ITA exam-day guide
ITA · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring the original ID in the exact name and form your registration requires. A photocopy or expired document is often refused. Confirm the accepted ID types and name-match rules with the provider in advance.
Admission or scheduling confirmation
Print or save the confirmation showing your appointment time, test center or remote-proctoring link, and any candidate or registration number. Have it accessible before you enter the check-in area.
Know your test format and section order
Review the official outline so you know how many sections there are, whether breaks are offered, and whether questions are multiple-choice, scenario-based, or include other item types. Confirm any format details with the provider rather than relying on secondhand accounts.
Confirm allowed and prohibited items
Ask the provider what is permitted in the testing room (for example, scratch paper, pen, calculator, water, or none of these). Do not assume; rules differ by delivery method and location.
Remote-proctoring setup (if testing online)
If your exam is delivered remotely, confirm the required platform, camera, microphone, browser, and system check. Run the equipment test at least a day early. Confirm all technical requirements with the provider.
Travel and arrival plan
For an in-person test, plan to arrive ahead of your appointment and know the building, floor, and parking or transit options. Confirm the required arrival time and late-arrival policy with the provider.
Rest, food, and hydration plan
Protect sleep in the days before the exam, eat a normal meal beforehand, and bring water only if the provider allows it. Avoid trying new caffeine levels or unfamiliar foods on exam day.
Time-management plan for question types
Decide in advance how you will pace yourself, how you will flag uncertain items for review, and how much time to reserve for a final pass. Practice this on full-length timed sets.
Break and scoring policy review
Know whether breaks are scheduled or optional, whether the clock stops during breaks, and whether unanswered questions are scored as incorrect. Verify these specifics with the provider because they vary.
Accessibility or special-accommodation confirmation
If you requested accommodations, confirm approval and logistics with the provider well before exam day and again in the final week. Bring any required documentation only if instructed.
Backup contact and contingency plan
Save the provider's contact information in case of a scheduling, technical, or travel problem. Know what to do if you are delayed or your connection fails, based on the provider's stated policy.
Calm, simple exam-day kit
Keep your kit minimal and compliant: ID, confirmation, approved items only. Leave prohibited items such as phones, smartwatches, notes, and bags where the provider directs.
Plan the day
Shift from learning new material to consolidation. Review your own summary notes, error log, and the official outline. Take at most one or two timed practice sets, then stop adding new content. Confirm logistics: appointment time, location or remote link, ID, allowed items, and any accommodation details. Protect sleep and keep meals and exercise routine steady.
Do a light review of high-level frameworks and frequently missed concepts, not deep new topics. Prepare and lay out your ID, confirmation, and approved items. Confirm travel or equipment one last time. Stop studying early enough to wind down, avoid heavy caffeine or alcohol, and aim for a full night's sleep. Set two alarms.
Eat a normal meal and hydrate moderately. Dress in layers for unknown room temperature. Arrive or log in early per the provider's instructions. Do a short, calm warm-up such as reading your one-page summary, then put notes away. Avoid discussing questions or comparing preparation with other candidates, which tends to raise anxiety.
Read each question fully and watch for qualifiers such as best, first, except, and most likely. Answer easier items first if the format allows navigation, flag difficult ones, and return to them. Use the time budget you planned rather than rushing. If you are unsure, eliminate clearly wrong options and choose the best remaining answer; do not leave items blank unless the format penalizes guessing, which you should confirm with the provider. Take scheduled breaks as permitted, and use them to stand, breathe, and reset rather than to review content.
Rules to check
Bring original, valid identification matching your registration exactly; confirm accepted ID types and name-match requirements with the provider before exam day.
Follow all instructions from the proctor or testing staff. Do not bring notes, phones, smartwatches, or other unapproved items into the testing area; ask the provider what is permitted if unsure.
Do not communicate with other candidates about exam content during the test or during breaks. Attempting to copy, share, or record questions is prohibited and may void your result.
Take only the breaks the provider allows and follow their rules on timing, movement, and what you may access during a break. Confirm whether the clock stops during breaks.
Understand the scoring and guessing policy before you begin: confirm whether unanswered questions are scored as incorrect and whether any sections are weighted or separately reported.
If a technical problem, illness, or other disruption occurs, notify the proctor or provider immediately and follow their documented process; do not attempt to resolve it on your own in ways that breach testing rules.
Arrive or connect by the required time. Late arrival or failure to meet technical requirements may result in refusal of entry or rescheduling under the provider's policy, so confirm the specifics in advance.
Report any suspected irregularity or security concern to the provider rather than handling it yourself, and keep your registration and contact details current so the provider can reach you.