IAI SA4 exam-day guide
IAI SA4 · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring the original document you used at registration, with signature and photo, and make sure the name matches your booking exactly. If your ID name differs even slightly from your registration record, contact the provider before test day to correct it - do not assume a mismatch will be resolved at the desk.
Appointment confirmation and candidate number
Have the confirmation email or booking reference accessible offline (screenshot or printout), not only in a web mailbox you may not be able to open at the venue. Confirm the exact start time and arrival window with the provider, as arrival cut-offs are set locally.
Venue or online-proctoring logistics confirmed
Re-read the provider's joining instructions for your delivery mode. For a test centre, check travel time, parking and building access; for remote proctoring, check the software, system test and room requirements. Where any detail is unclear, confirm with the provider rather than guessing.
Permitted reference material status confirmed
IAI SA4 is a specialist technical subject, and rules on permitted texts, formula sheets or annotated standards vary by sitting and delivery mode. Confirm with the provider exactly what is allowed and in what format before you rely on bringing anything into the room.
Calculator policy confirmed
Check whether a calculator is permitted, which models are accepted, and whether the testing platform supplies an on-screen calculator. If a physical calculator is allowed, bring a familiar one with fresh batteries and no stored notes.
Exam-day clothing and comfort items
Layers are useful because test-room temperatures vary, but check the provider's rules on coats, hats, hoodies and pockets - many centres require outerwear to be stored. Bring water only if the provider confirms it is allowed at the desk.
Watch and personal items plan
Many centres prohibit wristwatches and phones at the desk and provide a clock or on-screen timer. Plan where your phone, wallet and keys will be stored, and check the provider's rules on personal items and secure storage.
Breaks and timing rules reviewed
Confirm in advance whether scheduled or unscheduled breaks are available, whether the clock stops during them, and what identification or re-check is needed on re-entry. Do not plan on leaving the room unless the provider confirms the procedure.
Rest, travel and backup plan
Book travel with buffer for delays, set two alarms, and identify a contact number for the test centre or proctor support in case of disruption. Keep the provider's candidate services contact handy for the morning of the exam.
Technical backup for remote sittings
If sitting online, run the provider's system check in advance, use a wired or stable connection where possible, close background applications, and have a phone available as a backup contact channel in case the platform fails. Confirm the provider's incident procedure beforehand.
Scratch paper and stationery rules confirmed
Check whether the provider supplies scratch paper, an on-screen notepad or nothing at all, and whether you may bring pens or pencils. Bring only what is explicitly permitted.
Pre-exam review plan, not new material
In the final days, revise your own summary sheets, worked examples and error log rather than starting new topics. Sleep and a calm routine matter more than one more past paper the night before.
Plan the day
Finish content revision and switch to consolidation: rework your summary sheets, formula or method lists, and the mistakes you logged during practice. Do one timed section under exam conditions to check pacing, then stop adding new material. Confirm your appointment time, venue or proctoring setup, ID and permitted-items rules with the provider, and resolve any name or booking discrepancy now rather than on the day.
Do a light review only - key definitions, frameworks and the areas you most often get wrong - and no full mock. Prepare your bag or desk: ID, confirmation, permitted stationery, calculator if allowed. Check travel times or run the proctoring system test once more, charge devices, and set alarms. Eat normally, avoid late-night cramming, and aim for a full night's sleep; fatigue costs more marks than one missed topic.
Eat a proper meal, arrive at the venue or log in with the provider's stated lead time, and avoid last-minute discussion of topics with other candidates if it makes you anxious. At the centre, follow check-in and ID verification, store prohibited items as instructed, and read any candidate agreement carefully. For remote sittings, complete the room scan and ID check early so technical issues do not eat into your time.
Read the instructions and check the number of questions, marks and time allocation before starting. Use any permitted on-screen notepad to note your time milestones and a short list of high-risk topics to watch for. If negative marking applies, confirm it in the instructions before deciding how to handle uncertain questions.
Work in passes: answer the questions you know first, flag the rest, and return to them. Keep an eye on the clock against your milestones and leave time to review flagged items and check that every question has an answer if the format penalises blanks. If a question is ambiguous, note your reasoning briefly where the platform allows it, choose the best-supported answer, and move on rather than burning time.
In the last few minutes, confirm no question is unanswered, check you have not mis-keyed answers, and submit deliberately rather than letting time expire. After the test, note which topics felt weak while memory is fresh, and check the provider's stated results timeline and any post-exam administration requirements.
Rules to check
Bring the original government-issued photo ID used at registration; copies, expired documents and digital images are commonly refused. If your name or document details differ from your booking, confirm with the provider before test day.
Arrive or log in within the provider's stated window. Candidates arriving after the cut-off may be refused entry or have time deducted, and the exact policy is set by the provider - confirm it in your joining instructions.
Only permitted items may be at your desk. Phones, smart watches, notes and unauthorised calculators are typically prohibited and may lead to confiscation or invalidation; check the provider's list of allowed items for your sitting.
Follow all invigilator or proctor instructions, including room scans, ID re-checks and behaviour rules for remote sittings. Suspected misconduct or unauthorised material can result in invalidation, so ask before doing anything you are unsure about.
If breaks are offered, confirm in advance whether the clock stops, whether you may leave the room, and what re-entry checks apply. Do not leave the testing room without permission, as this may end your session.
Read the scoring and question-format instructions at the start: number of questions, marks per question, and whether unanswered or incorrect answers are penalised. Base your guessing and flagging strategy on the rules shown, not on assumptions.
Report any technical failure, interruption or illness immediately to the invigilator or proctor and follow their incident procedure. Requests for special consideration are time-limited, so confirm the provider's process and deadlines.
Results, pass standards and any post-exam administration are set by the provider. Check the official candidate guidance for the current rules rather than relying on second-hand accounts.