CAPE MOB Unit 1 exam-day guide
CAPE MOB Unit 1 · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring the original ID document, not a photocopy or photo on your phone. The name must match the name on your booking. If you are unsure which ID types are accepted for CAPE MOB Unit 1, confirm with the provider before test day.
Admission or booking confirmation
Print or download the confirmation email showing your test date, time, and centre or remote-testing details. Some providers require a printed copy, so confirm with the provider whether a digital version is acceptable.
Know your test format and length
Check whether your sitting is paper-based or computer-based and how long it runs. Confirm with the provider whether any scheduled breaks are included and whether they are optional or mandatory.
Confirm permitted reference materials
Check in advance whether any formula sheet, data booklet, or reference table is supplied on screen or in print. Do not assume you may bring your own notes; confirm with the provider what, if anything, is allowed into the test room.
Approved calculator status
If a calculator is permitted, verify the allowed models and modes (for example, whether graphing or programmable models are excluded) with the provider. Bring only a model you have confirmed is acceptable, with fresh batteries.
Stationery for paper-based sittings
For paper sittings, bring several pens or pencils, an eraser, and a sharpener. For computer-based sittings, confirm with the provider whether rough paper and a pen are supplied or whether you must request them.
Arrival time and route
Plan to arrive well before your start time; many centres refuse entry after a cut-off. Check transport, parking, and building access the day before, and confirm the required arrival time with the provider.
Personal items plan
Expect phones, smartwatches, bags, and notes to be stored away from your desk or left outside the room. Decide in advance what you will carry so you are not juggling valuables at the door.
Remote-testing setup, if applicable
If you are sitting remotely, confirm with the provider the required platform, camera and microphone checks, room rules, and any software you must install beforehand. Run a full system test at least a day early.
Rest, food, and hydration
Sleep normally the night before and eat a proper meal beforehand. Bring water only if the provider permits it at the desk, and check rules on snacks and access to water during the test.
Medical or access arrangements
If you have approved extra time, a separate room, or other access arrangements, confirm the details in writing with the provider and bring any supporting letter they requested.
Emergency contact and centre phone number
Save the test centre or provider contact number in your phone in case of delay or illness. If you cannot attend, contact the provider as early as possible to ask about rescheduling rules.
Plan the day
Re-read the provider's test-day instructions end to end: arrival time, ID requirements, permitted items, and the format of the sitting. Note anything ambiguous and email the provider now rather than on the morning. Confirm your booking details and the exact address or remote-session link.
Shift from learning new content to consolidating. Review your summary sheets and worked examples for each topic area in CAPE MOB Unit 1, and do timed practice on the question types you find hardest. Stop adding new material you have not already studied.
Do a logistics check: plan your route and backup route, check the weather forecast, arrange transport or a lift, and confirm any parking or building-access details. If sitting remotely, install and test the required software and check your camera, microphone, and internet stability.
Pack your bag: ID, confirmation, approved calculator, stationery, and any permitted items. Lay out clothes and put everything by the door. Charge your phone and any devices, and set two alarms.
Do a final light review only: key definitions, formulas, and the structure of longer answers. Avoid cramming new topics late in the day. Eat a normal meal, avoid heavy caffeine in the evening, and go to bed at your usual time.
Eat breakfast, dress in layers so you can adapt to room temperature, and leave earlier than you think you need to. Re-check you have your ID and confirmation before locking the door. Arrive at the centre with time to spare, or log in early for a remote sitting.
Read the instructions and check the time allowance before starting. Do a quick scan of the paper or screen, then answer the questions you are most confident about first. Watch the clock and leave time to return to anything skipped; never leave a question blank if there is no penalty for guessing.
For longer written answers, plan briefly before writing, use clear structure, and show working where marks are awarded for method. If you get stuck, move on and come back. If something goes wrong, such as a technical failure or a missing page, raise your hand and tell the invigilator immediately rather than trying to fix it silently.
Note anything you found unclear or any incident while it is fresh, in case you need to contact the provider. Keep your confirmation and any correspondence until results are released, and check the provider's published results and appeals timelines.
Rules to check
Bring original, valid photo ID matching your booking name. If you are unsure which documents are accepted, confirm with the provider before test day; centres may refuse entry without acceptable ID.
Arrive by the stated time. Many centres set a cut-off after which candidates are not admitted, and missed time is not usually added back. Confirm the exact arrival and late-entry policy with the provider.
Keep phones, smartwatches, and other devices switched off and stored as instructed, not on your person or desk. Unauthorised devices or notes in the test room are commonly treated as misconduct.
Follow all invigilator instructions and test the rules on talking, leaving your seat, and accessing materials. If you need to leave the room, raise your hand and wait to be accompanied; confirm break rules with the provider.
Do not attempt to copy, photograph, record, or share test content. Materials supplied during the test remain the provider's property and must be handed in or left as instructed.
Check the scoring and timing rules in advance: whether marks are deducted for wrong answers, how sections are weighted, and whether sections are timed separately. Confirm these details with the provider rather than assuming.
If you are ill or cannot attend, contact the provider as soon as possible and ask about rescheduling, refund, or deferral rules. Do not simply fail to appear, as no-shows are often treated differently from notified absences.
Report any problem during the test, such as a faulty device, missing page, or disturbance, to the invigilator at the time and ask for it to be recorded, since later appeals usually require a contemporaneous note.