EPI exam-day guide
EPI · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring the exact form of identification your test provider lists in its candidate handbook or admission ticket. Name and spelling must match your registration. Acceptable document types vary by provider and country, so confirm with the provider which IDs are accepted and whether a secondary ID is required.
Confirmation or admission letter
Print or download your appointment confirmation showing test name, date, time, and test-center address (or online-proctoring link). Some centers ask to see it at check-in; if you are unsure whether it is required, confirm with the provider.
Appointment time and arrival window
Note your scheduled start time and the provider's recommended arrival lead time. Arrival and late-admission cutoffs are set by the provider and can differ between in-person and remote testing, so confirm the exact window with the provider rather than assuming a standard.
Test-center location and route
Confirm the address and building/room, check transit and parking options, and plan to arrive with buffer for security screening or check-in lines. If testing remotely, confirm the room and internet setup the day before.
Permitted items only
Most providers restrict what you may bring into the testing room (phones, notes, watches, and bags are commonly prohibited, with secure storage or none available). Read your provider's list of permitted and prohibited items and confirm any uncertain item with the provider.
Any approved accommodations
If you requested accommodations, verify they were approved and appear on your registration before test day, and know how to invoke them at check-in. Approval processes and deadlines are provider-specific; confirm with the provider if anything is unclear.
Remote-testing technical check (if applicable)
If you are testing online, run the provider's system check in advance, confirm camera, microphone, and browser requirements, and close other applications. Platform requirements and room-scan procedures are set by the provider; confirm details with the provider.
Rest, food, and hydration plan
Plan sleep, a light meal, and water before the test, and check whether the provider allows food, drink, or breaks and under what conditions. Break rules vary, so confirm with the provider whether unscheduled breaks are permitted and how they affect your time.
Time-management plan
Decide in advance how you will allocate time across sections and questions, and how you will handle flagged or skipped items. Know whether your test allows review of flagged questions or moving back and forth between sections, since navigation rules differ by provider.
Scratch materials policy
Check whether scratch paper, a marker board, or an on-screen notepad is supplied and whether you may bring your own. Many providers supply materials and prohibit bringing your own; confirm with the provider.
Plan the day
Re-read the provider's candidate handbook or test-day instructions for ID, permitted items, arrival time, and break and scoring rules. Confirm your appointment details and test-center or remote-testing logistics. Do light review of weak areas and practice timing on a few questions rather than starting new material. Protect sleep and avoid last-minute schedule changes.
Lay out your ID, confirmation, and any permitted items. Confirm the route and travel time or run a final remote-testing system check. Re-read only your own summary notes and the test format. Get a full night's sleep, eat normally, and stop studying early enough to wind down. Do not attempt to cram new topics overnight.
Eat a light meal and hydrate, then arrive at the test center within the provider's recommended window (or log in early for remote testing). Bring only permitted items and leave prohibited items at home or in secure storage if the provider offers it. At check-in, present your ID, follow staff or proctor instructions, and use the restroom before the test begins if breaks are restricted.
Read the instructions and any tutorial screens carefully, note how to flag and review questions, and confirm the time remaining display. Work at a steady pace using your planned time allocation, answer easier questions first if navigation allows, and flag uncertain ones for review. If you take a permitted break, follow the provider's sign-out and sign-in procedure, and return promptly. If equipment fails during remote testing, follow the provider's stated support process rather than troubleshooting alone.
Rules to check
Bring the identification the provider specifies, with name matching your registration. If you are unsure which documents are accepted, confirm with the provider before test day.
Follow all instructions from test-center staff and proctors, including room-scan, security-screening, and sign-in procedures. Failure to comply can lead to removal or score cancellation under the provider's rules.
Leave prohibited items outside the testing room. Do not access phones, notes, or other unauthorized materials during the test or during breaks; doing so is commonly treated as misconduct, and the exact policy should be confirmed with the provider.
Use only breaks the provider permits, and follow the required sign-out and sign-in process. Unscheduled breaks may not be allowed or may not stop your clock, so confirm the break policy with the provider.
Understand how your test is scored before you sit: whether wrong answers are penalized, whether sections are scored separately, and when and how results are reported. Scoring and reporting policies are provider-specific, so confirm with the provider.
Do not share, record, or reproduce test content. Most providers prohibit disclosing exam questions and may cancel scores or bar future testing for violations; review the confidentiality terms you agreed to.
If a technical problem, illness, or other disruption occurs, notify staff or the proctor immediately and follow the provider's documented process for incidents and rescheduling. Do not assume a remedy will be offered automatically; confirm with the provider.
Report any concern about testing conditions or suspected irregularities to the provider through its official channel, and keep your registration and result records until scores are finalized.