ISEE Test Day Checklist:ID and Items for Every Test Format

Confirm the test format

The questions, number of questions and timing of the ISEE (Independent School Entrance Exam) are identical in every format; the differences lie in the procedures and rules on test day. After registering, the parent receives a Verification Letter that states the test format, date and check-in time. Before preparing for test day, confirm the student’s format against the table below.

Test format	Applicants to grades	How students answer	Checklist on this page
In-Person & Online	Grades 2–12	On a device at the test site, in a group or individually	Test site computer testing
Prometric test center	Grades 5–12	On a computer at a third-party test center	Test site computer testing
In-Person & Paper	Grades 2–12	Test booklet and answer sheet, bubbled in with a No. 2 or HB pencil	Paper testing
At-Home	Grades 2–12	On the family’s own device, with a remote proctor monitoring throughout	At-home online proctored testing

Source: official ERB ISEE materials.

The total length of the timed sections at each level is shown below. The table counts only the time allowed for each section and excludes check-in and breaks.

Level	Applicants to grade	Total timed sections	Breaks
Primary 2	Grade 2	53 minutes	1 break, 10 minutes
Primary 3	Grade 3	54 minutes	1 break, 10 minutes
Primary 4	Grade 4	60 minutes	1 break, 10 minutes
Lower Level	Grades 5–6	2 hours 20 minutes	2 breaks, 10 minutes each
Middle Level	Grades 7–8	2 hours 40 minutes	2 breaks, 10 minutes each
Upper Level	Grades 9–12	2 hours 40 minutes	2 breaks, 10 minutes each

Source: official ERB ISEE materials.

General ID rules

This section covers the ID requirements that apply to all three formats. Identification is the most common source of problems on test day. The official rules require every student to present one accepted form of ID, and the spelling of the name on the ID must match the registration information. Upper Level students must present photo ID.

ID category	Accepted documents	Levels
Photo ID	Student ID, state ID, passport, green card, driver’s license or learner’s permit, military dependent ID, work visa, Global Entry card, national ID, employment authorization card, tribal ID, ISEE Student ID Form	All levels
Non-photo ID	Birth certificate, school report card, health insurance card	Primary, Lower and Middle only

Source: official ERB ISEE materials.

The ISEE Student ID Form is an official form for students without suitable identification. It becomes valid once signed and stamped by school staff or a notary; when signed by school staff, it must be printed on school letterhead. If a student applying to grade 9 or above does not yet have photo ID, the parent can request a student ID from the student’s school in advance, or complete this form in advance, rather than leaving it to the day before the test.

Test site computer testing checklist

Test site computer testing covers two situations: testing on a device at the school or test site selected at registration, and testing at a Prometric test center. Prometric is a third-party testing services company that accepts only Lower, Middle and Upper Level test takers.

Test day rules

Item	Test site computer testing	Prometric test center
Required	Verification Letter, student ID	Appointment confirmation email, original student ID; the accompanying parent brings the parent’s own signed photo ID
Scratch paper and pencils	Provided by the test site	Issued at check-in
Snacks and drinks	Allowed, but may be consumed only during breaks (the same applies to gum and mints)	Food may be eaten only during breaks; water must be in a clear, lidded container with the label removed, and it is inspected at entry
Prohibited	Phones, smartwatches, calculators, books, paper (other than blank scratch paper), cameras, weapons	Same as the test site
Check-in time	As stated on the Verification Letter, usually 15 to 30 minutes before the test	As stated in the confirmation email, usually 30 minutes before the test
Late arrival	Not allowed to test; the family bears the rescheduling or cancellation fee	Same as the test site; the registration page also states that students arriving 30 minutes or more late are not admitted
Breaks	Primary 1 break; Lower, Middle and Upper 2 breaks; 10 minutes each; eating and drinking only during breaks	Same as the test site
Parents	No requirement on the official instructions page	A parent or guardian must wait at the test center for the entire test

Source: official ERB ISEE materials.

On and after the test date, the test cannot be rescheduled; the family must register again and pay again. After each break, the student returns to the assigned seat and continues the test.

The day before the test

• Print the Verification Letter; Prometric test takers prepare the Appointment Confirmation email.
• Prepare the original ID as described in the previous section (Prometric states clearly that copies are not accepted).
• For Prometric test takers, the accompanying parent prepares the parent’s own signed photo ID.
• Prepare one snack and one drink, to be consumed only during breaks.
• Look up the test site address, parking and route, and allow ample travel time as the official guidance recommends.
• Have the student go to bed early and eat a normal breakfast on test day.

On test day

• Confirm that phones, smartwatches and calculators are not brought into the testing room.
• Arrive at the check-in time stated on the Verification Letter or confirmation email.

