AIGP exam-day guide
AIGP · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring the original physical ID (not a photocopy). The name on it must match your exam registration exactly - if your registration uses a different form of your name, fix it with the provider before exam day. Confirm with the provider which ID types and name-matching rules apply, including whether a digital ID is accepted. [needs_review]
Appointment confirmation
Have your appointment/registration number, exam date and time, and either the test-centre address with directions or the remote-proctoring check-in link saved offline (screenshot or printout) so a browser or email outage does not derail you.
Confirmed local start time
Convert the appointment time to your own time zone and note any check-in window. Arrive or log in early - late arrivals may be refused entry or forfeit the fee. Confirm the exact cut-off and reschedule policy with the provider. [needs_review]
Private, quiet testing space (remote sittings)
Book a room you can close off, with a door, a clear desk, good lighting, and no other people or pets entering. Proctors commonly require a room scan, so remove or stow anything you would not want filmed.
Stable internet plus a backup
Wired or strong Wi-Fi, with a phone hotspot or second connection as fallback. Run the provider's system/equipment test in advance and note the technical-support number for exam day.
Working webcam and microphone (remote sittings)
Test both the day before. Have a way to show the proctor your desk, screen, and room if asked. Confirm with the provider whether an external camera or headset is permitted or required. [needs_review]
Desk cleared of prohibited items
Remove phones, smart watches, second screens, notes, books, sticky notes, and loose paper from arm's reach unless the provider explicitly allows them. Silence and stow your phone out of the room for remote sittings.
Approved scratch materials
Many certification providers supply an on-screen or physical noteboard and prohibit bringing your own paper or pen. Confirm the rule with the provider rather than assuming. [needs_review]
Calculator status confirmed
Confirm whether any calculator is permitted. Governance exams are typically conceptual rather than computational, so a calculator is likely unnecessary - verify rather than bring one unprompted. [needs_review]
Water and a light snack
Have water in a clear container and a snack ready for before or after the exam. Confirm whether drinks are allowed at the desk during the exam. [needs_review]
Provider rules read in advance
Read the current candidate handbook or testing-rules page for conduct, break, and scoring policy. Policies change, and the version in force on your exam date governs.
A settled, unhurried start
Plan travel or check-in so you are seated with time to spare, and sleep normally the night before rather than cramming new material in the final hours.
Plan the day
Stop adding new material. Review your own summary sheets of the domains you find weakest, re-read the ethics/governance frameworks and terminology you keep confusing, and do a moderate set of practice questions to rehearse pacing rather than to learn new content.
Logistics sweep: verify your registration name and appointment details, confirm the test-centre address or remote check-in link, run any system or equipment test the provider offers, and confirm ID requirements.
Protect your schedule. Clear the evening before and the morning of, and decide in advance how you will travel or set up your room.
Light review only - skim your one-page sheet of frameworks, key definitions, and role/responsibility mappings. Do not start a new practice exam or a new textbook chapter.
Prepare physically: lay out your ID and confirmation, charge devices, clear the desk, check the room, and set two alarms. Confirm the start time in your own time zone one last time.
Eat normally, avoid heavy alcohol and late caffeine, and aim for a full night's sleep. Fatigue costs more marks than one more hour of revision gains.
Eat a normal meal, hydrate, and do a 15–20 minute skim of your summary sheet only. Avoid group chats or forums discussing exam content - they raise anxiety and may touch on confidentiality issues.
Arrive at the centre early, or for a remote sitting log in for check-in ahead of the stated window, with ID in hand, desk cleared, room closed, and phone stowed away.
Read the full stem before the options; these exams reward careful reading of 'best', 'most likely', and 'first step' phrasing. Answer every question - there is no advantage to leaving blanks unless the provider penalises wrong answers, which is unusual.
Pace in thirds: note the total time and question count, and check your progress at roughly the one-third and two-thirds marks. Flag and move on from anything that stalls you for more than about 90 seconds.
Reserve the last portion of the time for flagged items and a check that nothing is unanswered. Use breaks sparingly if permitted - the clock generally keeps running or the break time is deducted, so confirm the break rule beforehand. [needs_review]
Note how and when results are released and what your retake options and waiting period are, so you are not scrambling if you need a second attempt. Confirm with the provider. [needs_review]
Rules to check
Bring the original government-issued photo ID in the name used at registration. Admittance rules and accepted ID types vary - confirm with the provider rather than assuming a digital or expired document will work.
The exam is confidential and almost certainly covered by a non-disclosure agreement. Do not reproduce, discuss, or post actual exam questions or answers, before or after the sitting.
You will be proctored - in person or by remote proctor with camera and screen monitoring. Expect identity verification, a room or desk scan, and observation throughout. Behaviours such as reading aloud, muttering, looking off-screen repeatedly, or reaching out of frame may be flagged.
Keep only permitted items at your desk. Phones, smart watches, notes, and secondary screens are typically prohibited; unauthorised materials can void your result and may lead to a misconduct finding. Confirm the specific list with the provider. [needs_review]
Do not leave the camera view or the testing room during the exam unless a break is expressly permitted. If something goes wrong technically, stay visible and contact the proctor or support line rather than troubleshooting silently.
Scoring is criterion-referenced: you are measured against a pre-set standard, not against other candidates, so a hard-feeling paper is not evidence you failed. Confirm the passing standard, score scale, and reporting timeline with the provider. [needs_review]
Know the retake and reschedule rules before you sit. There is usually a fee, a waiting period, and a limit on attempts within a given window - confirm the current terms with the provider. [needs_review]
Report any irregularity - a technical failure, an interruption, a proctor issue - to the provider promptly and in writing, so there is a record if you later need to request a remedy.