How to Register for the CSCA Exam

Register through the official CSCA website. The process itself is straightforward, but the identity and photo checks are strict. Preparing those files before you start can prevent an avoidable rejection or a test-day problem.

Before you begin: one email account can be linked to only one candidate. Create the account with the candidate's own information, even if a parent, school, or counselor is helping with the application.

The registration process at a glance

1. Create an account on the official CSCA website.
2. Complete the application form.
3. Choose an available exam session and format.
4. Review the details and pay through the registration system.

Have your passport, a compliant digital photo, and a supported payment method ready. The registration system lists Visa, Mastercard, WeChat Pay, and Alipay. If you cannot use an eligible card or payment account, contact the CSCA exam team at cscasupport@cscdf.org.

CSCA has not supplied a fee in the reviewed material for this page. Check the amount shown in the official registration system before authorizing payment.

Passport requirements

CSCA accepts only an ordinary, physical passport booklet as the candidate's identity document. For U.S. candidates, a passport card is not accepted.

Your passport must:

• Show your photograph, full name, date of birth, and expiration date
• Be signed by the passport holder if it includes a signature page
• Remain valid from the day you register through the day scores are released
• Be an original government-issued booklet that you can present on exam day

The name, sex, date of birth, passport number, and nationality entered in the application must match the passport exactly. Use the passport biographical-data page when you register.

Documents that are not accepted

Do not substitute a passport card, diplomatic or official passport, national ID, driver's license, student ID, residence permit or card, Social Security card, electronic ID, temporary travel document, or visa page. A photocopy, scan, screenshot, or other reproduction of an ordinary passport does not replace the original document at identity checks.

When a passport is considered unusable

CSCA may reject a passport that is expired, canceled, revoked, or missing an expiration date. It may also reject a document when:

• Required information is obscured, blurred, cropped, or hidden by glare
• The image or document appears forged, altered, or marked with a watermark or annotation
• The information is incomplete or does not reliably establish the candidate's identity
• Pages are missing or detached, the binding is loose or broken, or the booklet is damaged, stained, or deformed
• Any other condition prevents reliable inspection or identity verification

On exam day, bring the same compliant original passport used for registration. A candidate who cannot present it may be denied admission without a refund.

If your passport is lost, replaced, or changed after registration, submit an information-correction request before the admission ticket is generated. Include a clear scan of the new passport page and either the old passport page, for a renewal or replacement, or an official police or administrative report for a lost passport. Keep the passport valid throughout registration, testing, grading, and score publication.

Digital photo requirements

The uploaded photo is used for identity checks and, for a home-based exam, facial recognition. A photo that fails verification can prevent access to the exam, and the exam fee will not be refunded for that reason.

Use a recent, color passport-style photo that meets all of these specifications:

Keep the original aspect ratio. Do not stretch, compress, or distort the image. Center the candidate, show the entire head, and make sure the face is sharp and fully visible.

How to take an acceptable photo

Face the camera directly with your head centered, a natural expression, and both eyes open. Look into the lens. Your eyebrows, ears, facial features, and face shape should remain visible; do not tilt or turn your head.

Hats, headbands, sunglasses, and other face-obscuring items are not allowed. A religious head covering is permitted when it leaves the face and its outline clearly visible. Removing eyeglasses reduces the risk of glare; if you keep them on, the frame must not obscure your face and the lenses must be clear, with no glare or tint.

Use even lighting, natural color, and appropriate exposure. Do not upload a selfie, full-body photo, group photo, casual photo, screenshot, scan, or a crop from another picture. Beauty filters, retouching that changes your appearance, AI generation, face swapping, and compositing are prohibited.

Choose an exam session

CSCA publishes sessions in Beijing Time (UTC+8). The dates below were shown in the official materials reviewed on October 8, 2026. Registration windows, subject availability, format, and location can change, so confirm the live options in your account before paying.

The schedule above is a complete English translation of the published timetable. Professional Chinese and Mathematics take place on the first day of each session; Physics and Chemistry follow on the second day.

All registration and document-change deadlines follow the time shown in the system in Beijing Time. If you are in the United States, convert the deadline for your own time zone and allow for daylight-saving changes.

Choose a test format

The reviewed CSCA materials describe two formats: computer-based testing at an authorized test center and a home-based online exam. The content, duration, and question types are the same for both formats.

