IR Level I exam-day guide
IR Level I · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring the original document, not a photocopy. The name must match your registration record exactly, including middle names or suffixes. Accepted ID types vary by provider and testing vendor, so confirm the approved list with the provider before test day - do not assume a student card or expired passport will be accepted.
Appointment confirmation / admission document
Print the confirmation email or save it offline on your phone before you leave. Some centers check a confirmation number at the front desk; others do not require it. Confirm with the provider whether a printed copy is mandatory or whether a digital copy is acceptable.
Approved calculator (if permitted)
Check the provider's calculator policy first: some programs supply an on-screen calculator, some allow a specific model list, and some prohibit all devices. If a physical calculator is allowed, bring the exact listed model with fresh batteries and no case or lid on the desk.
Two working pens or pencils plus a spare
Even if the center supplies writing instruments, carrying your own reduces friction. Confirm whether scratch paper or an erasable note board is provided and whether you may bring your own - rules on this differ sharply between providers.
Nothing else at the workstation
Phones, smartwatches, fitness bands, earbuds, notes, and study sheets must be stored away. Personal item storage arrangements (locker, shelf, or none) vary, so confirm with the provider what to expect and travel light.
Exact testing location, route, and arrival time
Confirm the street address and building entrance - testing centers are often inside office towers or campus buildings with slow security lines. Aim to arrive earlier than the stated check-in time; a common expectation is roughly 30 minutes early, but confirm the specific figure with the provider.
One-page personal summary sheet
Prepare a single sheet of formulas, definitions, and recurring traps in your own words. Review it in the 24 hours before the exam, then put it away. Do not attempt to learn new topics at this stage; consolidation beats coverage.
A log of missed practice questions
Bring a short list of the three to five error patterns you keep repeating (unit confusion, misreading 'EXCEPT', rushing calculations). Read it in the final hour before check-in rather than reworking full practice sets.
Accommodations confirmation, if applicable
If you requested extended time, a separate room, or a medical accommodation, verify approval in writing before test day. Accommodation request deadlines are usually well before the exam date; confirm your status directly with the provider.
Reschedule and cancellation terms
Know the deadline and fee for changing your appointment in case of illness or travel problems. These terms are provider-specific and often tiered by how close to test day you act - confirm with the provider and note the deadline in your calendar.
Score-report expectations
Find out in advance whether a preliminary pass/fail result appears on screen at the end, and when the official score report is released. Do not plan to appeal or retake until you have confirmed the score release timing and retake waiting period with the provider.
Plan the day
Stop expanding your syllabus. Spend the time on two or three timed mixed-topic sets under exam conditions - same duration, no phone, no pausing - and review every wrong answer to the underlying concept. Sleep on a normal schedule; a late-night cram session now costs more in test-day fatigue than it gains in recall.
Do the logistics once and then stop: confirm the appointment time, address, arrival instruction, accepted ID, and permitted items. Lay out your ID, confirmation, and writing instruments in one place so the morning requires no decisions.
Review only your one-page summary sheet and error-pattern log - roughly 60 to 90 minutes total, then close the books. Confirm travel time and any parking or transit constraints, check the weather, and set two alarms.
Eat a normal dinner, avoid alcohol, and go to bed at your usual hour. If you cannot sleep, rest quietly rather than studying; a calm, rested brain outperforms a tired, over-rehearsed one.
Eat a light, familiar breakfast and limit caffeine to your normal amount - an unusual dose can increase anxiety and bathroom trips. Avoid heavy meals and unfamiliar energy drinks.
Read your error-pattern log for 15 to 20 minutes only. Arrive earlier than required, allowing buffer for security screening, ID verification, and equipment setup; late arrivals may be refused entry or have time deducted, so confirm the provider's late-arrival rule in advance.
Use the first two minutes to note the total number of questions and the time limit, then compute your average per-question pace. Write the intermediate checkpoint times on your scratch paper so you can tell whether you are ahead or behind at a glance.
Answer in two passes. First pass: solve everything you can quickly and flag anything that will take more than about 90 seconds. Second pass: return to flagged items with the remaining time rather than letting one hard question consume the clock.
Read each stem twice before computing - look for qualifiers such as 'least likely', 'except', 'best', and unit specifications. Most lost points at this level come from misreading rather than from missing knowledge.
Before submitting, confirm you have answered every question if the format penalizes blanks differently than wrong answers; the scoring rule on unanswered items is provider-specific, so confirm it with the provider beforehand.
If unscheduled breaks are permitted, use them only when concentration genuinely drops, and note that the clock may keep running. Confirm the break policy before test day.
Rules to check
Bring original, valid government-issued photo identification with a name matching your registration exactly. Copies, expired documents, and digital images are generally refused; confirm the accepted forms with the provider before test day.
Do not bring unauthorized materials into the testing room - notes, textbooks, phones, smartwatches, earbuds, and non-approved calculators must be stored as the center directs. Unauthorized items on your person or desk can invalidate your result regardless of intent.
Confirm before test day whether scheduled breaks exist, how long they run, and whether the timer pauses during them. Policies differ between computer-based and paper-based administrations and between standard and accommodated sessions.
Follow all proctor instructions immediately, including desk setup, scratch-paper handling, and sign-out procedures. Disputes should be raised through the provider's formal channel after the exam, never with the proctor in the testing room.
Scoring rules - including the passing score, whether wrong answers are penalized, and whether questions are equally weighted - are set by the provider and are not always published. Confirm how your exam is scored rather than relying on secondhand accounts.
Exam content and questions are confidential. Do not attempt to record, reproduce, or share any test item afterward; doing so typically breaches the candidate agreement and can lead to score cancellation or a ban.
Report any technical malfunction, interruption, or distraction to the proctor immediately and ask for it to be documented. Contemporary records make later score or complaint inquiries far easier to resolve.
If you are unwell on the day, contact the provider before your appointment time about rescheduling options rather than sitting the exam impaired; the available remedies depend on the provider's policy and its stated deadlines.