ILTS Social Science: History (315)

The test contains 100 multiple-choice questions. You get 3 hours and 15 minutes of testing time within a 3 hours and 30 minutes total appointment, and 15 minutes of that appointment is used for the computer-based testing tutorial and nondisclosure agreement. Plan your pacing at roughly two minutes per question so you can flag and revisit harder items.

The passing score for Social Science: History (315) is 240. Score reports show whether you met that standard, and preliminary results are provided at the test center at the conclusion of your session. Official score reports are then released according to the ILTS score report schedule published on the program website.

The test fee is $110, and ILTS notes that registration fees have been reduced across all test titles. Social Science: History (315) is administered by appointment year-round, Monday through Saturday, excluding some holidays, starting April 7, 2025, at test sites located in Illinois and nationwide. Seat availability varies by center and date.

No. The ILTS test page states that no reference materials are provided for this test, and personal materials are not permitted in the testing room under standard testing rules. Anything you need - dates, eras, key figures, document analysis concepts - has to come from memory, so build recall through repeated retrieval practice rather than open-book review.

No. Social Science: History (315) is the redeveloped version of the test. The ILTS website lists Social Science: History (246) as available for testing only through April 5, 2026, while registration for (315) opened for testing starting April 7, 2025. Check which test your program or license requirement calls for before registering.

ILTS publishes its retake policy on the program website, including an announcement that candidates with two unsuccessful attempts may be eligible to retake the same test at no cost. Review your score report to see which areas were weakest, then rebuild that content before scheduling again rather than immediately re-testing.

Start with the broad survey areas - world history, United States history, and Illinois history - then move to historical thinking and research skills, which require applying concepts rather than reciting names and dates. Practice interpreting primary sources, evaluating evidence, and comparing interpretations, since those skills cut across all the content areas.

The most common causes are thin coverage of one region or era, weak document-analysis practice, and poor pacing on a 100-question test. Rushing the first half and leaving too little time for the rest is a frequent pattern. Simulate a full timed test before the real appointment so your pacing and stamina are tested in advance.

Shift from reading to retrieval. Work through practice questions under time pressure, then review every miss and identify the underlying gap rather than memorizing the answer. Because no reference materials are provided, focus on recalling chronology, key legislation, major figures, and the reasoning skills needed to analyze historical sources confidently.