The College Scholastic Ability Test or CSAT (), also abbreviated as Suneung (), is a standardised test which is recognised by South Korean universities. The Korea Institute of Curriculum and Evaluation (KICE) administers the annual test on the third Thursday in November.
The CSAT was originally designed to assess the scholastic ability required for college. Because the CSAT is the primary factor considered during the Regular Admission round, it plays an important role in South Korean education. Of the students taking the test, as of 2023, 65 percent are currently in high school and 31 percent are high-school graduates who did not achieve their desired score the previous year. The share of graduates taking the test has been steadily rising from 20 percent in 2011. Despite the emphasis on the CSAT, it is not a requirement for a high school diploma.
Day-to-day operations are halted or delayed on test day. Many shops, flights, military training, construction projects, banks, and other activities and establishments are closed or canceled. The KRX stock markets in Busan, Gyeongnam and Seoul open late.
Purpose The CSAT is designed to test a candidate's ability to study in college, with questions based on Korea's high-school curriculum. It standardises high-school education and provides accurate, objective data for university admission.
Schedule All questions are multiple-choice, except for the 9 questions in the Mathematics section, which are short answer. PeriodSubjectTimeNumber ofquestionsPointsNotesCandidates must enter the testing room by 08:10. For the second to fifth periods, students must enter 10 minutes before the test begins.1Korean Language08:40–10:00 (80 min.)45100Q1–17: ReadingQ18–34: LiteratureQ35–45: Elective (candidates must choose between Speech and Writing or Linguistics and Media)
(2 or 3 points per question)Break time: 10:00–10:20 (20 min)2Mathematics10:30–12:10 (100 min.)30100Q1–22: Mathematics I, Mathematics IIQ23–30: Elective (candidates must choose between Calculus, Geometry or Probability and Statistics) 30% (9 out of 30) of the questions require short answers (one of the positive integers from 0 to 999).
(2 or 3 or 4 points per question)Lunch: 12:10–13:00 (50 min.)3English Language13:10–14:20 (70 min.)45100Q1–17: Listening (25 minutes or less)Q18–45: Reading
(2 or 3 points per question)Break: 14:20–14:40 (20 min.)4Korean History14:50–15:20 (30 min.)2050Mandatory subject
(2 or 3 points per question)Collection of Korean history question and answer sheetsDistribution of first subordinate subject papers15:20–15:35 (15 min.)Candidates not taking a subordinate subject(s) return to the waiting roomFirst subordinate subject15:35–16:05 (30 min.)2050Candidates can choose up to two subjects from Social Science, Natural Science or Vocational Education Collection time is 2 minutes for each subject.
(2 or 3 points per question)Collection of question and answer sheets16:05–16:07 (2 min.)Second subordinate subject16:07–16:37 (30 min.)2050Break: 16:37–16:55 (18 min.)5Second foreign language/Classical Chinese17:05–17:45 (40 min.)3050No listening test
(1 or 2 points per question)
Sections
The CSAT consists of six sections: Korean, Mathematics, English, Korean history, one chosen subject from Social science, Natural science, and Vocational education, and a Second language and Classical Chinese. All sections are optional except Korean history, but nearly all candidates take all the other sections except a ‘second foreign language and Classical Chinese’.
In the Mathematics section, candidates take Math I (which consists of logarithms, sequences and trigonometry) and Math II (which consists of limits, precalculus and calculus), and are allowed to select one topic among probability and statistics, geometry and calculus.
The subordinate subjects are divided into three sections: social studies, science, and vocational education. Candidates may choose up to two subjects, either from the 17 science or social studies subjects, or from the vocational education subjects. For example, Physics II and Biology I may be chosen for the subordinate section since both are sciences, Chemistry I and Society and Culture may be chosen as well, but World history and Principles of Accounting may notthe former is in the social studies section, and the latter in vocational education. Only vocational high-school graduates can choose the vocational education section, accounting for only 1% of test-takers. The split between sciences and social studies has been fairly even, but in 2024, the number of students taking social studies subjects (225135) overtook the number taking sciences (174649), while the percentage of students taking one science and one social studies exceeded 10%.
In the voluntary second language/Classical Chinese section, the candidate chooses one subject.
Most high-ranked universities used to require applicants to take two science subordinate subjects and Geometry or Calculus in the mathematics section if they apply for a STEM major, and do not accept subordinate subjects in the same field (such as Physics I and Physics II). However, since 2024, most universities abolished the two sciences rule, many opting for an extra scoring system instead. This led to an influx of students from science to social studies. As of 2025, the only universities that require two science subjects for a STEM major are Seoul National University and most medical majors. Many universities also allow Probability and Statistics to be taken as well for a STEM major.
In 2023, the Ministry of Education announced revisions that will take effect starting in 2027, which includes abolishing electives, including Korean Language and Mathematics electives, and replacing different Natural science and social studies subjects with Integrated Science and Integrated Social Studies, which are taught at the 10th grade level in high school.
