IIW IWI-B exam-day guide
IIW IWI-B · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Photo ID matching your registration name
Bring the original government-issued photo ID you registered with. Name spelling must match the registration record; if your ID uses a different name order or transliteration, confirm with the provider in advance how to handle it.
Admission / confirmation document
Print or download the confirmation the provider sends after registration, showing date, time, venue, and candidate number. Do not rely on finding it in your inbox on the morning of the exam.
Venue, room, and arrival time confirmed
Re-check the exact building entrance, room number, and reporting time the day before. Large training centres often have several rooms in use; confirm with the provider which one applies to your paper.
Route and travel buffer planned
Plan to arrive well before the reporting time, allowing for traffic and security checks. Confirm with the provider what happens if you arrive late, since late admission rules vary by centre.
Permitted reference standards known
Some IIW examination sittings allow specified standards or reference documents. Ask the provider which documents, in which edition, are permitted and whether they must be unannotated. Do not assume any are allowed.
Calculator policy confirmed
Confirm with the provider whether a calculator is permitted, which models are accepted, and whether programmable or stored-data models are excluded. Bring only what the provider explicitly allows.
Writing and drawing equipment
Bring pens, pencils, eraser, and a ruler. For drawing or sketch questions, a sharp pencil and ruler matter; confirm whether drawing instruments such as compasses or templates are permitted.
Watch or timekeeping
Many exam rooms have no visible clock. Confirm whether a wristwatch is allowed and whether smart watches are prohibited; if in doubt, ask the invigilator before the start.
Personal medication and water
Bring any medically necessary items and a clear bottle of water if the venue permits. Confirm with the provider whether food, drink, or medication must be declared at the desk.
Leave phone and smart devices behind or switched off
Mobile phones, smart watches, and earbuds are almost always prohibited at the desk. Confirm the provider's storage arrangements; do not assume a bag area is supervised.
Rest and preparation the night before
Sleep, eat, and avoid last-minute cramming of new material. Review only your own summary notes and formula or symbol lists you have already used in practice.
Language and dictionary policy confirmed
If you are sitting a paper in a second language, ask the provider whether a printed dictionary is allowed, which type, and whether it must be inspected beforehand. Policies differ between centres.
Plan the day
Stop learning new topics. Work through your own summary sheets on welding processes, defects, symbols, and inspection methods, and re-read the examination regulations the provider issued. Confirm the venue address, reporting time, and the list of permitted items with the provider in writing so you have an answer on record.
Do one timed practice paper under exam conditions using only the materials the provider permits. Use the result to decide where to spend your remaining review time, not to predict your score. Note which question types cost you the most time, for example calculation items or sketch-based questions.
Review your weakest two or three areas only. For each, write a one-page summary in your own words and test yourself by covering it and reproducing the key points. If a fact is uncertain, mark it as uncertain rather than memorising a guess.
Pack your bag: ID, confirmation document, pens, pencils, eraser, ruler, permitted documents, and any approved calculator or dictionary. Check travel arrangements and set two alarms. Read the provider's instructions once more for start time, duration, and rules on leaving the room.
Do a light review of symbol conventions, common defect terminology, and any formula list you are permitted to use. Then stop. Eat a normal meal, avoid alcohol, and go to bed at your usual time rather than much earlier.
Eat a proper breakfast, dress in layers so you can adapt to room temperature, and leave with the buffer you planned. Arrive at the venue early enough to find the room and complete any identity check without rushing.
Do not study new material in the waiting area. If you review anything, use only your own one-page summaries. Switch off your phone before entering the examination room and store it as instructed.
Read the instructions on the paper and the mark allocation before writing. Note the total time and divide it by the number of questions to get a rough per-question budget, leaving time at the end to check.
First pass: answer the questions you know quickly and mark the rest. Second pass: work the marked questions, showing calculation steps and units. Third pass: return to anything unanswered and make a reasoned attempt rather than leaving a blank.
For multiple-choice items, read every option before choosing and watch for negatives such as 'not' or 'except'. If two options seem right, choose the one that best matches the wording of the question rather than the one that sounds most familiar.
For written answers, use short labelled points, correct technical terminology, and sketches where a sketch explains faster than prose. Label sketch parts. Keep handwriting legible, since markers cannot award credit for what they cannot read.
Check that your name and candidate number are on every sheet, that no answer is left blank, and that units and signs in calculations are consistent. Do not erase working that might earn method marks.
Note which topics felt weak while the memory is fresh, for your own development record. Ask the provider, not the invigilator, about result dates and the appeals or re-sit process.
Rules to check
Bring the original photo ID that matches your registration. If your name appears differently on your ID and your registration, contact the provider before exam day; do not expect the invigilator to resolve it at the desk.
Arrive at the reporting time stated by the provider. Late admission, and whether extra time is given for lateness, is set by the provider and the venue; confirm the rule in advance rather than assuming you will be admitted.
Phones, smart watches, and other connected devices must be switched off and stored as instructed. Keep them off the desk for the whole sitting, including any break.
Use only the reference documents, calculator, and drawing instruments the provider permits. Confirm the permitted list and any edition requirements with the provider, and expect permitted documents to be checked.
Raise your hand and wait for the invigilator if you need to leave the room, need more paper, or have a question about the paper's wording. Invigilators can clarify instructions but will not explain technical content.
Breaks are usually not permitted during the sitting, and leaving the room may not stop your time. Confirm the provider's policy on toilet breaks and on what happens to your time if you leave.
Marks are awarded for what is written on the script. Show working for calculations, state units, label sketches, and answer the question actually asked; method marks may be available even when the final value is wrong.
Follow the provider's rules on conduct and on any suspected irregularity. If you believe an error affects your paper, report it to the invigilator at the time and follow it up with the provider afterwards.