LC Physics and Chemistry exam-day guide
LC Physics and Chemistry · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Photo ID matching your registration
Bring the original government-issued photo ID you registered with. A photocopy or a different document may be refused. If your name changed or your ID details differ from your booking, confirm with the provider before test day.
Admission confirmation / booking reference
Print or download your confirmation showing your candidate number, test centre and start time. Check the exact reporting time, which is usually earlier than the start time. The required arrival margin is set by the provider; confirm with the provider.
Approved calculator
Check the provider's current calculator policy for LC Physics and Chemistry and whether a second, backup calculator of the same permitted type is allowed. Do not rely on a calculator whose model you have not verified against the approved list.
Permitted stationery
Bring several pens or pencils, an eraser, a sharpener and a ruler. Confirm with the provider which items are allowed at your centre and whether pencil is required for any answer sheet.
Clear pencil case or transparent bag
Many centres require stationery to be visible in a clear container. Keep only permitted items inside; leave notes, phone and smartwatch outside the test room.
Printed formula and data sheet
If the provider issues a formula/data booklet, check whether a printed copy is supplied at the centre or whether you must bring your own. Do not annotate it unless the rules allow it. Confirm with the provider.
Water and a small snack for the break
Check whether drinks are allowed at your desk; some centres require a clear bottle with the label removed. Eat a snack during the scheduled break only, outside the test room.
Watch (non-smart, silent)
A simple analogue or digital watch helps you pace yourself if the room clock is hard to see. Smartwatches and any device with communication or storage functions are normally prohibited. Confirm with the provider.
Travel and timing plan
Work out the route, parking or public transport and a buffer for delays. Aim to arrive before the reporting time; centres may not admit late candidates once the test has started. The exact late-entry rule is set by the provider.
Rest and preparation routine
Protect sleep in the final week, avoid new material the night before, and prepare clothing layers for an unknown room temperature. Practise with the same calculator you will use on the day.
Personal needs arrangements
If you need extra time, a separate room, medication access or other access arrangements, check that approval is already confirmed in writing. Requests are usually handled well before test day; confirm with the provider.
Needs review: exact prohibited-items list
The list of banned items (phone, smartwatch, notes, certain calculator models) varies by centre. Verify the current list with the provider and treat anything unclear as prohibited.
Plan the day
Switch from learning new content to consolidation. Re-read your own summary sheets for physics equations, units, significant figures and chemistry reaction types, and redo a small set of past-paper questions under timed conditions. Check your admission confirmation, ID, calculator model and travel plan. Confirm the reporting time and any access arrangements in writing with the provider.
Do a light review of formula recall, common unit conversions and definitions only; stop heavy problem sets. Pack your bag with ID, confirmation, calculator, spare batteries if applicable, stationery, water and snack. Set two alarms, check the weather and transport, and go to bed at a normal time. Do not start a new topic or cram past midnight.
Eat a normal breakfast, avoid heavy caffeine if you are not used to it, and leave with a generous buffer. At the centre, follow staff instructions, store prohibited items as directed, and locate the room and toilets. Once seated, check that the paper, answer sheet and any data booklet are complete before the start.
Read the instructions and note the total marks and time. Scan the whole paper to spot long calculation questions and multi-part items. Decide a rough mark-per-minute budget and identify which questions to attempt first. Write your candidate details exactly as instructed.
Work in passes: answer the questions you can do quickly first, then return to harder ones. For physics calculations, write the equation, substitute with units, then give the answer to an appropriate number of significant figures. For chemistry, show balanced equations and states where asked. If a question stalls you, leave a mark in the margin and move on. Keep an eye on the clock and reserve the last few minutes to check that every question has an answer and that units and significant figures are consistent.
Check for unanswered items, transferred answers and correct question numbering. Do not change answers on a hunch unless you have a clear reason. After the test, avoid comparing answers in detail with others; note any topics that felt weak in case you need to resit, and confirm with the provider when results are released.
Rules to check
Bring the original photo ID used at registration and present it on request. If your documents do not match your booking, contact the provider before test day; centres may refuse entry for mismatches.
Follow the centre's rules on prohibited items. Phones, smartwatches and any device that can store or transmit information are normally banned from the test room; confirm the current list with the provider and leave uncertain items outside.
Only use a calculator that appears on the provider's approved list for this exam. Do not share calculators, and do not use stored programs or notes unless the rules explicitly allow them.
Arrive by the stated reporting time. Late admission is at the centre's discretion and may not be possible once the test has begun; confirm the late-entry policy with the provider.
Breaks are taken only when instructed. You may normally leave the room for the toilet with permission and under supervision; the time lost is usually not added back, so plan fluid intake. Confirm the break policy with the provider.
Do not communicate with other candidates during the test, and do not read or copy from another candidate's paper. Suspected misconduct is handled under the provider's malpractice procedure, which can lead to cancellation of results.
Marks are awarded for method as well as final answers where the mark scheme allows it, so show working, state equations and include units. An answer with no working may score less even if numerically correct.
If you believe there is a problem with the paper, equipment or conditions, raise it with the invigilator at the time and ask for it to be recorded. Special consideration requests are subject to the provider's deadlines; confirm with the provider.