BTS Tourisme exam-day guide
BTS Tourisme · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Convocation and official exam schedule
Print or download the convocation (convocation) showing the exam centre, room, date and reporting time. If you have not received it, contact your académie or the CERPET/organising body now. Confirm with the provider which channel is authoritative for your académie, as procedures can vary.
Valid photo ID
Bring the identity document named on your registration (national ID card, passport, or residence permit). Check the expiry date. A document not matching your registration can block entry; confirm with the provider which IDs are accepted if yours differs.
Black ballpoint pens and spares
Bring at least two black ballpoint pens plus a spare, and a pencil and eraser for drafting. Do not rely on correction fluid or erasable ink, which some centres restrict. Confirm with the provider whether correction fluid is allowed.
Watch (non-connected)
Many exam rooms have no visible clock. A simple analogue or digital watch without connectivity helps you pace the written papers. Smartwatches and connected devices are almost always banned; confirm with the provider.
No phone or connected devices on your desk
Phones must be switched off and stored as the invigilator instructs, usually in a bag at the front or in a designated area. Keeping a phone on your person during the test is commonly treated as fraud; confirm with the provider how devices are collected.
Water and a light snack
Written sessions can run several hours. Bring a small bottle of water and something quick to eat for the break between papers. Check the centre's rules on drinks on the desk; some rooms allow only transparent bottles.
Transport plan and arrival buffer
Rehearse the route to the centre and aim to arrive at least 30 minutes before the reporting time. Late arrival may mean exclusion once the test has started; confirm with the provider the exact cut-off for your session.
Study materials for the waiting period
Bring concise revision notes: tourism geography maps, key definitions of tourism law and economics, and your own summary sheets. Do not bring them into the exam room; leave them in your bag.
Dossier/professional file if your option requires it
For the professional or oral components, check whether you must submit or present a dossier, a report on a professional experience, or a project file, and in what number of copies. Requirements differ by option and académie; confirm with the provider and your teachers.
Read the instructions on the paper carefully
Before writing, check the number of pages, the choice of subjects where a choice is offered, and the time allowed for each part. Note the marks per question so you allocate effort proportionally.
Plan the day
Re-read the exam structure for each paper: the number of parts, the types of exercise (case study, document analysis, calculation, essay, map or itinerary work), and the timing. Do one timed practice under exam conditions, then correct it and list only the two or three weaknesses to fix. Stop learning new content; consolidate what you already know.
Prepare your bag with ID, convocation, pens, watch and water. Check transport times and any strike or roadwork notices. Re-read your summary sheets for tourism law, accounting or management formulas if your option includes them, and the key facts of French and world tourism geography.
Do a light review only: definitions, formulas, and the plan/structure you will use for essays and case studies. Prepare clothes and food, set two alarms, and go to bed at a normal hour. Do not start a new topic or pull an all-nighter.
Eat a proper breakfast, arrive at the centre at least 30 minutes early, and locate your room and seat. Switch off your phone before entering. Once seated, read the whole paper before writing, note the time budget per section, and start with the section you can answer most confidently, while keeping the required order if the paper mandates it.
Watch your time against the marks: spend roughly proportional effort on each section and leave 10 minutes at the end to check calculations, units, and that every question has an answer. Write legibly, structure answers with short paragraphs or bullet points where appropriate, and justify statements with the documents or course concepts. If a question is unclear, answer what you can rather than leaving it blank.
Use the break to eat and rest, not to compare answers at length. For oral or professional components, re-read your dossier and prepare a two-minute presentation of your project, then anticipate questions on your choices, the budget, the target clientele, and the legal or sustainable-tourism aspects.
Rules to check
Bring the identity document named in your registration and present it on request; a mismatch or an expired document may prevent you from sitting the test. Confirm with the provider which documents are accepted.
Switch off and store your phone and any connected watch or device as instructed. Possession of a device during the test is commonly treated as fraud and can lead to cancellation of the paper; confirm with the provider how devices are handled.
Follow the invigilator's instructions on seating, starting and stopping. Do not begin writing before the signal or continue after the end; doing so can invalidate your work.
Use only authorised materials. Dictionaries, calculators, or course documents are allowed only if the paper or the provider explicitly permits them; confirm with the provider before the session rather than assuming.
Breaks and exits: raising your hand to ask the invigilator is the normal route to leave the room, and you may be accompanied. Rules on toilet breaks and leaving early vary by centre; confirm with the provider.
Do not communicate with other candidates during the test, and do not copy or share answers. Suspected fraud is reported and decided by a disciplinary panel, not by the invigilator on the spot.
Scoring: marks are awarded per question and often include points for method, justification, and presentation, not only for the final result. Show your reasoning and calculations, and keep units clear.
If you believe there was a material problem (wrong paper, missing pages, disruptive conditions), tell the invigilator immediately and note it in the official report; claims raised later are harder to support.