Bremen Abitur German exam-day guide
Bremen Abitur German · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Admission letter and photo ID
Bring the invitation/admission notice issued by your school or the Prüfungsausschuss together with an official photo ID (Personalausweis or passport). Confirm with your school which ID documents are accepted and whether a copy is sufficient.
Know your exam room and arrival time
Check the room assignment and the reporting time on your admission notice. Arrive early enough to find the building and room without stress; late arrival rules are set by the school, so confirm with the provider what happens if you are delayed.
Permitted dictionaries and reference works
In the German Abitur, a monolingual German dictionary (e.g. Duden) is often allowed, and for foreign-language components a bilingual dictionary may be permitted. Exact rules vary by course and school; confirm with your teacher or the Prüfungsausschuss which books are allowed and whether they must be unmarked.
Approved text editions for the set topics
If your exam covers set works (Pflichtlektüre), you may be allowed to use a clean, unannotated text edition. Ask in advance whether bringing the book is permitted and whether annotations or sticky notes are forbidden.
Writing tools and spares
Bring several pens (blue or black ink, as required), a pencil, an eraser, and a ruler. For diagrams or annotation tasks a highlighter may help; confirm whether highlighters are allowed in your room.
Watch (non-smart)
A simple analogue or digital watch helps you manage the time if the room clock is hard to see. Smartwatches and phones are usually not permitted at the desk; confirm the school's device policy.
Water and a light snack
Written Abitur exams often run several hours. Bring a bottle of water and a small snack if your school allows food and drink at the desk; confirm the room rules in advance.
Leave phones and smart devices at home or switched off
Mobile phones, smartwatches, and other connected devices are generally not allowed in the exam room. If you must bring a phone, switch it off and hand it in as instructed. Confirm the exact rule with your school.
Review the task structure and choice rules
Know in advance how many tasks you must complete and whether you have a choice (e.g. one of several topics). The number of tasks and the Wahlpflicht structure are set by the course and school; confirm with your teacher before exam day.
Plan your time budget
Decide in advance how many minutes you will spend on reading, planning, writing, and checking. Write the times on your answer sheet so you can track progress. The total writing time is fixed by the exam regulations; confirm the exact duration with your school.
Sleep and a proper breakfast
A normal night's sleep and a real breakfast matter more than last-minute cramming. Avoid trying to learn new material the night before.
Backup plan for transport
Check your route and have a backup (earlier train, bike, or a person who can drive you). If public transport is disrupted, contact the school as soon as possible; confirm the school's procedure for delays.
Plan the day
Stop learning new content. Review your own summaries, essay structures, and the set works or topics you have already prepared. Practise one timed writing task under exam conditions to check your pace. Confirm the room, arrival time, permitted materials, and ID requirements with your school. Prepare your bag and lay out pens, dictionary, and text editions. Keep the last evening free and go to bed at a normal time.
Do a light review only: key terms, argument structures, and a few quotations or examples you are confident about. Do not start a new topic. Check the weather and your transport route. Pack your bag: admission letter, ID, pens, dictionary, approved text editions, water, snack, and watch. Set two alarms. Avoid heavy screen time and late-night study; sleep is more valuable than one more hour of revision.
Eat a proper breakfast and drink water. Arrive at the school with time to spare, at least 15–20 minutes before the reporting time unless your school says otherwise. Switch off your phone and hand it in if required. Go to the toilet before the exam starts. Once seated, read the instructions carefully, check that you have all pages and tasks, and note the start and end times. Ask the invigilator immediately if a page is missing or a task is unclear.
Read all tasks and the choice options before writing. Choose your task deliberately, then plan for a few minutes: outline, key points, and structure. Watch the clock and stick to your time budget; do not let one task consume the time for the others. Write legibly and label every answer clearly with the task number. If you run out of time, write short bullet points rather than leaving a task blank. Leave a few minutes at the end to check names, task numbering, and completeness. If you feel unwell, tell the invigilator immediately.
Rules to check
Bring your admission notice and an official photo ID. Confirm with your school which documents are required and whether a copy is accepted.
Follow the invigilator's instructions at all times. Do not start writing before the signal and stop immediately when the end of the exam is announced.
Mobile phones, smartwatches, and other connected devices must be switched off and, if required, handed in. Using unauthorized aids or communicating with others can lead to the exam being graded as failed; confirm the exact consequences with your school.
Only use the aids that are explicitly permitted for your course (e.g. dictionary, approved text editions). Ask the invigilator before using anything you are unsure about.
You may normally leave the room briefly for the toilet with permission; a supervisor may accompany you. Confirm the school's rules on breaks and supervision.
If you are ill or unable to complete the exam, inform the invigilator immediately and follow the school's procedure for documenting illness; rules on retaking or deferring are set by the school and the Prüfungsausschuss, so confirm with the provider.
Scoring and grading follow the official regulations for the Bremen Abitur. Your written exam result is usually combined with other components; confirm the weighting and the pass requirements with your school rather than relying on hearsay.