Test Arrival Center Check In

TEST ARRIVAL CENTER CHECK IN

30 minutes before

Arrive at test center.

Check-in at front desk and show photo ID

Store all personal belongings 5 30 minutes before

Go to back office to complete exam check-in with a TCA

Show photo ID, have new photo taken, & sign confidentiality statement

Receive exam materials 5 minutes before

Return to waiting room

Prepare yourself for the exam 0 minutes before

Go to the exam room when called

Begin TOEFL exam

Figure 1B in your follow-along PDF manual shows the check in process.

When you register for an exam time, you are signing up for the time you will start the

TOEFL exam. Your registration time does not include the time it takes for you to check in

to the exam center. All E-T-S centers follow the same check in procedure. You will first

check in at the front desk and then meet with a test center administrator to learn about

the procedure before you can take the exam. The check in process takes a bit of time, so

you should plan to arrive at the test center at least thirty minutes before your exam is

scheduled to begin.

When you enter a test site, walk up to the front desk and tell the employee your name

and the name of the exam you are taking. In this case, you will be taking the TOEFL

exam. The employee at the front desk will look for your name on the schedule and will

ask you for a valid photo I-D. This should be the same I-D you used to register. Valid E-T-

S I-Ds are documents with a photo, full legal name, and a signature. Check the official

website for a list of photo I-Ds as they alternate depending on your nationality or

immigration status. Popular forms of acceptable identification are passports, drivers

licenses, state or national I-Ds, and military I-Ds. If you are not sure if your I-D is valid,

visit the official website and check before registering and showing up for exam check in.

After the employee at the front desk confirms your identity, you will be asked to remove

and store all of your personal belongings. Most test centers provide lockers, but not all.

Learn if you chosen test center has lockers before you show up on exam day. You are

not allowed to bring anything except your I-D inside with you and the test center is not

responsible to store or protect your personal possessions. You must store cell phones,

electronic devices such as tablets or mp3 players, loose change, keys, wallets or purses,

jackets or sweaters, drink bottles, food, and any other personal item you may have with

you on testing day. Watches are also not permitted in the testing room. Additionally,

although not forbidden, it’s a good idea to avoid wearing any jewelry such as bracelets,

loud earrings, or rings that may distract you or others by making additional noise. You

will be using a computer for more than four hours. Even the smallest piece of jewelry

can feel uncomfortable or sound loud while you type and try to concentrate. You will

appreciate being in the room with others who remove jewelry so that you do not have

to listen to any jingling or clanking while trying to concentrate on the TOEFL exam. The

only item you bring inside with you is your photo I-D. A test administrator will ask you to

prove that you have nothing in your pockets, so be sure to empty them. You can leave

you belongings in a locker if the test site provides one.

You will then be asked to sit in a waiting area and wait until they are ready to complete

your check in. You will be called in to complete your check in by entering a small room

where another test center employee will be waiting for you. This person is called a T-C-

A, or Test Center Administrator. You will be asked to complete a few things with the T-C-

A before you can enter the examination room and begin your test. The first thing the T-

C-A will ask from you is to show your photo I-D one more time. Then, the T- C-A will ask

you to read and sign a document called a confidentiality statement. This means that you

agree not to exit the exam room and tell people details of what was on your exam. Next,

the T-C-A will take a photo of you. This photograph is for official use only. The

photograph goes directly into the E-T-S system as a way of confirming your identity and

ensuring you get the correct scores. After entering your photo in the system, the T-C-A

will then speak to you about the exam rules and procedures. This is the time to ask any

questions you may have about the procedures of the exam. You will then be given a

pencil and a booklet of blank paper. This booklet is eight pages total and is typically pink