7.3 Exam-Day Checklist

Know Your Delivery Mode

PeopleCert delivers PRINCE2 7 Foundation in two ways, and the logistics differ:

Confirm which you booked when you scheduled. Most candidates now take the online proctored exam. The single most common avoidable failure is a technical or environment problem on the day — solved entirely by preparation the day before.

Identity document (both modes)

You must show one original, current, government-issued photo ID that includes your photograph and date of birth in English characters. Acceptable types include a passport, national ID card, or driving licence. Three hard rules:

1. It must be valid/current — an expired ID is rejected.
2. It must be the original, not a photocopy or photo.
3. The name must match the name you used to book the exam.

Environment and Hardware (Online Proctored)

If you booked online proctoring, your room and equipment are part of the security check. Prepare a space that meets PeopleCert's rules:

• A quiet, private room with sufficient lighting for the proctor to see you clearly.
• A clean, clear desk — no books, notes, papers, or stationery within reach (PRINCE2 Foundation is closed-book).
• No other person may be present in the room at any time during the exam.
• No transparent walls — the proctor must be able to confirm you are alone.
• No second monitor, phone, smartwatch, or headphones unless explicitly permitted.

On the technology side, do this the day before, not at exam time:

1. Download and install ExamShield from the link in your PeopleCert confirmation email.
2. Run the built-in compatibility / system check and resolve any warnings.
3. Test your webcam and microphone — the proctor uses them to verify you and your environment, including a 360° room scan.
4. Confirm a stable, wired-if-possible internet connection and disable auto-updates/notifications.
5. Close every other application so ExamShield can lock the desktop.

Logging in cold on exam day, hitting a webcam-driver problem, and burning ten minutes of your hour is a self-inflicted wound this checklist prevents.

On the Day: Check In Early and Settle

Treat the start of the exam as a separate task from answering questions:

• Check in 15–30 minutes early. Online proctoring requires identity verification, a room scan, and a desk scan before the timer starts; test-centre check-in needs the same buffer.
• Complete the proctor's pre-exam steps calmly — show your ID to the camera, pan the room, show your desk. This does not eat your exam time; the 60-minute clock starts when the exam itself begins.
• Read the on-screen tutorial/instructions. Learn exactly how to select an answer, how to flag a question, and how to navigate between items, so your two-pass strategy works smoothly.
• Apply the one-minute-per-question rhythm from section 7.1: answer-and-flag on pass one, revisit on pass two, confirm no blanks on pass three.
• Remember your extra time if eligible. Non-native English speakers automatically receive 25% extra time (75 minutes) — confirm it is applied before you start.
• Stay in frame. Do not look off-screen for long, talk aloud, or leave your seat; proctoring software flags these and they can invalidate a result.

Go in expecting the administrative part to be smooth and forgettable. If your ID matches, your room is clean, your software is tested, and you check in early, every minute of the hour is yours for the 60 questions.

A Printable Pre-Exam Checklist

Work through this the night before and again one hour before you start. Treat it as a flight checklist — boring, mechanical, and the reason nothing goes wrong:

• Confirmed my delivery mode (online proctored vs test centre) and start time in my local time zone.
• My photo ID is original, current, in English characters, and matches my booking name.
• ExamShield installed and the compatibility check passed (online proctored).
• Webcam and microphone tested; laptop is on power, not battery.
• Internet stable (wired preferred); auto-updates and notifications disabled.
• Room private and quiet; door can be closed; no one else will enter.
• Desk cleared of all notes, books, phones, watches, and second screens.
• All other applications closed before launching ExamShield.
• Planned to check in 15–30 minutes early for ID, room and desk scans.
• Confirmed 25% extra time is applied if English is not my first language.

What counts as a violation

Proctored exams are voided for avoidable breaches, so know the lines. Looking away from the screen for long stretches, talking aloud, having a phone within reach, letting another person enter the room, or using notes will all be flagged and can invalidate your result — and you do not get the fee back. None of these are restrictions on your knowledge; they are administrative rules that a five-minute setup makes irrelevant. Foundation is closed-book by design, so there is nothing to gain from notes anyway: the exam tests recall you have already built, and a clean, calm environment simply lets that recall show.