Civil Service Exam — Sub-professional Level Reviewer
Get your first-level civil service eligibility and qualify for clerical jobs in government.
Overview
The Career Service Examination – Sub-professional Level is the CSC's pen-and-paper test (CSE-PPT) for people who want to work in first-level (clerical) government positions. It is held twice a year in testing centers across all regions, and it covers Verbal Ability, Numerical Ability, Clerical Ability (filing and spelling), and General Information.
Pass it with a general rating of at least 80.00 and you earn the Career Service Subprofessional Eligibility. This is a first-level eligibility for clerical positions in government that do not involve the practice of a profession and are not covered by special laws. Passers are also placed on the CSC's Register of Eligibles, which private employers may refer to as well.
It suits fresh senior high school graduates, job-seekers aiming for clerk, aide, or admin assistant posts, and contractual or job-order workers who need eligibility for a permanent plantilla item. If you are aiming for second-level (technical or supervisory) posts, take the Professional level instead.
Who should take it
- Filipino citizens aged 18 and above who want a first-level (clerical) government job, e.g. clerk, administrative aide, or records assistant
- Job-order or contract-of-service workers in government who need civil service eligibility for a permanent appointment
- Senior high school graduates and college students who want a government eligibility early
- Applicants who find the Professional level's Analytical Ability part too hard and want to start with a first-level eligibility
- Anyone who wants a CSC eligibility on their résumé, since private employers may also refer to the Register of Eligibles
Exam format
Who can apply (eligibility)
- Filipino citizen (dual citizens under RA 9225 and those recognized as Filipino citizens under Art. IV, Sec. 1 of the 1987 Constitution may apply with supporting documents)
- At least 18 years old on the date you file your application
- Of good moral character
- Never convicted by final judgment of an offense or crime involving moral turpitude, disgraceful or immoral conduct, dishonesty, examination irregularity, drunkenness, or drug addiction
- Never dishonorably discharged from military service, or dismissed for cause from any civilian government position
- Has not taken the same level of Career Service Exam (PPT or any other test mode) within 3 months before the exam date (for the 14 March 2027 exam: not between 14 December 2026 and 13 March 2027)
- Has not previously taken and passed the same level of the Career Service Exam
Requirements
- Fully accomplished application form: CS Form No. 100, Revised 2023 (Career Service-Subprofessional), available at any CSC Regional/Field Office or downloadable from csc.gov.ph (print on legal-size bond paper)
- Four (4) identical ID pictures: passport size (4.5 cm x 3.5 cm), colored with white background, taken within the last 3 months, printed on good photo paper, close-up from shoulder level up, bare face (no eyeglasses or colored contact lenses), both ears showing, and with a hand-held name tag showing your handwritten signature over your printed full name
- Original and photocopy of one CSC-accepted ID card, e.g. PhilID/ePhilID, passport, driver's license, PRC ID, UMID, SSS, PhilHealth, postal, voter's ID, school or company ID, NBI or police clearance, barangay ID, PWD, solo parent, or senior citizen ID
- Examination fee of ₱500.00
- If your ID has no date of birth: original and photocopy of your PSA- or Local Civil Registry-issued birth certificate (PSA E-Certificate accepted)
- If you are a dual citizen under RA 9225, or recognized as a Filipino citizen under Art. IV, Sec. 1 of the Constitution: original and photocopy of your Bureau of Immigration Identification Certificate
Fees
How to apply
- 1Check that you meet every qualification, especially the 18-year-old age rule and the 3-month rule if you took a Career Service Exam recently.
- 2Download and fill out CS Form No. 100 (Revised 2023, Career Service-Subprofessional) from csc.gov.ph, or get a copy at a CSC Regional or Field Office.
- 3Have your four identical passport-size ID photos taken, following the CSC specs exactly (white background, hand-held name tag with your handwritten signature over printed name, no eyeglasses).
- 4Contact the CSC Regional or Field Office where you plan to take the exam, by call or email, to ask about available slots and their filing method. Some offices use online booking; CSC NCR, for example, used its eServe system (services.csc.gov.ph) for field office appointments.
- 5File your application with the documents and pay the ₱500 fee. Filing for the 14 March 2027 exam opens 2 November 2026 and continues until slots run out, so file early.
- 6Keep your Application Receipt or Official Receipt. On exam day you can write your examinee number on it, and you will need that number to get your rating from OCSERGS later.
- 7About two weeks before the exam, get your school assignment through ONSA (Online Notice of School Assignment) on csc.gov.ph and read the CSC's exam advisory for reminders.
Schedule
As of October 2026
The next Sub-professional CSE-PPT is on Sunday, 14 March 2027. Filing opens 2 November 2026 and runs until all slots are filled, so file early. CSC set about 350,000 slots for this date. A second 2027 exam is set for 8 August 2027, with filing from 10 May 2027. Result dates are targets and may change depending on the number of examinees.
Where to apply & take the exam
You file at, and take the exam in, the CSC Regional or Field Office area you choose. Testing centers for the 14 March 2027 exam are in all regions, including NCR, CAR, Caraga, and BARMM. Ask your chosen office how they accept applications before you go.
Tips to pass
File in the first weeks of November. Filing is continuous only until slots run out, and popular centers like Quezon City and Manila fill fast.
Follow the photo specs exactly: white background, hand-held name tag with your handwritten signature over your printed name, no eyeglasses, both ears showing. Wrong photos are a common reason applications get turned away.
Use a 6- to 8-week study plan: Verbal and Numerical on weekdays, Clerical drills and General Information on weekends, and one full timed mock every week.
Practice math by hand only. Calculators, including watch calculators, are banned, so drill fractions, percentages, and long division without one.