Computer-based test center

Choose only from the centers offered for your session in the official registration system. A reference list for June 2026 named Nanjing Normal University (Xianlin Campus), Central University of Finance and Economics (South College Road Campus), and Tongji University (Huxi Campus). That historical list does not confirm that any of those centers will be available for a later session. CSCA states that it is adding computer-based centers in key regions.

Home-based online exam

The home-based exam uses two devices: a Windows computer for answering questions and front-facing monitoring, plus a phone or tablet for a side/rear view of the room. A remote proctor supervises the session, supported by exam-security controls.

Watch the official CSCA home-based exam video guide and complete the required system test before exam day.

Primary computer

• A genuine 64-bit version of Windows 10 or 11, or Windows 7 SP1 or later; macOS is not supported
• One physical display only, with no external monitor, privacy filter, or anti-glare screen cover
• Local use on physical hardware; remote desktops, cloud computers, and remote-access tools are prohibited
• Virtualization disabled, including Hyper-V, Windows Sandbox, WSL/WSL2, and VBS
• A display resolution of at least 1366 × 768 and at least 4 GB of memory
• At least 2 GB of free space on the partition used by the exam client; CSCA recommends avoiding the C: drive when possible
• A built-in camera or USB camera centered above the screen, with at least 720p resolution; 1080p is recommended
• Speakers and a microphone for a desktop computer; wireless headphones are prohibited
• The latest CSCA exam client installed in advance and a reliable power connection

Some devices, including certain Microsoft Surface models, may be incompatible because of their architecture or built-in virtualization security. The personal system test is the practical compatibility check. If the client will not start or run reliably, arrange another compliant Windows desktop or laptop before the deadline.

Secondary monitoring device

Use a smartphone or tablet that can run the browser-based CSCA monitoring interface. Mount it on a stable stand or tripod so the view is clear, unobstructed, and adjustable. Keep it connected to power or have backup power available.

Network

• Symmetrical upload and download bandwidth of at least 20 Mbps
• A connection speed to the exam system of at least 500 KB/s
• A wired broadband connection when available
• All unrelated applications and background processes closed on exam day
• A backup 4G hotspot prepared, with the switching process tested in advance

Use the speed test built into the registration system or exam client. VPNs, proxy servers, network accelerators, and any service that changes, hides, relays, or proxies the network connection, public IP address, or network exit are prohibited. If the required personal or centralized mock test works only through one of those tools, the network does not meet the home-exam requirements. Change networks or contact CSCA technical support before test day.

Review before you pay

Treat the final review screen as an identity check, not a routine click. Confirm:

• The exam date, Beijing-time deadline, format, and available location
• The subject or subject combination required by the university program
• Your name, sex, nationality, date of birth, and passport number
• Passport validity through score release
• Photo file size, dimensions, lighting, and appearance
• Home-exam device and network compatibility, if applicable
• The payment amount, payment status, and registration confirmation

Save the confirmation, payment record, and exam instructions. Return to your official CSCA account for status changes and admission-ticket availability; do not rely on an unsolicited link or a third-party calendar.

Correct registration information

CSCA permits one information-correction request at no charge. Check the application carefully before using it.

For a name, sex, nationality, date of birth, passport number, or other registration detail:

1. Download and complete the official Information Correction Application Form.
2. Prepare a scan of the valid identity document and any additional official evidence supporting the change.
3. Email the form and evidence from the candidate's registered email address to cscaservice@cscdf.org.
4. Wait for the CSCA exam team to review the complete submission and update the registration system if approved.

The candidate, or a legal guardian when the candidate is a minor, must send the request. It must arrive before the admission ticket is generated. Once the ticket has been generated, registration information is locked and CSCA will not accept a change. All materials must be genuine, accurate, complete, and clearly legible.

Correct information on a score report

If a personal detail is wrong on the score report, submit the same application form, identity document, and supporting evidence within 30 days after the report is generated. Send the request from the registered email address to cscaservice@cscdf.org.

A complete change of name or nationality requires official proof of that change. If CSCA approves the request, the reviewed instructions state that a corrected report will be generated within five business days. The earlier electronic score report then becomes invalid; use the latest version.

Deadlines for both registration and score-report corrections follow Beijing Time (UTC+8) as displayed in the official registration system.