Mayor Mamdani Announces Free Civil Service Exams for High School Students and First-Time Test Takers

 

Hundreds of thousands of high school students and millions of New Yorkers now eligible for exam fee waivers for careers ranging from caseworker to blacksmith 

Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) Commissioner Yume Kitasei today announced that civil service exams are now free for New York City high school students and first-time test takers.

 

Each year, DCAS administers an average of 175 civil service exams to more than 110,000 candidates for careers ranging from scientist and forester to bridge operator, caseworker, blacksmith and physical therapist. With 80% of City jobs requiring candidates to pass a civil service exam, the new fee waivers will open the door to public service for hundreds of thousands of students and millions of New Yorkers. 

 

“To serve New York is the privilege of a lifetime,” said Mayor Mamdani. “The people best equipped to build a city that works for everyone are the students in our classrooms, the people who walk our streets and the New Yorkers who call our city home. By making civil service exams free for high schoolers and first-time test takers, we’re opening the doors to millions more New Yorkers to serve the city they love.” 

 

“We want all New Yorkers to have access to great careers in public service. By offering new fee waivers and sharing exam information in multiple languages, we are making it easier for more New Yorkers to get a job with the City of New York,” said DCAS Commissioner Yume Kitasei. “Our mission is to remove barriers that may prevent qualified candidates from pursuing a job with the City in order to strengthen our workforce.” 

 

Established under Local Law 57 of 2025, the new waivers expand on the City’s existing fee waivers for veterans, unemployed individuals and applicants receiving public assistance. Eligible applicants can request a waiver through the City’s Online Application System, OASys 2.0. First-time applicants will have their eligibility verified automatically, while New York City high school students can qualify by submitting proof of current enrollment. 

 

Also today, the City released the Fiscal Year 2027 civil service examination schedule, providing New Yorkers with a roadmap to careers across City government. The schedule includes 149 exams for positions in public safety, administration, engineering, healthcare and other essential roles that keep the city running. 

 

Exams will be offered throughout the next fiscal year. Seventy-two percent will be open to all qualified New Yorkers, while 28% will be promotional exams for current City employees. The new 2027 exam list and schedule can be found here. 

 

Beginning today, Notices of Examinations — which outline the qualifications and requirements for each exam — can also be translated into more than 190 languages, making information about City careers more accessible than ever. Civil service exams will continue to be administered in English. 

 

“Our shared goal is for every young New Yorker to be on a clear path to economic mobility, and that means connecting classroom learning directly to careers,” said Schools Chancellor Kamar H. Samuels. “This expansion of civil service fee waivers and commitment to language access removes real barriers for our students and opens the door to stable, rewarding careers in City government. I am proud to partner with our sister agencies to build a seamless bridge from school to public service so our students can go on to lead the city that they call home.”

 

“Making civil service exams free for high school students is an important investment that expands access to stable, rewarding careers in City government and helps ensure that talent — not financial barriers — determines opportunity,” said DYCD Commissioner Sandra Escamilla-Davies. “At DYCD, we are committed to helping young New Yorkers pursue opportunities in public service. This initiative will help prepare the next generation of public servants and build a workforce that reflects the communities it serves.”