CSET Writing Skills

This page provides access to all the key info you need as a CSET Writing Skills test-taker, including 2025 exam dates, testing center locations, fees, registration info and prep resources.

You can view our free CSET Writing Skills Study Guides for a concise, bullet-pointed listing of exactly which topics appear on your exam. You can also take our free CSET Writing Skills Practice Tests to see your current likelihood of passing and a breakdown of your individual strengths and weaknesses.

Need help preparing? We offer Self-paced Online Prep Courses that teach you all the content knowledge and test strategies you need to pass.

  • Expository Writing; Expressive Writing (Test Code 142)
  • 2 constructed-responses
  • 1 hour and 30 minutes
  • 220 per subtest (scaled score)

CSET Writing Skills Overview

California educators may in certain cases be able to use the CSET Writing Skills exam to satisfy the basic skills requirement.

The exam consists of two constructed-response essays. One asks candidates to analyze a given situation or statement. The other asks candidates to write about a specified personal experience.

CSET Writing Skills Testing Costs

2025 CSET Writing Skills Testing Costs*

Below is an overview of the 2025 CSET Writing Skills testing fees for computer-based testing.

Service Fees
Registration $63 test registration fee
Change of registration No fee
Additional copy of test results  $10 per copy
Score verification for constructed-response (CR) section $50 per subtest
Fee to clear an account $20

 

CSET Writing Skills Test Dates

2025 CSET Writing Skills Test Dates*

Computer-based testing for the CSET Writing Skills exam is available year-round by appointment, Monday through Saturday (excluding some holidays), on a first-come, first-served basis during the testing windows listed below. Alternatively, online-proctored testing is offered remotely and is available by appointment during one-week testing windows each month.

CSET Writing Skills Test Dates - Computer-Based Results Release Date
11/4/24 - 11/17/24 12/6/24
11/18/24 - 12/1/24 12/20/24
12/2/24 - 12/15/24 1/3/25
12/16/24 - 12/29/24 1/17/25
12/30/24 - 1/12/25 1/31/25
1/13/25 - 1/26/25 2/14/25
1/27/25 - 2/9/25 2/28/25
2/10/25 - 2/23/25 3/14/25
2/24/25 - 3/9/25 3/28/25
3/10/25 - 3/23/25 4/11/25
3/24/25 - 4/6/25 4/25/25
4/7/25 - 4/20/25 5/9/25
4/21/25 - 5/4/25 5/23/25
5/5/25 - 5/18/25 6/6/25
5/19/25 - 6/1/25 6/20/25
6/2/25 - 6/15/25 7/7/25
6/16/25 - 6/29/25 7/18/25
6/30/25 - 7/13/25 8/1/25
7/14/25 - 7/27/25 8/15/25
7/28/25 - 8/10/25 8/29/25
8/11/25 - 8/24/25 9/12/25
8/25/25 - 9/7/25 9/26/25
9/8/25 - 9/21/25 10/10/25
9/22/25 - 10/5/25 10/24/25
10/6/25 - 10/19/25 11/7/25
10/2025 - 11/2/25 11/21/25

 

CSET Writing Skills Test Dates - Online Proctored Results Release Date
Week of November 11, 2024 December 6, 2024
Week of December 9, 2024 January 3, 2025
Week of January 6, 2025 January 31, 2025
Week of February 3, 2025 February 28, 2025
Week of March 3, 2025 March 28, 2025
Week of March 31, 2025 April 25, 2025
Week of April 28, 2025 May 23, 2025
Week of May 26, 2025 June 20, 2025
Week of June 23, 2025 July 18, 2025
Week of July 21, 2025 August 15, 2025

*This information is subject to change. All test-takers should visit the official CSET website at https://www.ctcexams.nesinc.com to confirm fees, registration, and testing requirements before enrolling.

Not sure how you’ll perform on the exam? Start by viewing our free CSET Writing Skills Study Guide to get a concise overview of exactly what subject matter will appear on your exam. Then take our free, full-length CSET Writing Skills Practice Test with diagnostics to see your overall likelihood of passing and identify any areas in which you may need to improve.

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