Mock Test, Test Preparation and Guidance, after the Test

Section 1: Test Preparation
Section 2: Mock Test
Section 3: Guidance to doing well at the Test
Section 4: Getting your results after the Test

Some keys to success include:

  • Knowing your strengths and weaknesses
  • Having a test preparation plan
  • Developing a test-taking strategy
  • If a candidate is re-taking an ISTO Test, they should pay special attention to the weaknesses identified in the ISTO Analytics Report. Note that knowledge and understanding are essential in passing the test.

Understand the Test Format and Platform

  • The types of response (Uncertain (light green) or Certain (dark green))
  • Their progress in the test (in the section, overall paper):
    • Dark Green indicates a lead of more than 10%
    • Light green indicate a lead of more than 5%
    • Orange indicate a lag of more than 5% 
    • Red indicates a lag of more than 10%
  • (Above is based on 5% (or 10%?) of time is reserved for students to review the answers)
  • The navigation between different sections and different questions

2. Mock Test

The Test of Understanding Mock Test is an excellent tool for you to prepare for the Test of Understanding and boost confidence. It will provide per-question feedback, allowing you to identify you areas of weakness, together with the overall score as well as the percentile rank in %.

What do you get from a Mock Test

1. Real Test Experience 

Familiarize yourself with question types, structure, and time constraints, significantly reducing test anxiety 

2. Per-question Feedback and Analytics

Receive a detailed ACCURATE analytics report highlighting strengths and areas for improvement across eight distinct knowledge domains.

3. 100% online access

Take mock tests anywhere, anytime, fitting preparation around your personal and professional schedule

4. Enhanced Success Rates

Mock test feedback accelerates learning and maximizes your chances of passing the official test on the first attempt

ISTO Mock Test – At a Glance

  • Fee: £70 for Level 1, £100 for Level 2
  • Take the mock test online and remotely at your convenience
  • Contains half the number of questions as the full certification test, that means:
    • Level 1 - Practitioner: 40 questions, 60 minutes
    • Level 2 - Professional: 60 questions, 90 minutes 
  • Same question style, structure, and timed conditions as the certificated Test of Understanding
  • Receive a detailed analytics report highlighting strengths and areas for improvement across eight distinct knowledge domains, with the correct responses with explanations provided
  • 180 days to take your mock test from the date of purchase

Take a free trial test with 24 questions, or register for a Mock Test to experience the test environment before the actual test. 

ISTO's partners can provide trainings on the ISTO Test. The trainings are created from the same topic outline from which test questions are drawn.

Email us to learn more about ISTO partners who can provide such training tailor-made to you. 

3. Test Guidance

Below are our best tips on doing well on the test.

  • Listen to and read all instructions carefully.
  • Take your time reading the questions. If you have a problem with a question, mark it and come back to it later.
  • Answer ALL questions. Blanks are always incorrect. There is no penalty for guessing.
  • Test Centre Administrators cannot answer questions regarding the test. If you think a question has a mistake or is unclear, use the Candidate Comment Form provided.
  • No reference materials, books, papers or personal electronic devices such as cell phones, personal computers, or programmable calculators will be permitted within the test area.
  • No talking or other communication is permitted during the test. Candidates shall not copy test materials, provide answers to others, use materials not allowed in the test room, or in any way cheat on a test.
  • No smoking, drinking, or eating is permitted in the test area.
  • No moving about the room or other behaviour distracting to other candidates is permitted.
  • One candidate at a time will be permitted to leave the test area to use the restroom or for emergencies

During the Test

Take your time reading the questions. If you have a problem with a question, at least try an Uncertain response. Positively you have time to come back to review the question. If not, the Uncertain Response will be considered as final response in the marking process.

  • Try to complete all questions, even by guessing (25% chance!). Never leave a question behind.
  • Answer ALL questions. Blanks are always incorrect. There is no penalty for guessing.
  • The Test Administrator cannot answer questions regarding the test. If you think a question has a mistake or is unclear, use the feedback window down below the question. You can state your assumptions.
  • No moving about the room or other behavior distracting to other candidates is permitted.
  • One candidate at a time will be permitted to leave the test area to use the restroom or for emergencies.

Special Assistance

If a candidate requires external assistive devices or equipment such as crutches or wheelchair, the candidate must communicate with the respective Test Centres of your need to use these devices in the secure testing room at least two weeks in advance of the test date. If you fail to inform the ISTO Test Centre accordingly, the candidate may not be permitted to use those devices in the secure testing room.

The time remaining for your test appears on your computer screen (top right). You may choose to hide the time clock during your test if you find it distracting. One test item at a time appears on the computer screen. You may select an answer for the item, skip the item, or answer the item and flag it for review. After viewing every item, you are presented with a review screen showing the item numbers and status of all items on your test. By selecting an item on this screen, you can go directly to it and verify or change your answer selection.

If you experience any technical difficulties with the test software or hardware during the testing event, please notify your invigilator immediately so they may try to resolve the issue.

If you need to use the washroom, or when you leave your workstation for any reason, you must sign out and sign back in -- the on-site proctor will log your activity. Your test clock continues to run during this time. You are not allowed to leave the building (or part of the building) controlled by the Test Centre for any reason while your test clock is running.

The Test Centre will endeavor to ensure that the environment for writing the test is acceptable. Please be aware that on occasion, candidates may be exposed to minor distractions and the temperature in the testing area may vary. Candidates who are easily distracted by noise may request earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones from the Invigilator.

ISTO tests are closed-book, except for a clean copy of the respective ISO management system standard.

4. Getting your results

Getting your results

Once the test is completed, the candidate should receive the official notification of test results via regular email generated by the ISTO system typically within a week after the test. Alternatively, the candidate can login their ISTO account to retrieve the results.

Where candidates have commented/remarked on a question and the result of which affects the pass/fail decision, then there may be a delay of a few days in the announcement of the result. Anyways there will be a notice to the students in one to two hours regarding this slight delay.

Re-taking the ISTO Test

Should a candidate not be satisfied with their results, or wish to improve their areas of weakness in their understanding of the test, they can retake a test at 30% discount.