In the 2026 College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), five test-takers earned perfect scores across all sections.

The Ministry of Education and the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation (KICE) held a briefing on the scoring results of the 2026 College Scholastic Ability Test at the Government Sejong Complex on the 4th and released the results by subject.

On the morning of the 14th last month, senior high school students at Junghwa Girls' High School in Suseong-gu, Daegu, tally preliminary scores for the 2026 College Scholastic Ability Test with their homeroom teacher. /Courtesy of News1

This year's CSAT is considered more difficult than last year's in the Korean language and English sections.

In fact, there were five test-takers who received perfect scores across all sections this year, a sharp drop from last year's 11. This year's perfect scorers were four current students and one graduate. By inquiry area, one student chose social studies and four chose science.

The highest standardized score in the Korean language section this year was 147, up 8 points from last year. A total of 22,935 students, or 4.67% of test-takers, received grade 1. Generally, when the highest standardized score exceeds 140, it is considered difficult.

In the English section, grade 1 accounted for 3.11% (15,154 students). This is the lowest proportion since the introduction of absolute grading in 2018.

The highest standardized score in mathematics was 139, down 1 point from last year. A total of 21,797 students, or 4.62% of test-takers, received grade 1.

The social studies and science inquiry sections were of similar difficulty. The highest standardized scores in social studies ranged from 67 to 73, and in science from 68 to 74. In particular, compared with last year's social studies highest standardized scores of 66 to 77, this year's appears somewhat easier. In social studies, world geography had the highest standardized score (73), and in science, life science I had the highest (74). In the vocational inquiry, basic agricultural technology was the highest (72).

Meanwhile, 493,896 students took this year's CSAT. There were 333,102 current students and 160,794 graduates and General Educational Development (GED) passers. Score reports will be distributed to test-takers on Friday the 5th.

◇ The following are the grade cut scores for the 2026 CSAT Korean language, mathematics, and English sections

Cutoff scores by grade for the Korean section of the 2026 CSAT. /Courtesy of Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation (KICE)
Cutoff scores by grade for the Math section of the 2026 CSAT. /Courtesy of Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation (KICE)
Cutoff scores by grade for the English section of the 2026 CSAT. Courtesy of Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation (KICE)

※ This article has been translated by AI. Share your feedback here.