Grade-2 Registered Architect (China) exam-day guide
Grade-2 Registered Architect (China) · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Admission ticket (准考证) printed and checked
Print the admission ticket from the official registration channel and verify name, ID number, exam site address, and session times character by character. Whether a paper copy is mandatory or an electronic one is accepted varies by test center - confirm with the provider and bring a paper copy as a fallback.
Original valid ID document
Bring the same original ID (typically resident ID card) used at registration. Photocopies and digital images are generally not accepted. If your ID is lost or expiring around the exam date, ask the local examination authority in advance about temporary or alternative documents - policy differs by province, so confirm with the provider.
Drawing tools for the design (作图) subjects
The Grade-2 architect practical subjects are hand-drawing based. Bring drafting instruments you have actually practiced with: scale rulers, triangles, drawing board or clip if permitted, pencils of several grades, eraser, sharpener, and a drafting template. Confirm the permitted list for your test center, since some sites supply or prohibit certain boards and papers.
Markers or pens permitted for drawing answers
Many drawing exams require answers in ink or a specified pen so sheets can be scanned. Check the current notice for which pen types and colors are allowed, and practice completing a full sheet with exactly those tools so your line weights and lettering stay legible.
Watch or small clock without communication functions
Exam rooms do not always have a visible clock, and phones are usually collected or prohibited. A simple analog or basic digital watch lets you allocate time across drawing tasks. Smart watches and any device with storage or transmission capability are typically banned.
Transparent bag or container per site rules
Many centers require personal items to be carried in a clear bag and placed at a designated spot. Pack only what the notice permits; confirm the current requirement with the provider before the exam day.
No prohibited electronics or materials
Leave phones, smart watches, earbuds, and any notes or reference sheets outside the exam room. Bringing unauthorized material can lead to cancellation of results regardless of intent.
Rehearse the route and arrival time
Visit or map the exact building and entrance in advance. Campuses are large and gates may be far from the exam hall. Plan to arrive well before the reporting time stated on the ticket so security checks and ID verification do not eat into your exam.
Sleep, food, and hydration plan
Drawing subjects can run for hours. Plan a normal night's sleep, a substantial breakfast, and water. Check whether the session allows a comfort break and how it is supervised; do not assume you can leave and return freely.
Review the answer-sheet conventions
Re-read the instructions on how to fill personal information, where to place drawings, and how sheets are numbered or bound. Errors in labeling or sheet order can cost marks even when the design is correct.
Time budget written on scratch paper
Before starting, write the minutes allotted to reading, concept sketch, plan, sections, and final checks. Practicing this split beforehand is the single most reliable way to avoid an unfinished drawing.
Contact and backup plan
Save the exam authority's contact and a local emergency contact. Know what to do if a document is missing or transport fails, and confirm with the provider whether any late-entry grace period exists.
Plan the day
Stop learning new material. Re-read the exam notice and admission ticket, confirm the site, session times, and permitted tools, and assemble the kit. Do one timed dry run of the drawing subject you find hardest using the exact pens and paper you will use, then review only your own error list. Protect sleep.
Pack the bag and place it by the door: ticket, original ID, drawing tools, permitted pens, watch, water. Reconfirm transport and wake-up time. Skim a one-page summary of drawing conventions and common mistakes rather than full notes. Eat a normal meal and sleep at your usual hour; late-night cramming for a drawing exam costs more than it gains.
Eat a full breakfast, arrive at the site well before the reporting time, and complete ID checks calmly. Once seated, set out tools in the same layout you practiced, fill in personal information exactly as instructed, and write your time budget before reading the task in detail.
Read all requirements first and mark point values or mandatory items. Sketch the concept quickly, then commit to a layout so the plan is finished before detail work. Keep line weights and lettering legible, label drawings as required, check sheet order and personal information, and reserve the last minutes for a completeness pass rather than new drawing.
Rules to check
Bring the original ID that matches your registration and present it for verification; entry can be refused if identity cannot be confirmed. Ask the provider in advance about acceptable alternatives if your document is lost.
Follow the start, end, and late-entry rules announced by the invigilator. Whether late arrivals are admitted after the start varies by site - confirm with the provider rather than assuming a grace period.
Electronic devices, notes, and unauthorized reference material must stay outside the exam room. Possession during the exam can lead to disqualification even if unused.
Breaks during long drawing sessions are usually restricted and supervised. Check the current rule for your subject and site with the provider, and plan hydration accordingly.
Answer only on the official sheets and in the format required; drawings outside designated areas or with unapproved media may not be scored.
Do not communicate with other candidates or exchange materials during the exam. Keep your own work covered where the site requires it.
Scoring of drawing subjects is generally by trained markers against published criteria, with each subject needing a passing mark. Confirm the current pass-mark and score-validity rules with the provider, as they can change between cycles.
If you believe there is a problem with the room, timing, or materials, raise it with the invigilator immediately and note it afterward through the official channel; complaints raised only after leaving are hard to verify.