Državna Matura German exam-day guide
Državna Matura German · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Official photo identification
Bring a valid passport or national ID card. Confirm with the provider which documents are accepted and whether a school ID alone is sufficient; do not assume.
Exam admission document / candidate number
Print or save any admission slip, registration confirmation, or candidate code issued by the school or examination centre. Confirm with the provider whether a printed copy is required.
Blue or black ballpoint pens (at least two)
Written answers are normally completed in ink. Bring a spare in case one fails; check that ink is dark and legible.
Pencil, eraser, and sharpener
Useful for the answer sheet (listić za odgovore) if multiple-choice or grid answers are used. Confirm with the provider whether the answer sheet must be completed in pencil.
Wristwatch (non-smart)
Many exam rooms have a clock, but a simple analogue or digital watch without connectivity helps you pace the reading, listening, and writing sections. Smartwatches are usually prohibited.
Clear water bottle
A small unlabelled or clear bottle is generally acceptable. Confirm with the provider whether drinks are allowed at the desk in your room.
Location and arrival time confirmed
Check the exact building, room, and reporting time the day before. Arrive early; late entry rules vary, so confirm with the provider how late arrivals are handled.
Know the section structure and timings
Review the order of the paper (typically reading, listening, writing, and language-in-use components) and the time limit for each. Confirm the exact structure and timing with the provider.
Listening section equipment awareness
The listening component is usually played once from a central audio source. Confirm with the provider whether any personal equipment is needed or permitted.
No electronic devices at the desk
Leave phones, smartwatches, and earbuds switched off and stored as instructed. Confirm with the provider where devices must be placed.
Transport and backup plan
Plan the route and a backup (earlier bus/train, alternative driver). Traffic or weather can delay you; build in a margin.
Rest and nutrition plan
Sleep adequately the night before and eat a normal breakfast. Avoid trying to learn large amounts of new material in the final hours.
Plan the day
Stop learning new grammar and vocabulary lists. Instead, do one timed mini-run of each section type you will face, then review your errors. Re-read the task instructions for the writing section so you know the required text type, length, and register. Confirm the exam venue, reporting time, and what identification is accepted with the provider.
Practise the listening component under realistic conditions: audio played once, no pausing, notes taken only where allowed. Review common pitfalls such as distractors in multiple-choice items, numbers and times, and negation. Spend 30-40 minutes on a short writing task and check it against a checklist (task completion, structure, connectors, grammar accuracy).
Do light revision only: skim your own error notes, key connectors, and a few model text structures. Prepare your bag with ID, admission document, pens, pencil, eraser, watch, and water. Charge nothing you cannot bring into the room; leave devices at home or plan where to store them. Set two alarms, check transport times, and go to bed at a reasonable hour.
Eat breakfast, dress comfortably in layers, and arrive at the venue with time to spare. Before entering, use the toilet and turn off your phone. Once seated, read the front-page instructions carefully, fill in identification fields exactly as instructed, and note the start and end times of each section so you can pace yourself.
Skim the questions first, then read the text with purpose. Answer easier items first and mark uncertain ones to return to. Watch the clock: do not let one long text consume the whole section. Transfer answers to the answer sheet exactly as instructed, checking numbering.
Use the pause before each recording to read the questions and predict likely vocabulary. Write brief notes during the first playing, then finalise answers. If you miss an item, let it go and focus on the next question rather than losing the thread.
Spend a few minutes planning content and structure, then write. Respect the required text type, word count, and register. Reserve the final minutes to check verb endings, cases, word order, spelling, and whether you addressed every point in the task.
Work steadily through gap-fill, transformation, or multiple-choice items. Use grammatical clues (prepositions, articles, verb patterns) to eliminate options. If time allows, re-read completed sentences to check they sound and function correctly.
Check that your name and candidate details are correct, that no answers are left blank where guessing is not penalised, and that the answer sheet matches your booklet. Hand in all materials as instructed. After the exam, avoid comparing answers intensively; it adds stress without changing the result.
Rules to check
Bring valid photo identification and any admission document required by the centre; if you are unsure what counts as valid, confirm with the provider before exam day.
Arrive at the reporting time. Late-arrival rules and whether you may still sit the paper vary by centre, so confirm with the provider in advance rather than relying on assumptions.
Electronic devices, including phones and smartwatches, must be switched off and stored as instructed. Keeping a device accessible during the exam is normally treated as a serious breach; confirm the exact rule with the provider.
Follow invigilator instructions at all times, including when to open the booklet, when to write, and when to stop. Writing after the stop instruction may lead to your work not being accepted.
Complete all identification fields on the answer sheet and booklet exactly as instructed. Mismatched or missing candidate details can delay or invalidate scoring.
Do not communicate with other candidates during the exam and do not look at others' work. If you need something, raise your hand and wait for the invigilator.
Breaks and permission to leave the room are controlled by the centre and may not be allowed during a timed section. Confirm with the provider whether toilet breaks are permitted and how they affect your time.
Scoring and grading boundaries are set by the examination authority. Do not rely on rumoured point thresholds; confirm the official marking and grading arrangements with the provider.