For Clerical Ability, learn the basic filing rules (surname first, then given name, 'nothing before something') and drill commonly misspelled words like 'occurrence', 'separate', and 'questionnaire'.
Read the 1987 Constitution's articles on the Bill of Rights, the three branches, the Civil Service Commission (Art. IX-B), and accountability of public officers (Art. XI), plus all of RA 6713. These come up often in General Information.
Pace yourself. You have 160 minutes for 145 test items, a little over a minute each. Answer the easy items first, mark the hard ones in your test booklet, and come back to them.
Do your scratch work only on the spaces in the Test Booklet. Using any piece of paper, your skin, clothing, or the margins and back of the Answer Sheet is not allowed.
Shade your examinee number on the Answer Sheet carefully. In the 2026 advisories, CSC warned that a wrongly shaded examinee number invalidates the exam.
Visit your assigned school the day before. Don't rely only on GPS. In 2026 examinees had to arrive by 6:30 a.m., and gates closed at exactly 7:45 a.m.
Bring your original accepted ID (no photocopies or phone photos), black ballpens only, and your Application Receipt. Wear proper attire. Sleeveless tops, shorts, ripped jeans, and slippers were not allowed in 2026.
Don't leave items blank. Your rating is based on correct answers, so make your best guess before time runs out.
CSE Sub-professional sample questions with answers
Try these, then tap to reveal the answer. Want more? Take the full free practice test.
1. Verbal Ability
Choose the word closest in meaning to the word in capital letters: The new clerk was praised for being METICULOUS in checking every voucher.
- A.careless
- B.talkative
- C.quick-tempered
- D.very careful about details
Show answer
Answer: D. very careful about details — Meticulous means showing great attention to detail, which fits a clerk who checks every voucher. 'Careless' is its opposite.
2. Numerical Ability
Simplify: 3/4 + 2/3 − 1/6
- A.1 1/6
- B.1 1/3
- C.1 5/12
- D.1 1/4
Show answer
Answer: D. 1 1/4 — Use the LCD 12: 9/12 + 8/12 − 2/12 = 15/12 = 1 3/12 = 1 1/4.
3. Clerical Ability
Which word is spelled correctly?
- A.Ocassion
- B.Occassion
- C.Occasion
- D.Ocasion
Show answer
Answer: C. Occasion — The correct spelling is 'occasion': double c, single s.
4. General Information
Under the 1987 Constitution, what is the term of office of a Senator?
- A.Three years, with up to three consecutive terms
- B.Six years, with no reelection allowed
- C.Six years, with up to two consecutive terms
- D.Four years, with up to two consecutive terms
Show answer
Answer: C. Six years, with up to two consecutive terms — Article VI, Section 4 sets a six-year term for Senators. No Senator may serve more than two consecutive terms.
5. Verbal Ability
Choose the word that best completes the sentence: Neither the supervisor nor the clerks ___ aware of the new memo.
- A.was
- B.were
- C.is
- D.has been
Show answer
Answer: B. were — With 'neither…nor', the verb agrees with the nearer subject. 'Clerks' is plural and the sentence is in the past, so 'were' is correct.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the Sub-professional and Professional levels?
Both have Verbal Ability, Numerical Ability, and General Information. The Sub-professional level has Clerical Ability (filing and spelling), while the Professional level has Analytical Ability. Sub-professional has 165 items in 2 hours 40 minutes; Professional has 170 items in 3 hours 10 minutes. Passing the Sub-professional gives a first-level eligibility for clerical posts only, while the Professional eligibility covers both first- and second-level posts.
What is the passing score?
You need a general rating of at least 80.00.
When is the next exam and when can I file?
The next CSE-PPT is on 14 March 2027. Filing starts 2 November 2026 and continues until slots are filled. Another exam is set for 8 August 2027, with filing from 10 May 2027.
How much is the exam fee?
₱500.00, paid when you file your application at the CSC Regional or Field Office.
Can I bring a calculator?
No. Calculators of any kind, including watch calculators, plus phones, smart watches, and other gadgets are not allowed at your seat. If you are caught using one, your exam is cancelled.
I failed the last exam. When can I retake?
You can retake once 3 months have passed since your last exam at the same level. For the 14 March 2027 exam, you must not have taken a Sub-professional exam (PPT or other test mode) between 14 December 2026 and 13 March 2027.
Do I still need to take this exam if I passed a PRC board exam or I am a barangay official?
Bar and PRC board exam passers are automatically considered civil service eligibles, so they may skip it. Holders of eligibilities comparable to the Sub-professional level, like Barangay Official, Barangay Health Worker, or Barangay Nutrition Scholar eligibility, may also choose not to take the exam.
Does the CSC offer or endorse review centers?
No. The CSC does not hold review classes or publish review materials, and it has not accredited any review center. Treat any reviewer, including this one, as practice material only.
Official sources
- CSC — Examination Announcement No. 06, s. 2026 (14 March 2027 CSE-PPT, PDF)
- CSC — Examination Announcement No. 06, s. 2026 (web page)
- CSC — Examination Announcement No. 05, s. 2026: Calendar of CSE-PPT for CY 2027 (PDF)
- CSC — Examination Advisory No. 02, s. 2026: items, time limit, and exam-day reminders (PDF)
- CSC — Regional Office NCR (eServe filing advisory)
- CSC — Contact Us: Central Office
- CSC — Contact Us: NCR directory
- CSC — Examination advisories index
LearnDigitalPH is an independent review platform, not affiliated with or endorsed by Civil Service Commission (CSC). Practice questions are original and are not actual exam items. Requirements, fees and schedules can change — always confirm with the official agency before applying.