EPSO AST/SC exam-day guide
EPSO AST/SC · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Printed invitation/convocation letter and any candidate number
Bring the convocation you received through your EPSO account. Confirm with the provider (EPSO or the test centre) whether a printed copy is required or whether a digital version on your phone is accepted, and check the exact address, session time and any candidate ID number printed on it.
Valid photo ID matching your registration
Bring the original document you registered with (typically a passport or national identity card). Check the name spelling matches your EPSO account exactly. Confirm with the provider which ID types are accepted and whether a photocopy or expired document is refused; assume originals only.
Know your test centre route and arrival buffer
Plan the journey to the exact building, not just the city, and add a buffer for security checks and registration. Arrive well before the reporting time stated in your convocation; late arrival can mean exclusion. Confirm with the provider how early doors open and the latest accepted arrival time.
Read the test format and timing for your competition
Check in your EPSO account which tests apply to your profile (for example verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning, and any situational or competency-based tests) and how many questions and minutes each section has. Do not rely on second-hand descriptions from previous years; formats change between competitions.
Practise under strict time pressure
Do at least two full timed sets in the final days, ideally on a computer if the test is computer-based. Practise the reasoning types you find slowest and learn your personal pace per question so you can decide quickly when to skip.
Decide a skip-and-return strategy
Many computer-based reasoning tests do not penalise wrong answers, so leaving blanks is usually worse than guessing. Confirm with the provider whether negative marking applies to your tests, and set a rule such as: if a question takes more than roughly its average time, mark it, move on, and return if a review function exists.
Prepare for the language regime
Check which languages your tests will be delivered in and whether any language test is included. Practise reading instructions and question stems in the test language, not only your native language, so you are not slowed down by wording.
Know what is provided and what is banned
Confirm with the provider whether rough paper, a pen or pencil, and an on-screen calculator are supplied, and whether personal calculators, phones, smart watches or notes are prohibited. Do not bring study notes into the test room.
Plan food, water and medication
Eat a normal meal before the session and bring water if the centre permits it. If you need medication or an access arrangement, confirm in advance with the provider that it has been approved and how to declare it on the day.
Sleep and logistics the night before
Set two alarms, lay out ID and convocation, and avoid late-night cramming. A rested candidate performs better on timed reasoning than one who reviewed until 2 a.m.
Confirm the session has not changed
Check your EPSO account and email the day before for rescheduling, venue changes or technical instructions. Confirm with the provider how you would be contacted if a session were moved.
Review access arrangements if relevant
If you requested extra time, a separate room or assistive equipment, confirm with the provider that it has been granted and will be in place, and bring any supporting document they asked for. Mark this as needs_review until confirmed in writing.
Plan the day
Stop learning new material. Do one or two timed practice sets per day, then review errors to find patterns (misread questions, slow arithmetic, careless elimination) rather than memorising items. Re-read the test instructions and confirm section order and timing from your EPSO account. Prepare documents and check the venue route. Protect sleep.
Do one short, light practice set at most, ideally at the same time of day as your session, then stop. Lay out ID, convocation and any approved items. Check email and your EPSO account for last-minute changes. Set alarms and plan the exact departure time with a buffer. Go to bed at a normal hour.
Eat a proper meal, avoid heavy caffeine if it makes you jittery, and re-check ID and convocation. Leave earlier than you think necessary. At the centre, follow registration and security instructions, use the toilet before the session starts, and do not discuss questions with other candidates. If a short warm-up helps you, do a few untimed reasoning items before entering, not a full mock.
Read the instructions on screen carefully, note the time limit and number of questions, and set your pace. Answer the easiest questions first if the interface allows navigation, flag uncertain ones and return if time permits. Watch the clock at the halfway point and adjust. For reading comprehension, answer from the passage, not from outside knowledge. For numerical items, estimate before calculating to eliminate options. If a technical problem occurs, raise your hand and ask staff to record it rather than troubleshooting alone. Leave a few minutes to check that no question is unanswered if guessing is not penalised.
Rules to check
Bring the original photo ID you registered with; the name must match your EPSO account. Confirm with the provider which documents are accepted and whether copies are refused.
Arrive by the reporting time in your convocation. Late candidates may be excluded; confirm with the provider the latest arrival time and the procedure if transport fails.
Follow all instructions from invigilators and the on-screen rules. Do not bring phones, smart watches, notes or unauthorised calculators into the test room; confirm with the provider what is provided and what is banned.
Do not communicate with other candidates during the session and do not attempt to record, photograph or share test content. Treat the questions as confidential.
Check whether the session includes scheduled breaks and whether you may leave the room; confirm with the provider, because rules differ between centres and test types.
Understand the scoring before you start: confirm with the provider whether wrong answers are penalised and whether there are minimum thresholds per test, so you know whether to guess or leave blanks.
If you need an access arrangement or medication during the test, get written approval in advance and declare it on arrival. Confirm with the provider what evidence is required.
If something goes wrong (technical failure, disturbance, illness), report it to staff immediately and ask for it to be recorded, then follow the provider's procedure for reporting it afterwards. Confirm with the provider the deadline and channel for such reports.