PRINCE2 Foundation (PRINCE2) exam-day guide
PRINCE2 Foundation · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring the original ID in the name used on your booking. Which specific document types are accepted (passport, driving licence, national ID) is set by the exam provider, so confirm the accepted list with the provider before the exam.
Appointment confirmation / candidate reference
Have your booking confirmation, candidate number and the provider's contact details to hand in case of a technical or scheduling problem. Whether a printed copy is required depends on the venue - confirm with the provider.
Working webcam, microphone and stable internet (online-proctored sittings)
If you are sitting the exam remotely, test the equipment and run any required system/identity check in advance, and have a backup connection (e.g. mobile tethering) ready.
A quiet, well-lit room with a clear desk
For remote sittings, remove notes, books, phones, smart watches and any second screen from the desk and the room. The proctor may ask you to pan the camera around the space.
No reference material - Foundation is a closed-book exam
You cannot use the PRINCE2 manual, notes, flashcards or printed summaries during the exam, so revise definitions and process flows into memory beforehand.
Writing materials (only if permitted)
Some sittings allow a pen and a blank or erasable sheet for rough work; others provide it or forbid it. Check what is permitted for your delivery mode with the provider.
Know the paper structure cold
Foundation is a multiple-choice exam of 60 questions in 60 minutes, closed book, with a pass mark of 55% (33 of 60). Knowing this shapes your pacing: roughly one minute per question.
Logistics and travel plan (test-centre sittings)
Plan your route in advance and allow a generous buffer for check-in and security. The exact arrival/check-in window is set by the venue - confirm it with the provider.
Approved access arrangements, if you need them
Extra time or other reasonable adjustments are normally requested in advance, not on the day. If you need any, confirm the process and deadlines with the provider well before the exam.
Completed practice papers
Before exam day, do at least one or two full-length timed practice sets so you know your pace and can recognise the 'which principle/theme/process is this' style of question quickly.
A one-page revision sheet for the final hour
Condense the 7 principles, 7 themes and 7 processes plus the purpose of each process into a single page. Use it before you travel, then put it away - it cannot go into the exam room.
Water and a settled routine
Bring water if the venue or remote-exam rules allow it (confirm with the provider) and avoid last-minute cramming that leaves you tired.
Plan the day
Confirm the appointment details - date, time, time zone, venue or remote-exam platform - and re-read the provider's candidate instructions so there are no surprises about ID or check-in.
Run one full timed practice set under exam conditions (60 questions, 60 minutes, no notes). Mark it, then spend the review time on the areas that were weakest.
Test your technology for a remote sitting: webcam, microphone, browser compatibility, any proctoring software, and the room you will use. Fix issues now rather than on the day.
Do a light, structured review only: the 7 principles, the purpose of each of the 7 themes, the purpose and key inputs/outputs of each of the 7 processes, and the project-management team roles.
Lay out ID, confirmation, directions or login details, and decide what you will wear and eat. Aim to stop studying early and sleep properly.
Confirm whether any permitted items (pen, rough paper, water) are allowed for your delivery mode - do not assume.
Eat normally and avoid new stress. Do a 20-minute skim of your one-page summary, then close the notes for good.
Leave for the test centre with a buffer, or log in and complete any identity/system checks before your start time so you begin calm rather than catching up.
Work at about one minute per question. Answer everything you are sure of, and flag anything that needs thinking rather than stalling on it.
Return to flagged questions, eliminate clearly wrong options, and use the process of elimination to choose between the remaining two. Watch for questions asking for the BEST or FIRST action.
Check that no question is left unanswered and that your answers match the numbering. Only change an answer if you have a concrete reason - second-guessing rarely helps.
Rules to check
Bring the original, valid photo ID in the name on the booking. The accepted document types are set by the provider, so confirm them in advance rather than assuming any photo ID will do.
All electronic devices - phones, smart watches, earbuds, second screens - must be off and away from your desk for the whole sitting. For remote exams, a device in the room can void your result.
The Foundation exam is closed book: no manual, notes, printed summaries or unauthorised materials. Using them can lead to the exam being invalidated.
Breaks are generally not permitted during the exam; if you have an approved access arrangement covering breaks, confirm how it is administered with the provider before the day.
Results are usually shown or issued shortly after the exam, but the formal outcome and any certificate/receipt process vary by delivery mode - confirm how and when your result will be issued with the provider.
Passing Foundation (55%, i.e. 33 of 60) is the prerequisite for the Practitioner exam, so keep your Foundation result documentation safe if you plan to progress.
If anything goes wrong - technical failure, illness, ID not accepted - stop and notify the invigilator or provider support immediately rather than attempting to continue; the provider controls any rescheduling or special-consideration policy, so confirm the process with them.