IAF Group C exam-day guide
IAF Group C · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Valid photo ID
Bring the original government-issued photo ID with signature that matches the name on your booking. Confirm with the provider which ID types are accepted and whether a second form is required; do not rely on a photocopy or a digital image.
Admission voucher or confirmation email
Have the booking confirmation, candidate number, and test centre address available, ideally printed and also saved offline on your phone. Confirm with the provider whether a printed copy is mandatory.
Confirmation of test format and language
Check on your admission documents whether you are sitting a paper or computer-based version and in which language, since IAF Group C is delivered in multiple languages. If anything differs from what you expected, contact the provider before test day.
Permitted reference standards
Some IAF examinations allow specified standards or reference documents in the room. Confirm with the provider the exact editions and titles permitted, and whether they must be unannotated; do not assume any book is allowed.
Permitted calculator or none
Confirm with the provider whether a calculator is allowed, which models are acceptable, and whether the test platform supplies one. If calculators are prohibited, practise the arithmetic by hand beforehand.
Arrival time and travel plan
Note the reporting time, which is usually earlier than the start time, and plan to arrive with a buffer for traffic and security checks. Check the centre's access instructions and parking or public transport options the day before.
Personal items plan
Expect bags, phones, and smart watches to be stored outside the test room or surrendered. Confirm with the provider what storage is available and leave valuables at home.
Medical or access arrangements
If you need extra time, a separate room, or medication in the room, confirm with the provider that your approved arrangement is recorded and bring any supporting documentation they require.
Rest, food, and hydration
Sleep normally the night before, eat a proper meal, and bring water only if the provider permits it in the room. Avoid heavy caffeine if you are not used to it.
Review plan for the final hours
Decide in advance what you will review in the last day: your own summary sheets and lists of weak topics only. Do not start new material or attempt full mock exams in the final 24 hours.
Scratch paper and pen policy
Confirm with the provider whether scratch paper and a pen or pencil are supplied and whether you may bring your own. Many centres provide them and prohibit personal stationery.
Emergency contact and provider phone number
Save the certification body's candidate services number so you can report an emergency, illness, or a centre problem immediately rather than after the fact.
Plan the day
Stop learning new topics. Work through your own condensed notes and the clauses of the standards you found hardest, and re-do a small set of questions you previously got wrong. Confirm the test centre address, reporting time, and travel route, and re-read the admission letter for what is and is not allowed in the room.
Take one timed practice set under realistic conditions, then spend more time analysing your errors than doing the questions. Identify the two or three topics where you lose the most marks and write a one-page reminder sheet for each. Confirm with the provider any open question about ID, calculator, or reference documents.
Pack your ID, admission documents, and any permitted items in one bag. Do a light review of your summary sheets only, in the morning or early afternoon. Check the weather and transport disruptions, set two alarms, and go to bed at your normal time rather than unusually early.
No cramming after early evening. Eat a normal meal, avoid alcohol, and prepare clothes and breakfast so the morning requires no decisions. Re-read only the highest-level structure of the standards, such as clause headings, to keep the framework fresh.
Eat a proper breakfast, arrive at the centre ahead of the reporting time, and use waiting time for calm review of your summary sheets, not for arguing with yourself about answers. Switch off your phone before entering the secure area and follow invigilator instructions on storage.
Read the instructions and check the number of questions, the time allowed, and the marking scheme shown on the paper or screen. Note whether wrong answers are penalised. Write down your start and finish times and calculate a rough per-question time budget before starting.
Answer the questions you can resolve quickly and confidently, and mark anything uncertain for review rather than stalling on it. Read each question fully, noting qualifiers such as 'primary', 'not', or 'most appropriate', since these change the correct option.
Return to marked questions and eliminate options that are clearly wrong before choosing. For scenario questions, identify the clause or principle being tested, then pick the option that matches it rather than the one that sounds most thorough.
Check that every question has an answer if there is no penalty for guessing, and that your answer sheet entries match your intended answers, especially if you changed any at the last moment. Do not leave a review question blank because you ran out of time.
Rules to check
Bring the original photo ID specified by the provider and be ready to show it at registration; if your ID does not match your booking name exactly, contact the provider before test day rather than at the desk.
Arrive by the reporting time stated on your admission documents. Confirm with the provider what happens if you are late, since late admission is often refused and treated as a missed attempt.
Do not bring phones, smart watches, or notes into the test room. Switch devices off and store them as instructed; possession of an unauthorised device during the test is commonly treated as misconduct.
Use only the reference documents, calculator, and stationery that the provider permits, in the editions and condition specified. Confirm with the provider before the test if you are unsure about any item.
Follow the invigilator's instructions on breaks. Confirm with the provider in advance whether supervised breaks are available and whether the clock stops; do not leave the room without permission.
Do not communicate with other candidates during the test, and do not copy, photograph, or reconstruct questions afterwards. Exam content is confidential and sharing it can invalidate your result.
Understand the scoring before you start: check the number of questions, the pass mark or grading reported to you, and whether incorrect answers are penalised. If the marking scheme is not stated, confirm with the provider.
If you are ill or there is a problem at the centre, report it to the invigilator on the day and to the provider immediately afterwards, and ask what evidence they require, since special consideration usually has a short deadline.