What is the Civil Service Exam Professional level?
The Career Service Examination, Professional level, is the Civil Service Commission (CSC) exam for second-level government posts. Passing with a general rating of at least 80.00 gives you professional eligibility, which also covers first-level posts. It is open to Filipino citizens aged 18 or over, with no degree required.
Professional eligibility is also the usual entry requirement for Fire Officer 1 in the Bureau of Fire Protection, so fire service applicants take this exam too.
The exam format
| Body | Civil Service Commission (CSC) |
|---|---|
| Mode | Paper-and-pencil test at CSC testing centres |
| Passing rate | General rating of at least 80.00 |
| Fee | ₱500 |
| Who can apply | Filipino citizens at least 18 years old on the filing date |
| Length | Commonly reported as 170 items in about 3 hours 10 minutes. The CSC announcement does not state it. |
| Language | General information in English. Verbal ability in English and Filipino. |
What the exam covers
- General information: the Philippine Constitution, RA 6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees), peace and human rights, and environment management and protection.
- Verbal ability (English and Filipino): word meaning, sentence completion, error recognition, sentence structure, paragraph organisation and reading comprehension.
- Analytical ability: word analogy, symbolic and abstract reasoning, assumptions and conclusions, and data interpretation.
- Numerical ability: basic operations, number sequences and word problems.
The August 2025 Professional exam had 302,028 examinees, and 15.14% passed, according to the CSC.
Free official resources, and what we add
The CSC publishes the exam announcement, coverage and results, and the texts of the Constitution and RA 6713 are free online. The CSC does not publish a question bank. Our 103 original questions follow the official coverage, include Filipino verbal items, and explain every answer with its source, from the article and section of the law to the full working for maths items.
How to prepare
- Read the latest CSC examination announcement for dates, requirements and the testing centre list.
- Learn the key articles of the Constitution: the Bill of Rights, the three branches, and Article IX-B on the civil service.
- Know RA 6713 well: the eight norms of conduct, the 15-working-day rule, the SALN deadline and prohibited acts.
- Practise numerical items by hand. Calculators are commonly reported as not allowed, and the current announcement lists the items you may bring.
- Do timed sets so you can keep a steady pace across a long paper.
- Review every wrong answer and its explanation, then retest that topic.
Practice questions with answers
Tap a question to see the correct answer and explanation.
How long is the term of a Senator under the 1987 Constitution, and how many consecutive terms may a Senator serve?
- Six years, no more than three consecutive terms
- Six years, no more than two consecutive terms
- Three years, no more than three consecutive terms
- Four years, no more than two consecutive terms
Answer: B, Six years, no more than two consecutive terms. Senators serve six-year terms and may not serve more than two consecutive terms. Three-year terms with a three-term limit apply to members of the House. Source: 1987 Constitution, Art. VI, Secs. 4 and 7.
Under RA 6713, the Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) must be filed every year on or before:
- March 31
- April 30
- January 31
- June 30
Answer: B, April 30. Section 8(A) requires the SALN to be filed within thirty days after assuming office, on or before April 30 of every year thereafter, and within thirty days after separation from the service. Source: RA 6713, Sec. 8(A).
Human Rights Day on 10 December marks the adoption in 1948 of which document?
- Charter of the United Nations
- Universal Declaration of Human Rights
- First Geneva Convention
- Civil and Political Rights Covenant
Answer: B, Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on 10 December 1948. The UN Charter was signed in 1945, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights was adopted in 1966. Source: United Nations, UDHR (General Assembly Resolution 217 A).