CELA (UNAM) exam-day guide
CELA (UNAM) · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Official photo ID (original)
Bring the original government-issued photo ID you used during registration. Confirm with the provider which document types are accepted and whether a photocopy or digital copy is permitted; do not assume a copy will be accepted.
Admission document / registration confirmation
Print or download the confirmation the provider issues after you register (folio, appointment letter, or equivalent). The exact name and format of this document changes between calls, so confirm with the provider what you must present at the door.
Know your exact session time and venue
Write down date, start time, and full address, including building or module if given. Verify whether reporting time is earlier than start time; arrive with margin for security and registration lines.
Confirm permitted materials
Ask the provider in advance whether pencils, erasers, calculators, rulers, or any printed material are allowed or supplied on site. Do not bring prohibited electronics; many testing rooms require phones off and stored away.
Check the language and format of the paper
Confirm whether the exam is delivered in Spanish, English, or both, and whether it is paper-and-pencil or computer-based. This affects how you practice and what you bring.
Review the published scoring and section structure
Know how many sections there are, the time per section, and whether wrong answers are penalized. Confirm with the provider rather than relying on secondhand accounts.
Plan transport and a backup route
Identify the entrance, nearest public transport, and parking options. Add buffer for traffic, since late arrival rules are set by the provider and may mean exclusion.
Light layers and water
Testing rooms are often cold or warm and sessions are long. Bring removable layers and water only if the provider allows it in the room; confirm food and drink rules beforehand.
Sleep and meal plan for the prior night
Set a realistic bedtime, avoid all-night study, and plan a normal breakfast. Fatigue costs more points than one extra review hour.
Backup of contact information
Save the provider's contact number and your registration folio on paper as well as on your phone, in case your phone must be stored.
Medication or accessibility arrangements
If you need accommodations, extra time, or to bring medication, confirm approval with the provider well before the exam date; on-the-day requests are usually not granted.
Watch or simple timer (if permitted)
Confirm with the provider whether a wristwatch is allowed. If clocks are visible in the room, use them to pace sections; do not rely on your phone.
Plan the day
Stop learning new material. Review your own summary sheets, formula lists, and error log. Do one timed section or a short mixed set to check pacing, then review mistakes rather than scores. Confirm venue, time, ID, and permitted materials with the provider, and print any required documents.
Do a final light pass over the highest-yield topics and the question types you most often miss. Check that your ID is valid and matches your registration name. Plan the route and decide departure time with at least a 30-minute buffer.
Pack your bag: ID, admission document, permitted writing materials, water or snack if allowed, layers. Charge your phone but plan to store it. Eat a normal dinner, avoid alcohol and heavy caffeine, and set two alarms. Do not start a new topic or a full-length practice test.
Eat a normal breakfast, recheck the bag against the checklist, and leave at your planned time. Arrive early enough to complete registration without rushing. Use the waiting time for a calm glance at your summary sheet only, not for cramming new content.
Read the instructions and confirm the number of questions, time limit, and whether there is a penalty for wrong answers. Note the start and end time, and write down checkpoint times for each section.
Work in passes: answer what you know, mark uncertain items, and return to them. If there is no penalty for wrong answers, never leave a blank. If there is a penalty, apply your prepared rule for guessing. Watch the clock at each checkpoint rather than constantly.
Follow the proctor's break rules exactly; confirm whether you may leave the room and whether the clock stops. In the final minutes, transfer or confirm all answers and check that no question is unanswered before submitting.
Note which topics felt weak while memory is fresh, and confirm with the provider when and how results are published and whether a review or appeal window exists.
Rules to check
Bring the original photo ID used at registration. The accepted document types and whether a copy is allowed must be confirmed with the provider; if your ID is expired or the name does not match, resolve it before exam day.
Arrive by the reporting time the provider states. Late-arrival and admission rules are set by the provider, so confirm the cutoff in advance and treat it as strict.
Do not bring unauthorized electronic devices, notes, or printed material into the testing room. Ask the provider which items are prohibited and where phones must be stored.
Follow all proctor instructions on seating, materials, and communication. Any irregularity should be reported to the proctor immediately rather than discussed with other candidates.
Breaks are governed by provider policy: confirm in advance whether breaks are scheduled, timed, and whether the clock stops. Do not leave the room without permission.
Scoring rules, including whether incorrect answers are penalized and how sections are weighted, are set by the provider. Confirm the current rules before the exam and base your guessing strategy on them.
If you need accommodations, extra time, or to bring medication or food, request and confirm approval with the provider well before the exam date; on-the-day requests are generally not accommodated.
Results, score reports, and any review or appeal process follow the provider's published procedure. Confirm timelines and channels with the provider rather than relying on unofficial sources.