North Rhine-Westphalia Zentralabitur German exam-day guide
North Rhine-Westphalia Zentralabitur German · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Personalausweis or passport plus your school's admission document (Einladung/Zulassung)
Bring photo ID and whatever written invitation or admission slip your school issued for the Prüfung. Which exact documents are mandatory is set by your school and the Bezirksregierung - confirm with the provider (your school's Oberstufenkoordination) what is required and whether a copy suffices.
Know your Prüfungsfächer and which are written, oral, or Facharbeit
In the NRW Abitur you sit written exams in two Leistungskurse and one Grundkurs (plus possibly a fourth component depending on your chosen structure), and an oral exam (mündliche Prüfung) in a further subject unless replaced by a besondere Lernleistung or Facharbeit arrangement. Confirm your personal combination with your school, since the rules allow several structures.
Approved dictionary for modern foreign languages
For foreign-language written exams a monolingual or bilingual dictionary is generally permitted, but the exact type (einsprachig/zweisprachig) and whether it must be provided by the school is set per subject and per school. Confirm with the provider which dictionary you may bring and whether annotations are allowed.
Permitted text edition or Wörterbuch for German and other subjects
In German you may typically use a Rechtschreibwörterbuch; in some subjects a specific approved text edition or formulary is allowed. Bring only what your school has announced as zugelassen - anything else may be confiscated. Confirm the list with the provider.
Calculator and formula collection (Formelsammlung) where permitted
For Mathematics and the natural sciences, a specific calculator model (often a wissenschaftlicher Taschenrechner or a graphikfähiger Taschenrechner depending on the course) and an approved Formelsammlung may be allowed. The permitted models change and are set by the school/vorgaben; confirm the exact list with the provider and do not bring a second device 'just in case'.
Analog watch or small clock
Bring a simple watch to manage time; mobile phones must be switched off and handed in or stored away and cannot serve as a clock. Confirm the school's device policy with the provider.
Several pens, pencils, ruler, and geometry instruments
Bring black or blue writing pens, spare pens, pencils, a ruler, and for Mathematics the geometry set (Zirkel, Geodreieck) you normally use. Do not rely on borrowing from neighbours.
Water and a small snack
Written Abitur exams run several hours; a drink and something to eat during the exam are usually tolerated if they are quiet and unobtrusive. Confirm with the provider whether food and drink are allowed at the desk in your exam room.
No mobile phone, smartwatch, or other networked device at your place
Phones and smart devices must be switched off and kept outside your reach during the exam; possession at the desk can be treated as a Täuschungsversuch. Confirm the storage arrangement with the provider.
Review your subject-specific Hilfsmittel list the day before
Each subject has its own list of permitted aids published by your school. Read it the evening before and pack only those items, so you do not have to argue at the door.
Plan your arrival time and route
Arrive at the announced time, typically well before the start, so you can be seated and checked. The exact start time and whether late arrival is admitted is set by your school - confirm with the provider.
Know the exam duration for each subject
Written exams in the Leistungskurs and Grundkurs differ in length, and there is usually a choice (Auswahlzeit) before the Bearbeitungszeit begins. Confirm the exact durations and the handling of Auswahlzeit and any Verlängerung for your subjects with the provider.
Plan the day
Stop learning new material. Re-read your own summaries and the official Vorgaben/example tasks for each subject, and check the permitted aids list for each exam. Practise one timed task per written subject under realistic conditions, including the Auswahlzeit if your school applies one, so you know how long you need for reading, planning, writing, and checking. Confirm with your school the exact start times, rooms, and which aids are allowed.
Pack your bag: ID, admission document, pens, geometry set, dictionary or Formelsammlung only if permitted, watch, water, snack. Charge nothing you are not allowed to bring - leave the phone and smartwatch out of the exam bag. Re-read the task-type instructions (Operator such as analysieren, erörtern, beschreiben) and the Bewertung criteria for each subject. Sleep at your normal time; do not pull an all-nighter.
Eat a normal breakfast, arrive early, and leave the phone switched off and stored as instructed. Before the exam starts, check that your desk has only the permitted aids. Listen carefully to the announcement of the Auswahlzeit and the Bearbeitungszeit and note the end time on your watch. Read the whole task sheet before choosing, and choose the task you can answer most completely, not the one that looks shortest.
Use the Auswahlzeit to read all options and pick one, then plan with a short outline (Stichpunkte) before writing. Keep an eye on the clock and reserve time to check your work. If you need to leave the room (Toilette), raise your hand and follow the Aufsicht's instructions; confirm the school's rule on leaving and supervision with the provider. If you notice an error in the task or a missing page, tell the Aufsicht immediately. Do not talk to other candidates and do not look at others' work.
Rules to check
Bring photo ID and your admission document; identity checks are common at the start of written exams. Confirm with the provider which documents are mandatory and what happens if you forget one.
Permitted aids are limited to the official list for each subject. Bringing a non-permitted aid, or a phone or smartwatch at your desk, can be treated as a Täuschungsversuch (attempted cheating) with serious consequences. Confirm the exact list and device policy with the provider.
Follow the announced Auswahlzeit and Bearbeitungszeit exactly. Writing after the announced end of the Bearbeitungszeit can lead to the affected part not being scored; confirm the school's handling of late writing with the provider.
Leaving the room during the exam is normally only allowed with supervision and one candidate at a time. Confirm the school's rule on Toilettengänge and whether time is added, with the provider.
Communication with other candidates during the exam is not allowed. If you need something, raise your hand and wait for the Aufsicht.
Scoring follows the NRW points system (0–15 Punkte) applied to your written and oral performances, and the Abitur overall result is computed from blocks I and II. Confirm how your specific subject combination is weighted with your school, as the rules allow several structures.
If you believe there was a disturbance or an error in the exam conditions, note it and inform the Aufsicht immediately; later complaints are harder to consider. Confirm the formal procedure (including whether a Widerspruch is possible and its deadline) with the provider.
Illness or inability to sit the exam must be reported to the school as early as possible and usually requires a medical certificate; do not simply stay away. Confirm the exact notification and attestation requirements with the provider.