Korean Language
In the Korean Language section, candidates are assessed on their ability to read, understand and analyse Korean texts rapidly and accurately. Its 45 questions of the subject are classified into four categories:
Common topics Questions 1-17: Reading Questions 18-34: Literature Elective topics (select 1 out of 2 options, Q35-45) Speech and Writing Language and Media
Common subjects Reading This category consists of four articles. Each passage has 3-6 questions from the topics of reading theory, humanities/arts, law/economy and science/technology respectively. Passage TopicContentsReading theoryArticle about the significance of reading or a reading journal written by a studentHumanitiesA passage about a thinker and their theories from the topics historiography or philosophy (Western and Eastern ethics, logic). The questions normally feature a single person presenting their opinions or two thinkers with opposing opinions.ArtsFocus on an artist and their works in the fields of music, visual arts and architecture.Society (Law/economy)Common law topics are: Civil Code, Administrative law, Philosophy of law, Penal code, commercial act and the Korean Constitution Common economy topics are: macroeconomics and international economicsScienceBiology (especially physiology and biochemistry), astronomy, physics, earth science, chemistry and mathematicsTechnologyTexts generally focus on how specialised machines and systems work. Recently texts have focused on newer technologies such as 3D modelling and the metaverse.MixedSome texts feature a combination of two topics. For example, in 2017 September mock exam, a question featuring both the arts and technology was about the scientific origin and the artistic use of concrete architecture. In the 2019 exam, science and the humanities was mixed in a text about the differing viewpoints of Eastern and Western philosophers regarding the universe.
Literature This category consists of texts from five categories: classical poetries such as Hyangga, Sijo, Gasa and Goryeo Gayo, classical novels and prose, contemporary poetry, contemporary novels and play and essays. Candidates may be asked to summarise a single passage or outline a common theme between multiple texts (sometimes of different text types), among many other question types.
Elective subjects Speech and writing This category consists of 11 questions relating to three texts. QuestionTextText typesCommon questions asked35-37SpeechTranscript of a presentation/speech, negotiation, discussion/debate Speaking style, content, audience response38-41Combination of speech and writingOne speech text and one writing textConversation style, context, possible issues or corrections, problems to add42-45WritingA text written by a student or text outlineAssociating the outline with the text, incorporation of various sources, correction, refuting
Language and Media Language forms questions 35-39 and includes topics within grammar: phonology, syntax, morphology, the history of the Korean language, Korean dialects and the Jeju Language.
The history of the Korean language concerns ancient and medieval Korean. Phonology, syntax and morphology involves the patternised principle and exceptional principle. Dialect of Korean and Jeju Language usually deal with Korean dialects in Korea and historical features in specific dialects of Korean.
An additional topic may be used to complete the required five, or two questions are taken from morphology or syntax. Media forms questions 40-45 and relates to the characteristics of media and the creation of an online post or message.
Mathematics All mathematics candidates take the Maths I and II and select one elective topic from three choices: Calculus, Geometry or Probability and Statistics. Calculus is most preferred by students applying for natural science majors, while Probability and Statistics are preferred by students applying for the humanities. Geometry is the least popular, with only 4.1% of students selecting it as their elective. +MathematicsTypeSubjectContentsBase subjectMath II. Exponential and logarithmic functions
II. Trigonometric functions
III. SequencesMath III. Limits and continuous functions
II. Differentiation
III. IntegrationElective subjectCalculusI. Limit of a sequence
II. Methods of differentiation
III. Methods of integrationProbability and StatisticsI. Number of outcomes
II. Probability
III. StatisticsGeometryI. Conic section
II. Vector on a plane
III. Three-dimensional figures and coordinates
English Language The English test involves dictation questions from Q1 to 17 and reading questions from Q18 to 45.
Dictation involves basic conversations of topics including shopping in US Dollar, British Pound, Euro and Korean Won, school activities, community activities and weather forecasts. Question 17 and 18 are extended dialogues which involve class announcements and presentations. Audio tracks are recorded in General American English and Standard Canadian English. British Received Pronunciation, Australian Cultivated Accent, New Zealand Accent, Irish Accent, South African Accent, Indian Accent, Singaporean Accent and Hong Kong Accent have not been recorded.
The reading questions from 18 to 45 involve topics such as biographies, philanthropy, graphs, grammar, fixing the correct words, orders of sentences, and inferring intentions of sources originating from theses, autobiographies, news articles, academic journals, and EBS textbooks.
Some texts show Anglosphere cultural features that introduce British and American culture and Imperial, Customary Units and International Units, and utilize some sources of English literature such as novels and poetries of Geoffrey Chaucer, William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, Robert Burns, Walter Scott, George Bernard Shaw, James Joyce, William Butler Yeats and others. They also deal with historical features of the UK and the USA.