125 high schools, 36 designated hagwon in Busan to participate

20,584 enrolled students, 5,568 graduates and others to sit the exam

The Busan Metropolitan Office of Education [Busan Metropolitan Office of Education]
The Busan Metropolitan Office of Education [Busan Metropolitan Office of Education]

The Busan Metropolitan Office of Education announced Tuesday that it will administer the 2027 College Scholastic Ability Test September Mock Exam on Wednesday at 125 high schools and 36 designated hagwon across Busan.

A total of 26,152 students from Busan will sit the September mock exam, which is being held across 16 cities and provinces nationwide — 20,584 currently enrolled students and 5,568 graduates and those who passed the high school equivalency exam.

The mock exam is designed to help students familiarize themselves with the format of the 2027 CSAT, scheduled for Nov. 19. The test's structure, subject areas and number of questions are identical to those of the actual 2027 CSAT.

This mock exam follows the same format as last year's CSAT. The first-period Korean language section and second-period mathematics section will be administered under a "common subjects plus elective subjects" structure, with elective subject scores adjusted using common subject scores before standard scores and ratings are calculated. For the fourth-period inquiry section, students may choose up to two subjects regardless of academic track.

Students unable to sit the exam in person due to unavoidable circumstances may take it online through the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation's online exam site (https://icsat.kice.re.kr). The deadline for online answer submission is 9 p.m. Thursday, and score reports will be provided upon completion of submission. Mock exam results will be sent to students on Sept. 29.

Meanwhile, the 2026 September National Academic Achievement Assessment for first- and second-year high school students will also be held the same day. In Busan, 19,086 second-year students from 109 schools and 20,858 first-year students from 109 schools will participate. As with the June national assessment, the exam will apply the test format and scoring system of the 2028 CSAT.


kaf2002@heraldcorp.com