5 top revision tips

When exam season arrives, nerves can soon kick in, which is no surprise given your performance is likely to have a significant bearing on your final degree result.

Rest assured that you're not alone, as many students experience anxiety and dread having to sit exams, and the thought of not performing well on the day can be a huge concern.

In fact, a 2025 SaveMyExams study of 1,000 students across the UK revealed that 85% experienced exam anxiety, while a 2024 National Education Union report on State of education : Mental health of young people found that over half (54%) of teachers and support staff had pupils who displayed signs of exam anxiety.

The good news is that organising your revision properly can help to ease such worries and ensure you're able to focus on making the most of the opportunity and achieving a great result.

Here are five simple steps that allow you to stay in control of the situation and reduce those feelings of overwhelming anxiety.

1. Understand yourself

Before you start revising, Dr Lisa Rüll, specialist study support tutor (disability) and author of the 'Studying Effectively' content at the University of Nottingham, advises students to take the time to understand themselves and how they learn.

This is because simply learning all the content won't necessarily make your revision more effective or result in better exam performance. You need to:

• think about when you focus best, your living circumstances and your health needs
• consider what methods work for you, whether it's notes, mind-maps, quizzes, or talking with others to reinforce your learning
• know your exams - the format, style of questions, and what skills, knowledge and understanding you'll be expected to demonstrate in your answers
• apply your subject learning to provide a sufficient, appropriate answer to the questions, such as by practising answers using past papers and sample questions both with and without access to notes or learning materials.

2. Start your preparation early

To achieve the best results possible, lay the groundwork well in advance. Attend lectures and seminars throughout the year, and ensure you stay up-to-date with weekly readings and coursework.

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For most university-level exams, you'll require a deep understanding of your chosen subject. It is expected that you know the concepts well enough to confidently apply them to real-life problems and scenarios.

Therefore, revision will be much more effective and far less stressful if you've studied consistently throughout the year, while keeping your lecture and further reading notes up to date.

It's important to familiarise yourself with the exam format well in advance. Being comfortable with the questions can save precious time during the actual exam. One tried and tested revision technique is to work through past exam papers. You should be able to obtain these from your lecturers or university library.

Succeeding in exams isn't just about memory; you need to apply what you've learned. Reading through these past papers can give you an insight into the types of questions that are likely to come up and enable you to develop a strategy on how best to prepare for them.

A great way to test yourself is to attempt to complete previous exams under timed conditions. This gives you a good idea of how confident you actually are at working with this material.

By allocating specific time frames for each and sticking to them during practice sessions, you can gauge the amount of time needed for different types of answers and make sure you don't spend too much time on a single question.

Another study tip is to strategically mark confusing or time-consuming questions to revisit later. It's essential not to spend too much time flagging when starting the exam, and to only revisit questions that genuinely cause confusion or require additional time. Returning to too many sections can be counterproductive and lead to feelings of overwhelm.

3. Revise a little, but often

It's also important to strike a balance when it comes to your revision plan - avoid procrastination, but be mindful of your capacity to avoid burnout. 'A well-balanced revision timetable can be a really helpful way to manage time,' says Dr Leanne Ingram, academic skills adviser at the University of Sheffield.

Simply trying to cram a load of information into your short-term memory the night before an exam only leads to feelings of anxiety and panic, making it even harder for you to retain everything you're trying to remember. This often leads to disrupted sleep and further confusion.

Evidence from numerous memory studies has shown that distributed learning sessions, rather than concentrated ones, tend to be more effective. This means that by revising a little, but often - for instance, by splitting up your revision sessions - you're more likely to reduce your stress levels and enhance your learning experience.

'Allocate blocks of time to test your memory and recognition, review notes, and answer practice questions, rather than relying on long periods of passive reading, suggests Dr Ingram. 'Techniques like the Pomodoro method, which uses 25-minute focus sessions followed by five-minute breaks, can help you maintain focus and avoid burnout.'

Dr Ingram explains how it's also important to make the most of study time with fellow students. 'When you study with your peers, use group sessions for quizzing one another, explaining ideas aloud and challenging gaps in each other's understanding as that interaction deepens learning,' she adds.

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4. Eat and sleep well

Doing well in your exams is not just down to your revision; how you look after yourself during the days and weeks leading up to the event, as well as your control over anxiety levels, can also impact your performance.

Try to ensure there's balance in your life by making time to rest, socialise and keep on top of all the other things going on. This will also help to keep your stress levels down.

It's essential to choose a dedicated space to revise in that is free from interruptions. This space should be well-lit and quiet, and it should be kept clean and clutter-free to minimise stress. Discover various ways to manage student stress.

Remember that your physical health is just as important as your mental state, so make a point of:

• avoiding too much coffee and sugary foods
• doing all you can to ensure a good night's sleep
• eating well
• keeping hydrated.

5. Stay calm and reward yourself

As the day of the exam draws closer, there are still ways of improving your performance. Imagine yourself sitting in the exam room, being confident and providing good answers to the questions.

There are a range of methods you can use to keep calm on the day, including:

• playing music beforehand - especially in the hours before the exam
• not turning the exam paper over straight away - breathe deeply, and then take a moment before looking at the questions
• starting with the easiest question first - plan your answers to build up confidence
• knowing what to do if you freeze or go blank - look away from the paper, breathe in to the count of seven and out to the count of 11, then wait until you're calm before continuing.

It's also worth planning to reward yourself once the exam is over, whether it appears to have gone well or not. By doing that, whatever happens, you'll still have something to look forward to. This can give you added motivation to perform on the day.

Find out more

• Consider looking after your mental health at university.
• Read about university grades in the UK.
• Think about how you'll make the most of the summer break.