CSCA Study Plan: A 90-Day Week-by-Week Plan (Plus 30 Days)

How should you prepare for CSCA before you start studying?

Good CSCA preparation starts with three checks, not with a textbook. First, confirm which subjects your target programs need. Mathematics is required for everyone, science, engineering, agriculture and medicine majors add Physics or Chemistry, and only Chinese-taught programs need Professional Chinese. If you are unsure how the test works, read our overview of the CSCA exam format and subjects before you plan.

Second, pick your session. The official notice lists regular sessions in January, March, April, June and December, and the 2026–27 calendar reported by third parties adds a November sitting. Exact dates and registration windows change, so check csca.cn and count back 90 days from your test date. Our CSCA exam 2026–27 guide lists the reported dates. Third, take a baseline test. Sit one full set of 48 questions in 60 minutes, without notes, before you study anything. Your score and the topics you missed tell you where to spend your time.

Also decide your test language early. If you will sit Mathematics in English but learned it in another language at school, write down the English terms as you go: domain, range, monotonic, arithmetic sequence, ellipse, vector, probability. Many students lose marks not because the math is hard but because they misread a word under time pressure. You can see these terms in action in our CSCA math sample questions, each with a worked answer.

The 90-day CSCA study plan, week by week

This plan follows the four modules of the official Mathematics syllabus. Phase 1 (weeks 1 to 4) rebuilds the basics, phase 2 (weeks 5 to 9) covers the remaining topics with heavy practice, and phase 3 (weeks 10 to 13) is about timing, mock tests and fixing weak spots. Our Mathematics topic lessons follow the same order if you want structured notes for each week.

What does a good CSCA study day look like?

Consistency beats long weekend sessions. Most students preparing alongside school can manage 1.5 to 2 hours on weekdays and a longer block at the weekend. If you work better with a fixed timetable, our live CSCA classes follow the same weekly structure. Here is a simple routine that fits that time:

1. 15 minutes: redo three to five questions from your error log.
2. 45 to 60 minutes: learn or review the topic of the week, with worked examples.
3. 20 to 30 minutes: a timed set of 15 to 20 questions on that topic.
4. 10 minutes: mark your set and write each new mistake in your error log, with one line on why you got it wrong.
5. Weekends: one longer mixed set, plus time for your second subject if you need one.

Your error log is the most valuable tool in this plan. Record the question, your answer, the correct answer and the cause: concept gap, careless slip, misread English, or running out of time. After a few weeks you will see patterns, and fixing those patterns is faster than doing hundreds of new questions. You can build daily sets from our free CSCA practice questions, which need no sign-up.

How do you add Physics or Chemistry to your plan?

If your major needs Physics or Chemistry, start that subject in week 2, not after Mathematics is finished. Give it three or four sessions a week of about an hour, and mostly use weekends for it. Physics leans heavily on algebra, functions and vectors, so your Mathematics work will make it easier as you go. Chemistry rewards steady memorization of facts and reactions, which works best in short, regular sessions. Before you start, check the official topic list in our CSCA physics syllabus guide, or the chemistry syllabus guide if Chemistry is your second paper.

Follow the same three phases for the second subject: topic review, then practice by topic, then timed 48-question mocks from week 10. If you sit two or more subjects, practice back-to-back timed tests at least once, so you know how tired you feel in the second paper. Our CSCA Physics practice set is a good place to test your starting level.

Can you prepare for CSCA in 30 days?

Yes, if you already studied most of these topics at school and need revision rather than new learning. Thirty days is not enough to learn conic sections, derivatives and probability from the start. Be honest with your baseline test: if you score well below half, consider a later session. If you must sit the exam in 30 days, plan for about 3 hours a day and follow this compressed plan:

• Days 1 to 7: baseline test, then sets and inequalities, and all function topics including trigonometry and sequences.
• Days 8 to 14: derivatives, vectors, complex numbers, lines and circles.
• Days 15 to 21: conic sections, solid geometry, probability and statistics.
• Days 22 to 30: three full timed mocks, error-log review after each, and light revision in the last two days.

What mistakes slow CSCA preparation down?

• Starting without a baseline test, then spending weeks on topics you already know.
• Only reading notes. You improve by solving timed questions, not by highlighting.
• Ignoring the test language. If you sit the exam in English, learn the English math vocabulary.
• Leaving mock tests to the final week. You need several mocks to fix your pacing.
• Trusting unofficial cut-off scores online. No national minimum score has been published.
• Forgetting registration. Sessions and registration windows are set on csca.cn, so register as soon as your window opens.

Frequently asked questions

CSCA.ai is an independent preparation platform. Confirm dates, fees and requirements on the official site, csca.cn.