Schleswig-Holstein Abitur Danish exam-day guide
Schleswig-Holstein Abitur Danish · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Personalausweis or passport plus your school's admission document
Bring official photo ID and whatever admission slip or registration confirmation your school issues. If you are unsure which document your Prüfungsschule requires on the day, confirm with the provider (your school's Oberstufenkoordination) well before the exam.
Know your exam room, seat, and start time
Confirm the room, building entrance, and reporting time with your school in the days before. Arrive early enough to find the room without stress; late arrival rules are set by the school, so confirm the exact cut-off with the provider.
Permitted dictionaries
For Danish, a monolingual Danish dictionary (e.g. a Danish-Danish ordbog) is typically allowed, and bilingual dictionaries may be restricted depending on the task. Confirm the exact permitted list and editions with your teacher, since rules differ by task type and year.
Approved writing tools and spare pens
Bring several pens in blue or black, a pencil, eraser, and a ruler. Bring any permitted highlighters. Do not bring correction fluid or tape unless your school explicitly allows it.
Analog watch
A simple wristwatch helps you pace the long writing time. Smartwatches and phones are not permitted at the desk; confirm with the provider whether any clock is visible in the room.
Unmarked paper and notes policy
Do not bring your own paper, sticky notes, or prepared notes into the exam room unless explicitly allowed. Confirm the school's rules on what may be on the desk.
Water and a small snack
A clear bottle of water and a quiet snack for the break are sensible. Confirm whether food and drink are allowed at the desk or only during breaks.
Phone switched off and stored
Mobile phones and smart devices must be switched off and handed in or stored as directed. Treat any device at your desk as a serious conduct issue.
Review the task structure and time budget
Know in advance how many tasks or parts the Danish paper has and roughly how many minutes each part deserves. Confirm the exact structure and total writing time with your teacher, as it varies by course level and year.
Plan your answer language
Check whether each task must be answered in Danish, in German, or in a specified combination, and whether a certain length or register is expected. Confirm the requirements for your specific paper with the provider.
Transport and backup plan
Plan your route and a backup (earlier train, lift, bicycle). Build in a buffer for delays so you are not dependent on the last possible connection.
Rest and logistics the night before
Sleep, prepare clothes and bag, and set two alarms. Avoid last-minute cramming that costs sleep; consolidate rather than learn new material.
Plan the day
Confirm all logistics with your school: exact date, start time, room, permitted aids, and the dictionary rule for your paper. Re-read the task types and the assessment criteria you have practised. Do one timed rehearsal under exam conditions, then mark it against the criteria and note the two or three weaknesses to fix.
Consolidate rather than expand. Review your own error patterns: recurring grammar slips, connectors, register, and typical structure for analysis, interpretation, and comment tasks. Prepare short mental templates for opening, main body, and conclusion. Check that your dictionary is the permitted edition and in good condition.
Light review only: skim your summary sheets, key vocabulary, and useful phrases. Pack your bag with ID, admission document, pens, dictionary, watch, water, and snack. Confirm transport. Eat properly, avoid heavy cramming, and go to bed at a reasonable hour.
Eat a real breakfast, arrive early, and check in as directed. Keep conversation with others light; avoid comparing preparation. Once seated, read the instructions carefully, note the total time and the time per task, and scan all tasks before starting.
Read the task instructions twice. Note the required language, length, and focus of each task. Allocate minutes per task and reserve time for checking. Start with the task you feel most secure about only if the paper permits free order; otherwise follow the given order.
Work to your time plan and keep an eye on the clock. For writing tasks, plan briefly, write, then reserve several minutes to check agreement, verb forms, word order, and spelling. If a task stalls, move on and return. Use permitted breaks as directed by the invigilator.
Stop writing new content and use the remaining time to check that every task is answered, that the required language is used throughout, and that your name and candidate details are filled in correctly. Hand in all materials as instructed.
Rules to check
Bring official photo ID and your admission document; without them you may not be admitted. Confirm the exact ID requirement with the provider.
Mobile phones, smartwatches, and other electronic devices must be switched off and stored as directed; a device at your desk can be treated as an attempt to cheat.
Only permitted aids may be used. Confirm the permitted dictionary, writing tools, and any other aids for your specific paper with your teacher or school before the exam.
Follow the invigilator's instructions on seating, starting, breaks, and handing in. Leaving the room during the exam is usually restricted; confirm the break rules with the provider.
Any communication with other candidates during the exam, or access to unauthorised notes, is a conduct violation and can lead to the paper being graded as failed or excluded.
Write legibly and answer each task in the required language and format; unclear or off-task answers lose marks even when the language is good.
Scoring follows the official assessment criteria for the subject and level, covering content, structure, language accuracy, and expression. Ask your teacher to explain how the criteria are weighted for your course.
If something goes wrong (illness, lateness, a problem in the room), tell the invigilator immediately and confirm the school's procedure for documenting it, since deadlines and remedies are set by the provider.