AIC-M exam-day guide
AIC-M · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring the original physical ID (not a photocopy or a photo on your phone). Confirm with the provider which exact document types are accepted, whether the name must match your registration exactly, and whether a secondary ID is required. Do this at least a week ahead so you can fix any mismatch.
Appointment confirmation and registration number
Save the confirmation email and your candidate/registration ID both offline on your phone and as a printed copy. If the test centre has a check-in desk, staff may ask for the confirmation number before they can locate your booking.
Verified test centre route or remote-proctoring setup
Confirm in writing whether your appointment is in person or remotely proctored, and check that your admission ticket reflects the same format. For remote delivery, run the provider's equipment check on the same machine and network you will use on test day, and repeat it the day before.
Arrival time and building access details
Note the exact arrival time stated on your confirmation and add a 20-30 minute buffer for security screening, lift queues and document checks. Confirm the building's entry point, since many test centres sit inside shared office towers with restricted lobby access.
Approved calculator or on-screen calculator
Confirm with the provider whether a physical calculator is permitted, which models, and whether one is supplied on screen. If a physical calculator is allowed, bring a model with no programmable memory or wireless capability, since those are commonly refused at check-in.
Scratch paper and writing instrument policy
Check whether the centre supplies a markerboard or paper, or whether you must bring your own. Many providers prohibit bringing your own paper and issue and collect it per section, so do not rely on your own notebook.
Break, food and medication plan
Confirm the break policy and its duration, whether the clock keeps running, and whether you may access water, snacks or medication during breaks. If you take scheduled medication, ask the provider in advance about bringing it into the testing room.
One-page personal summary sheet
Prepare a single page of high-yield formulas, definitions and decision rules written in your own words. Use it for light review only in the final 24 hours; it is a confidence tool, not a cramming device, and it must be left outside the testing room.
Logistics buffer: transport, parking, backup plan
Pre-book transport or confirm parking, and identify a backup route in case of delays. Aim to be inside the building well before your arrival time rather than at the front door.
Rest and hydration baseline
Protect a normal night's sleep in the 48 hours before the exam rather than trying to bank sleep the night before. Eat a normal meal on the morning of the test; unfamiliar energy drinks or heavy caffeine on an empty stomach tend to cost more focus than they add.
Score reporting and pass-mark details
Confirm how and when results are released, what the passing standard is, and how the score is scaled or reported. These details vary by provider and are often published in the candidate handbook rather than on the registration page.
Plan the day
Re-read your appointment confirmation line by line and verify the date, time, time zone, format and venue. Check that your ID is valid, undamaged and matches the name on your registration. If anything is wrong, contact the provider now, because most rescheduling windows close 24-48 hours before the appointment.
Do one final timed practice set under exam conditions, then stop taking new practice tests. Spend the remaining time on error review: for each miss, write the reasoning rule you should have applied, not just the correct answer.
Build or finalise your one-page summary sheet and confirm the exam blueprint weightings so you know where to spend the last review hours. Stop studying any topic that is entirely new to you; the return on new material at this point is very low.
Confirm the operational rules you will depend on: break policy, permitted materials, calculator rules, and the process for reporting a technical problem. Phrase any unresolved question as an email to the provider so you have a written answer.
Do a short, low-stakes review of the summary sheet, ideally in the morning, then stop. No new topics, no full mock exams, and no late-night revision; the goal is a calm, well-rested brain rather than one more fact.
Pack your bag: ID, confirmation, permitted items only. Lay out clothes and confirm transport times. If you are testing remotely, clear the desk, close other applications and re-run the system check on the exact device you will use.
Check your email and the provider's site once for venue changes, weather notices or system-status messages, then set two alarms and go to bed at your normal time.
Eat a normal meal, avoid last-minute cramming of unfamiliar content, and glance at your summary sheet for no more than 10-15 minutes. Arrive ahead of your stated arrival time with your ID already out of your bag.
Expect check-in steps that may include ID verification, a photograph, a palm-vein or fingerprint scan, a pocket check and locker storage for personal items. Follow the proctor's instructions exactly and ask before the clock starts if anything is unclear.
Use the tutorial or instruction screens to confirm the interface: how to flag items, how to move between questions, whether questions can be revisited, whether there is a review screen, and how the timer displays. Note whether a calculator or reference sheet is available on screen.
Immediately before question one, write your key formulas and decision rules onto the scratch material if permitted. Then work in passes: answer everything you can quickly, flag long or ambiguous items, and return to them rather than losing minutes early.
Set mental time checkpoints at roughly the quarter, half and three-quarter marks based on total items and total time. If you are behind at a checkpoint, speed up on short recall items rather than skipping whole sections.
Read the final sentence of each stem first on long scenario questions so you know what is being asked, and eliminate options that are true but do not answer the question. Watch for absolutes such as 'always' and 'never', which are often wrong.
Use scheduled breaks if available and permitted, but confirm whether the timer keeps running. Stand up, hydrate, and return promptly; do not use a break to review content you have already answered.
Before submitting, confirm you have answered every item if the format penalises blanks or if unanswered items are auto-scored as incorrect. Then submit, collect any belongings and issued materials, and note how and when results will be released.
Rules to check
Bring valid government-issued photo ID in the exact form the provider accepts. If your ID name differs from your registration name, contact the provider before test day; do not assume desk staff can resolve it on the spot.
Bring only permitted items into the testing room. Lockers, if provided, stay outside the room, and phones must be switched off rather than silenced. Confirm the permitted-items list with the provider in advance.
Follow the proctor's instructions at all times, including requests to empty pockets, raise sleeves, remove glasses or show the scratch material. Refusal to comply is typically treated as a conduct issue, so ask questions before the exam starts rather than arguing mid-test.
Breaks are governed by the provider's policy. Confirm in advance whether breaks are scheduled or on demand, how long they last, whether the clock continues during them, and whether you can access food, medication or a locker during them.
Do not disclose, record or discuss exam content. Most certification programmes require you to agree to a confidentiality or non-disclosure term at check-in, and reproducing questions afterwards can invalidate your result regardless of your score.
If equipment fails, the screen freezes or the environment is disrupted, raise your hand or use the proctor chat immediately and note the time. Consequential issues are far easier to remedy when reported during the appointment than after it.
Scoring rules, including the passing standard and whether unanswered or incorrect answers carry any penalty, are set by the provider. Confirm them from the official candidate handbook rather than relying on secondhand accounts.
Arriving late may result in refused admission or forfeiture of the fee, and rescheduling usually closes a set number of hours before the appointment. Confirm both windows with the provider and build travel buffer accordingly.