MAI exam-day guide
MAI · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Confirm the exam format and delivery method with your provider
Before the final week, verify whether your MAI sitting is at a test center or remote-proctored, the exact start time in your local time zone, and the total appointment length including any check-in or tutorial time. Confirm with the provider rather than relying on a scheduling email alone, since policies can change between registration and test day.
Government-issued photo ID matching your registration name
Bring the original physical ID (passport or national ID card are the safest choices). The name and spelling must match your registration exactly; a nickname or an expired document is a common cause of being turned away. Whether a driver's license is accepted varies by provider, so confirm the accepted ID list with the provider in advance.
Your appointment confirmation and registration number
Have the confirmation email, candidate ID, and any test-center address or remote-session link saved offline (screenshot or printed). You may not be allowed to open a phone or email app at the test center, so an offline copy matters.
Know what personal items are prohibited or must be stored
Phones, smartwatches, notes, and bags are almost always restricted, and many centers provide a locker. Confirm with the provider what is allowed at your seat, because rules differ between in-person and remote delivery and between centers.
Check the permitted-aids policy for your exam
Do not assume you get scratch paper, a calculator, or a formula sheet. Confirm with the provider whether an on-screen calculator, provided dry-erase materials, or nothing at all is available, and practice under that exact condition at least once.
Review break and timing rules
Find out whether breaks are scheduled, optional, or unavailable, and whether the clock stops during them. Confirm with the provider, then rehearse your section pacing with those breaks built in.
Plan travel and arrive early
For a test center, scout the route and building entrance beforehand and aim to arrive well before your appointment, since late arrival can mean forfeiture of your seat and fee. For remote delivery, test your link and room setup the day before. The exact early-arrival window should be confirmed with the provider.
Prepare your remote-testing environment (if applicable)
A private room, a cleared desk, working camera and microphone, stable internet, and a power source are typical requirements for remote proctoring. Confirm with the provider the specific room, software, and system-check requirements, and complete any mandatory system test in advance.
Sleep, food, and hydration plan
Protect sleep in the 48 hours before the exam and plan a normal meal, not a heavy one, before a long sitting. Bring water only if the provider permits it at your seat; otherwise hydrate before check-in.
A backup plan for technical or transport failure
Save the provider's candidate-support phone number and know their policy for technical interruptions or rescheduling. Confirm with the provider how to report an issue on the day and what documentation they require.
Plan the day
Stop learning new material. Re-read your own summary sheet of formulas, definitions, and frameworks, and redo a small set of missed questions rather than a full new mock. Confirm logistics: ID validity, appointment time and time zone, test-center route or remote room setup, and permitted aids. Adjust sleep so you wake naturally near your exam start time.
Do a light review only, then stop. Complete any provider-required system check or check-in step, charge devices, pack your ID and confirmation, and lay out clothes. Avoid intensive cramming, alcohol, and late screens. Write down your section pacing plan (target minutes per question or per section) so you do not have to compute it under pressure.
Eat a normal meal, arrive or log in early per the provider's instructions, and bring only permitted items. Do a short warm-up of a few easy questions to activate recall, not to learn anything new. At the test center, follow staff instructions for ID check and locker use; remotely, complete the room scan and identity verification calmly and early.
Read each question fully before answering, and watch the clock at fixed checkpoints rather than continuously. If a question stalls you, mark it, pick the best answer, and move on; return only if time allows. Use any scheduled break to stand, hydrate, and reset, and note your remaining time when you sit back down. If a technical problem occurs, stop and notify the proctor immediately rather than troubleshooting alone.
Rules to check
Bring the exact ID the provider requires, with a name matching your registration; if you are unsure which documents are accepted, confirm with the provider before test day.
Arrive or log in by the provider's stated time. Late arrival may result in being denied entry or having your appointment cancelled without a refund, so confirm the cutoff with the provider.
Keep prohibited items (phones, smartwatches, notes, bags) out of your testing space. Unauthorized materials or devices can lead to score cancellation, so confirm the permitted-items list with the provider.
Follow all proctor instructions, including identity verification and any room scan for remote delivery. Do not communicate with anyone other than the proctor during the exam.
Do not attempt to capture, copy, or share exam content in any form. Sharing or reproducing questions is a serious violation and is typically grounds for voiding your result.
Use only the aids the provider permits. If a calculator, scratch paper, or reference sheet is not explicitly allowed, assume it is prohibited and confirm with the provider if in doubt.
Understand the scoring and retake policy before you sit: how the exam is scored, when results are released, and any waiting period before a retake. These specifics vary, so confirm them with the provider rather than assuming.
If a technical failure or emergency interrupts your test, report it to the proctor or candidate support immediately and keep any reference number; ask the provider what remedy or rescheduling applies.