ICO Visual Sciences exam-day guide
ICO Visual Sciences · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring the original, unexpired ID that matches the name on your registration. Confirm with the provider which forms of ID are accepted and whether a secondary ID is required; requirements vary by test center and delivery mode.
Admission or scheduling confirmation
Have your confirmation email, appointment number, or candidate ID accessible (printed or on your phone if permitted). Confirm with the provider whether printed confirmation is mandatory.
Know your test-center logistics or remote-testing setup
For a physical center, verify the address, arrival time, and parking/transit options a day ahead. For remote proctoring, run the system check, test your camera and microphone, and confirm the platform's browser requirements with the provider.
Permitted calculator and reference materials
Confirm with the provider whether a calculator is provided on-screen, whether a personal model is allowed, and which formulas or reference sheets are supplied versus memorized. Do not assume any tool is permitted.
Scratch paper and writing instrument policy
Many providers supply laminated sheets and markers and prohibit bringing your own. Confirm the exact policy with the provider before test day.
Review the official content outline and domain weights
Re-read the published blueprint so you know how many questions to expect per domain and can allocate time during the test. Use only the official outline; third-party summaries may be outdated.
Confirm break and timing policy
Ask the provider whether breaks are scheduled or optional, whether the clock stops during breaks, and whether you may leave the testing room. Policies differ between in-person and remote delivery.
Personal items plan
Most secure testing rooms require phones, watches, bags, and notes to be stored or left outside. Plan to travel light and confirm storage availability with the provider.
Accessibility or accommodation arrangements
If you have approved accommodations (extra time, separate room, screen-reader), confirm they appear on your appointment record and know how to invoke them on test day. Contact the provider in advance if anything is missing.
Rest, hydration, and medication plan
Protect sleep in the final 48 hours, plan a normal meal before the test, and confirm with the provider how required medication or medical devices are handled in the testing room.
Score reporting and retake awareness
Know when and how results are released and whether a retake waiting period applies. Confirm these details with the provider rather than relying on forum posts.
Plan the day
Stop learning new content. Re-read the official blueprint and your own error log, focusing on the two or three domains where practice scores are weakest. Do one timed mixed set under realistic conditions and review every miss for the underlying concept, not just the correct letter.
Reconfirm appointment time, location or remote-testing link, and ID requirements with the provider. Prepare clothing layers and a simple meal plan. Do a light review of high-yield formulas and definitions, then stop studying by early evening.
Do a short, confidence-building review only (30-45 minutes). Pack your ID, confirmation, and any permitted items. Walk or drive the route if testing in person, or run the remote platform check again. Set two alarms. Avoid intensive cramming and late-night screen time.
Eat a normal breakfast, hydrate moderately, and arrive or log in early per the provider's instructed window. Leave phones and notes stored as required. Do not discuss exam content with other candidates. Use the restroom before the clock starts.
Read the timing rules on screen first. Answer easier questions first if the platform allows navigation and flagging; otherwise pace yourself by dividing remaining time by remaining questions. For calculation items, estimate the order of magnitude before computing, and check units. If a question stalls you, flag it and move on. Use scheduled breaks as permitted and return with time to review flagged items.
Confirm no flagged questions remain unanswered and that your answers are saved. Submit deliberately and collect any printed score report if the provider offers one.
Rules to check
Present the exact ID required by the provider; name mismatches can bar entry, and the provider-not the test center staff-decides whether an exception is allowed.
Follow all proctor instructions. Talking, looking at unauthorized materials, or leaving the camera view during a remote test can lead to score cancellation; confirm the specific monitoring rules with the provider.
Do not bring notes, phones, smart watches, or unauthorized calculators into the testing room. If you are unsure whether an item is permitted, ask the provider before test day.
Breaks are governed by the provider's policy. Confirm in advance whether unscheduled breaks are allowed, whether the timer runs during breaks, and whether you may access notes or devices during them.
Scoring rules, including whether wrong answers are penalized and how scaled scores are reported, are set by the provider. Read the official score report guide rather than assuming a guessing strategy.
Report any technical problem or interruption to the proctor immediately and ask that it be documented; do not attempt to fix remote-testing software yourself mid-exam unless instructed.
If you feel unwell or unable to continue, notify the proctor before the test ends; post-test appeals are harder to support. Confirm the provider's illness and rescheduling policy beforehand.
Keep exam content confidential. Sharing or reproducing questions after the test may violate the candidate agreement; confirm the exact terms you accepted at registration.