TKT: CLIL exam-day guide
TKT: CLIL · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Printed admission confirmation / entry statement
needs_review - Bring the confirmation your centre sent you (printed copy is safest). Whether a digital copy is accepted varies by centre; confirm with the provider.
Valid photo ID matching your registered name exactly
needs_review - Usually a passport or national photo ID. The name must match your TKT registration; if your name has changed since registering, contact the centre before test day. Confirm which ID types your centre accepts.
Two or three HB pencils, an eraser and a sharpener
For a paper-based sitting, answers are marked on a separate answer sheet in pencil, so bring spares and a small sharpener. Store them in a clear pouch if your centre requires it.
Your test centre's address, room number and contact phone number
Write these down on paper as well as on your phone - your phone will be switched off and stored during the test. Check the venue entrance in advance if you can.
Confirmed arrival time and late-arrival policy
needs_review - Arrival and admittance cut-off times are set by the centre. Confirm the recommended arrival time and what happens if you are delayed.
Confirmation of sitting format (paper-based or computer-based)
needs_review - If your sitting is computer-based, you will not need pencils and stationery and the on-screen instructions replace the answer sheet. Confirm with the provider which format you are registered for.
Phone switched off and stored as the invigilator instructs
Do not keep a phone, smartwatch or any wearable device at your desk; hand it in or leave it at home.
Nothing extra at your desk
No dictionaries, notebooks, glossaries, printed revision sheets or translation devices. TKT is a test of your own knowledge of CLIL.
Light refreshment for before/after the test
needs_review - Water and snacks are usually allowed only outside the test room; confirm your centre's rules on drinks at the desk.
A one-page personal summary of the five CLIL syllabus areas
For last-minute browsing only, not for the test room: knowledge of CLIL and its principles, lesson planning, classroom management, materials and activities, and assessment. Leave it outside the room.
Plan the day
Confirm the practicalities: venue, room, arrival time, ID documents, travel route and journey time. Sort out anything that could go wrong on the day while there is still time to fix it.
Do one full timed practice paper - 80 questions in 80 minutes, no interruptions - so that the timing feels familiar. Mark it, but focus on why you chose wrong options rather than on the score.
Re-read your own notes on the five CLIL syllabus areas and on the task types used in the paper (multiple-choice, matching, odd one out, sequencing/ordering). Note any area where you still feel shaky and give it one focused session.
Stop learning new content. Do a short, light review of your summary sheet and a few glossary items, then close the books. Cramming the night before tends to cost you more in fatigue than it gains in marks.
Pack your bag: ID, confirmation, pencils, eraser, sharpener, venue details. Set two alarms and plan to arrive with a comfortable margin. Go to bed at a normal time.
Eat something and drink water; the paper is 1 hour 20 minutes with no scheduled break, so you want to be comfortable but not distracted.
Arrive early, switch your phone off and store it as instructed, and have your ID and confirmation ready for checking. Use any waiting time for calm breathing, not for last-minute cramming.
Read the instructions on the front of the paper and check how many questions there are and how the answer sheet works before you start.
Pace yourself: 80 questions in 80 minutes is roughly one minute per question, and some tasks are quick while others need more thought. Do not let one stubborn item swallow five minutes - mark your best answer, flag it, and move on.
Work through the paper in order, but leave the slowest task type until last if you prefer. Write an answer for every single question - with multiple-choice items there is nothing to lose by guessing.
Check that your answer sheet numbering is aligned with the question numbers, especially after any block of matching or sequencing items. Then use the last few minutes to check that no answer line is blank and that no answer has been written in the wrong place.
Rules to check
Bring valid photo ID matching your registered name. Without acceptable ID you may not be admitted, and the centre's decision is final - confirm the accepted ID types and the name-change procedure with the provider before test day.
Electronic devices, including phones, smartwatches and earpieces, must be switched off and stored away from your desk. Using or even holding a device during the test may lead to your result being cancelled.
Only permitted stationery is allowed at your desk. Dictionaries, notes, translated glossaries and study materials are not permitted - confirm with the provider whether any exceptions exist for your centre.
There is normally no scheduled break during the 1 hour 20 minute paper. If you feel unwell or need to leave the room, raise your hand and speak to the invigilator; leaving without permission may mean you cannot return.
Follow all invigilator instructions, including start and stop times. Writing after the instruction to stop, or communicating with another candidate, is treated as malpractice and can void your result.
Answer on the answer sheet using the format the centre specifies, and check the alignment between question numbers and answer lines before you finish. Answer every question: TKT uses multiple-choice-style tasks and there is no credit lost for a wrong answer, so never leave a line blank - verify this in the rubric on the day.
TKT reports achievement as a band (1 to 4) rather than a simple pass or fail, and the certificate shows the band and a breakdown of performance. Ask your centre in advance when and how results and certificates are issued, as this varies by location.
If anything goes wrong - a missing page, a broken pencil, a disturbance, or illness - tell the invigilator immediately and ask for it to be recorded, rather than raising it afterwards.