The exam · from ACER’s published schedule
GAMSAT exam day: what actually happens
Almost everything written about GAMSAT exam day describes a single day in a test centre. That has not been true since the exam split. You sit it twice, three weeks apart, and the two days work nothing alike.
You have two exam days, not one
Written Communication is sat at home, remote-proctored, roughly three weeks before the rest. Sections 1 and 3 are sat together at a test centre in one long sitting.
If you have budgeted for one day off work, budget for two — and note that the second one runs about six hours on site.
- 2test days, ~3 weeks apart
- ~6 hrexpected time at the test centre
- 4 hr 10actual testing time at the centre
- 30 minthe one break, between sections
Day one: Written Communication, at home
65 minutes of testing, and a start-up process that can take almost as long.
Supervision runs through ProctorU. ACER states that start-up can take “anywhere from 10 to 45 minutes to complete the start-up procedures in addition to the time you’ll spend in your exam” — and, importantly, that “the start-up process does not take any time away from the time you’re allowed in your exam.” Budget the time; you are not losing exam minutes to it.
ProctorU holds your reservation for 15 minutes after your scheduled time. Beyond that you are a no-show, which carries a fee — though a genuine technical failure is explicitly not treated as one, and is rescheduled free of charge. The remote proctoring page covers the technical requirements and the equipment that is not supported.
| What you need at hand | ACER’s requirement |
|---|---|
| Photo ID | Same accepted list as the test centre — see below |
| A mirror or other reflective device | To show the proctor a 360° view of your workspace |
| Scratch paper | Two A4 sheets, or a small erasable whiteboard and marker |
| Pens, pencils, sharpener, eraser | Permitted |
| Water | A clear bottle with no labels |
| Your workspace | A private, quiet, well-lit space at a desk or table — “you are not able to complete the test from a bed, couch, or sitting on the floor” |
| Headphones or earbuds | Not permitted |
| A second monitor | Not permitted — disconnect it and cover it with a sheet or similar |
One detail worth rehearsing rather than reading: the writing surface has no spellcheck, no autocorrect and no copy or paste. Drafting in a word processor for months and then meeting a bare text field is a poor way to spend the first five minutes of a 65-minute task. Our Section 2 practice test disables the same three things for that reason.
Day two: the test centre, hour by hour
Two sessions run each test day, morning and afternoon. You are assigned one.
| Stage | Morning session | Afternoon session |
|---|---|---|
| Registration commences | 7.45 AM | 2.15 PM |
| Seated and announcements | 8.30 AM | 2.45 PM |
| Section 1 (Humanities) begins | 8.35 AM | 2.50 PM |
| Section 1 ends | 10.15 AM | 4.30 PM |
| 30-minute break starts | 10.20 AM | 4.35 PM |
| Seated for Section 3 | 10.50 AM | 5.05 PM |
| Section 3 (Biological and Physical Sciences) begins | 10.55 AM | 5.10 PM |
| Section 3 ends | 1.25 PM | 7.40 PM |
| Dismissed | 1.30 PM | 7.45 PM |
Read the afternoon column carefully. An afternoon session finishes Section 3 at 7.40 PM, having started the hardest and longest section of the exam at 5.10 PM. If you practise exclusively at 9 AM and are assigned a PM session, you will sit the 150-minute science paper at a time of day you have never rehearsed. That is worth knowing in advance, because it is not something you can change on the day.
ACER asks you to anticipate being at the test centre for approximately six hours, against 4 hours 10 minutes of actual testing. The gap is registration, seating, announcements and the break.
The admission ticket is test-centre only
It is released roughly two weeks before the test-centre window, through your ACER account. No admission ticket is issued for the remote sitting, so its absence in August is not a problem to report.
Identification
One piece of current, government-issued photo ID. ACER accepts a defined list and is strict about it:
| Accepted | Not accepted |
|---|---|
| Current passport | Photocopies or scans |
| Photo driver’s licence | Student ID cards |
| Australian Keypass, Proof of Age or State photo card | Expired documents |
| Kiwi Access Card | A photo of a document on your phone |
| EU/EEA National Identity Card | |
| Irish Public Services Card | |
| UK or Irish Biometric Residence Permit | |
| UK Proof of Age Card | |
| Australian ImmiCard |
Breaks, bathrooms and the things people get wrong
- During the 30-minute break you may leave the test room to eat or use the bathroom, but you may not leave the venue — ACER’s wording is that “you are still under exam conditions.”
- You may use the bathroom during testing time, but not during the first or last ten minutes of either Section 1 or Section 3. “No additional time will be granted.”
- Scratch paper is provided at test centres — two A4 sheets per section, four in total across the day. A small erasable whiteboard (A4 or smaller) and marker is the alternative.
- A printed, unmarked bilingual dictionary is permitted for Written Communication and Section 1. It is not permitted for Section 3, and no Reasonable Adjustments application is needed to bring one.
Leaving early costs you the whole sitting
If you leave before Section 3 begins, you do not receive a GAMSAT score at all — not a partial one. The morning’s work does not stand on its own.
If you have to leave during Section 3 because you are unwell, ACER requires a medical certificate within three business days. And note the broader rule: there is no special consideration on GAMSAT scores in any circumstance — “It is not possible to adjust scores for any perceived or actual disadvantage.”
Frequently asked questions
Is GAMSAT one day or two?
Two. Written Communication is sat at home under remote proctoring, and Sections 1 and 3 are sat together at a test centre roughly three weeks later. Sources describing GAMSAT as a single day are out of date.
How long will I be at the test centre?
ACER asks you to expect approximately six hours on site. Actual testing time is 4 hours 10 minutes, plus a 30-minute break, plus registration and seating.
Can I choose a morning or afternoon session?
Sessions are allocated. An afternoon session sits Section 3 from about 5.10 PM to 7.40 PM, so it is worth doing at least some full-length practice outside the morning if you might be assigned one.
What happens if I walk out partway through?
Leaving before Section 3 starts means no GAMSAT score is issued for that sitting. Leaving during Section 3 through illness requires a medical certificate within three business days.
Do I get an admission ticket for the at-home sitting?
No. Admission tickets are issued for test-centre sittings only, about two weeks beforehand. The remote sitting is booked and confirmed through ProctorU instead.