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Taking an exam

In the information below, 'exams' or 'examinations' refers to formal University examinations sat under timed, invigilated, closed examination conditions.

For all enquiries regarding open assessments (eg coursework assignments, projects, dissertation, deadlines, extensions etc) please contact your department directly. Any queries concerning your modules, marks or results also need to be directed to your department.

Attendance

Attendance at all University closed exams is compulsory, and anyone who does not attend an exam at the time and place published in the exam timetable will be deemed to have failed in that part of the assessment.

Exams are normally scheduled between 9am and 7.30pm, although they may be scheduled up to 9pm where necessary. Exams may be scheduled on Saturdays and bank holidays.

You will receive an automated email when your exam timetable has been published and after any changes have been made. Please check your timetable and ensure you are always working from the most up-to-date version.

If you require individual arrangements in exams then you need to make arrangements with Disability Services to have these put in place. 

Seating arrangements

Your exam venue will be displayed on 'My Timetable'. If you have any problems accessing this please contact timetabling@york.ac.uk. 

It is important that you attend the venue on timetable and sit in your allocated seat as failure to do so may result in you being marked absent. You will be informed of your seat number when you arrive at your exam venue.

It is your responsibility to ensure you are aware of where your exam is taking place - missing your exam or being late due to not knowing your venue or going to the wrong place will not be considered an exceptional circumstance. 

If you have individual exam arrangements you will have been placed in a specific room to ensure your arrangements can be put in place. Attending the exam in a different venue (even if the same exam is taking place there) will mean that your arrangements will not be available. 

Room layouts

Illness and compassionate circumstances

If you are unable to attend an examination because you are ill, or for any other good reason, you must submit a medical certificate or a full report of any exceptional circumstance affecting assessment, to the chairperson of the relevant Board of Studies. You would normally report to the chairperson through your supervisor. This needs to be done before the Board considers the assessment results.

Misreading the examination timetable is not regarded as an exceptional circumstance.

University card and exam candidate number

The University operates an anonymous marking policy and only your exam candidate number identifies you until marking has been completed. Your exam candidate number is the seven-digit number shown on your university card. This must be entered on every answer booklet or answer sheet used in every exam. 

Your university card acts as an identity card during the exam, and you must bring it with you to each exam. It must be legible, undamaged and contain a clear photograph that is a true enough likeness to identify you.

If your card is damaged in a way that makes it illegible or your photograph unclear you must replace it. If your appearance changes to the extent that the picture is no longer a true likeness of yourself (to the extent that an invigilator may not think it is you) you must replace it with an up-to-date photograph. 

You must display your card with the photograph facing upwards on the desk throughout the exam. Failure to bring your card to an exam (or bringing a card that does not meet the above criteria) will be considered a failure on your part to follow exam regulations and therefore may result in your script not being marked. 

Publication of results

Students can opt out from publication of their exam results. You must notify the Data Protection Co-ordinator in good time if this is your intention.

Circumstances which may affect exams

Religious observance (including Ramadan)

Students wishing to observe a religious commitment on a particular day during the published exam periods should complete the Examinations and Religious Observance Form.

We try to accommodate students' legitimate requirements but the University reserves the right to hold exams on such days if no alternative time is convenient.

During Ramadan, the University makes changes, where possible, such as:

  • exams either take place in the early afternoon or early in the morning.
  • no more than one exam per day is scheduled.

Arrangements are made in line with advice from a senior Imam, the Equality Challenge Unit recommendations, the current practices at a number of higher education institutions and the advice of the Federation of Student Islamic Societies (FOSIS).

Students must attend examinations in the locations allocated unless ill or unable to attend.

  • If students are unwell during any period of assessment, including exams, they should follow the University procedures for confirmation of illness.

Exceptional circumstances

The University recognises that obligatory fasting is an important event in many religious observances; however, religious fasting alone does not constitute legitimate exceptional circumstances for examinations.

Acceptable exceptional circumstances occur if the act of fasting significantly affects a student’s health and/or a student has a medical condition which may impair their academic performance or prevent them from attending an examination during fasting. In such cases, the student will need to provide documentary evidence to support their claim for exceptional circumstances.

Disability and medical conditions

Individual arrangements may be approved for students who are unable to sit formal University exams under standard exam conditions. This could be as a result of:

  • A long-standing physical or mental impairment, illness or disability
  • A short/medium term condition eg pregnancy or recovery from an accident or surgery
  • A temporary illness or injury eg broken bones, temporary sports injuries 

Individual arrangements are designed to ensure that equitable exam conditions are provided to enable students to demonstrate their knowledge and competence notwithstanding their disability or condition.

Pregnancy

Students who are pregnant and sitting examinations can request the following individual arrangements through their department. In some circumstances this may mean the student sitting the exam in a different location to other students.

  • frequent breaks to use the toilet or to move around due to feeling uncomfortable
  • a different chair and desk to make the student comfortable when taking a written exam
  • being allowed to take a drink, for example, water into an exam room.

Individual arrangements are designed to ensure that equitable exam conditions are provided to enable students to demonstrate their knowledge and competence during pregnancy.

Resits

Notification

Undergraduate candidates who are required to take resit or first attempt exams during the resit period will be contacted via e:Vision in July. Postgraduate student resits may be scheduled outside this period, and candidates will be contacted by their departments regarding timing.

Timetable

Undergraduate Resit exams usually take place in the third week of August. Dates can be found on the Assessment and Examination web page. Postgraduate resit exams may be scheduled at other times by departments in order to allow students a firm decision on progression sooner than late August in order to facilitate dissertation and project work.

The resit timetable will be available in late July on students' individual teaching timetables. It is not possible to provide precise information of exam dates (other than the week the exams will be scheduled in) until this time. Therefore, all candidates required to resit exams should make themselves available in York for the whole of the resit week.

Accommodation

Candidates who wish to book temporary accommodation at the University during this period can do so by emailing the Accommodation Office (accommodation@york.ac.uk).

Results

Exam results are not issued by the Exams Office. For information on module results please contact your department.