Madrid PAU Tech & Engineering II exam-day guide
Madrid PAU Tech & Engineering II · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Official ID document (DNI/NIE/passport)
Bring the original physical document, not a photocopy or a photo on your phone. The name must match your exam registration. If your ID is expired or you registered with a different document, confirm with the provider before exam day which document they will accept.
Exam admission/session document and proof of registration
Print or download whatever confirmation the organizing university issues for your session (proof of registration, seat assignment, or receipt). The exact document and whether a printed copy is required vary by call and campus - confirm with the provider. needs_review
Black or blue ballpoint pens (at least two)
Written answers are produced by hand on official answer sheets. Bring two or three pens of the same colour plus a spare, and check they write smoothly beforehand. Pencil is normally only for rough work, not for the answers you want marked.
Pencil, eraser and sharpener
Useful for diagrams, graphs, free-body sketches and rough calculations before committing an answer in pen. Keep rough work clearly separated or crossed out so it is not mistaken for a final answer.
Scientific calculator (non-programmable, non-graphing)
The standard expectation for this exam is a non-programmable scientific calculator without graphing or communication capability. The exact permitted model list is set by the organizing university each year - confirm with the provider which models are allowed and whether memory must be cleared. needs_review
Ruler, set square and protractor
Needed for drawing force diagrams, vectors, circuit sketches and graphs to scale. A transparent ruler and a small set square cover most needs; a protractor helps with vector angles.
Analogue watch
Many rooms do not guarantee a visible clock and phones must be switched off and stored. A simple analogue or basic digital watch lets you pace the paper. Smart watches are not acceptable.
Clear water bottle with labels removed
Stay hydrated during a long written paper. Keep it on the floor beside your desk so it cannot spill on the answer sheet. If the venue restricts bottles, follow the invigilator's instruction.
Know your exact venue, room and access gate
Check the campus, building and room assignment the day before and plan the route. Large universities have multiple sites with similar names; arriving at the wrong building is a common and avoidable failure. Confirm the published start time and how early doors open with the provider.
Review the official instructions and permitted-materials list for your call
Read the instructions published for your specific session: paper structure, optionality between questions, duration, and the list of allowed and forbidden materials. Rules can change between years, so rely on the current official document rather than on what previous candidates describe. needs_review
Prepare a one-page formula and constants sheet for revision only
Use it in the last days to rehearse recall of kinematics, dynamics, energy, fields, circuits and waves relations, plus constants and unit conversions. Leave it at home on exam day unless the provider explicitly allows notes.
Plan transport, backup transport and arrival buffer
Aim to be at the venue well before the published start, allowing for delays. Identify a backup route or earlier train/bus. Late arrival handling is set by the provider - confirm the cut-off time.
Plan the day
Switch from learning new content to consolidating. Work through one full past-style paper under timed conditions, then mark it strictly against the official criteria and list every lost mark by topic. Spend the remaining days only on those weak topics and on the question types you skipped under time pressure.
Rehearse the mechanics of the paper: read the whole paper first, note which questions are optional, and practise allocating minutes per question and per mark. Decide your default order - usually the questions you are most secure in first, to bank marks, then the longer multi-part problems.
Check the practical details: confirm venue, room, start time and permitted materials with the provider if anything is unclear; verify your calculator is on the allowed list and works; check your ID is valid; prepare pens, ruler, set square, protractor and watch in one bag.
Do a light review only: formula sheet, sign conventions, unit conversions, standard graph shapes and typical diagram conventions. Do not start a new topic or attempt a full paper late in the day - it raises anxiety without adding marks.
Lay out everything from the checklist by the door. Set two alarms. Eat a normal meal, avoid late caffeine, and go to bed at your usual time. Confirm transport times for the morning and check the weather forecast if you are walking to the venue.
Eat a proper breakfast and leave with a large buffer. Re-read only your one-page formula sheet on the way - no new problems. Arrive early, find the room, and check the seating or list posted at the door.
Before entering, switch your phone off completely and store it as instructed. Keep only permitted materials on the desk. Fill in your identifying details on the answer sheet exactly as instructed before the start signal.
Read the instructions on the cover and the full list of questions. Mark which are compulsory and which are optional, and circle the ones you will answer. Write a quick time budget on your rough sheet: minutes per question, with a reserve of about ten minutes at the end for checking.
For each problem, state the principle or law you are using, write the governing equation symbolically, substitute values with units, then give the result with its unit and a sensible number of significant figures. Draw and label diagrams. Show intermediate steps: method marks are awarded even when the final number is wrong.
If a question resists for more than a couple of minutes beyond its budget, leave a clear gap, move on, and return later. Never leave a whole question blank if you can write the relevant equation, identify the knowns, or sketch the setup - partial credit is common.
Check that every chosen question is answered and numbered as the paper requires, that units and signs are consistent, and that no answer is left only in rough. Confirm your identifying details are complete. Stop writing immediately when instructed.
Rules to check
Bring the original valid ID document used at registration and keep it on the desk for verification. If your document is expired, lost, or differs from your registration, contact the provider before exam day to ask what alternative is accepted - do not assume a photocopy will work.
Only permitted materials may be on the desk. Phones, smart watches, earbuds and any programmable, graphing or communicating device must be switched off and stored as instructed. Using or even handling a forbidden device during the paper can lead to annulment of the exam - confirm the exact permitted calculator list with the provider.
Follow the invigilators' instructions at all times, including on seating, filling in identifying data, and the start and stop signals. Writing after the stop signal or before the start signal is a conduct issue that can be penalised.
Breaks and leaving the room are at the invigilators' discretion and are usually restricted during the paper. Ask before the exam if you have a medical need; special arrangements generally must be requested in advance through the provider, not on the day.
Scoring is based on the official marking criteria for the paper: correct method and reasoning earn credit even when the arithmetic is wrong, while an unsupported final number may earn little. Answers must be in the language of the exam and legible; ambiguous or unlabelled work may not be credited.
Any optionality between questions is defined by the paper's own instructions. Answering more questions than required, or answering in the wrong section, may mean extra work is ignored - read the cover instructions carefully.
Do not communicate with other candidates during the paper, do not look at others' work, and do not bring in unauthorised notes. Suspected irregularities are handled under the organizing university's disciplinary procedure, which can result in a zero for the paper.
If you believe there is an error in a question or a problem with the room, raise it with an invigilator during or immediately after the paper and follow the provider's published review or appeal channel afterwards. Do not rely on informal advice about deadlines - confirm them with the provider.