Madagascar CAE/EP exam-day guide
Madagascar CAE/EP · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Confirm the exact exam date, start time and venue with the provider
The CAE/EP is organised in Madagascar by an approved test centre; the session calendar, address and reporting hour are set by that centre, not by this guide. Contact the centre or check your registration confirmation to confirm the venue and the hour you must arrive, and note whether the session is paper-based or computer-based, since this changes what you may bring.
Valid photo ID matching your registration name
Bring the original identity document whose details match your registration exactly (spelling, order of names, date of birth). A passport is the safest choice for an international exam. Confirm with the provider which documents it accepts (national ID card, passport, residence permit) and whether a photocopy is refused; do not assume.
Printed registration confirmation / convocation
Print the confirmation email or convocation you received after registering and bring it with you. Some centres ask for it at reception; check the instructions in your own confirmation, since requirements vary from one session to another.
Several black or blue ballpoint pens (paper-based sessions)
If your session is paper-based, bring at least two reliable pens of the colour the instructions specify and check with the provider whether correction fluid, pencils or erasers are allowed. For computer-based sessions, a pen is usually only useful for rough notes if the centre provides paper.
Know the test structure and timing before you arrive
The CAE/EP is a professional written examination in French. Re-read the official exam description and any sample materials provided by the organiser so that you know the number and type of exercises, the total duration and how marks are distributed. Do not rely on second-hand summaries of the format.
Watch, ID-safe clothing and no prohibited accessories
Wear a watch if you are used to timing yourself, but confirm with the provider whether watches are permitted in the room; many centres now refuse smart watches and sometimes all watches. Leave jewellery, caps and outer layers that are not needed at home or in the cloakroom.
Phone switched off and stored as instructed
Mobile phones and connected devices are normally forbidden in the examination room. Plan to leave yours in the place the invigilators designate; confirm the centre's rule on personal belongings when you arrive.
Water and a light snack for before or after the session
Check whether drinks are allowed at your desk; if not, drink and eat before entering the room. Sessions can be long, and the venue may not have a shop nearby.
Transport and route planned in advance
In Antananarivo and other cities, traffic and road conditions can make a short distance take much longer than expected. Identify the route, a backup route and the arrival time you need, and aim to be at the venue well before the reporting hour rather than exactly on time.
Review the official instructions on permitted materials
Confirm with the provider whether any reference documents, dictionaries, calculators or other aids are authorised for the CAE/EP. Do not bring any of these unless the official instructions explicitly allow them, and mark this item for verification with your centre.
Prepare your strategy for each exercise type
Decide in advance how you will allocate time across the parts of the paper, which questions you will answer first, and how you will handle a question that blocks you. Practise this allocation on at least one full timed paper under exam conditions.
Rest and a normal routine the night before
Avoid last-minute cramming of new material, sleep at your usual time, and prepare your documents and clothes the evening before so that the morning is calm and predictable.
Plan the day
Stop learning new topics. Re-read your own summary sheets and the official exam description, then do one full timed rehearsal under conditions close to the real session: same duration, no interruptions, no notes. Mark your answers and list the two or three exercise types that cost you the most time or marks, and spend the remaining days only on those.
Verify the practical details: exact venue and reporting time, route and travel time, accepted identity documents, and whether the session is paper-based or computer-based. If any point is unclear, contact the provider now rather than the day before; offices may be closed at the weekend.
Prepare and lay out your documents (ID, printed confirmation) and your permitted materials in one place. Check the spelling on your ID against your registration and ask the provider immediately if there is a discrepancy, because a name mismatch can prevent you from sitting the exam.
Do a light review only: your summary sheets and the timing plan for each part of the paper. Do not start a new practice paper and do not try to memorise new content, which mostly increases anxiety without adding marks.
Confirm transport and, if you are travelling from outside the city, your accommodation. Set two alarms, charge your phone and prepare a backup way to reach the venue. Eat normally and go to bed at your usual time.
Eat a proper breakfast, take your ID, printed confirmation and permitted pens, and leave earlier than your calculated travel time to absorb traffic or transport problems. Arrive before the reporting hour so that you can find the room and complete any check-in calmly.
Switch off your phone before entering the check-in area and store it and other belongings where the invigilators instruct. Keep only what is authorised at your desk. Listen carefully to the instructions read out, and ask an invigilator quietly if something is unclear before the paper starts.
Read the instructions for each exercise before writing, note the time at which you should move on, and keep to your allocation. Answer the questions you can handle confidently first, mark anything doubtful and return to it, and never leave a question blank if there is no penalty for a wrong answer, since a partial or reasoned answer can still earn marks.
Write legibly and structure longer answers with clear paragraphs or headings so that the marker can follow your reasoning. Watch the clock at fixed checkpoints rather than continuously, and reserve the last minutes to check that every required section has been attempted and that your name and candidate details are correctly filled in.
Note down, while it is fresh, which exercise types caused difficulty and what you would do differently. Ask the provider about the results timeline and the procedure for any query, and keep your candidate documents until the results are issued.
Rules to check
Bring the original identity document that matches your registration exactly, and present it when asked. A name mismatch, an expired document or a photocopy can lead to being refused entry; confirm with the provider which documents are accepted before the session.
Arrive at the reporting hour stated by the centre. Candidates who arrive late may be admitted only at the discretion of the invigilators, and no extra time is normally granted; confirm the centre's late-arrival policy in advance.
Do not bring unauthorised materials into the examination room: notes, books, dictionaries, calculators or any connected device, unless the official instructions explicitly allow them. Phones must be switched off and stored as instructed; a device found at your desk during the paper is likely to be treated as misconduct.
Follow the invigilators' instructions at all times, including on seating, talking, leaving the room and the end of the paper. Raise your hand and wait if you need to speak to an invigilator rather than turning to other candidates.
Breaks are governed by the session rules: confirm with the provider whether a break is scheduled, how long it is and whether you may leave the room. If you leave during an authorised break, expect that you may not take any materials with you and that you may be accompanied.
Scoring is set by the organiser, not by the test centre. Ask the provider how the paper is marked, what the pass mark is and when results are published; do not rely on unofficial claims about marking or about the pass rate.
If you believe there was a problem during the session (noise, a missing page, a faulty computer), report it to the invigilator immediately and note the time. Complaints raised after you have left the room are much harder to support.
Any attempt to copy another candidate's work, communicate with others, use unauthorised aids or impersonate another candidate is treated as fraud and can lead to cancellation of the result and further consequences. The exact sanctions are set by the organiser; confirm them with the provider.