CSC releases 2026 civil service exam schedule and application timelines

ndividuals seeking civil service eligibility through written examinations may now prepare early as the Civil Service Commission (CSC) has released the 2026 Examination Calendar.

Through Examination Announcement No. 08, s. 2025, the CSC announced that four examinations via the Pen and Paper Test (PPT) will be administered in the coming year. These include:

• Career Service Examination for Foreign Service Officer (CSE-FSO) on 25 January 2026;

• Career Service Examination – Pen and Paper Test (CSE-PPT) for Professional and Subprofessional Levels on 8 March and 9 August 2026; and

• Fire Officer Examination (FOE) and Penology Officer Examination (POE) on 7 June 2026.

The application period for the CSE-FSO is open until 30 October at Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Satellite Offices, Consular Offices, and Foreign Service Posts.

Meanwhile, the conduct of the Basic Competency on Local Treasury Examination (BCLTE) for CY 2026 will be withheld following the enactment and implementation of Republic Act No. 12001 or the Real Property Valuation and Assessment Reform Act and its Implementing Rules and Regulations. This decision also aligns with the ongoing review and re-evaluation of the Standardized Examination and Assessment for Local Treasury Service (SEAL) Program of the Department of Finance.

Starting 2026, the CSC also announced that the first CSE-PPT each year will be moved from the first Sunday to the second Sunday of March, while the second CSE-PPT will remain on the second Sunday of August.

Separate examination announcements will be issued on the CSC website three weeks before the start of each application period, except for the CSE-FSO. These announcements will include details on testing centers, qualification and admission requirements, examination coverage, passing grades, and corresponding eligibility.

Applicants are strongly advised to access only the official CSC website and Facebook page at (www.facebook.com/civilservicegovph) for accurate information. The CSC emphasized that it does not recognize and shall not be held liable for information disseminated through unofficial or unauthorized sources.