What to Bring to the ISEE: Test Day Checklist by Format

Start with the test format

The questions on the ISEE do not change with the format, but the rules on test day do. This section shows which of the checklists below applies to a student. After registration, the Verification Letter states the format, the date and the check-in time, so that document decides which list to follow.

Format	Where it takes place	Applying to grades
In-person (school or office)	A school test site or an E3n office, on paper or on a computer, in a group or individually	2–12
Prometric test center	A third-party test center, on a computer	5–12
At-home	The family’s own device, with remote proctoring	2–12

Source: E3n, ISEE registration (admission.org), checked 2026-08-24.

The four registration options are compared in the registration guide, and the cost of each is listed on the fees page. The rest of this page assumes that the format has already been chosen.

Rules that apply in every format

Four rules appear in the test day instructions for every format, and most test day problems come from one of them. Each is worth confirming a week ahead, not on the morning.

• Identification. Every student presents an accepted ID. The name on the ID should match the name used at registration.
• Prohibited items. Personal items other than those listed in the instructions stay out of the testing room. The list in the instructions names cell phones, smartwatches, calculators, books, cameras, weapons and paper other than blank scratch paper.
• Late arrival. A student who arrives after the check-in time cannot test, and the family is responsible for any applicable rescheduling or cancellation fees.
• No changes on the day. The test cannot be rescheduled on the day of the test or after it.

Source: E3n, ISEE test instructions (admission.org), checked 2026-09-30; reschedule rule: E3n, ISEE registration (admission.org), checked 2026-08-24.

Which ID is accepted

This section answers the question families ask most often on test day: whether the document they own will be accepted. The accepted forms depend on the level.

Level	Accepted identification
Upper Level	Photo ID, such as a school ID, state ID, passport, driver’s license or the ISEE Student ID Form
Primary, Lower and Middle Level	The photo IDs above, or a birth certificate, school report card or health insurance card

Source: E3n, ISEE test instructions (admission.org), checked 2026-09-30.

Younger students rarely own a photo ID. A family with an applicant to grade 9 or above who has none should resolve it well before the test, for example by asking the student’s school about a school ID or by completing the ISEE Student ID Form described in the test day instructions. For Prometric, the document must be an original, because copies and images are not accepted.

Checklist: in-person computer testing (school or office)

This checklist applies when the student tests on a school or office computer. The check-in time is printed on the Verification Letter and is typically 15–30 minutes before the start.

• Verification Letter, which is required at check-in
• Accepted student ID with the name matching the registration
• A snack and a drink for the scheduled breaks only
• Any approved accommodation supplies, such as an approved calculator or graphic organizer, because test sites do not provide them
• Route, parking and travel time confirmed, with a margin for delays
• Phone, smartwatch and calculator left outside the testing room

Checklist: in-person paper testing

Paper testing adds writing supplies, and the family brings them. The essay at the Lower Level and above is handwritten, which is why pens appear on the list.

• Verification Letter and accepted student ID
• Four sharpened No. 2 or HB pencils
• Four good erasers, unless the pencils have erasers
• Two black or blue ballpoint pens (erasable pens are permitted)
• A snack and a drink for breaks only
• Approved accommodation supplies, if any
• Supplies, letter and ID packed together the evening before

Source: E3n, ISEE In-Person Paper instructions (admission.org), checked 2026-09-30.

Checklist: Prometric test center

Prometric centers accept applicants to grades 5–12 only, and they add two requirements that other in-person sites do not state in the same way: a parent who stays, and original documents.

• Appointment Confirmation email (the check-in time is typically 30 minutes before the start)
• Original student ID, not a copy or an image
• The accompanying parent’s own photo ID bearing a signature, because the parent remains at the center for the entire test
• Water in a clear container with a lid, with all labels removed
• Other snacks and drinks, consumed during breaks only
• Phone, smartwatch and calculator not carried into the room

A violation of the personal items rule can lead to the student being excused from testing and the scores not being processed, with any rescheduling or cancellation fees borne by the family.

Source: E3n, ISEE Prometric instructions (admission.org), checked 2026-09-30.

Checklist: at-home testing

At-home testing moves the logistics into the family’s room. The ISEE At-Home Family Guide holds the technical specifications, and this section lists the preparation that families should complete, not the specifications themselves, which E3n may update.

• A computer or tablet with a built-in camera and microphone
• A second device (a phone or tablet) with a camera to show the keyboard, desk and hands
• The ISEE by E3n testing application and the Remote Proctor Connect application downloaded in advance
• A parent or guardian available to help scan the testing area and set up the second camera
• Only the materials that the Family Guide permits on the desk
• Books, dictionaries, thesauruses, calculators (unless approved in advance), Bluetooth headphones and other smart devices removed from the room
• Check-in started about 30 minutes before the scheduled start time

Families can read the exact device, internet and room requirements in the Family Guide linked from the at-home instructions on admission.org. Test day is a poor time to discover that an operating system or a network does not meet them, so a full run-through several days ahead is the practical safeguard.

Source: E3n, ISEE At-Home instructions (admission.org), checked 2026-09-30.

How long the day lasts

This section helps families plan the morning, the travel and the meal before the test. The scored sections run back to back with breaks, and a 30-minute essay follows at the Lower Level and above.

Level	Scored sections	Essay
Lower Level	110 minutes	30 minutes, unscored
Middle Level	130 minutes	30 minutes, unscored
Upper Level	130 minutes	30 minutes, unscored
Primary 2, 3 and 4	Shorter, no essay	None

Source: E3n, About the ISEE (admission.org), checked 2026-08-24.

The paper test instructions describe two 10-minute breaks for the Lower, Middle and Upper Levels. Check-in time and the time spent between sections come on top of the figures above, so a family should plan for a morning that is considerably longer than the test itself. Primary break arrangements and the exact start time appear in the confirmation materials.

Students with accommodations

Students with approved testing accommodations should treat the supplies as part of the checklist. Test sites do not provide items that an accommodation requires, such as an approved calculator or graphic organizer, so the family brings them. Requests are made before test day, and in-person individual testing in an E3n office is one of the formats that can accommodate them. The process and the documentation are covered on the accommodations page.

What the checklist does not cover

The instructions on admission.org are the final authority on the exact list of permitted items, such as scratch paper arrangements and the details of each room. Whenever the confirmation email or the Verification Letter differs from a general checklist, including this one, the confirmation and the latest instructions on admission.org apply. Requirements can change between testing seasons, and the test dates page explains when the three seasons commonly occur.

After test day

Scores are generated after the test, and the timing differs between computer-based and paper tests. Families who want to plan the next step, such as a retake or sending scores to schools, can continue with the retakes and score sending guide. Students who would like a practice run under timed conditions before the real day can book a free consultation with the ISEEPrep teaching team.

Page prepared by the ISEEPrep teaching team; ISEEPrep is an independent preparation provider with no official relationship to E3n or any school.