Canary Islands PAU Business & Business Model Design (ULPGC / ULL) exam-day guide
Canary Islands PAU Business & Business Model Design (ULPGC / ULL) · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Official photo ID (DNI, passport, or NIE card)
Bring the original physical document, not a photocopy or a photo on your phone. The name must match the name on your exam registration. If your ID is expired or being renewed, confirm with the provider before exam day whether a temporary document is accepted.
Exam admission slip / registration confirmation
Print or download whatever the university or exam centre sends you after registration. It normally carries your seat or room assignment and your candidate details. Confirm with the provider whether a printed copy is required or a digital copy is accepted.
Blue or black ballpoint pens (at least two)
Written answers and any handwriting must be legible; bring spares. Check whether the provider requires a specific ink colour for the answer booklet, since some centres do.
Pencil, eraser, and sharpener
Useful if any part of the paper uses a multiple-choice answer sheet or if you need to draft diagrams or rough calculations before writing the final answer.
Basic non-programmable calculator
Business and business-model questions may involve break-even, margin, markup, cash-flow, or ratio calculations. Bring a simple calculator with no graphing or communication capability. Confirm with the provider which models are permitted and whether calculators are supplied.
Analog watch (not a smartwatch)
Exam rooms do not always have a visible clock, and phones must normally be switched off and stored. A plain wristwatch lets you manage the time budget for each section.
Clear water bottle with labels removed
Hydration helps in a long written paper. Many centres allow only transparent bottles with no label; confirm the local rule with the provider.
Small transparent pencil case or bag
Keeps pens, calculator, and ID together and speeds up any desk inspection. Opaque pencil cases are often refused; confirm with the provider.
Know the exact building, room, and reporting time
Check the venue the day before and plan the route, including public transport or parking. Arrive with a margin for ID checks and seating. Reporting times can differ from the published start time; confirm with the provider.
Review the official exam structure and scoring for your subject
Know how many questions or sections there are, whether there is a choice of questions, and how marks are distributed, so you can allocate time. Download the official instructions from your university's PAU page and confirm any changes with the provider.
Language and dictionary rules
If you are entitled to sit the paper in a co-official language or to use a dictionary, verify the conditions in advance. Do not assume a dictionary is allowed; confirm with the provider.
Leave prohibited items at home or in a bag
Phones, smartwatches, earphones, notes, and study sheets must not be at your desk. A ringing or visible phone can lead to disqualification; confirm the exact policy with the provider.
Plan the day
Stop learning new material. Rework your own summaries of the core business-model content: value proposition, customer segments, channels, customer relationships, revenue streams, key resources, key activities, key partners, and cost structure. Practise applying these to a real company or a case you invent, because PAU-style questions often ask you to analyse or design a model rather than recite definitions. Do two timed past-paper sessions under exam conditions and mark them against the official criteria. Build a one-page formula and concept sheet for break-even, margins, ratios, and the business-model blocks, and review only that sheet on the last day.
Confirm the venue, room, and reporting time. Prepare your ID, admission slip, pens, calculator, watch, and water bottle in one place. Eat normally, avoid an all-night study session, and set two alarms. Read through your one-page sheet once in the evening, then stop. If you feel unsure about any rule (calculator model, dictionary, ink colour), contact the provider now rather than on the morning.
Eat a proper breakfast and arrive early, allowing extra time for ID checks and finding the room. Leave your phone switched off and stored away before entering the exam area. Do a short, calm review of your formula sheet only, not new topics. Once seated, read the front-page instructions carefully: number of questions, choice rules, time allowed, and how answers must be presented.
Spend the first few minutes reading the whole paper and marking which questions you will answer. Allocate time per question according to marks and keep to it; leave a short buffer for checking. For definition or theory questions, give a precise definition and one concrete business example. For analysis or design questions, structure the answer: identify the problem, apply the model or concept, justify with data from the case, and state a conclusion. For calculations, show the formula, the substitution, and the result with units, because method marks are often awarded. If a question is unclear, write your interpretation explicitly and answer it. Leave time to check that every required question is answered and that your name and candidate details are filled in as instructed.
Rules to check
Bring the original official photo ID required by the provider; a copy or a phone image is normally not accepted. If your document is expired or in renewal, confirm with the provider in advance.
Follow the provider's rules on permitted materials. Non-programmable calculators are commonly allowed for business papers, but programmable or graphing calculators, phones, smartwatches, and notes are normally prohibited. Confirm the exact list with the provider.
Electronic devices must be switched off and stored away, not merely silenced. A device visible or ringing at your desk can be treated as misconduct. Confirm the provider's policy on where bags and phones must be left.
Do not communicate with other candidates during the exam and do not look at another candidate's paper. Raise your hand and wait for an invigilator if you need anything.
Ask an invigilator before leaving the room. Toilet breaks and early departure are usually restricted or supervised, and time is not normally extended. Confirm the provider's rules on breaks and on leaving before the end.
Write only in the spaces and answer booklet indicated, and follow any instruction about ink colour or about crossing out rough work. Answers written outside the designated areas may not be marked.
Scoring follows the official mark scheme for your subject, including method marks for calculations and credit for justified reasoning. Read the marks available per question and match the length and depth of your answer to them.
If you believe there is an error in the paper or a problem with the room, report it to an invigilator immediately and follow the provider's appeals or incident procedure afterwards. Do not rely on informal advice from other candidates.