Career Service Exam – Pen and Paper Test (CSE-PPT) 2026

The Civil Service Commission (CSC) has announced the 2026 Career Service Exam – Pen and Paper Test (CSE-PPT) schedule.

This exam will be available in Regions I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, XII, NCR, CAR, Caraga, and BARMM.

The exam for these regions is set to take place on March 08, 2026, and August 09, 2026.

Career Service Exam Schedule and Deadline

Here is the detailed schedule and deadline for application for the 2026 Career Service Exam (Professional and Subprofessional levels), courtesy of CSC.

Date of Examination	Application Period		Target Release Date of Test Results
	From	To
March 08, 2026	November 03, 2025	November 28, 2025	May 11, 2026
August 09, 2026	May 14, 2026	June 10, 2026	October 12, 2026

Note: The application will be on a First-Come, First-Served basis. The Civil Service Commission (CSC) said that applications may close earlier than the deadline if the Regional Offices or the Field Offices have already reached the target number of applicants.

Testing Centers

Region	Testing Centers
I	San Fernando City Vigan City Candon City Laoag City Urdaneta City Lingayen, Pangasinan
II	Tuguegarao City Cauayan City Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya Diffun, Quirino Basco, Batanes Dinapigue, Isabela
III	City of San Fernando (Pampanga) Malolos City Guiguinto, Bulacan Cabanatuan City San Jose City (Nueva Ecija) Balanga City Baler, Aurora Tarlac City Olongapo City
IV	Imus City Sta Rosa City Batangas City Cainta, Rizal Lucena City Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro Calapan City Boac, Marinduque San Agustin, Romblon Puerto Princesa City Brooke’s Point, Palawan
V	Legazpi City Daraga, Albay Daet, Camarines Norte Naga City Pili, Camarines Sur Sorsogon City Virac, Catanduanes Masbate City
VI	Iloilo City Bacolod City Roxas City Kalibo, Aklan San Jose, Antique Jordan, Guimaras
VII	Cebu City Danao City Toledo City Dumaguete City Guilhulngan City Tagbilaran City Larena, Siquijor
VIII	Tacloban City Maasin City Calbayog City Borongan City Catarman, Northern Samar Naval, Biliran
IX	Zamboanga City Pagadian City Dipolog City
X	Cagayan de Oro City Iligan City Valencia City Mambajao, Camiguin Tangub City
XI	Davao City Digos City Tagum City Mati City Nabunturan, Davao de Oro
XII	Koronadal City General Santos City Kidapawan City Tacurong City
NCR	Quezon City Makati City Pasay City Taguig City Manila
CAR	Baguio City La Trinidad, Benguet Bangued, Abra Tabuk City Bontoc, Mountain Province Lamut, Ifugao
Caraga	Butuan City Buenavista, Agusan del Norte San Francisco, Agusan del Sur Surigao City Bislig City
BARMM	Cotabato City Iligan City Jolo, Sulu Bongao, Tawi-tawi

Qualifications for Getting CSE

The Career Service Examination is open to all Filipinos who want to be eligible and work in local government positions.

CSE-PPT is an eligibility test for both professional and subprofessional levels that gauges examinees’ preparedness for working with the government.

Here are the specific qualifications posted by CSC:

1. Must be a Filipino citizen;
2. Must be of good moral character;
3. Must have not been convicted by final judgment of an offense or crime involving moral turpitude, disgraceful or immoral conduct, dishonesty, examination irregularity, drunkenness, or addiction to drugs;
4. Must have not been dishonorably discharged from military service or dismissed for cause from any civilian positions in the government;
5. Must be at least 18 years of age on the date of filing of application.
6. Must have not taken the same level of Career Service Examination, regardless of mode, within the last three (3) months before the date of examination.

Take note of the following additional reminders:

