AU Patent Attorney exam-day guide
AU Patent Attorney · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Photo identification
Bring the original government-issued photo ID you used when registering. Photocopies and digital images on a phone are usually not accepted. Confirm with the provider which ID types are approved and whether the name must match your registration exactly.
Admission or confirmation letter
Print or save the confirmation email showing your candidate number, session time, and venue or platform details. Some providers require the printed copy at check-in; confirm with the provider.
Exam permit or candidate number
Know your candidate number and where it appears on your paperwork. You may need to write it on answer booklets or enter it into the testing platform.
Venue or platform logistics confirmed
Re-check the address, arrival time, and transport route, or for a remote sitting, the link, login credentials, system check results, and backup internet plan. Confirm with the provider whether remote sittings are offered and what software is required.
Permitted reference materials
Check whether the exam is open book and which texts (for example the Patents Act and Regulations, or the MPEP-style materials if relevant to your jurisdiction) are allowed. Bring only permitted, unannotated copies if clean copies are required. Confirm with the provider.
Writing instruments and permitted aids
Bring spare pens or pencils, an eraser, and a sharpener. Check whether highlighters, sticky tabs, or a silent non-programmable calculator are allowed; confirm with the provider before relying on any aid.
Clear water bottle and small snack
Bring water in a clear container if permitted and a quiet snack for a scheduled break. Confirm with the provider whether food and drink are allowed in the exam room.
Watch or timekeeping plan
If a wristwatch is permitted, bring a simple non-smart analogue watch; otherwise plan to use the on-screen timer or clock. Confirm with the provider whether watches are allowed.
Layered clothing
Exam halls are often cold or draughty. Dress in layers that can be removed, avoiding clothing with large logos or text that might breach conduct rules.
Leave prohibited items at home or in storage
Phones, smart watches, and other electronic devices are typically banned from the exam room. Plan where to leave them if the venue provides no secure storage. Confirm with the provider.
Rest, meals, and medication
Sleep well, eat a normal breakfast, and bring any necessary medication in line with the provider's rules. Confirm with the provider how to declare permitted medication.
Backup plan for the unexpected
Save the provider's contact details for the exam day and know the procedure if you are delayed, unwell, or hit a technical failure. Confirm with the provider what evidence is needed for special consideration.
Plan the day
Re-read the official candidate instructions and the exam structure: number of papers, question types, time limits, and any open-book rules. Confirm with the provider any point that is unclear rather than guessing.
Do a final light revision of high-yield areas: claim construction and interpretation, novelty and inventive step, priority, sufficiency, and amendment practice, plus your jurisdiction's procedural deadlines. Stop learning new material.
Run a timed practice paper under exam conditions to check your pace and your method for allocating time across questions and parts.
Check the venue route or, for a remote sitting, complete any required system or identity check and test your camera, microphone, and internet connection.
Pack your bag: ID, confirmation letter, permitted materials, pens, water, and layers. Put prohibited devices aside so you do not carry them by habit.
Confirm the start time and arrival or login time in your own time zone, allowing extra margin for transport or technical setup.
Do a short review of your own summary notes only, then stop. Avoid cramming new topics late in the evening.
Eat a normal meal, set two alarms, and aim for a full night's sleep. Avoid alcohol and heavy late-night study.
Eat breakfast, hydrate, and arrive early with your documents ready. For a remote sitting, log in at the instructed time and keep the provider's contact details to hand.
Do a brief warm-up: skim your one-page outline of exam strategy and common traps, then put notes away before entering the room or starting the session.
Read the instructions and the paper structure first, note the marks per question, and sketch a time budget that leaves time to review.
Answer in the required format, show your reasoning for problem questions, and cite the relevant statutory provision or principle where it strengthens the answer.
If a question stalls you, mark it, move on, and return later. Watch the clock at each quarter point and adjust pace.
Use any scheduled break as instructed, keep to the permitted conduct, and return promptly. Reserve the final minutes to check that every question is attempted and your candidate details are correct.
Rules to check
Bring the original photo ID that matches your registration. If your ID has changed or your name differs, contact the provider before exam day; confirm with the provider what alternative evidence is accepted.
Keep only permitted items at your desk. Phones, smart watches, and other electronic devices are typically prohibited in the exam room; confirm with the provider where they must be stored.
Follow all instructions from invigilators or proctors immediately. Do not communicate with other candidates during the exam, and do not share or copy answers.
Use only the reference materials the provider permits, and only in the form allowed. Confirm with the provider whether open-book materials are permitted and whether annotation is restricted.
Leave the room during a scheduled break only, following the stated procedure. Confirm with the provider whether unscheduled breaks are allowed and whether they count against your time.
Note how the paper is scored: check whether marks are awarded for reasoning and method as well as conclusions, and whether there are penalties for wrong answers. Confirm with the provider.
If you are unwell, delayed, or hit a technical failure, notify the provider as soon as possible and follow their procedure. Keep any evidence they require.
Comply with the provider's academic integrity rules, including any declaration you must sign. Any suspected misconduct may be investigated under the provider's process; confirm with the provider for details.