College graduates who have earned Latin honors are urged to apply for the Honor Graduate Eligibility (HGE) if they wish to pursue a career in the public sector.

“Summa cum laude, magna cum laude, and cum laude graduates no longer need to take the Career Service Exam as they may avail of the special eligibility. We are eager to work with these bright and fresh minds to bolster the quality of public service,” said Civil Service Commission (CSC) Chairperson Karlo Nograles.

Chairperson Nograles shared that the HGE, granted pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 907 issued on 11 March 1976, may be availed of by bachelor’s degree graduates either from the conventional mode of learning or Open Distance Learning (ODL), regardless of the number of years of completion.

The HGE for conventional mode of learning is applicable to honor graduates of Private Higher Education Institutions (HEI) in the Philippines with bachelor’s degree recognized by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), State/Local Colleges or Universities with bachelor’s degrees included in their charters, or duly approved by their Board of Trustees or Board of Regents.

For honor graduates through ODL, the open university, college, or institution must be recognized by the CHED as a degree-granting HEI, and have at least Level III accreditation or CHED-equivalent in the programs offered in the conventional classroom or traditional mode of learning.

Meanwhile, Filipinos who graduated with honors from reputable foreign schools, with the corresponding certification on the status of operation issued by the foreign government, may also apply for Foreign School Honor Graduate Eligibility (FSHGE).

The CSC clarified that the grant of HGE, HGE-ODL, and FSHGE does not include other academic honors, distinctions or awards, such as Highest Academic Distinction, Dean’s List with Distinction, and Honorable Mention.

“These eligibilities for honor graduates are considered appropriate for first and second level positions in the government that do not require the practice of a specific profession and are not covered by Bar, Board, or other laws. Graduates may file their application for HGE to the CSC Regional Office or Field Office that has jurisdiction over their academic institution or alma mater,” explained Chairperson Nograles.

Applicants for the FSHGE, on the other hand, may submit their application to the nearest CSC Regional or Field Office where they are currently based here in the Philippines.

The complete information and requirements on the HGE and FSHGE are available on the CSC website at www.csc.gov.ph/special-eligibilities. For the updated documentary requirements on FSHGE, please refer to CSC Resolution No. 2000349 (Grant of Foreign School Honor Graduate Eligibility Re: Amendments on the Documentary Requirements), promulgated on 11 February 2020.