Canary Islands PAU Chemistry exam-day guide
Canary Islands PAU Chemistry · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Official ID document
Bring the original DNI, passport, or residence card that matches the name you registered under. Confirm with the provider which documents are accepted and whether a photocopy is ever allowed; do not assume a copy is enough.
Exam admission/session document
If your school or the university coordinating the PAU issues a printout showing your assigned room, seat, and subjects, bring it. Confirm with the provider whether it is required or merely helpful.
Printed exam schedule and room assignment
Write down the exact building, floor, and room for each subject sitting. Canary Islands sittings are usually coordinated by the Universidad de La Laguna or Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria depending on your province; verify your assigned venue and timetable with the provider.
Permitted writing materials
Bring several blue or black ballpoint pens, pencils, an eraser, and a sharpener. Use pen for answers you do not want erased. Confirm with the provider whether correction fluid or erasable pens are banned.
Scientific calculator (only if permitted)
Check the official instructions for each subject: some PAU subjects allow a non-programmable scientific calculator, others prohibit it. Bring a model with no graphing, no stored text, and no communication capability. Confirm with the provider before relying on it.
Approved drawing instruments
Ruler, set square, protractor, and compass may be needed for technical drawing or physics items. Keep them in a clear case; confirm with the provider whether any instrument is restricted.
Clear water bottle and light snack
Long sittings can run back-to-back. Bring water with the label removed if the venue requires it, and a snack for the break between papers. Confirm with the provider whether food and drink are allowed in the exam room.
Analog watch
Many rooms have a clock, but not always visible from every seat. A simple non-smart watch helps you pace yourself. Smartwatches and phones must stay off and stored.
Phone switched off and stored
Turn the phone fully off before entering the room and leave it in your bag at the designated spot. A phone that rings or vibrates during the exam can be treated as misconduct.
Review the official instructions the day before
Read the current-year PAU instructions for the Canary Islands on the coordinating university website. Rules on calculators, dictionaries, and timing change; confirm with the provider rather than relying on older students' accounts.
Plan the journey and arrive early
Arrive at least 30 to 45 minutes before the first paper to allow for finding the room and ID checks. Traffic and parking near campus can be unpredictable; confirm the recommended arrival time with the provider.
Confirm language and dictionary policy
For language subjects, check whether a monolingual or bilingual dictionary is permitted and which editions are allowed. This varies by subject and year; confirm with the provider.
Plan the day
Print the official schedule and room list for every subject you are sitting. Check that the subjects and levels on your registration match what you plan to take; report any discrepancy to your school or the coordinating university immediately.
Re-read the current-year exam instructions for permitted materials. Set aside the exact calculator and instruments you will use and verify they meet the rules; if unsure, contact the provider now rather than on exam day.
Do timed practice under exam conditions: full papers, no notes, with the same calculator and instruments. Focus on the format and mark allocation of your weakest subject rather than learning new content.
Adjust sleep so you are awake and alert for the morning session. Avoid all-night study; memory and problem-solving suffer more than extra review helps.
Pack your bag: ID, admission document if required, pens, pencils, eraser, sharpener, calculator, instruments, watch, water, snack, and the printed schedule. Lay everything by the door.
Check the route and transport times to the venue, including any campus access restrictions. Confirm the building and room one last time.
Do a light review only: formulas, key definitions, and the structure of each paper. Stop studying early enough to sleep a full night.
Eat a normal breakfast and arrive at the venue early. Keep your phone off from the moment you enter the building.
Before the paper starts, put your ID on the desk if instructed, fill in the cover sheet exactly as directed, and check that you have every page of the booklet.
Read the whole paper first and note the marks per question. Allocate time roughly in proportion to marks and leave a few minutes at the end to check working and units.
Show method clearly: in chemistry, balanced equations, significant figures, and units earn method marks even when the final number is wrong. If a question blocks you, move on and return.
Write legibly in pen, number answers to match the questions, and cross out rough work you do not want marked. If you need to leave the room, raise your hand and follow the invigilator's instructions.
Use the break to eat, drink water, and rest your eyes. Avoid comparing answers with others, which only adds stress; check the schedule for the next room and time.
Rules to check
Bring the original valid ID matching your registration. Candidates without acceptable identification may be refused entry; confirm with the provider what counts as valid ID and what the fallback procedure is.
Arrive before the stated start time. Late arrival rules vary, and admission after the paper has begun is not guaranteed; confirm the cut-off with the provider and do not rely on being let in.
Electronic devices, including phones and smartwatches, must be switched off and stored away from your desk. Possession of an active device during the exam can be treated as academic misconduct.
Only use materials explicitly permitted for that subject. Unapproved calculators, notes, or dictionaries can lead to the paper being annulled; confirm the permitted list with the provider before exam day.
Follow invigilator instructions on seating, cover-sheet completion, and leaving the room. Do not communicate with other candidates once the paper has been distributed.
If you need to leave the room temporarily, raise your hand and wait for an invigilator; you will normally be accompanied. Confirm the venue's specific procedure with the provider.
If you believe there is an error in a question or a disturbance during the exam, report it to the invigilator at the time and note it afterwards; formal complaint channels and deadlines should be confirmed with the provider.
Scoring and grade boundaries are set by the official PAU coordination for the Canary Islands, not by your school. Check the current-year rules on subject weighting, minimum marks, and resit options with the provider rather than assuming last year's thresholds.