Paper testing checklist

Students taking the paper test must bring their own supplies. The answer sheet is completed in pencil, and at the Lower Level and above, the essay is handwritten in ballpoint pen.

Test day rules

Item	Rule
Prohibited	Phones, smartwatches, calculators, books, paper (other than blank scratch paper), cameras, weapons
Check-in time	As stated on the Verification Letter, usually 15 to 30 minutes before the test
Late arrival	Not allowed to test; the family bears the rescheduling or cancellation fee
Breaks	Same as test site computer testing: Primary 1 break, Lower and above 2 breaks, 10 minutes each
Accommodations	For students with approved accommodations, the test site does not provide the items the accommodation requires (for example, an approved calculator); students must bring them

Source: official ERB ISEE materials.

The day before the test

• Print the Verification Letter and prepare the student’s original ID.
• Sharpen 4 No. 2 or HB pencils.
• Prepare 4 working erasers (not needed separately if the pencils have erasers), and test that they erase cleanly.
• Prepare 2 black or blue ballpoint pens (erasable pens are allowed).
• Prepare fruit, crackers, water or juice, to be consumed only during breaks.
• Students with approved accommodations prepare the items the accommodation requires.
• Put the supplies, Verification Letter and ID in the same bag.

At-home online proctored testing checklist

At-home testing has specific requirements for the device, internet connection and room. The official ISEE At-Home Family Guide recommends completing device setup and one Practice Check-In at least 3 days in advance, rather than leaving setup to test day.

Device and internet requirements

Item	Requirement
Testing device	Desktop, laptop or tablet with a built-in camera and microphone, plugged in throughout; with the ISEE by E3n testing app installed
Operating system	Mac: macOS 13.7 or later; Windows: Windows 10 or later; iPad: iPadOS 16.7 or later; Chromebook: must support Android apps
Screen resolution	At least 1024 × 768 for Mac and Windows
Second camera device	A phone or tablet (iOS 16.7 or later, or Android 9 or later) with the Remote Proctor Connect app installed, plugged in throughout, with auto-lock turned off
Internet speed	Download at least 15 Mbps, upload at least 3 Mbps
Headphones	Primary 2, 3 and 4 must use wired headphones or external speakers; wireless headphones are not allowed
Permitted items	Up to 4 sheets of blank scratch paper; 2 pens and/or 2 pencils; Lower Level and above may use wired headphones for noise reduction

Source: official ERB ISEE materials.

The official guidance advises against using computers issued by an employer or school, since these devices often have firewall restrictions that can prevent the test from starting. During the test, other household members should pause video streaming, music and gaming, and only one student per household should test at a time to keep the connection stable.

Preparation (at least 3 days in advance)

• Install the ISEE by E3n testing app on the testing device and confirm that the operating system and resolution meet the table above.
• Install the Remote Proctor Connect app on the second camera device and turn off auto-lock.
• Test the internet speed and confirm a download speed of at least 15 Mbps and an upload speed of at least 3 Mbps.
• Complete one Practice Check-In.
• Enter a mobile phone number in the parent account.
• Primary test takers prepare wired headphones or external speakers.
• Prepare up to 4 sheets of blank scratch paper and 2 pens and/or 2 pencils.

Room and camera placement

• Place both the testing device and the second camera device on a stable, flat surface, such as a desk.
• Position the second camera device at desk height, about an arm’s length away to the left or right, so that its view captures the screen, keyboard, both hands and the desk surface.
• Remove all prohibited items from the room; where possible, have the student face a blank wall with another blank wall behind.
• During check-in, the parent steps back and slowly scans the entire desk area with the second device, including the area behind the testing device.

Check-in process (begins 30 minutes before the test)

1. Open the testing app and begin check-in.
2. The parent helps enter the Session Number, the student’s ISEE ID number and last name.
3. The parent and student read and accept the test taker rules together.
4. Check the speakers, microphone and camera.
5. Take a photo of the student and photograph both sides of the ID.
6. Students who wear glasses remove them as instructed for the proctor to inspect.
7. After the proctor approves the start of the test, the parent leaves the testing area; the parent must remain at home for the entire test and keep the phone available.

Breaks: the Primary Level has 1 optional 10-minute break, and the Lower, Middle and Upper Levels each have 2 breaks of 10 minutes. During breaks, the student may walk around the room and eat, but must obtain the proctor’s permission before leaving the room. An unscheduled break must be requested first; the clock does not stop, and no time is added back.

End of the test

1. The student clicks submit, with the parent’s help.
2. Tear up or shred the scratch paper.

If the screen freezes, press Ctrl + Shift + Q on Windows or Mac to exit the app, then log in again. If the student feels unwell, the student can ask the proctor to pause the test.

