Exam Dates
CSCA exam dates and planning
The 2026 planning materials point to five exam windows across the year. The safest strategy is to place the exam early enough that scores, application documents, and scholarship planning can still move without pressure.
2026 Planning
5 expected sessions: Jan, Mar, Apr, Jun, Dec
Best Timing
Leave margin before application deadlines
Planning Rule
Schedule score release into the full route
What the current materials show
The official planning information for 2026 points to five test windows in January, March, April, June, and December.
One published example schedule shows the March 15, 2026 session separated by subject and Beijing time, which means students should verify the time block for every individual subject they register for.
The site has also shown registration windows and future sessions separately, so students should expect session-by-session updates rather than one static annual page.
How to choose the right session
Work backward from scholarship deadlines, university deadlines, and document preparation rather than choosing the last available exam.
Choose a session that gives you room for score release, application uploads, and possible route adjustment if needed.
If you are still deciding subjects or teaching language, give yourself extra margin instead of using the exam calendar as a fixed target.
Where students lose time
They wait until the subject plan is final before checking the exam calendar.
They assume the exam is the end of the process rather than the start of score-use planning.
They do not account for different exam formats and the score publication window that follows each session.