Common Recruitment Examination and Basic Law and National Security Law Test (Degree / Professional Grades) (CRE and BLNST)
The coming CRE and BLNST NEW!
The coming CRE and BLNST is tentatively scheduled to be held in Hong Kong on 5 October 2024, or another date within October 2024 if necessary. For the convenience of those studying or residing outside Hong Kong, the above examination is also tentatively scheduled to be held on 7 December 2024 in seven other cities, namely Beijing, Shanghai, London, New York, Toronto, Vancouver and Sydney.
The application period for the coming CRE and BLNST tentatively scheduled for October 2024 in Hong Kong is from 27 July to 9 August 2024. Applicants should submit an application through the on-line application system. Applications submitted by post, fax or e-mail will NOT be accepted.
Applicants may choose to take any of the CRE papers and / or the BLNST paper in this examination. They will be notified of the examination details by e-mail by 23 September 2024. Any requests for change of examination date / time / venue will NOT be considered.
For the examination outside Hong Kong tentatively scheduled for December 2024, application will be called later this year.
Please visit this webpage regularly for the latest information.
Who may apply
Applicants for the coming CRE and BLNST should be –
How to apply
Applicants should read the "Notes for Applicants" and "Frequently Asked Questions" carefully before making an application. Applications for the coming CRE and BLNST must be submitted before 5:00 p.m. on 9 August 2024 (Hong Kong time) through the on-line application system as below –
(a) Before proceeding to make an on-line application, applicants should ensure that their web browsers support Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol and a printer is ready for printing out a copy of their submitted form for record.
(b) Late or incomplete applications will NOT be accepted. Towards the deadline for application, the on-line system would likely be heavily loaded with large volume of applications, and it may render applicants unable to complete their on-line applications in time. Applicants are therefore strongly advised to submit their application as early as possible.
(c) On receipt of an on-line application, a confirmation e-mail with a serial number will be sent to the applicant’s e-mail address immediately. If applicants do not receive the confirmation e-mail after submitting an application, they should contact the Civil Service Examinations Unit (CSEU) by phone at (852) 2537 6429 or by e-mail to csbcseu@csb.gov.hk immediately [and not later than 5:00 p.m. on 9 August 2024 (Hong Kong time)]. Applicants are required to keep the serial number until the examination is over.
(d) The on-line application system does not support on-line application via browsers of mobile devices (including mobile phones and tablets) at the moment. Please use computer to submit an on-line application.
Applicants may click here if they are ready to make an on-line application.
Each applicant should submit only ONE application through the on-line application system. Applications submitted by post, fax, e-mail or other means will NOT be accepted. Applications with incomplete or unclear information, duplicate applications, late or incomplete applications will NOT be processed.
As an e-mail will be sent to candidates notifying them of the relevant examination details, applicants should provide an accurate e-mail address in their application. To avoid missing any notification, applicants should ensure that their e-mail accounts can receive e-mails from CSEU, and checking each incoming mailbox (including the folders for spam, bulk and junk mails) regularly. Applicants who do not receive the e-mail by 23 September 2024 should immediately contact the CSEU by phone or by e-mail.
What is CRE
The CRE consists of three 45-minute papers, namely Use of English (UE), Use of Chinese (UC) and Aptitude Test (AT), in multiple-choice format. The UE and UC papers assess proficiency in English and Chinese languages respectively whereas the AT paper assesses reasoning abilities. Candidates' results in the UE and UC papers are classified as Level 2, Level 1 or Fail, with Level 2 being the highest. Results in the AT paper are classified as Pass or Fail. Level 2 and Level 1 results of the two language papers and Pass result of the AT paper are of permanent validity.
Level 5 or above in English Language of the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination (HKDSEE) is accepted as equivalent to Level 2 in the UE paper of the CRE. Level 5 or above in Chinese Language of the HKDSEE is accepted as equivalent to Level 2 in the UC paper of the CRE. Applicants with the above result(s) will NOT be arranged to take the UE and / or UC paper(s).
Level 4 in English Language of the HKDSEE is accepted as equivalent to Level 1 in the UE paper of the CRE. Level 4 in Chinese Language of the HKDSEE is accepted as equivalent to Level 1 in the UC paper of the CRE. Applicants with the above result(s) may wish to take this into account in deciding whether they need to take the UE and / or UC paper(s) having regard to the requirements of the civil service post(s) in which they are interested.
Grade C or above in Use of English of the Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination (HKALE) or in English Language of the General Certificate of Education (Advanced Level) (GCE A Level) is accepted as equivalent to Level 2 in the UE paper of the CRE. Grade C or above in Chinese Language and Culture or Chinese Language and Literature of the HKALE is accepted as equivalent to Level 2 in the UC paper of the CRE. Applicants with the above result(s) will NOT be arranged to take the UE and / or UC paper(s).
