EPSO AD5 exam-day guide
EPSO AD5 · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Original valid photo ID
Bring the original document (typically passport or national identity card) whose details match your application. Check the expiry date now. Confirm with EPSO which ID types are accepted for your competition; photocopies and expired documents are generally not accepted.
Invitation / booking confirmation
Your EPSO account holds the invitation with date, time, centre and test language. Print it or keep it accessible on paper, and confirm with the test provider whether a printed copy must be shown at reception.
Exact centre location and route
Look up the address, the entrance to use, and public transport options. Plan a backup route and add a buffer for delays; large test centres can be hard to navigate inside.
Reporting time versus start time
Note the reporting time on your invitation, which is earlier than the test start. Confirm with the provider the cut-off after which late candidates are refused, and plan to be there before it.
Review of permitted and prohibited items
Read EPSO's and the provider's instructions on what may be taken into the test room. Assume notes, books, smart watches, phones and other electronic devices are not permitted unless explicitly allowed.
Practice on official sample tests
Use the sample questions and practice tests published by EPSO to get used to the format, the on-screen interface and the timing, so exam day is about performance rather than novelty.
Confirmed test language
Check in your EPSO account which language(s) you will be tested in and be aware that some sections may only be offered in a restricted set of languages. Raise any discrepancy with EPSO before the test day.
Glasses, hearing aids or other aids you normally use
Bring what you need to read the screen comfortably. If you have requested a special adjustment, confirm in advance that it has been granted and how it will be applied on the day.
Read the competition notice on structure and scoring
Know how many questions or sections there are and how marks are awarded. Confirm with EPSO whether incorrect answers carry a penalty before deciding how to handle questions you cannot answer.
Email and EPSO account access
Check your inbox and spam folder in the days before the test for changes or cancellation notices, and make sure you can log in to your EPSO account.
Food, water and clothing planned
Eat properly beforehand and dress comfortably in layers. Confirm with the provider whether drinks or snacks are allowed in the waiting area; assume nothing is allowed at the workstation.
Remote-testing equipment check (only if testing remotely)
If your test is delivered remotely rather than at a centre, complete any system and identity check the provider requires well in advance, and confirm the technical requirements and the procedure if the connection fails.
Plan the day
Log in to your EPSO account and re-read the invitation: date, reporting time, centre address, test language and sections. Check your ID is valid and the name matches your application exactly.
Confirm your travel and accommodation, and identify a backup route. If testing remotely, run the provider's system/equipment check now, not on the day.
Do one or two timed practice sets under realistic conditions to calibrate your pace per question. Do not start learning new content at this stage; consolidate technique instead.
Re-read the competition notice for the number of questions, section structure and scoring rules, including whether wrong answers are penalised.
Pack your ID and confirmation in the bag you will carry, charge nothing you are not allowed to bring, and lay out comfortable clothes. Check email once more for changes.
Confirm your alarm and departure time, aiming to reach the area well before the reporting time. Stop studying early and get a full night's sleep.
Eat a normal meal, avoid heavy caffeine if you are not used to it, and leave with time to spare. Carry only what is permitted; switch your phone off before entering the building.
Present your ID and confirmation, follow the registration and identity-check process, and use the facilities before you are seated. Note the reporting cut-off and do not cut it fine.
Read the on-screen instructions and note the number of questions and the time available. Set a rough pace per question, answer what you can confidently, flag uncertain items if the interface allows, and keep an eye on the remaining time.
Use only the tools built into the test interface, such as an on-screen calculator where offered. If anything fails technically, raise your hand and inform the invigilator immediately and note what happened.
Keep your confirmation and note any irregularities while they are fresh. Results and next steps are published through your EPSO account rather than by phone.
Rules to check
Bring an original, valid photo ID whose name matches your application; photocopies, screenshots and expired documents are generally not accepted, but confirm the exact accepted ID types with EPSO for your competition.
Arrive by the reporting time on your invitation. Candidates arriving after the provider's cut-off may be refused entry and treated as absent, so confirm that cut-off in advance rather than assuming a grace period.
Do not bring unauthorised items into the test room. Phones, smart watches and other devices must be switched off and stored exactly as instructed; unauthorised material can lead to removal from the test and disciplinary consequences.
Follow the invigilator's instructions at all times and do not communicate with other candidates during the test. If you believe the instructions are unclear, ask the invigilator before you start rather than during the section.
Breaks, if any, are at the provider's discretion and are usually supervised. Confirm in advance whether leaving the room is permitted and what happens to the clock while you are away.
Before answering, confirm how the test is scored, in particular whether incorrect answers reduce your score. If a penalty applies, random guessing may hurt you; if it does not, leaving questions blank may cost you marks.
Special adjustments must normally be requested and approved before test day. If you need one, confirm in writing that it has been granted and how it will operate at the centre.
If a technical or administrative problem occurs, report it to the invigilator at the time and keep a record of what happened. Complaints raised only after results are published may not be considered; confirm the deadline and procedure with EPSO.