RE5 exam-day guide
RE5 · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Booking confirmation and examination reference
Bring the confirmation email or letter from your accredited provider, printed or saved offline on your phone. Provider-specific requirements vary - confirm with the provider whether a printed copy is required.
Valid original identity document
Bring the original ID document you used to book (South African ID book/card, or passport). Photocopies, expired documents, and digital copies are generally not accepted. Confirm with the provider which documents are accepted for your nationality.
Name matching your booking
Your ID must match the name on your examination booking exactly. If you have recently married, changed a surname, or booked under a shortened name, contact the provider before exam day to have it corrected.
Venue details or online proctoring access
For a test-centre sitting, confirm the address, parking, and arrival window the day before. For a remotely proctored sitting, confirm the platform, login credentials, system-check link, and the room rules in advance.
Reliable device and connection (online sittings only)
Use a laptop or desktop with a working webcam, microphone, and speakers, plugged into power. Have a backup connection such as a mobile hotspot, and know how to switch to it.
A quiet, well-lit, clutter-free room (online sittings only)
Use a private room with a plain table, good lighting on your face, and no other people, screens, notes, or wall charts in view. Tell household members not to enter during the session.
Only permitted items at your desk
Assume that notes, textbooks, phones, smart watches, and study material are not allowed. Confirm with the provider whether rough paper, a calculator, or a pen is permitted for your sitting.
Water and a light snack for before the session
You cannot typically leave the room or pause the clock mid-exam. Hydrate and eat lightly beforehand rather than during.
Backup power plan
If you are sitting online, charge your device fully and have a power bank or an alternative venue in mind in case of a power outage. Load-shedding schedules are published in advance - check yours.
Your content outline, not a new textbook
In the final 24 hours, revise only your own summaries and the official examination content outline. Learning new material the night before tends to reduce recall, not improve it.
A timed full mock run
Complete at least one full-length practice paper under exam conditions - same time limit, no interruptions, no notes - so the pace on the day feels familiar.
Provider's candidate handbook or rules document
Read it end to end before exam day so you know the late-arrival rule, the conduct rules, and the results and appeal process. Confirm these with the provider if anything is unclear.
Plan the day
Reconfirm your booking, sitting format, venue or platform, and start time with the provider in writing. Do one full timed mock and mark it. Spend the remaining time only on the sections where the mock exposed gaps, working from the official content outline.
Do a second, shorter revision pass over your weak areas and your own summary sheets. If you are sitting online, run the provider's system check on the device you will actually use, and test your backup connection.
Stop studying new material. Pack or lay out your ID, confirmation, and permitted items. Confirm travel time, parking, or login details. Set two alarms. Get a full night's sleep - a rested candidate outperforms a cramming one.
Eat a normal breakfast, avoid heavy caffeine if you are already anxious, and leave with buffer time. For a test centre, aim to arrive well before the registration window closes - late arrivals are commonly refused entry, so confirm the cut-off with the provider. For an online sitting, log in early and complete identity verification before the clock starts.
Read the instructions and the time limit carefully. Note how many questions there are and how much time that gives you per question. Take a slow breath - the first few questions are usually the ones people over-read.
Answer the straightforward questions first, flag the long or ambiguous ones, and return to them. Read for the words 'always', 'never', 'most appropriate', and 'FIRST' - they change the answer. Answer every question unless negative marking is stated in your instructions; confirm with the provider whether negative marking applies.
Check that every question has an answer and revisit flagged items. Only change an answer if you can point to a specific reason - second-guessing without a reason usually costs marks.
Note down any question topics that surprised you while they are fresh, and confirm with the provider when and how results will be released.
Rules to check
Bring the original identity document used at booking. Entry is generally refused without it, and a copy or photograph is not a substitute. Confirm the accepted document list with your provider before exam day.
Arrive or log in within the provider's stated window. Candidates who arrive after the cut-off are usually not admitted and may forfeit the fee - confirm the exact late-arrival and rescheduling rules with the provider.
No unauthorised materials or devices at the desk: no notes, textbooks, phones, smart watches, or earpieces. For remotely proctored sittings, keep the room clear and stay in webcam view; leaving the frame may be treated as a conduct breach.
No communication with other candidates from the moment you enter the examination area until you leave. Do not discuss question content afterwards in a way that could compromise the integrity of the examination.
Assume there are no scheduled breaks in a single-sitting examination and that the clock keeps running. Confirm with the provider whether comfort breaks are allowed and how they affect your time.
The pass mark, number of questions, time allowance, and scoring method are set by the examining body and can change. Confirm the current pass mark and whether negative marking applies with your accredited provider rather than relying on second-hand information.
Follow the invigilator's or proctor's instructions immediately. Suspected misconduct is handled under the provider's and the regulator's rules and can lead to the result being withheld or the sitting being voided.
Keep your confirmation, ID, and result correspondence. If a technical failure or a dispute arises, the provider will ask for your examination reference and the timing of the incident - raise it in writing as soon as possible.