ICDL Computer & Online Essentials (ICDL) exam-day guide
ICDL Computer & Online Essentials · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Valid photo ID
Bring a government-issued photo ID whose name matches your booking exactly. Which documents an Accredited Test Centre accepts can vary, so confirm the list with the provider before the day.
Booking confirmation and candidate number
Have your booking reference, candidate ID and the exact start time available, either printed or on paper rather than only on a phone (phones are usually not allowed at the workstation).
Test centre address, travel plan and arrival time
Check the venue location and how early you are asked to arrive, and plan to be there ahead of that so you can complete registration and ID checks without rushing.
Clarity on which parts you are sitting
Computer & Online Essentials covers computer/device and file fundamentals plus web browsing, online communication and safety. Confirm with the provider whether you sit it as one combined test or as separate Computer Essentials and Online Essentials tests, and how long each lasts.
The official skill set / syllabus for your module version
Download the current ICDL skill set for the module and read every listed task. The test is built from that list, so anything not on it will not be asked.
Practice on the actual task styles
Rehearse performance-based tasks in a simulated desktop: creating folders and moving, copying, renaming and deleting files; saving files to a given location; using a browser (tabs, bookmarks/favourites, downloads, search); and using webmail (compose, reply, forward, attach, organise into folders).
Remote-testing setup check (if sitting online)
If your test is remotely proctored, confirm the platform, browser and connection requirements and run any system check in advance. Webcam, microphone, a clear desk and a quiet, private room are typically required; the exact rules must come from your provider.
Any approved access arrangements
If you have been granted extra time, a different format or other adjustments, bring written confirmation. Arrangements cannot usually be added on the day.
Glasses or other screen aids
Bring glasses if you need them. Personal items such as phones, notes and smart watches are normally stored away or left outside the room, so travel light.
Know the pass mark and scoring for your test
ICDL module tests commonly require around 75% to pass and give a percentage result rather than a grade, but this is set per module and version - confirm the exact pass mark and whether a retake is included with your provider.
Plan the day
Re-read the official skill set line by line and mark any area you cannot do confidently. Spend your remaining study time only on those areas, doing tasks rather than reading.
Reconfirm the booking: date, time, venue or remote session link, and what ID to bring. If anything is unclear, contact the provider now - not on the morning of the test.
Do one full timed practice run in test conditions: no phone, no notes, no interruptions, working only from a task list the way the real test presents tasks.
Do a light review of the two or three weakest topics and stop. Avoid learning new material the night before.
If testing remotely, run the full system and equipment check again and prepare the room you will use: clear desk, no notes on walls or desk, door closed, well lit, phone away.
Lay out your ID, booking details, glasses and travel arrangements. Get a normal night's sleep rather than a late cramming session.
Eat something and arrive at the centre, or be at your computer, ahead of the time you were asked for. Late arrival can mean being refused entry - check your provider's late-arrival policy.
Leave your phone, smart watch, notes and bag as instructed; keep only your ID and anything the centre explicitly permits at the workstation.
Read each task completely before acting - tasks often combine two or three steps. Work in the simulated environment exactly as instructed, saving to the folder or filename the task specifies.
Keep an eye on the clock and don't get stuck on one task; move on and come back. If a review or flag feature is available, use it to revisit uncertain tasks before submitting.
Before finishing, check that every task has been attempted and that files, emails or browser actions were completed as asked, then submit and wait for confirmation that your test has been recorded.
Rules to check
Bring photo ID in the exact name used on your booking. Without acceptable ID you may not be allowed to sit the test; the accepted document list is set by the provider, so confirm it in advance.
Do not bring or use phones, smart watches, notes, textbooks or other reference material in the test room. Devices are normally stored outside the room, and using unauthorised material is treated as malpractice.
Do not communicate with other candidates during the test, and do not screenshot, copy, record or share test content in any way - ICDL test material is confidential.
If you are remotely proctored, follow the invigilator's instructions on room scans, camera position and behaviour, and keep your face and desk visible at all times. Exact remote rules must be confirmed with your provider.
Ask the invigilator or raise your hand for technical problems, illness or a need to leave the room. Do not try to fix a frozen test or reconnect a session yourself unless told to.
Breaks are not normally permitted within a single module test because the clock keeps running; if you have a documented need for one, arrange it with the provider before the test day.
Confirm the scoring, pass mark, result timing and retake policy with your provider before you sit, so you know exactly what you are working towards and what happens if you narrowly miss the pass mark.
Arrive by the time you were told. Late arrival, permitted items and conduct rules are set by the individual test centre or remote-proctoring provider - confirm anything you are unsure about rather than assuming.