• Approval of applications may be recalled at any time upon discovery of the applicant’s disqualification, for which the examination fees paid shall be forfeited.
• Applicants holding dual citizenship under R.A. 9225 may apply for and take the examination upon presentation of the original and photocopy of Certification of Retention/Reacquisition of Philippine Citizenship from the Bureau of Immigration and meet all the other admission and application requirements for the examination.
• Applicants with pending administrative and/or criminal cases may take the examination and shall be conferred the eligibility if they successfully pass the same. However, this is without prejudice to the outcome of their pending cases. If they are found guilty, their eligibility shall be forfeited based on the penalties stated in the decision and under existing Civil Service Law and Rules.
• The Bar examination given by the Supreme Court of the Philippines and the Board examinations given by the Professional Regulation Commission are declared career service examinations under Republic Act (RA) No. 1080. Accordingly, passers are automatically considered career service eligibles as set forth in CSC Resolution No. 90-1212, Bar and Board examinations. Along this line, based on RA No. 10635, passers of the examination for marine deck and engine officers given by the Maritime Industry Authority are considered as falling under the contemplation of RA No. 1080. Thus, they may opt not to take the Career Service examination anymore.
• Also, the following individuals may opt not to take the Career Service examination anymore:
  • Passers of Career Service Examination for Foreign Service Officer as the resulting Career Foreign Service Officer Eligibility is comparable to the Career Service Professional Eligibility
  • Grantees of the following eligibilities under special laws and CSC issuances, which are comparable to the Career Service Professional Eligibility:
    • Honor Graduate Eligibility under P.D. 907
    • Scientific and Technological Specialist Eligibility under P.D. 997
    • Sanggunian Member Eligibility (2nd Level) under RA No. 10156
    • Foreign School Honor Graduate Eligibility under CSC Resolution No. 1302714
    • Veteran Preference Rating Eligibility (Professional) under EO No. 132, s. 1948 and EO No. 790, s. 1982; and/or
• Grantees of the following eligibilities under special laws and CSC issuances, which are comparable to the Career Service SubProfessional Eligibility:
  • Barangay Official Eligibility under RA No. 7160
  • Barangay Health Worker Eligibility under RA No. 7883
  • Barangay Nutrition Scholar Eligibility under P.D. 1569
  • Sanggunian Member Eligibility (1st Level) under RA No. 10156
  • Veteran Preference Rating Eligibility (Sub-Professional) under EO No. 132, s. 1948 and EO No. 790, s. 1982

Learn more about:

Application Requirements

1. Application Form

• Fully accomplished application form (CS Form No. 100, Revised 2023) below. The “Signature” and the “Right Thumb mark” as per CSC shall be left blank as this will be accomplished in the presence of a CSC representative/ processor.

2. ID Pictures

• Four (4) pieces of identical I.D. pictures with the following specifications:
  • Philippine passport size (4.5 cm × 3.5 cm or 1.8 inches × 1.4 inches)
  • Colored photo with white background
  • Taken within three (3) months prior to filing the application
  • Printed on good-quality photo paper (photo should not peel off)
  • Standard close-up shot (from shoulder level up, with the head and face occupying at least 80% of the picture, and the name tag positioned about 1 inch or 2.54 cm below the chin)
  • Bare face (no eyeglasses, colored contact lenses, headdress, bandana, or accessories that may cover facial features; facial features must not be computer enhanced)
  • Both left and right ears visible
    • Note: Muslim women applicants wearing head covering should show their forehead and both ears, but they are not required to remove their head covering completely.
  • Full-face view, directly facing the camera
  • Neutral facial expression with both eyes open
  • With HAND-HELD name tag clearly showing a HANDWRITTEN (not computer-generated) signature over the printed full name, which includes: Given Name/s, Middle Initial (if any), Last Name, and Extension Name (if any)

3. Valid IDs

• Original and photocopy of any of the following accepted I.D. cards for career service exams:
  • Driver’s License Card / Temporary Driver’s License (LTO O.R. must be presented together with old Driver’s License; O.R. alone is not allowed) / Student Driver’s Permit;
  • Passport;
  • PRC License Card;
  • SSS I.D. Card;
  • GSIS I.D. Card (UMID);
  • Voter’s I.D. Card / Voter’s Certification;
  • BIR/Taxpayer’s I.D. Card (ATM type / TIN card type with picture);
  • PhilHealth I.D. Card (must have the bearer’s name, clear picture, signature, and PhilHealth number);
  • Company/Office I.D. Card;
  • School I.D. Card;
  • Police Clearance / Police Clearance Certificate (with picture);
  • Postal I.D. Card;
  • Barangay I.D. Card;
  • NBI Clearance;
  • Seaman’s Book;
  • HDMF Transaction I.D. Card;
  • PWD I.D. Card;
  • Solo Parent I.D. Card;
  • Senior Citizen’s I.D. Card;
  • CSC Eligibility Card; or
  • Philippine Identification (PhilID) Card.

Note:

1. All other I.D. cards not included in the above list shall not be accepted.
2. As a last resort, an expired I.D. card may be presented/submitted during the filing of the examination application, provided that the expiry date of the I.D. card is within CY 2026.

4. Examination Fee: Five Hundred Pesos (Php 500.00)

5. Additional Requirements (If Applicable)

• Original and photocopy of Birth Certificate issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) or the Local Civil Registry (for applicants whose date of birth is not indicated on their I.D. card/s).
• Original and photocopy of Identification Certificate (IC) issued by the Bureau of Immigration (for applicants with dual citizenship under R.A. 9225 and applicants recognized as Filipino citizens under Section 1, Article IV of the 1987 Philippine Constitution).

Where to Get the Application Form and How to File the Application

Below is a guide on how applicants can obtain the application form and submit their application.