Common reasons an at-home test is stopped

Situation	Official handling
A prohibited item appears on camera	The test may start or continue only after the item is removed and the testing area is scanned again
Leaving the room without the proctor’s permission	A warning the first time; the test may be canceled the second time
General violations (talking to others, answering after time is called, and similar)	A “three warnings” system; the test ends at the third violation
Serious violations (verbally abusing the proctor, attempting to copy test questions, and similar)	The proctor may end the test immediately without warning
Internet connection cannot be restored, or drops more than twice	Do not log in again; contact ISEE customer service to reschedule
Glasses do not pass inspection	Change glasses, or move to a later test date
Identity in doubt	The student may be dismissed from the test, and the scores will not be processed

Source: official ERB ISEE materials.

Special points for the Primary Level (applying to grades 2 to 4)

This section lists the additional test day rules for Primary test takers. Students at this level are young, and problems on test day usually involve operation and procedure rather than the questions themselves.

Item	Rule
Instructions	Test takers follow recorded audio instructions; the proctor does not read the instructions aloud or remind students to turn the page; at-home testing requires wired headphones or external speakers
Test format	Prometric test centers accept only grades 5 to 12, so Primary test takers may choose only test site computer testing, paper testing or at-home testing
ID	Non-photo ID may be used (birth certificate, school report card or health insurance card), with the name spelled as at registration
Communicating with the proctor	For at-home testing, if the student cannot type in the chat box, an adult may help with communication; an adult may never answer questions for the student
Essay	The Primary Level has no essay, and the whole test lasts about one hour

Source: official ERB ISEE materials.

EDUBUS recommends using the official sample question websites for each level before the test so that the student can go through the full process once and become familiar with listening to instructions through headphones and selecting answers with a mouse or trackpad. For students of this age, familiarity with the process itself reduces anxiety on test day.

Score release and score sending after the test

This section explains when scores are released and where the score report goes.

Item	Official information
Online test score release	Usually 3 to 5 days
Paper test score release	Usually 5 to 10 days
Where scores are posted	The parent’s ISEE online account, with an email notification when scores are released
Sending to schools	Sent automatically to the score recipient schools selected at registration
Removing recipient schools	Allowed only before the test date; schools cannot be removed after the test
Adding recipient schools	No extra fee when added after scores are released
Essay	Parents do not receive the essay; only the score recipient schools do

Source: official ERB ISEE materials.

When Irvine families choose a test date, they need to make sure that scores will be released before the application deadlines of the target schools. The ISEE school year has three testing seasons (fall, August to November; winter, December to March; spring/summer, April to July), and a student may test at most once per season. For deciding whether to retake and when to send scores after receiving the score report, continue with the guide on retakes and score sending in this library.

Printable master checklist

On the evening before the test, families can print this page and check each item for the student’s test format.

Item	Test site computer	Paper	At home
Verification Letter (Appointment Confirmation email for Prometric)	☐	☐	☐ Printed or on another device
Student’s original ID, name spelled as at registration	☐	☐	☐ Photograph both sides
Photo ID for the accompanying parent	☐ Prometric only	—	—
4 No. 2 or HB pencils, 4 erasers	—	☐	—
2 black or blue ballpoint pens	—	☐	☐ 2 pens and/or 2 pencils
Blank scratch paper	Provided by the test site	—	☐ Up to 4 sheets
Snacks and drinks for breaks	☐	☐	☐
Testing device charged and plugged in, testing app installed	—	—	☐
Second camera device plugged in, Remote Proctor Connect installed	—	—	☐
Wired headphones (required for Primary)	—	—	☐
Internet speed of at least 15 download / 3 upload Mbps	—	—	☐
Practice Check-In completed	—	—	☐
Prohibited items removed from the room	—	—	☐
Phone (except when used as the second camera device at home), smartwatch and calculator kept out of the testing area	☐	☐	☐
Departure or check-in start time	☐ Arrive 15–30 minutes before the test	☐ Arrive 15–30 minutes before the test	☐ 30 minutes before the test

Source: official ERB ISEE materials. Requirements of the testing organization may change; before the test, follow the Verification Letter and the latest information on admission.org.

EDUBUS assessment

Based on the rules above, the steps most likely to go wrong on test day are not the questions but a name spelling mismatch on the ID, late arrival and device failure during at-home testing. All three can be resolved in the week before the test. EDUBUS recommends that families choosing at-home testing treat the Practice Check-In as a full rehearsal: the student goes through the entire process in the same room, at the same desk and at the same time of day. Students already taking classes at EDUBUS can ask their teacher to run the final practice test with the official timing and breaks. Families who have not yet settled on a preparation plan can first complete an assessment on the courses and assessment page.