Cambridge IAL Chemistry exam-day guide
Cambridge IAL Chemistry · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Photo ID and statement of entry
Bring the ID specified by your centre (passport or photo-bearing ID) and your statement of entry or candidate number card. Requirements vary by centre and country; confirm the exact accepted documents with your exams officer well before the day.
Black or blue pens, HB pencil, ruler, eraser
Write in black or blue ink unless your centre tells you otherwise; use pencil for graphs, tables, and any diagrams. Bring a spare pen. Check the front of the paper for any instruction on ink colour.
Calculator permitted for the paper
Confirm with your provider or exams officer which calculator model is allowed for your session. Bring a calculator you have used in practice, with working batteries, and know how to use log, exponential, and memory functions. Do not rely on a borrowed calculator.
Clear pencil case or none
Many centres require a transparent pencil case or no case at all. Confirm the centre's rule in advance; if unsure, bring a clear case and a small pouch you can leave outside the exam room.
No prohibited items on you
Mobile phones, smart watches, and any wearable technology must be switched off and stored outside the exam room as directed. Check with your centre for the exact rule on watches and phones; phrase as 'confirm with the provider' if your centre has not published it.
Know your seat, room, and start time
Check the timetable and room notice the day before. Arrive with enough margin for ID checks and seating. If your centre has a different arrival time from the published timetable, follow the centre's instruction.
Water in a clear container, if allowed
Some centres permit a clear bottle with the label removed; others do not. Confirm the centre's policy. Do not bring food unless your centre has approved a specific access arrangement.
Access arrangements confirmed
If you have approved extra time, a reader, a scribe, or a separate room, confirm the arrangements with your exams officer before the exam. These are not granted on the day without prior approval.
Review practical techniques and calculations
Revise the skills the practical paper tests: titration calculations, uncertainty and percentage error, significant figures, graph plotting, and identifying apparatus. Bring a one-page summary if your centre allows notes outside the room; do not bring notes into the exam.
Know the paper structure and marks
Check the duration, number of questions, and total marks for your practical paper on the current specification. The exact structure can change between series; confirm with your provider or the current specification.
Plan your timing per question
Work out roughly how many minutes per mark you can afford, based on the paper duration and total marks. Practise this on a timed past paper before the exam.
Emergency contact and transport plan
Know how you will get to the centre and who to contact if something goes wrong. Keep your exams officer's contact number with you. This is practical preparation, not an exam rule.
Plan the day
Do timed practice on at least one full practical paper under exam conditions. Mark it strictly using the mark scheme, and list the specific skills you lost marks on: significant figures, units, uncertainty, graph axes, or explanation wording. Revisit the specification's practical skills section and your lab notebook. Do not start new topics; consolidate what you already know.
Check your calculator, pens, ID, and statement of entry. Confirm your seat, room, and arrival time with your centre. If you have access arrangements, confirm them in writing with the exams officer. Sleep on a normal schedule; do not trade sleep for extra revision.
Do a light review only: formulas, common apparatus, and the calculation steps you tend to forget. Pack your bag with ID, statement of entry, pens, pencil, ruler, eraser, calculator, and clear case. Check the journey and set two alarms. Avoid intensive new practice; the goal is to arrive calm and rested.
Eat a normal breakfast and arrive at the centre with time to spare. Leave phones and smart watches stored as directed. Go to the toilet before entering. Once seated, read the front of the paper for instructions on ink, calculator use, and answer format, and read the whole paper briefly to plan your time.
Start with questions you can do confidently, then return to harder ones. Show working for calculations, give units, and use the significant figures the question implies. For practical-based questions, describe what is measured and how, not just the final result. For graphs, label axes with quantity and unit, use a suitable scale, and draw a line of best fit where appropriate. If you run out of time, write the key equation or method for remaining questions rather than leaving them blank. Check that you have answered every question and that your candidate details are correct.
Rules to check
Bring the ID document your centre requires and your statement of entry; confirm the exact accepted documents with your exams officer, as rules differ by centre and country.
Follow the centre's rules on mobile phones, smart watches, and other electronic devices. Typically these must be switched off and stored outside the exam room; confirm the specific rule with your provider.
Write in the ink colour specified on the paper, usually black or blue, and use pencil for graphs and diagrams unless told otherwise. Check the front of the paper.
Use only a calculator model permitted for your session. Confirm the allowed models with your provider; do not assume any calculator is allowed.
Raise your hand and wait for an invigilator if you need to leave the room, need more paper, or feel unwell. Do not communicate with other candidates during the exam.
Access arrangements such as extra time or a reader must be approved in advance. They are not granted on the day without prior approval; confirm with your exams officer.
The paper is marked against the published mark scheme, so show working and give answers to appropriate significant figures and units. Method marks are often available even when the final answer is wrong.
Do not bring notes, textbooks, or unauthorised materials into the exam room. If you are unsure what is permitted, ask your exams officer before the day.