Your responsibilities during exams

Find information about your responsibilities during your exams.
Exam rules and regulations

What am I not allowed to take into an examination venue?

  • You won't be permitted to bring a bag, coat, hat, jumper with a pocket, mobile phone, pager, electronic dictionaries or translators to your desk. These must be left at the back of the room.
  • Unless your exam is Open Book, you won't be able to have other reading material at your desk.
  • Paper or other items won't be allowed in the exam - unless specifically stated on the rubric of the paper.
  • You can only take writing materials and calculators (when permitted) to your exam desk.
  • You'll have to place all unauthorised items in the amnesty bin before entering your exam venue.


Amnesty bins

We'll provide an amnesty bin outside the entrance of each main exam venue for you to deposit any unauthorised items before you enter the venue. This includes crib notes, books or any items not permitted in the exam room. If any unauthorised items are then found on or at your desk, the Regulations for Examination Offences will be instigated.

I.D.

Ideally you’ll have your University card (with photograph) as an identification check at all of your exams, placing the card face up on your exam desk. The invigilators will check that the data on the front of your exam script and your card corresponds. However, if you attend an exam without your University card, we will accept alternative photo ID - for example, passport or driving licence. If you are unable to provide photographic ID then we'll endorse your script with a coloured sticker. This sticker will alert faculty staff to the fact that the invigilator was unable to verify your identity at the exam venue.


Handwriting

It's your responsibility to ensure that your handwriting is legible. If you're concerned about your handwriting, please make an appointment with Disability Services as soon as possible. They may recommend the use of a word processor for your exams or arrange for an invigilator to scribe on your behalf.

If the person marking your exam script finds all or any part of it illegible, reasonable attempts will be made to identify another member of staff who is able to decipher your handwriting. If the second member of staff also finds the script illegible, it will forwarded to the Faculty Registrar (or HE Co-ordinator in partner institutions) for a third and final attempt to decipher what you have written. If your script is then still deemed illegible, the University accepts no responsibility and the indecipherable sections will not be marked.

What are my responsibilities during my exams?

In general

  • You're responsible for providing your own writing instruments - these can be brought to your desk in a clear pencil case or a clear plastic bag.
  • If you want to leave the room temporarily once the exam has started, you'll need to be accompanied by an invigilator.
  • You must raise a hand in order to alert an invigilator. There'll be at least one invigilator present in the room at all times. 
  • You're responsible for handing in your completed script to an invigilator before leaving the examination.