algebra: vectors, complex numbers, lines and circles, conic sections, and solid geometry
- Probability and statistics: classical probability, mean and variance, and the normal distribution
The official Physics syllabus groups the content into five modules. Check the current PDF at https://csca.cn/testprep/examsv:
- Mechanics: kinematics, Newton's laws, momentum and its conservation, work and energy, circular motion and gravitation, simple harmonic motion and mechanical waves
- Electromagnetism: electrostatic fields (Coulomb's law, field strength, potential), DC circuits and Ohm's law, magnetic fields (Ampère and Lorentz forces), and electromagnetic induction (Faraday's and Lenz's laws)
- Thermodynamics: kinetic molecular theory, gas laws and the first law of thermodynamics
- Optics: reflection, refraction, total internal reflection, interference and diffraction
- Modern physics: the photoelectric effect, atomic models and nuclear reactions
An 8-week study plan
8 weeks to CSCA Maths and Physics
Week 1: Diagnose
Take one full timed paper in each subject. Note which modules cost you the most marks and which questions took longer than 75 seconds.
Week 2: Functions and sets
Review the function families, their graphs and properties, plus inequalities and set operations. Do short daily drills.
Week 3: Mechanics
Practise kinematics, Newton's laws, energy and momentum. Draw a free-body diagram for every force problem.
Week 4: Geometry and algebra
Work on vectors, complex numbers, lines, circles, conic sections and solid geometry. Learn the key formulas until you can recall them instantly.
Week 5: Electromagnetism
Cover electric fields, circuits, magnetic forces and induction. Practise circuit calculations by hand.
Week 6: Probability, statistics, heat, light and modern physics
Finish the remaining modules. They are shorter, so they are good for picking up quick marks.
Week 7: Timed mock exams
Sit at least two timed 48-question practice papers per subject, allowing 60 minutes for each. Review every mistake and revisit the relevant syllabus topic. Follow the official instructions for your actual exam sitting.
Week 8: Polish and rest
Revisit your error log, do light mixed practice, check your exam-day technology and ID, and sleep well before the test.
Smart exam-day habits
- Do a first pass and answer every question you can solve quickly. Flag the rest.
- Use the final minutes to revisit flagged questions and check your answers. Read the current scoring and answer instructions before assuming that guessing is beneficial.
- Check units and orders of magnitude in Physics. Many wrong options differ only by a factor of 10.
- If you test from home, check your webcam, microphone and connection well before the exam starts.
Practising on csca.ai
CSCA.ai offers short Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry practice sets with answer feedback. Start with a subject set in week 1, then return to the topics you missed during weeks 2–7. These are independent practice questions, not official CSCA papers.
“Know the syllabus, practise under time pressure, and learn from every mistake. That's the whole method.”
