GBA exam-day guide
GBA · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring the original, physical ID document in the name you registered with. Confirm with the provider which ID types are accepted and whether a digital ID is permitted; do not assume a photocopy or expired document will be accepted.
Appointment confirmation and test-centre or remote-proctoring details
Save a copy offline (screenshot or printout) showing your appointment time, location or proctoring link, and any candidate ID number. Confirm with the provider how early to arrive or log in.
Login credentials and system check for remote delivery
If you are testing remotely, run the provider's equipment and compatibility check ahead of time and confirm the browser, webcam, microphone, and bandwidth requirements. Confirm with the provider whether a room scan or ID capture step is required at check-in.
Approved calculator or on-screen calculator policy
Confirm with the provider whether a physical calculator is allowed, which models are permitted, and whether an on-screen calculator is built into the exam. Do not bring a programmable or graphing model unless explicitly allowed.
Permitted reference materials or formula sheet
Some exams supply formulas or reference tables on screen and prohibit all outside material. Confirm with the provider exactly what, if anything, you may bring, and whether scratch paper and writing tools are supplied or must be requested.
Personal items storage plan
Plan for where your phone, watch, bag, and notes will go. Most providers require these to be stored away from the testing area. Confirm with the provider what is allowed at your seat.
Break and timing plan
Confirm with the provider whether breaks are scheduled, optional, or unavailable, whether the clock stops during breaks, and what access you have to water and restrooms. Plan hydration and meals around that answer.
Exam-day logistics
Confirm travel time, parking or transit, and building access. For a test centre, arrive with margin for security screening; for remote testing, clear your workspace and silence notifications and other devices.
Scoring and result-delivery expectations
Know the passing standard, whether results are immediate or delayed, and how you will receive them. Confirm with the provider rather than relying on secondhand reports.
Review of the provider's candidate agreement
Read the current candidate handbook or agreement for conduct, confidentiality, and misconduct rules. Policies change; confirm with the provider that you are reading the version in force for your appointment.
Plan the day
Stop introducing new material. Review your own error log and summary sheets, focusing on the topics you have repeatedly missed. Take at most one short timed set to keep pacing sharp, then review it rather than starting another. Confirm your appointment details, ID, and any approved materials, and resolve open questions with the provider now rather than on test day.
Do a light review of high-yield summaries only, then stop. Prepare and lay out your ID, confirmation, and approved items. For remote testing, rerun the system check and tidy your workspace. Confirm your route or login time. Eat normally, avoid late caffeine, and protect a full night of sleep; sleep is worth more than extra cramming.
Eat a normal meal and hydrate moderately. Leave earlier than you think you need to. Arrive or log in at the time the provider specifies, not the last minute. Do a brief warm-up of a few easy recall items to settle nerves, but do not attempt new problems. Keep phones and notes stored as required.
Read the instructions and confirm the number of questions, time limit, and how to flag and revisit items. Answer in a controlled first pass: resolve what you know, mark uncertain items, and move on rather than sinking time into one question. Watch the clock against the number of questions remaining. For scenario or calculation items, identify what is being asked before computing. Take breaks only if permitted, and use them to reset rather than to review notes. Before submitting, check for unanswered items and confirm your flagged answers.
Rules to check
Present the exact original ID required by the provider. If your ID name does not match your registration, resolve it before test day; confirm with the provider how to correct registration details.
Follow all security and screening procedures at the test centre or during remote check-in, including any room scan, photo capture, or pockets-out check. Refusal may result in being turned away.
Keep all personal items, including phones, smart watches, and notes, stored as the provider directs. Do not access unauthorized materials or devices at any point during the exam.
Do not communicate with other candidates about exam content during or after the test. Most providers treat sharing or discussing questions as a confidentiality violation that can void your result.
Take breaks only as the provider permits, and know in advance whether the clock runs during them. If unsure, ask the proctor before your exam begins rather than mid-test.
Understand how scoring works before you sit: whether wrong answers are penalized, whether items are equally weighted, and what the passing standard is. Confirm with the provider; do not assume.
If a technical problem or interruption occurs, stop and notify the proctor or support channel immediately and note the time. Do not attempt to fix it yourself in ways that could be seen as altering the test environment.
If you are unwell or cannot test, contact the provider as early as possible to ask about rescheduling options. Confirm with the provider what documentation or notice period applies.