Matura Shtetërore exam-day guide
Matura Shtetërore · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Original valid ID (letërnjoftim or passport)
Bring the original document, not a photocopy. The name and details must match your exam registration exactly. If your ID is expired or you have changed your name, contact your school and the exam authority (ASCAP/AKAP) well in advance to confirm what is accepted.
Exam registration/notification document
Many candidates are asked to show the confirmation of registration or the notice listing the exam centre and seat. Confirm with your school whether a printed copy is required on the day, and keep a photo of it on paper (not only on a phone, since phones are not allowed in the room).
Two or three pens that work
Blue or black ballpoint pens, tested the night before. Bring spares - you cannot borrow from another candidate during the exam.
Pencil, eraser and sharpener
Needed for diagrams, rough work and any machine-readable fields. Keep them in a clear pencil case if your centre requires transparent containers.
Ruler and geometry set
Essential for Mathematics and any subject with graphs, tables or constructions. Check the subject-specific permitted-materials list before the day.
Non-programmable calculator (only if permitted for your subject)
Calculator rules differ by subject and by year. Do not assume it is allowed: confirm the permitted-models list for your specific exam with your teacher or the exam authority. Programmable or graphing calculators and phones are not permitted.
A plain wristwatch
Not all halls have a visible clock, and phones are banned, so a simple non-smart watch is useful. Confirm with your centre that wristwatches are permitted in the room.
Transparent water bottle and a small snack
Water with the label removed is usually accepted. A snack is only useful for the break between separate exam sessions - check whether food is allowed in the hall at your centre.
Leave all devices at home
Do not bring a mobile phone, smartwatch, earbuds or any other electronic device into the exam room or the building if you can avoid it. Possession can lead to your paper being annulled, and the exact sanction should be confirmed with the provider.
Know your exam centre, room and start time
Verify the venue, entrance, session time and reporting time on your official notice a few days before. Do a practice trip so you know the travel time and the correct building entrance.
No revision notes in the hall
Summaries, formula sheets and flashcards are for use at home or outside the building only. Do not carry them into the exam room.
Plan the day
Confirm all logistics: venue, room, reporting time and session order from your official notice. Check that your ID is valid and matches your registration. Prepare the bag with pens, pencil, eraser, ruler and geometry set. Switch to revision of structures and formula summaries rather than new topics, and start going to bed at your normal school-night time.
Re-read the official instructions for each subject you are sitting: length of paper, number of sections, whether a calculator or dictionary is allowed, and how answers must be presented. Write these facts on one card and keep it at home.
Do one light pass over your highest-yield material (key formulas, essay structure, common question types), then stop by early evening. Lay out clothes and the packed bag by the door. Plan the exact route and departure time, allowing a large buffer. Set two alarms and aim for a full night's sleep - cramming overnight costs more marks than it gains.
Eat a normal breakfast, take your ID and bag, and leave early enough to arrive well before the reporting time - confirm the required margin with your centre, since arriving late may mean you are not admitted. Use the restroom before entering. Hand over or leave behind any device. Listen carefully to the invigilator's instructions and check that your paper is complete before the start.
Read the instructions on the cover page and scan the whole paper so you know how many questions there are and how the marks are distributed. Note the finishing time on your watch and divide the time across sections, keeping 5–10 minutes at the end for checking.
Start with the questions you can answer confidently to build momentum, then return to the harder ones. Write legibly and show your working for calculation or reasoning questions, because partial credit is usually available. Do not spend disproportionate time on a single high-mark question.
Check the clock at the halfway point and adjust. Make sure every question has at least an attempt - a blank scores nothing. Keep answers inside the designated answer areas, since work written elsewhere may not be marked. Use the final minutes to check that your name and identification fields are filled in correctly.
Do not crowd around other candidates to compare answers; it raises anxiety and cannot change what you have written. Eat, drink water, rest and look only at the structural reminders for the next subject.
Rules to check
Identification: bring the original valid ID document. Your details must match the registration exactly. If your document is expired, damaged, or your name differs from the registration, resolve it with your school and confirm the accepted alternatives with the exam authority before the day.
Prohibited items: phones, smartwatches, earbuds, notes and any unauthorised electronic device must not be brought into the exam room. Even possession of a switched-off phone can be treated as a violation - confirm the exact sanctions with the provider.
Timing and admission: arrive before the doors close. Whether late candidates are admitted, and up to when, is set by the centre and the exam authority - confirm this with the provider rather than assuming.
Conduct in the hall: no talking, no exchanging or borrowing materials, no looking at another candidate's paper, and no leaving the room without permission. Follow the invigilator's instructions immediately; non-compliance can be recorded as misconduct.
Breaks and restroom: leave is normally granted one candidate at a time with an escort, and lost time is generally not added back to your working time. Confirm your centre's exact break procedure in advance.
Scoring: answers must be written in the designated areas of the official paper with the permitted pen. Work outside those areas, or on rough paper only, may not be marked. Multiple-choice or machine-read fields must be filled in exactly as instructed.
Academic integrity: any attempt to gain or give an unfair advantage can result in the annulment of your paper or of the whole session. The precise consequences are set by the exam authority - check the official regulations.
Results and appeals: after the exam, follow the official results calendar and note the deadline for appeals or re-marking requests. These deadlines are strict and set by the provider, so confirm the dates on the official announcement rather than relying on word of mouth.