Berlin Abitur Polish LK exam-day guide
Berlin Abitur Polish LK · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Personal photo ID plus your invitation/admission letter from the school
Bring the document the school sent you confirming your registration for the written Prüfung. Supervisors usually check identity at the start of the session. If you are unsure what counts as valid ID or whether a copy is accepted, confirm with the provider (your school's Oberstufenkoordination) in advance.
Know the exact start time and room, and arrive early
Written Abitur exams typically start in the morning; the school publishes a room plan and seating list. Arrive well before the start so you can find your seat and settle. Exact arrival buffer and late-entry rules vary by school, so confirm with the provider.
Permitted dictionaries (monolingual and/or bilingual) as specified
For Polish as a Leistungskurs, schools typically allow a monolingual Polish dictionary and often a bilingual Polish–German dictionary, but the exact list is set by the school and the exam task type. Check the official instructions you received and confirm with the provider which dictionaries and editions are allowed.
Permitted text edition or reading list materials, if the task requires them
Some tasks are based on set texts or a reading list. If your course allows annotated editions or a list of works, bring exactly what the instructions permit. Do not bring unpermitted annotations; confirm with the provider what is allowed.
Black or blue ballpoint pens and spare pens
Write legibly in ink. Bring at least two working pens plus a spare. Pencil is generally not accepted for the final handwritten text; if you have a question about writing instruments, ask the provider.
Wristwatch (non-smart) and no smart devices
Mobile phones and smart watches must normally be switched off and handed in or stored away. A simple analogue watch helps you manage time if the room clock is hard to see. Confirm the school's device policy with the provider.
Water in a clear bottle and a small snack
Written exams are long; hydration and a quick snack at a permitted break help concentration. Check the school's rules on food and drink in the exam room with the provider.
Read the official instructions for the exam day carefully
The school provides a Merkblatt or similar notice covering permissible aids, timing, and behaviour. Read it in the final days and note anything unclear to ask about before the exam. This is the authoritative source for your school.
Plan your route and transport, with a backup
Check connections and leave a margin for delays. Know a fallback route. If you are delayed, contact the school as soon as possible; late-arrival handling is set by the provider.
Prepare your timing strategy for the task types
Know roughly how long you will spend on reading, planning, drafting, and checking, and how many tasks you must choose from. Practise this on past-style tasks in the final days. Task choice rules are set by the exam paper and the provider's instructions.
Confirm which aids and rules apply to your specific course
Requirements can differ between courses and years (for example, which dictionaries, whether a text edition is allowed, and the exact task format). Confirm with the provider rather than relying on what other students report.
Leave valuables at home
Bring only what you need. Storage for bags and devices varies by school; confirm with the provider where bags are kept during the exam.
Plan the day
Re-read the official exam-day instructions and confirm the permitted aids for your course with the provider if anything is unclear. Do light, targeted review: revisit your own summaries of the set texts and topics, and practise one timed task to rehearse your time allocation. Do not start new material. Check that your dictionaries and pens are in order, and plan your route and timing.
Pack your bag: ID, invitation letter, permitted dictionaries, pens, watch, water, snack. Confirm the start time and room once more. Keep the evening calm: a short review of key structures and useful phrases for analysis and argumentation, then stop early and sleep. Avoid cramming new content and avoid late screen time.
Eat a proper breakfast and arrive early with time to spare. Leave your phone and smart devices at home or hand them in as instructed. Once seated, check that you have all permitted aids, listen carefully to the supervisor's instructions, and note the official start and end times. Take a few minutes to read the task options calmly before choosing.
Read all task options and the instructions before deciding. Plan your answer briefly (structure, key points, relevant evidence from the text). Watch the clock and keep to your time budget, leaving time to check language, structure, and task coverage. Write legibly and in ink. If you need to leave the room, follow the supervisor's procedure; if a permitted aid is missing or a rule is unclear, ask the supervisor rather than guessing. Use any permitted break to rest briefly, not to review new content.
Rules to check
Bring valid photo ID and your invitation/admission document; supervisors check identity at the start. Confirm the accepted ID forms with the provider.
Use only the aids explicitly permitted for your course (for example, specified dictionaries or text editions). If you are unsure whether an item is allowed, leave it out and ask the provider beforehand.
Mobile phones, smart watches, and other electronic devices must be switched off and handed in or stored as instructed. Keeping a device on your person during the exam is normally treated as a rule violation; confirm the exact policy with the provider.
Follow the supervisors' instructions on seating, starting, and finishing. Do not begin writing before the official start and stop immediately when time is called.
Breaks and leaving the room during the exam follow the school's procedure; ask a supervisor and follow their directions. Do not communicate with other candidates during the exam or during breaks.
Write your final answer in the required form and medium (normally ink on the official paper), label tasks clearly, and do not remove exam materials from the room unless instructed.
Scoring follows the official assessment criteria for the subject and course; the weighting of content, language, and structure is set by the provider. Ask your teacher which criteria apply to your course rather than assuming.
If you are ill or cannot attend, notify the school immediately and follow the official procedure for absence or a Nachschreibtermin; the exact rules are set by the provider.