CRE (Hong Kong Civil Service Exams)

Computer-delivered CRE is a one-part, 165-question multiple-choice exam offered in English only; 150 questions are scored and 15 are unscored. Total appointment time is four and a half hours, with 4 hours and 18 minutes of exam time. Paper-and-pencil sittings are 150 questions over four hours in English, Korean, or Mandarin at certain locations.

Yes. All ASQ exams are open book, and you bring your own reference materials. Everything must be permanently bound by stitching or glue, or fastened securely in its cover with ring, spiral, or plastic snap binders, brads, or screw posts. Hand-stapled documents, unbound notes, and slide or wheel charts are prohibited. The test administrator inspects references before entry.

Computer-based exams include a basic scientific calculator on-screen, and a hand-held basic calculator is available on request. You may bring any silent, battery-operated, hand-held calculator with no programmable memory. Programmable models with graphing or text-storage capability, such as the TI-89, are not allowed.

The BoK spans reliability statistics, prediction, testing, maintainability, and safety, so the common failure is over-weighting one area. Candidates often under-prepare on quantitative topics and on maintainability and safety, then lose time hunting for formulas in unfamiliar references. Tab your bound books before test day and rehearse calculations under timed conditions.

ASQ does not publish a passing score on the CRE page, so no numeric target can be confirmed from the official source. Prepare to answer accurately across the whole Body of Knowledge rather than aiming at a known cutoff. Treat every domain as scored, since the BoK topics define what the questions measure.

Computer-based candidates see a result immediately after submitting the exam, and within 3-5 business days receive an email confirming it. ASQ then sends separate instructions for claiming the digital certificate and badge. Results for pilot exams with updated or new Bodies of Knowledge are communicated within five weeks, and paper-based results are slightly delayed.

You receive a performance summary by email within 3-5 business days of the initial exam. For two years from your previous attempt you can reapply at a significantly reduced retake rate. Use the summary to find weak BoK areas before rescheduling, and check ASQ's exam results FAQ for details.

After approval you get an eligibility email within 1-2 business days with instructions to schedule with Prometric. To change an appointment, act at least five days before your date through Prometric's website or automated voice system; the fee is $130. For translated paper-based exams in China, reschedule at least 45 days ahead.

Plan to arrive 30 minutes before your appointment for check-in. Bring one valid, government-issued photo ID with a signature, and the name must match your application. Arriving late means you cannot test and you forfeit the exam fee, so build in travel margin.

Start with the BoK document and its subtext, which states the cognitive level tested. Then work through the references ASQ lists, since questions are based on them. Sequence study from reliability fundamentals and statistics into prediction, testing, and maintenance, finishing with safety and the management topics, so quantitative methods get repeated practice.