BY Abitur Informatik gA exam-day guide
BY Abitur Informatik gA · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Admission letter and photo ID
Bring the invitation/admission document issued by your school or the examination board together with an official photo ID (Personalausweis or passport). If you are unsure which document counts as valid proof of identity for your Prüfungsausschuss, confirm with the provider before exam day.
Approved materials list from your school
Ask your course teacher in advance which printed materials are allowed: typically a dictionary, a formula/reference sheet, and your own handwritten notes if the school permits them. Do not assume - confirm with the provider, since schools and Prüfungsausschüsse set different rules.
Writing and drawing tools
Several pens, pencils, eraser, sharpener, ruler, and colored pens for diagrams (UML, ER models, flowcharts). Colored pens are often useful for clearly separating model elements.
Non-programmable calculator
A simple scientific calculator without communication or storage capability is commonly permitted. Programmable or graphing calculators and phones are usually not allowed. Confirm the exact model policy with the provider.
Analog watch
Many exam rooms have no visible clock, and phones must be switched off and put away. A simple wristwatch helps you manage the time budget for each task.
Water and a light snack
Bring a bottle of water and something small to eat during any permitted break. Check whether drinks are allowed at the desk in your exam room.
Printed code/reference excerpts if allowed
For programming tasks, some schools allow printed excerpts of the programming language reference or class libraries. Confirm with the provider whether such materials are permitted and in what form.
Read the task-selection rules in advance
The gA written exam typically offers tasks from different thematic areas from which you choose. Confirm with the provider exactly how many tasks must be worked and whether there are compulsory parts.
Plan your time allocation before the exam
Know the total working time and the number of tasks you must solve, and decide in advance roughly how many minutes each task deserves, leaving time for a final check.
Transport and arrival time
Check the route and arrive well before the start time; late arrival rules are set by the school. Build in a buffer for public transport delays.
Emergency contact and school office number
Save the number of the school office or your course teacher in case something goes wrong on the way (illness, transport failure). Confirm with the provider whom to inform if you cannot attend.
Health and sleep preparation
If you are ill on exam day, do not force yourself to sit the exam; there are usually rules for attestation and withdrawal. Confirm with the provider what documentation is required and by when.
Plan the day
Stop learning new topics. Review your own summaries of the main areas: algorithms and data structures (lists, trees, graphs, searching and sorting), modeling (UML class and sequence diagrams, ER models, state machines), databases and SQL, programming concepts in your course language, and the theoretical foundations your course covered. Re-read your own corrected homework and past in-school exercises, and note the typical mistakes you made. Practise writing one complete solution to a modeling task and one to a programming task under time pressure, then check it against the given solution criteria. Prepare your materials: print or write your allowed notes, check the calculator works, and pack your bag. Confirm the room, start time, and allowed materials with your teacher, because these details vary by school.
Do only light review: skim your summaries, the syntax you tend to forget (SQL joins, recursion patterns, UML notation), and your personal error list. Do not start a new topic or a long practice exam. Prepare clothes, ID, admission letter, pens, calculator, watch, water, and snack and put them in one place. Check the route to school and set an alarm with a margin. Eat a normal meal, avoid heavy caffeine in the evening, and go to bed at a reasonable time. If you feel unwell, decide early whether you need a doctor's note; confirm with the provider what is required.
Eat a proper breakfast, arrive early, and use the waiting time only for a brief skim of your summary, not for cramming new material. Switch off your phone and put it away before entering the exam room, as required by the school's rules. Listen carefully to the invigilator's instructions about allowed materials, task selection, and time. Fill in your name and candidate number on every sheet before you start. Read all tasks first and choose according to the selection rules you confirmed in advance.
Start with the task you are most confident about to secure points, but keep to your time plan. Read each task twice and underline the operators (nennen, beschreiben, erklären, begründen, entwerfen, implementieren), because they determine how much detail and justification is expected. For modeling tasks, draw clearly, label all elements, and keep diagrams readable; for programming tasks, write structured, commented code and state assumptions. If a task is too hard, write down your approach and move on rather than losing time. Watch the clock at fixed checkpoints, and reserve the last ten to fifteen minutes for checking names, completeness, and legibility.
Rules to check
Bring your admission document and official photo ID and place them on the desk if the invigilator asks. If you are unsure which identification is accepted, confirm with the provider before exam day.
Only use materials that the school has explicitly allowed. Phones, smartwatches, and other networked devices must be switched off and stored away; unauthorized aids can lead to the exam being graded as failed. Confirm the exact list of allowed materials with the provider.
Follow the invigilator's instructions on task selection and on how many tasks must be worked. Working more tasks than required or ignoring compulsory parts can cost points or invalidate parts of your work.
Communication with other candidates during the exam is not permitted. If you need something, raise your hand and wait for the invigilator.
Breaks and leaving the room are regulated by the school; usually you may leave accompanied and only one candidate at a time. Ask the invigilator rather than assuming, and confirm with the provider how breaks are handled in your exam.
Write legibly and in the language of the exam, using the standard technical terminology. Unclear or unlabeled diagrams and code may not be credited, even if the idea is correct.
If you fall ill or cannot attend, inform the school immediately and follow the official rules on attestation and withdrawal; do not simply stay away. Confirm with the provider which deadlines and documents apply.
Scoring follows the official assessment criteria for the exam, which weight content, method, and presentation. You can usually request information about the grading after the results are announced; confirm the procedure with the provider.