Civil Service Exam Day Guide: what to bring, what to wear, and how to shade
Most exam-day problems have nothing to do with the questions: a late arrival, the wrong ID, a gel pen, a half-shaded circle. This guide covers all of them, in the order you'll meet them.
Exam-day timeline
- 6:30 a.m.Be at the school
- 7:45 a.m.Gates close. Late means no exam
- About 8:00The test begins
- 11:10 / 10:40Time is up (Professional / Sub-Professional)
The Professional level runs 3 hours 10 minutes (170 items); the Sub-Professional level runs 2 hours 40 minutes (165 items). Finish times depend on when your room actually starts.
Your regional office may ask you to come earlier. Always follow your school assignment and the latest CSC advisory.
What to bring, and what to leave at home
Bring
- Your valid ID, the same one you filed with. No ID, no exam.
- Several black ballpens. Not gel, sign, fountain or erasable pens.
- Your school assignment (ONSA), as a screenshot or printout, to find your room.
- A clear plastic bag or envelope for your things.
- Water and a light snack for before and after the exam.
Leave at home
- Phones, smartwatches and any gadgets.
- Calculators, including watch calculators.
- Books, notes, reviewers and scratch paper.
- Bags you don't need; storage at the school may be limited.
What to wear
Wear
- A plain white top with sleeves (preferred in recent reminders).
- Decent pants or a skirt and closed shoes.
- Long hair tied back, so your ears are visible.
Avoid
- Sleeveless tops, shorts, ripped jeans and slippers.
Inside the testing room
- Listen to the proctor's instructions; they always override any guide, this one included.
- The first 20 items are the Examinee Descriptive Questionnaire (EDQ), a short background survey. It is not graded; answer it honestly and quickly.
- Do all scratch work in the test booklet only, never on your hand, your ID or loose paper. The booklet stays in the room.
- Write your answer in the booklet first, then copy it to the answer sheet when you're sure.
- You may not leave the room in the middle of the exam except as the proctor allows.
How to shade the answer sheet
Every answer sheet is read by a machine. A clean, full shade is a point you've earned; a sloppy one can be lost.
Your examinee number comes first
Write each digit in its box, then shade one circle per column, the one under that digit. Check every column twice: a wrong or incomplete examinee number means your answer sheet can't be rated at all.
A ballpen can't be erased
Mark your answer in the test booklet first, and copy it to the sheet only when you're sure. Say the item number and letter to yourself as you shade. If you skip an item, skip the same number on the sheet.
Practice shading at home for about ten minutes a day. On exam day it becomes automatic, so your attention stays on the questions.
Preview a lesson
ReviewTayo has 47 lessons that follow the official scope of the exam, each with rules, worked examples, common mistakes and practice. Open one and read the first part.
Frequently asked questions
What time should I arrive on Civil Service Exam day?
Be at the school by 6:30 a.m. Gates close at 7:45 a.m., and late examinees are not allowed to take the exam. Follow any earlier time your regional office announces.
What pen should I use for the Civil Service Exam?
A black ballpen. Gel, sign, fountain and erasable pens can smear or fail to register on the answer sheet. Bring several.
Is a calculator allowed in the Civil Service Exam (CSE)?
No. Calculators, phones and smartwatches are not allowed. Do your computations by hand in the test booklet.
What happens if I shade two answers for one item?
That item is not counted. Shade only one circle per item, fully and inside the line.