45 Days to the November 2026 CSCA: A 45-Day Plan to Pass on the First Try

September 30, 2026 · CSCA Gateway Team

Station name board for Zijingang Campus, Zhejiang University — Photo: Benteds, CC BY 4.0

As of today, September 30, 2026, the CSCA session on November 14–15, 2026 is 45 days away. Registration runs October 15–21, 2026 at csca.cn. If you are aiming for a bachelor's degree in China, especially through the Chinese Government Scholarship, this is the safest session to take. This article explains why it pays to aim for a pass on the first attempt, then gives a 45-day study plan you can follow straight away.

You Can Retake the CSCA, but It Costs You

There is no limit on how many times you can sit the CSCA, but you pay every time:

CSCA Test Fees

1 subject: RMB 450
2 or more subjects: RMB 700

Then there is time. If November does not go well, the next sessions are December 19–20, 2026 and January 23–24, 2027. Scholarship deadlines usually fall early in the year, so January is already tight. All official dates are in CSCA Exam Dates 2026–2027.

The takeaway is simple: preparing properly now is far cheaper than paying twice and racing a deadline.

A 45-Day Study Plan

Zhejiang University Central Library on the Zijingang Campus, Hangzhou. · Photo: rea007, CC BY-SA 4.0

The plan has four stages. Adjust the number of subjects to what your universities and major require. Mathematics is required for everyone, Professional Chinese for Chinese-taught programs, and Physics and Chemistry depend on the major.

Days 45 to 38 (diagnose): try a few questions in each subject to find your weakest chapters. Note the topics you keep missing and any Chinese terms you do not know yet.
Days 37 to 15 (build the base): one chapter a day. Learn the concept, then practise questions on that chapter. Memorise the Chinese terms as you go, such as 等差数列 (arithmetic sequence) or 电场强度 (electric field strength).
Days 14 to 4 (simulate): sit full timed simulations, then go through every question you got wrong. Revisit chapters that are still weak.
Days 3 to 1 (stay calm): no new material. Review your notes, check your exam schedule and equipment, and sleep well.

For a broader look at study strategy, read How to Prepare Effectively for the CSCA Exam.

Practise With CSCA-Style Questions

A CSCA Mathematics practice question on CSCA Gateway — Practice on CSCA Gateway: each question in Chinese, Pinyin and English at once.

CSCA questions follow the patterns and terminology of Chinese exams, so practising with CSCA-style questions helps more than repeating your school curriculum. On CSCA Gateway you can:

Work through Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry questions in Chinese, Pinyin and English at once
Sit full simulations of 48 questions in 60 minutes per subject, with explanations
See the topics you miss most on your dashboard
Use a glossary of 3,000+ Chinese science terms, with terms from the official exam vocabulary lists marked
Follow a Study Pack: one chapter a day for 7, 14 or 30 days in one subject

You can start with 10 free questions without paying anything. For the diagnosis stage in week one, that is enough.

Common Mistakes in the Final Weeks

Students in a classroom on the Zijingang Campus, Zhejiang University — Photo: Félix An, CC BY 4.0

Putting off registration. Registration is only open October 15–21. Set up your csca.cn account and required documents now.
Reading without timed practice. On exam day, speed matters as much as understanding.
Ignoring Chinese terminology. Many easy questions are missed because of one unfamiliar term. More traps are listed in Common Mistakes in CSCA Math, Physics and Chemistry.

After the test, the next step is getting your university and scholarship documents ready. The full list is in Study in China 2027 Checklist.

Note: dates and fees come from csca.cn. Always double-check the official site before registering, as the rules can change.