Dipl. Steuerexperte HFP exam-day guide
Dipl. Steuerexperte HFP · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Admission letter and confirmation of registration
Print or download the confirmation from the examining body (Prüfungsträger) and check date, time, room, and module. If you have not received written confirmation, contact the provider immediately; do not assume your registration is complete.
Official photo ID
Bring a valid passport or identity card with a photo. Confirm with the provider which documents are accepted for admission and whether a residence permit or driving licence is sufficient; policies differ between providers.
Permitted materials list
Obtain the provider's written list of allowed aids (e.g. law texts, ordinances, calculator model, formula sheets). Confirm with the provider whether your editions and annotations are permitted before the exam day.
Clean, unannotated or permitted-edition legal texts
Swiss tax practice relies on current statutes, ordinances, and circulars. Check with the provider which editions and whether handwritten tabs or notes are allowed. Bring only what the rules permit; unpermitted notes can lead to exclusion.
Approved calculator
Confirm with the provider which calculator models are allowed (e.g. non-programmable, non-communicating). Test it the day before and carry spare batteries.
Writing materials and watch
Bring pens, pencils, eraser, and a ruler. A simple analogue watch helps with time management if the room clock is not visible; confirm with the provider whether smartwatches are prohibited (they usually are).
Refreshments and medication
Bring water and a small snack if permitted in the room. Confirm with the provider whether drinks are allowed at the desk. Carry any necessary medication and inform invigilators if you need to leave the room.
Travel and room logistics
Check the venue, public transport, and arrival buffer. Confirm with the provider the earliest admission time and whether the building opens before the exam.
Language and dictionary rules
Confirm with the provider whether a dictionary is allowed and which language versions of statutes are permitted; the exam is delivered in German, so clarify any accommodations in advance.
Time allocation plan for the paper
Prepare a written plan: number of questions or cases, marks per section, and minute budget. Practise this plan in the final 72 hours on a timed mock.
Emergency contacts and provider hotline
Save the examining body's contact number in case of delay or illness. Confirm with the provider the procedure for reporting inability to attend.
Personal readiness check
Sleep, transport, and a light meal are part of preparation. Avoid last-minute cramming of new topics; review summaries and your own error list instead.
Plan the day
Switch from learning new material to consolidation. Review your own summary sheets, error log, and the most heavily weighted topics (e.g. direct federal tax, value added tax, withholding tax, procedural law) according to the provider's module description. Do one full timed mock under exam conditions, then correct it and note only the three biggest weaknesses. Confirm the venue, travel route, and permitted materials with the provider. Prepare the documents and aids you will bring and pack them in one bag.
Stop intensive study in the evening. Re-read summaries and legal-text tabs, check calculator batteries, print the admission letter, and lay out ID, pens, watch, water, and snacks. Confirm opening times and arrival buffer. Set two alarms and aim for normal sleep; do not study past the point of diminishing returns.
Eat a normal breakfast, arrive at the venue with a buffer (typically 20-30 minutes before admission; confirm with the provider). Leave non-permitted items such as phones and smartwatches outside the exam room or switched off as instructed. Read the cover page carefully: number of questions, marks, and time. Note start and end times and write your time budget on the answer sheet.
First pass: skim all questions and mark easy, medium, and hard ones. Answer in order of confidence while respecting the mark weighting. For case questions, state the legal basis, apply it to the facts, and give a clear conclusion; show calculation steps for tax figures. Watch the clock at fixed checkpoints (e.g. one third and two thirds of the time). If time runs short, write structured outline answers for remaining questions rather than leaving them blank. Use permitted breaks as instructed and return promptly. Reserve the last 10-15 minutes to check names, question numbers, and that no page is unanswered.
Rules to check
Bring the admission letter and the official photo ID required by the provider; confirm with the provider which identity documents are accepted and what to do if they are missing.
Use only aids explicitly permitted by the provider; confirm with the provider in advance which legal texts, editions, annotations, and calculator models are allowed. Unpermitted aids may lead to exclusion from the exam.
Electronic devices such as mobile phones and smartwatches must be switched off and stored as instructed; confirm with the provider where they must be kept.
Follow the invigilators' instructions on seating, starting, and stopping writing. Writing after the stop signal or before the start signal is usually treated as a breach; confirm with the provider how this is handled.
Breaks are generally only permitted as announced by the invigilators, and leaving the room may require supervision; confirm with the provider the break rules for your exam format.
Scoring and pass marks are set by the examining body and may combine written and oral parts or module weights; confirm with the provider the current scoring scheme, pass threshold, and resit rules rather than relying on hearsay.
If you are ill or unable to attend, notify the provider as soon as possible and obtain the required medical evidence; confirm with the provider the deadlines and consequences for withdrawal or non-attendance.
Maintain academic integrity: no communication with other candidates, no sharing of materials, and no attempt to obtain questions in advance. Confirm with the provider the consequences of misconduct, which can include failing the exam.