European Baccalaureate History exam-day guide
European Baccalaureate History · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Photo identification
Bring the identity document your school or examination centre has told you to present. National ID cards and passports are the usual documents; confirm with your school which form of ID is accepted for your session and whether a school-issued card is enough.
Examination timetable and seat/room information
Print or save the personal timetable showing subject, date, start time, duration, and room. The written History paper sits within the May session; the exact date and start time change every year, so take them only from your own official convocation notice or your school's exam secretary.
Admission/convocation slip
If your centre issues a convocation or admission document, bring it. Whether one is issued and what it must contain varies by school and national authority - confirm with the provider.
Black or blue ballpoint pens (at least two)
Written answers must be legible to an external marker. Take two or three pens of the same type plus a spare, and check they write before the exam.
Pencil, eraser, and sharpener
Useful for planning notes, underlining question options, or any multiple-choice answer sheet if your paper includes one. Confirm with your school whether the History paper you sit has an objective section.
Wristwatch (non-smart)
Many exam rooms have a clock, but not always visible from every seat. A plain analogue or digital watch without connectivity lets you allocate time across essay questions. Smart watches are normally prohibited; confirm the centre's rule.
Clear pencil case or transparent bag
Many centres require see-through storage for stationery. Check your school's regulations on what may be on the desk.
Water in a clear, label-free bottle
Stay hydrated for a long essay paper. Labels usually must be removed and the bottle kept on the floor; confirm local rules.
No unauthorised electronic devices on your person
Mobile phones, smart watches, and earbuds must be switched off and stored as your centre directs, typically outside the exam room. Leaving a phone in a pocket can lead to a malpractice investigation even if unused.
Know your syllabus options and the question structure
The European Baccalaureate History course is organised around compulsory core themes and optional topics chosen by your school. Re-read the structure of your paper: how many questions you must answer, whether there is a document-based question, and how much choice you have. Take these details from your teacher, not from memory.
Prepared case-study and source examples
Revise specific named examples, dates, and short quotations from sources you have studied, so you can support arguments with precise evidence. Bring these in memory, not on paper.
Arrival time and transport plan
Arrive at the time your centre specifies, usually well before the start. Check the journey the day before and identify a contact number for your school in case of delay. Confirm the exact arrival time with the provider.
Plan the day
Stop collecting new material and consolidate. Re-read your own summaries of the compulsory core themes and your chosen options, and list the ten to fifteen key dates, treaties, and individuals you would use as evidence. Write each essay plan from memory in under five minutes, then check it against your notes. Confirm the exact date, start time, duration, room, and permitted equipment with your school's exam secretary, and clarify anything ambiguous in writing.
Do one full timed practice paper under exam conditions: no notes, a quiet room, and the real duration. Practise the question choice you will actually face, including any document-based question. Mark your own script against the assessment criteria your teacher has given you - for example, use of evidence, structure of argument, and analysis of sources - and note the two weaknesses to fix.
Do light revision only: skim your plans and key dates, not whole textbooks. Prepare your bag with ID, pens, timetable, and any permitted materials, and lay out clothes. Check transport times and set two alarms. Eat normally, avoid late-night cramming, and sleep. Do not attempt a new topic the night before.
Eat a proper breakfast, leave earlier than you think necessary, and arrive at the stated time. Leave your phone switched off and stored as directed. Go to the toilet before entering. Once seated, read the front of the paper carefully: check the number of questions required, the choice available, and the time allocation. Note the finish time on your watch.
Read all questions before writing. Choose the questions where you can deploy precise evidence, not simply the topics you like. Spend a few minutes writing a brief plan for each essay: thesis, three or four paragraphs, and the evidence for each. For document questions, identify the nature, origin, purpose, and limits of the source before using it.
Keep to your time budget: roughly equal time per question, with a few minutes at the end for checking. Start each answer on a new page and write the question number clearly. If you run out of time on one question, leave space and move on rather than sacrificing the next answer. If you need to leave the room, raise your hand and follow the invigilator's instructions; confirm the centre's rules on toilet breaks and whether you are escorted or timed.
Cross out rough work clearly, check that every page carries your candidate number, and make sure you have not left an answer unfinished in a way that loses easy marks. Hand all materials to the invigilator as instructed and do not discuss the paper with other candidates until you are clear of the exam area.
Rules to check
Bring the identity document your centre requires and place it on the desk if instructed. If you do not have acceptable ID, tell your school before the exam day rather than at the door; confirm with the provider what alternatives are accepted.
Follow the instructions of the chief invigilator on seating, start and finish times, and what may be on the desk. Only permitted equipment should be visible; everything else stays in your bag as directed.
Mobile phones, smart watches, and other connected devices must be switched off and stored outside the exam room as your centre requires. Possession of an unauthorised device can trigger a malpractice procedure even if it is not used.
No communication with other candidates from the moment you enter the exam room until you leave. Do not read from or pass anything to another candidate, and do not remove question papers or answer booklets from the room unless told to.
Write in the language of instruction of your section unless the paper states otherwise, and answer the number of questions required. Answers beyond the required number may not be marked; confirm the marking rules with your teacher or the provider.
If you believe there is an error in the paper, or you are ill or disadvantaged during the exam, tell the invigilator immediately and ensure it is recorded. Requests for special consideration are usually time-limited; confirm the procedure with your school.
Scoring is carried out by external examiners against the published assessment criteria for the subject, and the final mark contributes to your overall Baccalaureate result. The precise weighting of the History paper within your overall result depends on your section and options - confirm it with your school rather than relying on rumour.
Do not attempt to bring in notes, annotated texts, or any unauthorised aid. Malpractice findings can lead to the cancellation of the paper and affect your whole diploma; if you are unsure whether an item is allowed, ask before the exam.