ETA CETa exam-day guide
ETA CETa · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring the original document whose name matches your registration exactly. Confirm with the provider which ID types are accepted and whether a secondary ID is required; do not assume a photocopy or digital copy will be accepted.
Registration confirmation and appointment details
Have your confirmation email or appointment number accessible (printed or on your phone) so you can resolve any check-in discrepancy quickly. Confirm with the provider whether printed confirmation is mandatory at your test site.
Know your test site route and arrival time
Rehearse the route to the test centre or confirm your remote-proctoring setup location. Plan to arrive or log in with a comfortable buffer before the scheduled start; confirm with the provider how early check-in opens and what happens if you are late.
Permitted items only
Confirm with the provider what is allowed into the testing room (for example tissues, water, medication, or a permitted calculator). Leave bags, notes, watches, and phones in the designated storage area or out of the room as instructed.
Remote-testing equipment check (if applicable)
If you are testing online, verify your computer, camera, microphone, browser, and internet connection against the provider's system requirements, and run any required equipment check in advance. Confirm with the provider which browsers and operating systems are supported.
Quiet, well-lit room and stable connection (if applicable)
For remote testing, arrange a private room, clear your desk, and test your connection at the same time of day as your appointment. Confirm with the provider the room and desk rules and the consequences of an interrupted connection.
Review format and timing, not new content
In the final days, read the provider's published test format and timing so you know the number of sections, question types, and whether sections are timed separately. Confirm with the provider rather than relying on secondhand accounts.
Sleep, food, and hydration plan
Protect sleep in the last two nights, eat a normal meal before the test, and plan water intake around the break rules. Avoid trying new caffeine or medication routines on test day.
Break and timing plan
Check with the provider whether breaks are scheduled, optional, or prohibited, and whether the clock stops during breaks. Build your pacing around the official rules for your administration.
Scoring and results plan
Know how your score is reported and when results are released, and confirm with the provider how long scores remain valid and how to send them to institutions.
Plan the day
Confirm appointment time, location or remote-setup details, and ID requirements with the provider. Resolve any open questions about permitted items, breaks, and equipment now, not on test day. Do a final logistics check: route, transport, backup plan, and, for remote testing, a backup internet option such as a mobile hotspot.
Shift from learning new material to consolidating. Review your own summary notes and the format of each section, and do one short timed practice set per section to rehearse pacing. Stop heavy study by the evening before the test so your working memory is fresh.
Pack everything on the checklist and place it by the door or beside your desk. Re-confirm the start time and check-in window. Set two alarms. For remote testing, run the equipment check once more and clear your desk. Go to bed at your normal time rather than much earlier.
Eat a normal meal, hydrate moderately, and dress in layers so room temperature is not a distraction. Arrive or log in with the buffer you planned. Keep conversation and phone use minimal before the test to stay focused.
Follow the proctor's or system's instructions exactly, present your ID when asked, and store prohibited items where directed. If something goes wrong, stay calm and ask the proctor or support channel before the test begins.
Read the instructions for each section before starting, note whether the clock is per section or overall, and keep a steady pace rather than perfecting single questions. Answer every question, flag uncertain ones if flagging is available, and return to them only if time allows. Use breaks exactly as permitted; if the clock runs during breaks, keep them short.
Note any incidents (technical problems, interruptions) and report them through the provider's channel promptly if they may have affected your performance. Confirm how and when results will be released and what your options are if you need to retake.
Rules to check
Bring the exact ID the provider requires, with the name matching your registration. If your ID name differs from your registration, contact the provider before test day; do not assume it can be resolved at check-in.
Follow all proctor and test-administration instructions. Behavior that appears to violate security rules, such as using unauthorized materials or devices, can lead to score cancellation; confirm the specific security rules with the provider.
Keep phones, watches, notes, and other prohibited items out of the testing room or in designated storage. Confirm with the provider which items are permitted before you arrive.
Use only breaks that the provider permits, and follow the rules on leaving and re-entering the room. If the timing of breaks is unclear, ask before the test starts rather than during it.
Do not share, reproduce, or discuss specific test content. Test materials are confidential, and disclosure can have consequences; confirm the confidentiality terms you agreed to with the provider.
If a technical or personal problem occurs during the test, raise it immediately with the proctor or support channel rather than continuing silently. Report it through the provider's process as soon as possible afterward.
Understand how your score is determined and reported before test day, including whether sections are scored separately and how long results take. Confirm details with the provider rather than relying on forums.
Plan for the possibility of a retake by knowing the provider's retake and score-reporting policies in advance; do not assume a fixed waiting period or fee structure.