1. Where to Get the Application Form

• The Application Form (CS Form No. 100, Revised 2023) is available at any CSC Regional Office or Field Office.
• Applicants may also download the form from the Application Requirements section above.
• The application form may be printed or reproduced using legal-size bond paper.

2. How to File / Mode of Filing Application

Below are the available modes of filing the examination application:

Application Filing Mode	How to Access	CSC Regional Offices (ROs) Covered
CSC eServe	https://services.csc.gov.ph/	II, III, V, VI, VIII, IX, XI, NCR, and BARMM
CSC OCSEAS	https://ocseas.csc.gov.ph/	I, IV, VII, X, XII, and CAR
Lingkod Bayani Kiosk	Contact CSC Caraga	Caraga

Applicants must coordinate with the CSC Regional Office (CSC RO) or CSC Field Office where they plan to take the examination for details regarding the available filing modes and procedures.

A complete directory of CSC Regional and Field Offices nationwide is available on the CSC website (www.csc.gov.ph) for reference.

Transfer of Testing Center

Applicants may request to change their testing center for valid reasons, such as relocation due to a new residence or employment.

The request is subject to approval by the CSC Regional Office (RO) or Field Office (FO), which will assess whether the reason provided is acceptable.

To request a transfer, follow these steps:

1. Write a formal letter explaining your reason for requesting a change of testing center.
2. Attach supporting documents as proof of your reason.
3. Include a copy of your application receipt.
4. Submit your request to the CSC RO/FO where you filed your application, either via email or courier.

The request must be submitted within five (5) working days after the application deadline. Requests submitted beyond this period will no longer be accepted

For this reason, applicants are strongly advised to carefully select their preferred testing center during the application process.

Examination Coverage

The CSE-PPT, both for Professional and Subprofessional levels, covered the following topics:

Professional Level	SubProfessional Level
Analytical Ability (in English) 1. Word analogy 2. Symbolic logic/abstract reasoning 3. Identifying assumptions and drawing conclusions 4. Data interpretation	Clerical Ability (in English) 1. Filing 2. Spelling
Verbal Ability (in English and Filipino) 1. Word meaning 2. Sentence completion 3. Error recognition 4. Sentence structure 5. Paragraph organization 6. Reading comprehension
Numerical Ability (in English) 1. Basic operations 2. Number sequence 3. Word problems
General Information (in English) 1. Philippine Constitution 2. Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees (R.A. 6713) 3. Peace and Human Rights Issues and Concepts 4. Environment Management and Protection

Passing Grade for CSE-PPT

To pass the test, an examinee should get a general rating of at least 80.00%.

Target Release of Test Results

The List of Passers shall be posted on the CSC Website, www.csc.gov.ph, on or before May 11, 2026, and October 12, 2026.

Note: Only the List of Passers posted on the CSC Website is official. The CSC does not recognize and is not liable for any other postings on any other websites that are not affiliated with or are engaged in the unauthorized use of the name of the CSC.

Professional and Subprofessional Eligibility

The Career Service Professional Eligibility is the eligibility obtained by passing the CSE (Professional) exam.

This eligibility applies to both first-level (clerical) and second-level (technical) government positions, including executive/managerial positions in the second level, which do not involve the practice of a profession and are not covered by special or other laws.

On the other hand, the Career Service SubProfessional Eligibility is obtained by passing the CSE (SubProfessional) exam.

This type of eligibility is only appropriate for first-level (clerical) positions in the government that do not involve the practice of a profession and are not covered by particular/other laws.

Below is the official memo for CSE 2026, which will be conducted in the regions mentioned above, courtesy of CSC.

Conclusion

The Career Service Exam (CSE-PPT) is set for March 08, 2026, and August 09, 2026. It will offer Filipinos a chance to qualify for government jobs nationwide.

The Civil Service Commission (CSC) has clearly laid out details on when and where the exams will take place, as well as the requirements and application process.

Applicants must check their eligibility, follow the application deadlines, and prepare well for the exam to increase their chances of passing.

This initiative reflects the CSC’s effort to ensure a skilled public service workforce.

To stay updated, we advise you to bookmark this page, visit CSC’s official website, or join us on Facebook and Telegram for the latest job opportunities, exams, and career tips!

References

1. Civil Service Commission. (2026, April 20). Examination Announcement No. 03 s. 2026 – Conduct of Career Service Examination, Pen and Paper Test (CSE-PPT) for Professional and Subprofessional Levels, 09 August 2026. Csc.gov.ph. https://www.csc.gov.ph/examination-advisories/examination-announcement-no-03-s-2026-conduct-of-career-service-examination-pen-and-paper-test-cse-ppt-for-professional-and-subprofessional-levels-09-august-2026
2. Philippine Civil Service Commission. (2016). Facebook.com. https://www.facebook.com/civilservicegovph