Is CSCA Mandatory? Who Needs the CSCA Exam in 2026–27

Is CSCA mandatory for every student going to China?

No, not yet. The CSCA is being introduced in stages. Right now it is mandatory for a defined group of applicants and not yet required for others. Whether you need it depends on three things: the level you are applying for, the university you choose, and how you are paying for your studies. Your nationality on its own does not decide it. For a one-page overview of subjects, format, fees and the reported session dates, see our CSCA exam 2026–27 guide.

If the test is new to you, start with our plain-English guide to what the CSCA exam covers. In short, it measures whether you are academically ready for a Chinese bachelor's program. Each subject is scored from 0 to 100, and you can sit it at an authorized test center (computer-based or paper-based) or at home with live online proctoring.

Who needs to take the CSCA in 2026 and 2027?

The Shanghai government's official CSCA FAQ states that the test is mandatory for all international students applying to undergraduate programs at Chinese Government Scholarship universities for the 2026 and 2027 academic years. In practice, three groups of students need a CSCA score report now:

• Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC) bachelor applicants, whether you apply through the Chinese embassy in your country (Type A) or directly to a university (Type B).
• Self-funded applicants to universities that have written CSCA into their own international undergraduate admission rules.
• Applicants for provincial, city or university scholarships at universities that ask every bachelor applicant for a CSCA score report.

Some universities have gone beyond the minimum. Beijing Forestry University, for example, has said it will require the CSCA score report from all international undergraduate applicants, including self-funded students and applicants to every scholarship program. Other universities still admit self-funded students without it for now. This is why you must read the current international admission guide of each university on your list, not just a general article.

Which universities require CSCA?

There is no single, permanent list that answers this for every student, because more universities join each year and each one publishes its own rules. Check in this order: the participating university information on the official CSCA website, then the international admissions page of each university you like, then the Chinese embassy or consulate in your country if you apply through the Type A scholarship route. If you are still choosing where to apply, you can compare Chinese universities and scholarships on WiseAdmit, the company behind CSCA.ai.

Universities that have published CSCA instructions or subject requirements for international bachelor applicants include, for example, Beijing Language and Culture University, Beijing Forestry University, Sichuan University, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, China University of Mining and Technology, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies and Hebei University of Technology. This is not a complete list. When a university says it requires CSCA, its page usually also lists the subjects each major needs, and that subject list matters as much as the yes-or-no answer.

• Humanities, business, law or social sciences, English-taught: Mathematics, usually taken in English.
• Humanities, business, law or social sciences, Chinese-taught: Professional Chinese (Humanities track) plus Mathematics.
• Science, engineering, agriculture or medicine, English-taught: Mathematics plus at least one of Physics or Chemistry.
• Science, engineering, agriculture or medicine, Chinese-taught: Professional Chinese (STEM track), Mathematics, plus at least one of Physics or Chemistry.
• Some universities ask for both Physics and Chemistry for certain majors, so always confirm the exact subjects for your program.

Do English-taught programs need CSCA?

Yes, in most cases, but not the Chinese part. Applicants to fully English-taught bachelor programs are exempt from the Professional Chinese test. They still take Mathematics, which the official guidance lists as required for all programs, plus Physics or Chemistry if the major is in science, engineering, agriculture or medicine. Some universities, such as Hebei University of Technology, also tell English-taught applicants to choose the English version of each subject test.

This is the most common misunderstanding we see. Students hear that English-taught programs are exempt and assume they can skip the whole exam. They cannot. The exemption covers only Professional Chinese. Mathematics is the one subject every applicant shares, so it is the best place to start, and our CSCA Mathematics subject guide breaks the official syllabus into clear topics.

Who is exempt from CSCA?

• Master's and PhD applicants: CSCA is designed for undergraduate admission, and postgraduate applicants are not required to take it.
• English-taught bachelor applicants: exempt from Professional Chinese only, not from Mathematics or the science subjects.
• Chinese Language bachelor applicants: may be exempt from Professional Chinese with a valid HSK Level 4 score, according to the Shanghai official FAQ.
• Self-funded applicants to universities that have not adopted CSCA yet: not required for 2026–27 entry, but check again every admission year.

Notice what is not on this list. We have not seen any official rule that lets an SAT, A-level, IB or national school-leaving result replace CSCA at a university that requires it. Those results can still strengthen your application, but they are not a substitute for the score report. If a university tells you that you are exempt, ask for it in writing and keep that email with your application documents. Our CSCA vs SAT, ACT, A-Level and IB comparison explains how these qualifications relate to the CSCA.

What changes with CSCA in 2028?

The official rollout plan expects CSCA to apply to all international undergraduate applicants to Chinese universities by 2028, whether they hold a scholarship or pay their own fees. Universities and education sources also report that formal minimum admission standards will be announced. Treat 2028 as the planned direction rather than a final, detailed rule: the Shanghai official FAQ, for example, only confirms the 2026 and 2027 academic years.

What this means for you is simple. If you plan to start a bachelor's degree in China in September 2028 or later, assume you will need CSCA wherever you apply. If you start earlier, you may still need it, depending on the university. No national minimum or cut-off score has been published yet, so any passing score you see online is unofficial. Taking the exam early gives you a score in hand and a wider choice of universities. For the full admission path, see our guide to how to study a bachelor in China in 2026–27.

What should you do now if CSCA applies to you?

1. List 5 to 10 target universities and majors, and note the teaching language of each program.
2. Find the CSCA subject requirements for each program on the university's admission page.
3. Check the next session dates and registration window on csca.cn, and choose a session whose results arrive before your earliest application deadline.
4. Register and pay on csca.cn. The official fee has been 450 CNY for one subject and 700 CNY for two or more; confirm the current fee when you register.
5. Prepare subject by subject, starting with Mathematics, then Physics or Chemistry if your major needs them.
6. Upload your score report to every application that asks for it.

Timing matters. Results come out typically within 7–14 working days depending on test mode; check your session notice. For a September start, scholarship and university deadlines often fall in the first months of the year, so many applicants aim for a session between November and January. If you want a teacher to guide you through that calendar, our live CSCA classes are built around the exam sessions.

Frequently asked questions

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