Grade D in Use of English of the HKALE or in English Language of the GCE A Level is accepted as equivalent to Level 1 in the UE paper of the CRE. Grade D in Chinese Language and Culture or Chinese Language and Literature of the HKALE is accepted as equivalent to Level 1 in the UC paper of the CRE. Applicants with the above result(s) may wish to take this into account in deciding whether they need to take the UE and / or UC paper(s) having regard to the requirements of the civil service post(s) in which they are interested.
An overall band of 6.5 or above with no subtest score below band 6 obtained in the same sitting in the Academic Module of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) within the 2-year validity period of the test is accepted as equivalent to Level 2 in the UE paper of the CRE. Applicants with the above results may wish to take this into account in deciding whether they need to take the UE paper.
CRE and Civil Service Recruitment
In general, applicants for civil service posts at degree or professional level are required to obtain either Level 2 or Level 1 in the UE and UC papers of the CRE for meeting the language proficiency requirements as stipulated by individual recruiting departments / grades in the relevant recruitment advertisements. Applicants with Level 2 in the UE and UC papers are considered as meeting the general language proficiency requirements of all degree or professional grades. Applicants for some of these posts are also required to obtain a Pass in the AT paper in addition to the requisite results in the UE and UC papers.
- List of grades and entry ranks requiring CRE results ( PDF Format )
Some civil service grades (e.g. disciplined services grades) offer different entry pay points to recruits according to their academic qualifications. Degree holders without the requisite CRE results may still apply for these posts but will not be eligible for the degree pay point.
Persons who wish to apply for civil service posts at degree or professional level should first obtain the requisite CRE results unless otherwise specified in the relevant recruitment advertisements. Applicants may choose to attempt all, any one, or any combination of the papers. Applicants are advised to ascertain the requirements of the civil service post(s) in which they are interested and other examination results accepted as equivalent to CRE results before deciding on which paper(s) they should attempt.
The CRE is held independently of the recruitment process for any civil service post. Persons who wish to apply for civil service posts should apply to the recruiting departments / grades direct. The acquisition of the requisite CRE results does not imply that a candidate has fully met the entry requirements of any civil service post at degree or professional level. Vetting of academic and / or professional qualifications will be carried out by the recruiting departments / grades which may also conduct separate examinations / interviews in addition to the CRE.
What is BLNST (Degree/Professional Grades)
The BLNST (for degree/professional grades) is a 30-minute bilingual paper (in both English and Chinese) comprising 20 multiple-choice questions. Answering at least 10 out of 20 questions correct will be deemed to have a pass result in the BLNST (Degree/Professional Grades). A pass result in the BLNST (Degree/Professional Grades) has permanent validity and is acceptable for the purpose of applying for all civil service jobs. Candidates who possess a pass result in BLNST (Degree/Professional Grades) will not be arranged to take the BLNST again.
BLNST and Civil Service Recruitment
All applicants for civil service jobs will be assessed on their knowledge on the Basic Law and the National Security Law. For all civil service recruitment exercises advertised on or after 1 July 2022, attaining a pass result in the BLNST is an entry requirement for all civil service jobs. All candidates for civil service jobs must pass the BLNST in order to be considered for appointment, regardless of whether the candidates have previously taken the Basic Law Test (BLT) (either a BLT centrally conducted by the Civil Service Bureau or a BLT arranged by individual bureaux / departments in their past civil service recruitment exercises) and the result. Candidates who have taken any BLT in the past and wish to apply for any civil service job advertised on or after 1 July 2022 must take the BLNST and attain a pass result in order to be considered for appointment.
For candidates who have not taken the BLNST or have not attained a pass result in the BLNST at the time of application, they may still apply for the job and arrangements will be made for them to take the BLNST during the recruitment process. Prospective candidates for civil service jobs requiring degree or professional qualifications are also reminded to check the announcement by the Civil Service Bureau of the dates of upcoming BLNSTs should they plan to take the BLNST (Degree/Professional Grades). The acquisition of a pass result in BLNST (Degree/Professional Grades) does not imply that a candidate has fully met the entry requirements of any civil service jobs requiring degree or professional qualifications.
For more details about the BLNST in civil service recruitment, please click here.
Examination Format and Sample Questions
- Examination Format
- Sample Questions :
Reference videos (Chinese only)
考試模式 | 備戰攻略 | 考試攻略 | 考試後續 |
Performance Pledges
Service | Target |
---|---|
Notify candidates for CRE and BLNST of examination details | 12 calendar days before the examinations |
Issue results of CRE and BLNST | Within one month after the examinations |
Enquiries
Enquiries may be directed to the Civil Service Examinations Unit by phone at (852) 2537 6429, by e-mail to csbcseu@csb.gov.hk, or by post to Room 2511, 25th Floor, Immigration Tower, 7 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong.