Civil Service Testing FAQ
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Click on the questions below to reveal the answers.
We list all current job vacancies on our Web site in the Job Seekers section on the Civil Service Job Postings page. The postings are broken into sections:
Open and Continuous Testing – These are classifications we test for throughout the year, whether there are current vacancies or not.
Current Vacancies - These are classifications for which we have a vacancy. All classifications in this section have a deadline by which an applicant must apply in order to be considered for testing. Applying by the deadline means submitting an online application and an online exam request by the Closing Date on the posting.
Crafts & Trades Quarterly Postings – These are classifications in the crafts and trades section for which we test on a quarterly basis. However, there may be no vacancies at the time of the posting.
For those classifications listed under the Open and Continuous testing section, applicants are allowed to request one exam per day.
For those classifications listed under the Current Vacancies or Crafts & Trades Quarterly Postings, applicants are allowed to request multiple exam classifications.
Exams are scheduled based on several factors, such as the volume of exam requests received and the availability of testing rooms. Scheduled exam times will be sent through U.S. Mail and e-mail approximately 1½ - 2 weeks before the exam appointment. Applicants can monitor the status of exam requests online at https://jobs.illinois.edu. Log in and click on Civil Service Activity.
Applicants must bring a photo ID listing home address or UI Id (I-card) with them to the exam for verification purposes. Applicants ARE NOT allowed to bring any documents with them to any exam.
Time limits for exams generally range from two to four hours, depending on the exam.
The State Universities Civil Service System does not provide study guides, except for those exams in the clerical area. Those study guides can be found at: http://www.sucss.state.il.us.
Scores can be viewed online at https://jobs.illinois.edu, usually within three to four days. Log in and click on Civil Service Activity.
A minimum score of 70 is required to pass an exam. A score of 100 is the maximum an applicant can attain unless Veterans Preference Points are added (see the question "Do veterans of the Armed Forces receive additional exam points?" below). When the applicant receives the exam score, it will include his or her rank on the register at the time the score was entered.
An applicant can request a breakdown of the exam by e-mailing jobs@illinois.edu with the applicant's first and last name, user name, exam title, and exam date.
An applicant can retake (rewrite) an exam three times during a 12-month period. There must be at least 30 days between rewrites and it must be a title for which we are currently testing.
We always retain the higher score on the register.
Exams are generally scheduled Monday through Friday and administered twice a day, at 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. All exams are prescheduled.
No. Exams are administered only during normal business hours.
Exams are administered at Staff Human Resources (SHR) in the Personnel Services Building, 52 E. Gregory Drive, Champaign, IL 61820. Click here for map.
Metered parking is available in front of Staff Human Resources (Personnel Services Building) at 52 E. Gregory Drive and other nearby streets. The meters take quarters, dimes, and nickels.
No. A pattern of cancelling, rescheduling, or failing to keep exam appointments may result in disqualification to request exams for three months.
For those classifications listed under the open and continuous testing section, the exam may be rescheduled.
Exams for classifications listed under the Current Vacancies or Crafts & Trades Quarterly Postings sections cannot be rescheduled.
View our Web site at https://jobs.illinois.edu, log in, and click on Civil Service Activity.
Yes, veterans (or eligible relatives) may apply by submitting the Application for Veterans Preference Points and supporting documentation to Staff Human Resources. Qualifying veterans may receive 3, 5, or 10 additional points for their eligible exam scores.
An applicant may request to have an active exam score transferred. Check with the institution in advance.
Having a conviction record is not an automatic bar to employment. Background investigations are conducted on persons listing conviction records and/or hired into security-sensitive job classifications.