The China Scholastic Competency Assessment (CSCA) is a newly launched, standardized admission test aimed at international students seeking undergraduate studies in China. This initiative, set to debut with its first global examination on December 21, 2025, introduces a unified academic benchmark that enhances fairness, quality control, and transparency in Chinese university admissions for international applicants.

From 2026 onward, the CSCA will become a mandatory prerequisite for applicants seeking admission under the Chinese Government Scholarship program’s undergraduate category. This marks a significant policy shift to standardize and elevate criteria for international student admissions. The overarching objective is that by approximately 2028, the CSCA will be required for all international undergraduate applicants to Chinese universities, with institutions applying minimum academic standards in alignment with the test results.