HKIA/ARB PA Paper 1 exam-day guide
HKIA/ARB PA Paper 1 · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Bring your HKID card or a valid passport
Photo identification is standard for professional examinations in Hong Kong. The name on your ID should match the name you registered with; if you have changed your name, confirm the acceptable evidence with the provider in advance. Do not rely on a photocopy or an expired document.
Print or save your admission/confirmation notice
You will normally receive a confirmation showing your candidate number, the venue, and the session time. Keep a printed copy and an offline copy on your phone. Treat the exact wording of what you may bring to the desk as something to confirm with the provider, since instructions vary between sessions.
Confirm the venue, entry point, and travel time
Hong Kong exam venues are often in large buildings with multiple entrances and lifts that are slow at peak times. Do a route check the day before, note the walking time from the MTR exit, and add a buffer for rain or lift queues. Arrive early rather than aiming to arrive exactly on time.
Check the permitted calculator policy before the day
Many professional exams restrict which calculators may be used, or provide them. Do not assume your usual calculator is allowed. Confirm the permitted models and whether programmable or graphing calculators are excluded with the provider, and bring exactly what is permitted.
Bring only the stationery the rules allow
Pencils, an eraser, a sharpener, and a clear pencil case are commonly permitted, but confirm whether pens, highlighters, or rulers are allowed. Clear any labels off bottles and bags. Loose notes, revision cards, and smart watches should be left at home or in your bag, not at your desk.
Plan to leave phones and smart devices outside the hall
Expect a strict no-device rule. Switch devices off before entering and store them as instructed. A device that sounds during the examination may lead to a misconduct report regardless of intent, so treat this as a hard rule rather than a preference.
Prepare for a long session: water, snack, and layers
Exam halls are often cold from air conditioning. Bring a light layer you can remove, a clear bottle of water if permitted, and a snack for before or after the session. Confirm whether food and drink are allowed at the desk with the provider.
Rehearse your timing against the paper structure
Know the number of questions or sections, the marks available, and the total time. Decide in advance how many minutes you will spend on each section and what your cut-off point is for moving on. Practise this once under timed conditions in the final week.
Decide your strategy for uncertain questions
Decide whether you will answer every question or leave blanks where wrong answers are penalised. Confirm the scoring rule with the provider. If there is no negative marking, never leave a blank; if there is, set a clear threshold for guessing.
Read the candidate instructions and conduct rules in advance
The instructions usually cover arrival time, late entry, leaving the hall, and what counts as misconduct. Read them at least a week before so you are not learning the rules on the morning of the examination.
Check the weather and transport disruption plan
Hong Kong typhoons and black rainstorms can affect sessions. Confirm with the provider how postponements or cancellations are announced and where to check. Have a plan for getting to the venue by an alternative route.
Confirm any special arrangements in writing
If you need extra time, a separate room, or another accommodation, confirm that it has been approved and what evidence you must bring. Do not assume a request made verbally has been actioned; ask for written confirmation from the provider.
Plan the day
Stop learning new material. Spend the time on consolidation: review your own summary sheets, the paper structure, and the timing plan. Do one full timed paper or a substantial section under exam conditions, then mark it and note only the three or four errors that cost the most marks. Confirm the venue, travel route, and session time. Check that your ID is valid and that the name matches your registration. Confirm the calculator and stationery rules with the provider if anything is unclear.
Pack your bag: ID, confirmation notice, permitted stationery, calculator if allowed, water, a light layer, and a snack. Lay out clothes. Charge nothing you cannot bring into the hall; leave smart watches and phones out of the bag you will carry to the desk. Do a light review of your summary sheets only, focusing on frameworks and typical question patterns rather than detail. Eat a normal meal, avoid heavy caffeine after midday, and go to bed at your usual time. Do not attempt an all-night revision session; recall and reasoning both degrade with poor sleep.
Eat a proper breakfast and allow more travel time than you think you need. Re-read only your one-page summary; do not start new topics. Arrive at the venue early, locate the room and the toilets, and check the seating notice. Switch off your phone and put it away before you enter the hall. Once seated, check that your desk has no unauthorised items, fill in your candidate details carefully, and read the front-page instructions before the start signal.
Read the instructions and check the number of pages and questions against the front cover. Note the finish time and mark your section cut-offs on the paper if allowed. Start with a question you can answer confidently to settle your nerves, then work in your planned order. If the paper allows choice, choose your questions in the first few minutes and stick to that choice rather than reopening it later.
Work to your time plan and move on when a question is consuming more than its share. For multiple-choice items, read the stem fully, predict the answer before looking at the options, and eliminate clearly wrong options. Flag uncertain items and return to them at the end. Write legibly and keep working shown for calculation or design-based items, since method marks are often available. Leave the last few minutes to check that every required question has an answer and that your candidate details are correct.
Do not spend the afternoon comparing answers in detail; it changes nothing and adds stress. Note briefly what felt weak so you can address it if you sit another paper. Keep your confirmation and any receipts in case you need to follow up with the provider about results or a misconduct query.
Rules to check
Bring the identification document specified by the provider and keep it on your desk throughout. If you are asked for ID and cannot produce it, you may be refused entry or asked to sign a report; confirm the exact ID requirements with the provider before the day.
Arrive by the stated reporting time. Late entry is usually at the invigilator's discretion and may not include extra time. Confirm the late-entry policy with the provider rather than assuming you will be admitted.
Do not bring unauthorised materials into the hall. Notes, textbooks, smart watches, phones, and any device that can store or transmit information should be left outside or switched off and stored as instructed. Possession alone may be treated as misconduct.
Follow all instructions from invigilators immediately. Talking, looking at another candidate's paper, or passing anything during the session is normally treated as misconduct, even if no answer is copied.
Breaks are usually limited and supervised. Raise your hand and wait to be escorted; do not leave the hall unaccompanied. Confirm with the provider whether toilet breaks are permitted during the session and whether the clock stops.
If you believe there is an error in the paper, or you are disturbed by noise or another candidate, raise it with an invigilator at the time rather than after the session. Reports made during the examination are easier to verify.
Scoring rules, including whether wrong answers are penalised and how partial credit is awarded, are set by the provider. Confirm them before the day so your answering strategy matches the marking scheme.
If you are unwell or cannot attend, contact the provider as soon as possible and ask about the documented procedure for withdrawal, deferral, or special consideration. Do not simply fail to appear without notifying them.