CSCA for English-Taught STEM: What to Take

For the 2026 and 2027 academic years, Shanghai's official CSCA FAQ says international applicants to undergraduate programmes at Chinese Government Scholarship universities must take the CSCA and submit the score report. It also says that fully English-taught undergraduate applicants are exempt from Professional Chinese, not from the assessment as a whole (official FAQ).

University notices show why you must read the current programme page. Zhejiang University requires a valid CSCA report for international undergraduate applicants, while Dalian University of Technology calls the report an essential material for review of its English-taught bachelor's programmes (Zhejiang University guide, DUT guide). This is undergraduate guidance. Do not assume a master's or doctoral programme uses the same requirement.

Start with the target university's programme catalogue. The current official CSCA FAQ says Mathematics is required for all programmes. Fully English-taught applicants are exempt from Professional Chinese. Physics and Chemistry depend on the university and programme, and applicants to science, engineering, agriculture or medicine programmes must take at least one of them (official FAQ).

That does not create one universal STEM combination. Jiangnan University states that required subjects differ by major, and Zhejiang University directs applicants to its programme catalogue for the subjects and paper language corresponding to each major (Jiangnan University undergraduate guide, Zhejiang University guide). Write down the exact major title first, then compare every target's current catalogue before booking.

The official CSCA introduction says Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry are offered in Chinese and English, and candidates should choose the test language required by the university they are applying to (CSCA official introduction). Shanghai's official FAQ gives the same instruction and confirms that fully English-taught applicants are exempt from Professional Chinese (official FAQ).

Do not choose a paper language only because it feels easier. Match the language and subjects to the programme notice, save a copy of that notice, and ask admissions in writing if the catalogue is unclear. The general CSCA guide explains the broader assessment format, but the programme catalogue controls this subject decision.

No general replacement rule is published in the notices reviewed. Zhejiang University lists English-language evidence and the CSCA score report as separate application materials for English-taught undergraduate applicants (Zhejiang University guide). DUT likewise lists its English-language evidence options separately from the CSCA transcript (DUT guide).

Your programme may publish its own exemptions or alternatives, but these examples are not rules for every institution. Check the exact programme's language policy, the acceptable test date and any medium-of-instruction evidence before you submit. Use the English-proficiency guide to organise that verification.

Use the official CSCA site for the live registration calendar, then work backwards from each university's own deadline. The official CSCA introduction publishes the available subjects and says candidates should select them according to the application type and university requirements (CSCA official introduction). Current university notices illustrate different handling: DUT tells applicants to take the test and upload the transcript through its international-student system, while Northeast Normal University says bachelor applicants need the report and directs them to its current bachelor's programme list for subject requirements (DUT guide, Northeast Normal University guide).

Avoid copying an old cycle's dates or assuming one university will accept the same sequence as another. Make a file for each target with its programme, test subjects, paper language, CSCA session, university deadline and upload instructions. The online-submission guide can help you keep the portal steps separate.

Before paying for a test, confirm the current programme title, degree level, teaching language, CSCA subject list, paper language, English-language evidence, university deadline and required upload portal. Keep the official pages or PDFs you used, because a later intake can change the requirement. A CSCA score is an application material, not a published universal pass mark or a guarantee of admission or funding.

If you want help turning published programme requirements into a documented shortlist, the $50 shortlisting session compares options without submitting applications or promising admission or funding.

*CSC Path is an independent educational resource, not affiliated with the China Scholarship Council. We do not submit applications, control university decisions, or guarantee nomination, admission, or funding.*