QQI Level 5 Hairdressing exam-day guide
QQI Level 5 Hairdressing · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Bring photo ID
Bring the original photographic identification your centre requires (typically a passport or driving licence). Confirm the exact accepted documents and whether a photocopy is allowed with your provider before the day.
Confirm your appointment time and venue
Check the date, arrival time, room or salon location, and reporting point in writing from your provider. Arrive with enough time to register, change if required, and set up without rushing.
Know your assessment brief and marking sheet
Re-read the brief for the practical tasks, the services or looks required, and the marking criteria so you know what evidence the assessor is looking for. Ask your tutor to clarify anything ambiguous before the day.
Bring your model or confirm model arrangements
If a model is required, confirm who is attending, their arrival time, and whether they need a patch test or consent form completed in advance. Confirm with the provider whether models must be pre-approved or bring ID.
Complete any required patch tests
If colour or other chemical services are part of the assessment, ensure any required patch test has been done within the provider's stated window. Confirm the exact timing rule with your provider rather than guessing.
Pack your professional kit
Bring the tools and products listed in your course kit list: scissors, combs, clips, sectioning tools, gowns and towels, sanitising supplies, and any consumables the centre does not provide. Label your belongings.
Prepare for health and safety assessment
Be ready to demonstrate safe working: correct client preparation and gowning, hand hygiene, tool sanitising, safe floor and cable management, and safe handling of chemicals. These are usually observed throughout, not just described.
Plan your consultation and client care talk
Practise explaining the service, checking for contra-indications, confirming the client's expectations, and giving aftercare advice. Clear communication is commonly assessed alongside technical skill.
Check dress code and personal presentation
Confirm the required uniform or dress code, footwear, hair tied back, short clean nails, and minimal jewellery. Ask your provider for the exact standard if it is not written in your handbook.
Arrange transport and a backup plan
Plan your route and a backup way to travel in case of delays. If your model cancels, know in advance who to contact at the centre and whether a substitute model is permitted.
Confirm break and refreshment arrangements
Ask whether breaks are scheduled, how long they are, and whether food and drink are allowed in the assessment area. Do not assume you can leave the premises mid-assessment.
Note what not to bring
Leave phones, smart watches, and notes outside the assessment area unless your provider explicitly permits them. Confirm the centre's policy on personal devices and bags.
Plan the day
Re-read the assessment brief and marking criteria, then rehearse each required service end to end within realistic time limits. Time yourself, because running over on one task can cost marks on the next.
Inventory your kit against the course list, replace anything missing or blunt, and check that products are in date and correctly labelled. Confirm which consumables the centre supplies so you do not double-buy.
Confirm model attendance, arrival time, and any patch test or consent requirements in writing. Have a named backup person and confirm with your provider whether a substitute model is acceptable.
Practise your consultation, contra-indication checks, and aftercare script aloud. Aim for clear, professional language you can deliver naturally under pressure.
Pack your kit and lay out your uniform and ID so the morning is frictionless. Check the venue address, travel time, and reporting instructions one final time.
Do a light review of health and safety routines and sanitising sequences, then stop. Prioritise sleep over last-minute cramming; steady hands and clear thinking matter more than one more read-through.
Eat normally, hydrate, and avoid starting any new chemical or tool technique you have not already practised. Keep the next morning free of avoidable stress.
Eat a proper meal, arrive early, and register or sign in as instructed. Use the setup time to organise your station, check equipment, and confirm your model is comfortable.
Switch off and stow personal devices as directed, complete any sign-in or declaration forms, and listen carefully to the assessor's briefing before touching any equipment.
Work to the brief and the clock. If a task is running long, make a professional judgement and note it rather than abandoning safety or client care to chase the time.
Narrate your reasoning when appropriate, keep your station clean and safe throughout, and communicate with your model as you would with a real client. Assessors observe process, not just the finished look.
If something goes wrong, stay calm, follow safe practice, and tell the assessor. Recover professionally; how you handle a problem is often part of the assessment.
At the end, complete any required clean-down, dispose of waste correctly, and make sure your finished work is presented for assessment before you pack away.
Rules to check
Bring the original photo ID your provider specifies and present it on request. If you are unsure which documents are accepted, confirm with the provider in advance.
Follow the centre's instructions on personal devices, notes, and bags. Assume phones and smart watches must be switched off and stored away unless you are told otherwise; confirm the exact policy with your provider.
Treat your model and everyone in the salon with professional respect and dignity. Obtain consent before touching a client, and stop immediately if your model is uncomfortable or shows signs of a reaction.
Work safely at all times: sanitise tools and surfaces, manage cables and floor hazards, handle chemicals as instructed, and follow the manufacturer's directions. Safety breaches can affect your result.
Do not discuss or share assessment content with other candidates during the assessment. Complete your own work and follow the assessor's directions on collaboration and communication.
Ask the assessor or invigilator before leaving the assessment area, and confirm the provider's rules on breaks, toilet visits, and refreshments rather than assuming.
If you feel unwell, have an accident, or a client has an adverse reaction, report it immediately and follow the centre's procedure. Do not continue a service that is unsafe.
Understand how you will be judged: practical performance, underpinning knowledge, and professional conduct are typically assessed together. Ask your provider how results are graded, when they are released, and how to appeal if needed.