PAU Business & Business Model Design (Cantabria) exam-day guide
PAU Business & Business Model Design (Cantabria) · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Official photo ID
Bring the original identity document required by the Universidad de Cantabria (typically DNI, passport, or NIE for non-Spanish candidates). Confirm with the provider which documents are accepted and whether a photocopy is valid, since rules vary by call and centre.
Exam admission/registration confirmation
Print or download the proof of enrolment or the call resolution showing your assigned session, room, and any candidate code. Verify the exact date, start time, and building on the official notice rather than relying on memory; confirm with the provider if anything is ambiguous.
Permitted writing materials
Bring several blue or black pens and a pencil with eraser for drafts. Check the call for whether pencil is allowed on answer sheets and whether correction fluid or highlighters are prohibited; confirm with the provider if the instruction sheet is unclear.
Non-programmable calculator (only if authorised)
Some business-model and finance-style calculations may benefit from a basic calculator, but many exams restrict or ban devices. Do not assume it is allowed: confirm with the provider and carry a simple non-programmable model only if the call explicitly permits it.
Analog watch
Mobile phones are usually collected or must be switched off, so a plain wristwatch helps you pace sections without touching a device. Avoid smartwatches, which are normally treated as prohibited electronic devices; confirm with the provider if you are unsure.
Clear water bottle and light snack
Bring water in a transparent bottle and a small snack for before or after the session. Check whether drinks are allowed at the desk; if the call is silent, confirm with the provider rather than assuming.
Know the venue and travel plan
Locate the exact faculty building or assigned room in advance and plan arrival with a buffer for traffic or public transport. Arrive well before the published start time; lateness rules vary, so confirm with the provider what happens if you arrive after the session has begun.
Review your own summary sheet, not new material
Prepare a one- or two-page personal sheet of frameworks (for example value proposition, revenue model, key partners) and your own weak points. Use it only in the final days; do not try to learn new topics at the last minute.
Personal medication and accessibility arrangements
If you need medication, extra time, or a separate room, confirm well ahead with the provider that the arrangement is recorded and bring any supporting documentation requested. Do not leave this to the morning of the exam.
Plan the day
Re-read the official call and confirm logistics: date, time, room, ID requirements, and permitted materials. Resolve any doubt with the provider now, not later. Then do a final pass over your summary sheet and past exercises, focusing on the frameworks you find hardest to apply under time pressure.
Do one timed practice run under realistic conditions: no notes, phone away, strict time limit. Mark where you lost time and decide your section order. Review the marking logic you expect (for example whether case analysis rewards structure, justification, and use of course concepts) and adjust how you plan answers.
Stop intensive study. Rework only your summary sheet and any formula or framework list. Prepare your bag with ID, pens, admission confirmation, and any authorised calculator. Check transport times and set two alarms. Sleep a full night; avoid cramming new topics.
Eat a proper meal, arrive early, and locate the room before the doors open. Keep your phone off and stored as instructed. Skim your summary sheet once, then put it away. During any reading time, read the whole paper first and note which questions you will answer first.
Read all instructions and point allocations before writing. Allocate minutes per question in proportion to marks and keep to that budget. For case or design questions, state assumptions explicitly, structure answers with clear headings, and connect recommendations to course concepts. If a question stalls you, leave space and move on. Reserve the last few minutes to check that every required question is answered and your identification is filled in correctly.
Hand in all materials as instructed and keep your candidate proof if one is issued. Note any question you found ambiguous in case a review or appeal window is announced, and check the provider's published timeline for results.
Rules to check
Bring the original identity document specified in the call and place it on the desk for inspection. If you are unsure which documents are accepted, confirm with the provider before exam day.
Follow the provider's instructions on electronic devices: phones and smartwatches are normally switched off and stored away from the desk. Ask the invigilator if you are unsure where to leave them.
Do not communicate with other candidates once the session has started, and do not bring unauthorised notes, books, or devices to the desk. Materials permitted during the exam are defined by the call; confirm with the provider if in doubt.
If you need to leave the room (for example for a break or medical reason), raise your hand and wait for the invigilator. Whether you may leave and return, and whether time is added, depends on the provider's rules, so confirm in advance.
Write only in the designated answer areas and follow any instruction on pen colour, legibility, or numbering of answers. Work that cannot be identified or read may not be marked.
Scoring is based on the official marking criteria for the subject. Do not assume negative marking or penalties for wrong answers unless the call states it; confirm with the provider if the instructions do not say.
If you believe there is an error in the paper or a problem during the session, report it to the invigilator immediately and note it afterwards. Appeal or review procedures and deadlines are set by the provider, so confirm them rather than assuming.
Any request for special arrangements, extra time, or a change of session must be made through the provider's official channel within its deadlines. Decisions rest with the provider, not with invigilators on the day.