Iran Bar Exam (SCODA) exam-day guide
Iran Bar Exam (SCODA) · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Printed admission card / exam entry permit
Bring the entry permit issued for your sitting. Confirm with the provider (SCODA / the relevant bar association) whether printing is mandatory and whether a digital copy is accepted. needs_review
Original national ID card (or the identity document recognized for the exam)
Bring the original document, not a copy. Confirm with the provider which documents are accepted and whether an expired ID is refused. needs_review
Several black or blue ballpoint pens
Bring at least two working pens of the color the answer sheet instructions require. Confirm with the provider whether only a specific color is permitted. needs_review
Pencil and eraser (if the answer sheet is machine-read)
If the sheet requires pencil shading, bring a soft pencil and eraser. Confirm with the provider whether pencil is allowed or prohibited. needs_review
Exam venue address and arrival time written down
Note the exact hall, gate, and reporting time from your admission card. Arrive well before the reporting time; security and ID checks can be slow.
Leave prohibited items at home or in the car
Phones, smart watches, notes, and bags are usually banned from the hall. Confirm with the provider the exact list of prohibited items and the storage arrangements. needs_review
Read the full instructions on the question booklet before starting
Check the number of questions, the scoring rule, and the penalty rule (if any) stated on the paper itself, and follow those instructions over anything you heard elsewhere.
Plan the answer-transfer step
If answers must be transferred to a separate sheet, decide when you will do it and check the sheet number and question numbering before the time is called.
Bring water and a light snack for the break
Confirm with the provider whether food and drink are allowed in the hall and whether there is a break between papers. needs_review
Know the permitted calculator / reference rules
Confirm with the provider whether any calculator, statute book, or code text is allowed; assume nothing is allowed unless the instructions say so. needs_review
Check the exam date and session times against the official notice
Verify the date, start time, and duration on the official announcement, since sittings and schedules can change. needs_review
Plan transport and a backup route
Check traffic and public transport for the morning, and leave a margin so a delay does not cost you the sitting.
Plan the day
Re-read the official exam notice and your admission card line by line: date, reporting time, hall, permitted and prohibited items, and the number and format of questions. Write a one-page summary of what you must bring and what you must not bring.
Do one timed full simulation under exam conditions, including transferring answers to a sheet, to fix your pacing. Do not learn new material at this stage; review your own error list instead.
Prepare the physical items: admission card, original ID, pens, pencil, eraser. Put them in one transparent bag and leave it by the door.
Review only high-yield summaries, your condensed notes, and the list of mistakes you have repeatedly made. Stop heavy study in the evening and protect your sleep.
Confirm the venue location and travel time, and check the transport schedule. Prepare clothes and food for the next day. Avoid new topics and avoid discussing difficult questions with other candidates.
Set two alarms, sleep at your normal time, and keep the transparent bag with your documents and pens ready at the door.
Eat a normal breakfast, arrive early, and go through the ID and security check with time to spare. Once seated, read the cover instructions and check the question count and scoring rule before answering anything.
First pass: answer the questions you know and mark the doubtful ones. Second pass: work the marked questions. Reserve the final minutes to transfer and verify answers, check that no question is left blank, and confirm your name and candidate number on the sheet.
Rules to check
Bring the original identity document and the admission card. Confirm with the provider which identity documents are accepted and what happens if you arrive without them. needs_review
Electronic devices such as phones and smart watches are generally prohibited in the hall. Confirm with the provider the exact list of prohibited items and the consequences of a violation. needs_review
Follow the invigilator's instructions on seating, starting, and stopping. Writing after time is called can lead to your paper being cancelled; confirm with the provider how late writing is treated. needs_review
Confirm with the provider the rules on leaving the hall during the exam, on breaks between papers, and on access to toilets. needs_review
Read the scoring rule printed on the paper. Confirm with the provider whether wrong answers carry a negative penalty before deciding whether to guess. needs_review
Do not communicate with other candidates during the exam and do not take question booklets or answer sheets out of the hall. Confirm with the provider whether the booklet may be kept. needs_review
If you believe there is a defect in a question or a disturbance in the hall, raise it with the invigilator at the time and note it; confirm with the provider the deadline and channel for any later objection. needs_review
Check that your name and candidate number are correct on the answer sheet before handing it in, and keep the receipt or confirmation if one is issued.