OK POST exam-day guide
OK POST · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring the exact original ID document your registration requires (typically a passport or national ID card). Check that it is unexpired and that the name matches your registration exactly, including middle names and accents. A photocopy or a photo on your phone is normally not accepted; confirm the accepted ID types with the provider before test day.
Appointment confirmation and test-taker ID number
Print or save offline the confirmation email showing your appointment time, test centre address, and any candidate or registration number. You may be asked for this number at check-in, so keep it accessible without needing a network connection.
Know your test centre route and arrival buffer
Rehearse the journey to the centre and plan to arrive well before your appointment, allowing for transport delays and security screening. The exact arrival cut-off and late-admission policy vary by centre; confirm with the provider and write the cut-off time on your confirmation printout.
Review the provider's test-day rules page
Read the current rules on permitted personal items, prohibited devices, storage of bags, and security screening. These details change, so use the provider's official page rather than older forum posts.
Confirm break and timing policy
Check whether your exam has scheduled or optional breaks, whether the clock stops during breaks, and whether you may leave the room. Do not assume a break structure; confirm with the provider and note it on your plan.
Confirm permitted aids and materials
Find out whether scratch paper, a pen, or an on-screen notepad is provided, and whether you may bring your own. Bringing unauthorised materials can lead to confiscation or a conduct report, so verify in advance.
Plan medication, food, and hydration
If you need medication, food, or water during the test, ask the provider in advance about accommodations and where these items may be kept. Do not rely on being allowed to keep them at your desk.
Confirm score reporting and result timeline
Check how and when results are released, whether a preliminary score appears on screen, and how long official score reports take. Where the provider offers score sending, know whether you select recipients before or after the test.
Prepare a small, secure place for personal items
Assume bags, phones, and watches must be stored away from the testing room. Leave valuables at home and carry only what you need, since storage arrangements differ by centre.
Sleep and logistics plan for the night before
Set two alarms, lay out your ID and confirmation the night before, and avoid late-night cramming. Fatigue affects timed performance more than one extra hour of review.
Accessibility or special arrangements confirmation
If you requested extra time, a separate room, or other accommodations, bring the approval confirmation and verify the arrangements are recorded for your appointment. Confirm with the provider if you have not received written approval.
Emergency contact and centre phone number
Save the test centre's contact number so you can call if transport fails or you are running late. Whether a late arrival can be accommodated is at the centre's discretion; confirm with the provider.
Plan the day
Stop learning new material. Review your own error log and summary sheets, and do one or two short timed sets to keep pacing sharp rather than full-length mocks that drain you. Re-read the provider's test-day rules and confirm the appointment time, centre address, and ID requirements. Resolve any open question about breaks, permitted items, or accommodations now, not on the morning of the test.
Do a light review of formats and instructions, then stop. Prepare your ID, confirmation printout, and any approved items in one place. Check the transport route and weather, set alarms, eat a normal meal, and go to bed at your usual time. Avoid intensive practice; the marginal gain is small and the cost in fatigue is real.
Eat a normal breakfast and limit caffeine to your usual amount so you do not need repeated bathroom breaks. Arrive at the centre with a generous buffer for check-in and security screening. Leave phones, smart watches, and study notes stored as the centre directs. Use the waiting time for calm breathing, not last-minute review.
Present your ID and confirmation, follow staff instructions for photographs, signature, and locker use, and ask where the restrooms are before you enter the testing room. Raise any discrepancy in your name or appointment immediately rather than after the test begins.
Read the on-screen instructions and confirm the timer and section structure before starting. Do a first pass answering questions you can resolve quickly, flag uncertain ones, and return to them; never leave a question blank if the exam does not penalise wrong answers. Watch the clock at section boundaries and reserve time to review flagged items. If equipment malfunctions or you are disturbed, note the time and report it to the administrator immediately, since later complaints are harder to substantiate.
Note any irregularities and ask the administrator how to report them in writing. Confirm when and how results will be released and whether you selected score recipients. Do not discuss specific questions with other candidates; instead record what you found difficult so your next study cycle targets it.
Rules to check
Bring the original, unexpired ID document specified by the provider. Name mismatches, photocopies, and expired documents are common reasons for being turned away, and the exact accepted ID types should be confirmed with the provider.
Arrive by the stated check-in time. Admission after the cut-off is generally at the centre's discretion, so confirm the late-arrival policy with the provider and plan to be early.
Do not bring unauthorised devices or materials into the testing room. Phones, smart watches, notes, and similar items are typically prohibited, and possession during the test can lead to confiscation or a misconduct report.
Follow all administrator instructions during check-in, the test, and breaks. Talking, leaving the testing area without permission, or accessing notes during breaks may be treated as a conduct violation.
Use only the scratch materials and aids the provider supplies or permits. Confirm in advance what is allowed, and do not bring your own paper or writing implements unless explicitly approved.
Breaks are governed by the provider's rules, which vary by exam and centre. Confirm whether breaks are scheduled or optional, whether the clock runs during them, and what you may access before relying on any assumption.
Scoring rules, including whether wrong answers are penalised, how sections are weighted, and when results are released, are set by the provider. Confirm these details from official material rather than assuming, and answer accordingly.
Report any equipment failure, disturbance, or rule ambiguity to the test administrator immediately and ask how to document it. Requests for review are far easier to support when raised at the time.