AIS exam-day guide
AIS · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring the exact ID type and name spelling your registration requires. If you are unsure which forms are accepted or whether your name must match exactly, confirm with the provider before test day.
Appointment confirmation
Have your confirmation number, test date, time, and location (or remote-testing link) accessible on paper or your phone. The exact confirmation format required varies by provider, so confirm with the provider.
Know your test center or remote-testing logistics
Confirm the address, parking/transit options, arrival time, and check-in window. For remote testing, confirm the platform, system check requirements, and room/desk rules with the provider.
Acceptable calculator (if permitted)
Calculator rules vary by exam and provider. Confirm which models are allowed or prohibited, and whether an on-screen calculator is provided, with the provider.
Scratch paper and writing tools (if permitted)
Many providers supply or prohibit these. Confirm what is allowed and whether materials are provided at the test center or must be requested on-screen during a remote test.
Review the candidate handbook / test-day rules
Read the provider's current handbook for arrival time, check-in procedures, prohibited items, and scoring/score-reporting details.
Plan arrival with buffer time
Arrive earlier than the stated check-in time to absorb delays. Confirm the required arrival time with the provider, as late arrival policies vary.
Rest, hydration, and a light meal
Prioritize sleep in the days before and eat a normal meal beforehand. Avoid trying new caffeine levels or foods on test day.
Confirm break policy
Break timing, duration, and whether breaks are timed or untimed vary by provider. Confirm the rules with the provider and plan hydration accordingly.
Know what is prohibited in the testing room
Phones, smartwatches, notes, and bags are commonly restricted, but specifics vary. Confirm the prohibited-items list with the provider.
Backup plan for technology (remote testing)
If testing remotely, confirm the provider's procedure for technical issues and have a phone nearby only if the provider allows it for support.
Score-report expectations
Confirm when and how scores are released and whether a preliminary score is shown at the end. Do not assume a specific timeline; confirm with the provider.
Plan the day
Stop learning new material. Do targeted review of your weakest areas, re-read summaries and formula/concept sheets, and take at most one light practice set to gauge pacing. Confirm logistics: ID, appointment, location or remote-testing setup, and permitted items. Protect sleep.
Do a short, low-stress review only. Lay out ID, confirmation, and any permitted items. Confirm travel time or run the remote system check. Eat a normal dinner, avoid alcohol and heavy caffeine, and go to bed at a reasonable hour. Do not cram late.
Eat a normal breakfast, hydrate moderately, and avoid new caffeine levels. Recheck ID and confirmation. Leave with buffer time. Do a brief calm review of high-level reminders only, not new content.
Read each question fully and watch for qualifiers like 'except' and 'best'. Answer easier questions first if the platform allows navigation, flag uncertain items, and return to them. Pace yourself against the clock and reserve time to review flagged questions. If a break is permitted, use it to reset. If a technical or procedural issue arises, notify the proctor immediately.
Rules to check
Bring the exact ID required by your registration; if you are unsure which forms are accepted or whether your name must match exactly, confirm with the provider.
Arrive by the stated check-in time. Late-arrival and forfeiture policies vary, so confirm the specific rule with the provider.
Follow all proctor instructions and the provider's prohibited-items list. Rules on phones, notes, and personal items vary; confirm with the provider.
Break timing, duration, and whether breaks are timed vary by provider. Confirm the break policy in advance and plan around it.
Scoring methods (for example, whether wrong answers are penalized or whether sections are weighted) vary by exam. Do not assume a scoring model; confirm with the provider.
If you experience a technical or testing-environment problem, stop and notify the proctor or support channel immediately rather than troubleshooting silently.
Do not discuss, copy, or share exam content. Follow the provider's confidentiality and conduct agreement.
Confirm score-release timing and reporting procedures with the provider rather than relying on secondhand information.