AJA Officer Academies Entrance Examination exam-day guide
AJA Officer Academies Entrance Examination · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Admission permit / registration confirmation
Bring the permit or confirmation the provider issues for your sitting. Print a paper copy as well as keeping a digital copy if the provider allows it, and check which format the test centre accepts - confirm with the provider whether a printed copy is mandatory.
Government-issued photo ID
The name on the ID must match the name on your registration exactly. If you have recently changed your name, bring the supporting document the provider requires - confirm the accepted ID types and name-change documentation with the provider.
Test centre address, entry point and travel plan
Write down the full address, the specific gate or building entrance candidates use, and a backup route. Large centres often have multiple entrances; confirm the candidate entrance with the provider.
Reporting time and arrival window
Note both the reporting time and the time the doors close. Arrival cut-offs vary by centre - confirm the exact reporting time and late-admission policy with the provider.
Pencils, eraser and blue/black pens
Bring two or three sharpened pencils, a good eraser and two pens. Some centres supply stationery and prohibit outside items - confirm what is supplied versus what you must bring with the provider.
Permitted calculator (if any)
Only bring a calculator if the provider lists it as permitted, and only the approved model type. Do not assume a calculator is allowed - confirm the permitted models and any reset or cover requirements with the provider.
Simple analogue or non-smart watch
A basic watch helps you pace sections when there is no visible clock. Smart watches and fitness bands are almost always prohibited; confirm whether any watch is permitted in your room.
Water and a small snack for scheduled breaks
Bring these only if the provider permits food and drink at your seat or during breaks. Confirm the policy with the provider before relying on it.
Layered clothing
Test rooms are often cold or over-warm. Wear layers you can remove or add without leaving the room; avoid clothing with large logos or slogans that a proctor might query.
Provider contact number and your candidate number
Save the provider's candidate services number in your phone and write your candidate or registration number on paper in case your phone is stored or switched off.
Travel buffer and backup transport plan
Plan to arrive with at least 30–45 minutes of slack for delays. Check the transport operator's disruption notices the night before and again on the morning.
A settled night's sleep and a normal breakfast
Do not use the last night for intensive cramming. A normal sleep schedule and a familiar breakfast do more for your section timing than one extra hour of revision.
Plan the day
Read the provider's candidate information notice or handbook end to end and note anything about permitted items, ID, timings and section structure. Confirm with the provider anything the notice leaves ambiguous.
Check that your registration details - name spelling, date of birth, test centre, test version and any accommodations - are correct. Contact the provider immediately if anything is wrong; corrections close at a deadline you should confirm with the provider.
Confirm the test centre's exact address and candidate entrance, and rehearse the journey at the same time of day you will travel. Identify a backup route and a nearby place to wait if you arrive early.
Do a short, format-focused review only: section order, number of questions, time per section and the answer-sheet style. Stop learning new material.
Shift your sleep schedule so you are awake and alert at the test's start time, and plan light days for the final two evenings.
Pack your bag: ID, permit, stationery, watch, water and snack (if permitted), and clothing layers. Put everything by the door so the morning requires no decisions.
Re-check the travel plan and any transport disruption notices; confirm your alarm and a backup alarm. Keep your phone charged but plan to leave it outside the test room.
Do one light pass over your summary notes and the section timing plan, then stop. Eat a normal meal and go to bed at your usual time.
Eat a normal breakfast, dress in layers, and leave earlier than the journey requires. Aim to be at the centre well before the reporting time, not exactly at it.
Leave phones, smart watches, earbuds and study notes with a companion or in your vehicle. Assume you cannot access them once you enter the secure area.
Keep your ID and permit in your hand, not buried in your bag. Follow proctor instructions for seating and materials, and use the restroom before the room is sealed.
Read the instruction page for each section fully, then set a time budget per section and per question. Answer every question you can within budget rather than perfecting a few.
Mark your best answer as you go so no correct answer is lost to a timing problem. Flag uncertain items and return to them only after you have reached the end of the section.
Check periodically that your answer positions line up with the question numbers, especially after skipping an item. Misalignment is the most common avoidable scoring loss.
In scheduled breaks, stand, move and drink water; do not debrief the previous section with other candidates. Return to your seat before the break ends.
Note anything you want to raise with the provider while it is fresh, and confirm with the provider how and when results are released and what the review or appeal route is.
Rules to check
Bring the photo ID specified by the provider and keep it on your desk for the whole session. If your ID does not match your registration name, you may be refused admission - confirm the accepted ID types and any name-change documentation with the provider.
Electronic devices, including phones, smart watches, fitness bands and earbuds, must be switched off and stored outside the test room as the proctor directs. Possession of a device in the secure area is commonly treated as misconduct regardless of whether it was used.
Follow all proctor instructions immediately, including on seating, materials, talking and leaving the room. If you believe you have a problem with your paper or equipment, raise your hand and wait rather than resolving it yourself.
Do not communicate with other candidates from the moment you enter the secure area until you leave it, including during breaks. Discussing content with candidates who have not yet sat the test is normally prohibited.
Use only the stationery and materials the provider permits. Bringing in notes, written material, or an unapproved calculator is normally treated as misconduct, and the penalty can be cancellation of your result.
Break and restroom arrangements are set by the centre and time does not usually stop for them. Confirm the break policy and whether the clock pauses with the provider before the test day.
Scoring and penalty rules differ between papers; do not assume there is or is not a penalty for wrong answers. Confirm the marking scheme and whether blank answers score zero with the provider before deciding whether to guess.
If you are ill, late or unable to attend, contact the provider as soon as possible; do not enter the room and hope for the best. Special consideration, transfer and refund rules are provider-specific - confirm them with the provider.