The CSAT is 50 days away. Between score worries, exam-day equipment rules tend to get read the night before, yet breaking them causes trouble no matter how well you score. The short version: you cannot bring anything with communication features or an electronic display into the exam room, and the only watch allowed is an analog one. The 2027 CSAT takes place on Thursday, November 19, 2026.

What you can't bring: the test is "communication" and "screen"

The Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation (KICE) exam-day guidance lists the banned items as mobile phones, smartwatches, smart glasses, tablets, earphones, electronic dictionaries, electronic watches, tumblers with an electronic display, e-cigarettes, and power banks. You don't need to memorize the list. If it connects to a network or shows numbers or text on a screen, treat it as prohibited. That list is what KICE's guidance page shows for the 2026 exam year; for 2027 details, check the detailed implementation plan.

Choosing a watch: analog, and free of extra functions

Watches are the most common problem item. The permitted watch is an analog model with hour and minute hands (or a second hand) and no payment or communication functions or electronic display. Smartwatches and fitness bands have screens and connectivity, so they are out. Digital watches that show numerals are out too. Since you have to judge the time yourself, wear your watch a few times before the exam and check the battery and whether the ticking bothers you.

What you can bring: start with writing tools and your admission ticket

Permitted items are an ID, your admission ticket, a black computer-use marker pen, white correction tape, a black pencil, an eraser, mechanical pencil lead (black, 0.5 mm), and an analog watch. Face masks need advance confirmation. Without ID you can't take the exam at all, so confirm with the school where you applied, or the exam-site notice, that your ID meets the entry rules. Check on your ticket that the application details and registration office from your application are still what you expect.

Where prohibited items go: hand them in before period 1

At the exam site, prohibited items must be handed to the proctor before period 1 begins, and failing to hand them in is treated as cheating. Items that must be handed in are safest surrendered on the proctor's instruction, whether they are switched off or not. Cheating results in invalidation by type and a restriction on eligibility, so it's worth reading our guide to how CSAT cheating is handled ahead of time.

What's new for 2027: your own marker pen, and the scoring sheet

According to reports on the 2027 detailed implementation plan, black computer-use marker pens are supplied at the site as a rule, but bringing your own is also allowed for student convenience. A scoring sheet is printed on the back of the admission ticket, so you can copy your answers during the exam. Writing on it after the end bell counts as cheating. If you want your usual pen, confirm it is a black computer-use marker pen. Those noted answers can also help later when you weigh an objection to the provisional answers.

If you need something for a medical or physical reason

Items required for physical or medical reasons, such as a magnifier, hearing aid, or glucose monitor, can reportedly be carried after the proctor checks them before each period. Devices with electronic functions face stricter rules, so if you use one, ask the school where you applied or the education office covering your exam site a few days ahead. Separately, requests for exam accommodations are made at the application stage, so if that stage has passed, contact your local education office.

Summary of steps

① Confirm the exam date, November 19. ② Check whether the watch you own is analog, and buy one this week if not. ③ Bundle your black computer-use marker pens, correction tape, eraser, and lead in one bag. ④ Put your ID and admission ticket in your bag the night before. ⑤ On exam day, hand in phones and other prohibited items before period 1. Results are released on December 11, and the final answer key is announced on December 1 after the objection process. For reading your results, continue with the three numbers on a CSAT score report.

This article is based on KICE's exam-day guidance and reports on the 2027 CSAT basic and detailed implementation plans, current as of September 2026. The final decision on what may be brought in follows your exam-site notice and the proctor's instructions, so recheck the notes on your admission ticket and KICE's announcements. This article explains the rules in general and does not replace a judgment about any individual examinee's situation.