EQE - exam advice, e-EQE environment

Up-to-date exam calendars can be downloaded here. Please pass on quickly to any EQE candidates – the D exam will be held on Tu 11 Mar 2025 and the F Exam on Tu 21 Mar 2025. We have included a summary about the changes to the EPO’s 10-day notification rules to make sure that everyone is up-to-date..

Official calendars are no longer provided. Although OJEPO’s are available online in WISEflow, there is no digital calendar to figure out weekends, and you cannot use one on your computer during the exam. Your phone must also be completely turned off and out of reach. So, you need them on paper.

We have included the Exam Schedule EQE 2025. This seems obvious, but exams are stressful, and it is easy to forget what time the next part starts. If you are more than 15mins late to start the Lockdown Browser, you will not be allowed in automatically. Make sure that you and your exam environment complies with the ItC for every part of the exam. They are getting stricter, and you can have marks deducted for listening to music, wearing earphones, or if your phone rings during the exam. I advise creating your own evidence by making a time-stamped video of your desk and room before you put your phone away.

• Be aware that camera images and sound are being recorded and analysed in real-time for “suspicious activities”, and that you can be prompted by the invigilators if there is an issue. They can also check the footage after the exam for issues.
• Don’t be afraid to perform normal exam activities, such as looking down or grabbing reference books around you.
• For your PC, turn off the screensaver and postpone any software updates before starting the WISEflow lockdown browser. More info on WISEflow is here: wiseflow.zendesk.com/hc/en-gb/categories/4405644298386-Participation
• It is recommended to log-in at least 30mins before the start of each flow. That is too short to solve any technical issues, like the webcam not responding, or your printer not working. I recommend starting at least 60mins before the exam, and test everything as much as possible before starting the WISEflow Lockdown Browser. There are two steps:
  • 1) log-in to WISEflow with a normal browser, and find the flow. This is where you can find your answer after the exam, and where the printable files will appear for some flows (refresh the browser regularly).
  • 2) Once you are ready to enter the exam, start the flow and the Lockdown Browser will start the exam environment, test the webcam, test the audio and prompt you for your ID. You can then just wait for the exam to start. But you cannot print anymore – if you want to go back and print, you have to exit, and go back to step 1).
  • If your computer crashes, you must also go back to step 1). When you start the LockDown Browser, you might need a password to proceed. The invigilator chat widget is available for you to explain the issue, and to request access.

Also included are the ItC (Instructions To Candidates) – Dec 24. If there are any conditions that you cannot comply with due to health reasons or “force majeure”, you need to inform the EQE secretariat before the exam. “Scheduled Breaks” are the official “Breaks” between parts in the schedule. In particular:

• ItC I 8: Complaints must be filed at the latest by midnight the same day. Scroll down to EQE online here: www.epo.org/en/learning/eqe-epac/european-qualifying-examination-eqe
• ItC II 2: The room’s doors must remain closed during the examination. Candidates must be alone in the room. No other person is allowed to be in or enter the room during the examination.
• ItC II 3: Any see-through wall or door in the room through which another person might be able to see the candidate’s screen must be covered. Any window, mirror or other shiny or glossy surface or parts of these which are located behind the candidate (i.e. facing the screen) must also be covered.
• ItC III 3: A lot of the technical problems are due to doing the exam on a work computer at your office. WISEflow needs a very low-level of access, which can be blocked by company policies and firewalls. It is recommended to us a computer with full administrator rights and a public (or home) wired network.
  New this year: “Should the use of a corporate system lead to disruptions during the examination, there cannot be any complaint or claim of being disadvantaged.“
  ItC IV 6: Have your photo ID within reach during the whole exam. At the start of each flow, you need to hold it up to the camera next to your face, and say your name.
• ItC IV 10: No non-essential electronic equipment (calculators, digital watches, tablets, smartphones, smart watches, etc.) is allowed. No earphones, hearing aids, headphones, headsets or any other non-electronic noise-cancelling items such as earplugs. Also, no spare computers or extra monitors within reach (See ItC IV, 11).
• ItC V 3: You should not speak during the examination. Don’t readout the questions.
• ItC V 5: Faces and ears must be clearly visible, and not covered by caps, scarves, sunglasses, or other body parts, etc. Eyeglasses with clear lenses are permitted but only where used as vision aids.
• ItC V 6: Within the first 60 mins of any flow, you cannot close the WISEflow lockdown browser, leave the room, leave the camera’s field of view, even if you have handed in your answers.
  This means that you must stay sitting in front of the webcam, with your face looking at the camera, for up to 60mins.
• ItC V 7(a): Unscheduled breaks may not be taken AT ALL in the flows of part D1-1 (85 mins) and part D1-2 (75 mins) of paper D.
  This means that you must stay sitting in front of the webcam, with your face looking at the camera, for up to 85mins. If you hand in your answers earlier, then ItC V 6 applies.