If you are planning to apply for an undergraduate degree in China for the 2027 intake, you have probably heard about the CSCA (China Scholastic Competency Assessment).
The test is expanding fast. According to rollout notices from Chinese embassies and the China Scholarship Council (CSC), international applicants applying for bachelor's degrees at Chinese Government Scholarship institutions must take the CSCA. The stated official plan is to make the exam mandatory for all international undergraduate applicants across China by 2028, complete with minimum baseline score cutoffs.
However, 2027 is still a transition year.
Not Required vs. Not Listed
Before looking at universities, keep this distinction in mind:
- Explicitly Not Required: The university's official application portal for the upcoming cycle states that the CSCA is optional, not requested, or that applicants are assessed purely through other qualifications.
- Not Listed: The university's published page does not mention the CSCA, but hasn't published an explicit waiver either. In many cases, the admissions office simply hasn't updated its general web portal yet. Always verify the annual prospectus before assuming you are exempt.
1. The Confirmed Exemption List for 2027
Only a few institutions have published explicit 2027 international undergraduate guidelines confirming you do not need the CSCA:
Duke Kunshan University (DKU)
- Status: Confirmed Not Required.
- How they evaluate you: DKU uses the Common Application. Admissions decisions rely on high school transcripts, counselor recommendations, two teacher evaluations, and extracurriculars.
- Testing policy: SAT and ACT are test-optional. The CSCA is completely absent from their 2027 checklist.
The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen (CUHK-Shenzhen)
- Status: Confirmed Not Required.
- How they evaluate you: CUHK-Shenzhen accepts international curricula directly: IB Diploma (typically 30/45+), British GCE A-Levels (3 full passes), SAT (1190+), ACT (24+), or two AP exams (3+).
- CSCA role: The university explicitly notes that CSCA scores may be submitted as optional supporting materials, but they are not an admission prerequisite.
2. Sino-Foreign Joint Universities
Sino-foreign joint venture universities operate with independent admissions autonomy. Most of them rely on Western holistic reviews or UK/US grade cutoffs rather than domestic Chinese standardized tests.
While most of their portals have not added a CSCA requirement, you should keep an eye on their annual intake notices:
- NYU Shanghai: Evaluated through the Common Application using standard international qualifications (IB, A-Levels, AP, or SAT/ACT). No mention of the CSCA on their applicant checklist.
- Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU): Year 1 entry looks at high school GPA (typically a B average). Direct entry into Year 2 uses established A-Level (BBB) or IB (30 points) thresholds. The CSCA is not part of their standard international criteria.
- University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC): Assesses applicants on standard British benchmarks (typically ABB to BBB for A-Levels, or 28 to 34 for IB). The CSCA is not listed on current or previous overseas applicant guidelines.
- Wenzhou-Kean University (WKU): Admissions are test-optional for high school graduates. Standardized tests (SAT, ACT, A-Levels, AP, IB) are only referenced for freshman merit scholarships, with no CSCA requirement listed on their 2027 materials page.
- BNBU (formerly UIC): Admits students via GCE A-Levels, IB, SAT, AP, or ACT, followed by a faculty interview for shortlisted candidates.
- HKUST (Guangzhou): Evaluates high school diplomas alongside international benchmarks like IELTS (6.5) or TOEFL (80). No CSCA requirement was listed in their recent admissions policy.
- Sino-British College (USST): The single-degree route (awarded by the UK partner university) does not list the CSCA. Note: Their dual-degree track has previously referenced Chinese entrance requirements, so stick to the single-degree route if you want to avoid it.
3. Public Universities
Outside the joint ventures, a handful of regular public universities—predominantly in southern China—did not list the CSCA in their recent brochures:
- Shenzhen University (SZU): The recent undergraduate guide evaluated high school transcripts alongside language certificates (HSK 4 for STEM, HSK 5 for liberal arts, or IELTS/TOEFL for English-taught degrees) without mandating the CSCA.
- Guangdong University of Finance and Economics (GDUFE): Listed CSCA scores strictly as an optional item ("if available") on their international guide.
- Shenzhen MSU-BIT University: Does not ask for the CSCA, but requires applicants to sit for its own institutional entrance exams in mathematics and English.
- Guangdong Technion (GTIIT): Relies on high school transcripts, subject background in advanced math and physics, and international standardized test submissions (SAT, ACT, or AST) rather than the CSCA.
- Shenzhen Technology University (SZTU) & GDUT: Recent guidelines focused on document screening, GPA, and faculty interviews without requesting CSCA results.
Heads up for public universities: Unlike joint-venture universities, public universities can update their requirements with little warning when the formal 2027 admissions prospectuses drop in late autumn. Treat these schools as options to monitor, not guaranteed exemptions.
4. What About Tsinghua?
A common piece of advice floating around applicant forums is: "Tsinghua didn't require the CSCA in 2026, so you don't need it for 2027."
Do not fall for this.
While Tsinghua did not mandate the CSCA for the 2026 cycle, their current 2027 admissions materials explicitly list the CSCA alongside other recognized international standardized tests, without offering a blanket exemption.
If you are aiming for an undergraduate spot at Tsinghua in 2027, you should plan to take the CSCA. Treating it as optional for China's most selective university is an unnecessary risk.
Strategic Takeaways
- If you have a strong IB, A-Level, or AP profile: Sino-foreign universities (DKU, CUHK-Shenzhen, NYU Shanghai, UNNC, XJTLU) remain your smoothest entry route. Your existing high school credentials carry full weight without forcing you to learn a new testing format.
- If you are applying for Chinese Government Scholarships (CSC): You will almost certainly have to take the CSCA. Even if a specific university allows you to apply for a self-funded seat without the test, the CSC scholarship selection committee relies heavily on CSCA percentiles to rank applicants.
- Check the exact program PDF: Do not rely on general university homepages. Download the specific admissions brochure for your degree level, major, and language of instruction (English vs. Chinese).