Specific Provisions for Exams

Conduct in the Exam Hall

1. You must not talk or otherwise disturb other candidates in the Exam Hall, either before, during or after your exam.
2. You must not do any of the following: 
   
   *  Sit an exam in the name of another candidate. 
   
   *  Have in your possession any unauthorised material, including notes, electronic devices (including smart watches, exercise and fitness trackers) and mobile phones, this includes on or near your person unless stipulated on your ILP.
   
   *  Have in your possession any unauthorised equipment which might give you an unfair advantage, this includes on or near your person. 
3. Possession of any unauthorised material/electronic device is breaking the rules and is therefore treated as a strict liability offence. This means that where a student is found to have taken unauthorised materials or an electronic device to their desk, the student is guilty of an offence, irrespective of that student’s intent either to deceive or gain advantage.
4. You must not take anything to your desk except those things that are permitted on the front of your exam paper.
5. You must leave all coats, hats, bags scarves etc. in the designated space as instructed by the invigilators. 
6. You must not take any correction fluid or correction tape into the Exam Hall. Any corrections to the text on your exam answer sheets must be made by crossing out the error and rewriting.
7. You must not attempt to look at the exam papers or start to write anything on the exam paper or the answer booklet, other than to complete the cover sheet of the answer booklet, before the exam has started.
8. You must stop writing immediately at the end of the exam as soon as instructed.
9. You must not try to communicate with any other candidate during the exam or try to look at any other candidate’s work during the exam.
10. You must listen carefully and follow instructions given to you by invigilators.
11. You must not take your script or any rough workings out of the exam hall.
12. At the end of the exam you should remain in your seat, until your script has been collected and the Invigilators then release you.
13. If your ILP states that you have Marking Guidelines your sticker should have already been applied to your answer sheet, if it is not, please inform an invigilator at the end of your exam. If you forget, you must go to your Hub to ask for the sticker to be applied to your exam within 24 hours, otherwise marking guidelines will not be considered. 
14. If you go to the toilet, please take your desk card with you and report to the Invigilator situated outside the room. (There may be a delay if another student is already absent.) You will be required to empty your pockets and show your arms. Failure to do this when asked will result in an official Incident Report being written. SP students are able to go to the toilet at any point during their examination.
15. If you have been allocated timed breaks, you can take your break at any time within the exam period. If you want to take a break you should indicate to the invigilator that this is the case. You can leave the room or remain at your desk. If you choose to remain you must sit away from the desk. Indicate to the invigilator when you are ready to resume the exam.
16. If you experience any issues during your exam such as technical difficulties, feeling unwell, or needing clarification you must inform the invigilator immediately at the time the problem occurs. It is important that we are made aware of any concerns as they happen so that we can provide support and, where appropriate, take action to ensure the integrity and fairness of your assessment. Please do not wait until after the exam to report a problem, as this may limit the options available to help you.
17. Students sitting SP examinations may leave the examination venue at any time; however, once they have exited the venue, re-entry will not be permitted.

Important information

1. You must ensure that you are on time for your exam, and ensure that you bring your Unicard or other photo ID.
   
   
2. Should you inadvertently bring a mobile phone with you to the exam hall, it must be switched off and left at the back of the hall or handed to invigilation staff. Any device sounding or causing a noise will result in a minimum £50 fine being applied, for the disturbance to other candidates. Please ensure you have no pre-set alarms.  Changing the phone settings to silent is not an option.
   
   
3. You should carefully read the instructions on the front of your exam paper and answer booklet, and understand what you are required to do.
   
   
4. Should you wish to go to the bathroom, or leave early, then please raise your hand and seek permission from an Invigilator.

It is very important that you read all of the following information carefully as the key points given above are just an outline of the exams process; it offers help and guidance on the whole exams process and hopefully answers any questions you might have.

Please note: Students are only permitted to use a completely clear case or clear plastic bag for their pens, pencils, etc in exam halls.

Jackets, coats, bags, brief cases, handbags and non essential headwear i.e. hats/caps/scarves, etc. are to be left in the designated area at the rear of the exam hall, together with books and notes not required for "open note", "open book" or "restricted note" exams.

Extra Time for Specific Provision Students

Some students are entitled to additional time in their exams as part of their ILP arrangements. This extra time is calculated based on the standard duration of the exam and is applied consistently across all scheduled exam times. To ensure clarity, the table below outlines how extra time is allocated depending on the start time of the exam.

Please note this table tool is for guidance only and exact timings may be subject to rounding.

You will be emailed within seven working days of the timetable release with confirmation of your total writing time. 

You can find details of your ILP via the Student Record System here. 

Example:

Standard duration of exam

1hour 30mins

ILP states

00:15 per hour extra time at the end

Rest breaks in exams

Time to add to your exam

25 minutes (extra time at the end)

23 minutes (rest breaks)

New total exam duration

2 hours and 18 minutes (1hr30+25mins+23mins)

Setting Up Exam Adjustments as a Current Student

If you believe you require exam adjustments due to a disability, neurodivergence, or health condition, the first step is to complete an ILP (Individual Learning Plan) Request Form. This form allows us to assess your needs and determine the most appropriate adjustments to support you during your exams. Details can be found on the Wellbeing Webpages.

Assessment and ILP Creation

Once your request and supporting evidence have been received, an advisor will review your information and begin drafting your Individual Learning Plan (ILP). This plan may outline exam adjustments, such as extra time, use of a laptop, or a specific exam setting, as well as other types of academic support that could benefit your studies.

If the advisor requires further information or clarification, they will contact you directly. You are also encouraged to reach out at any time if you would like to discuss your disability and the support available to you. Appointments can be arranged to ensure your needs are fully considered.

Act Early to Arrange Your Adjustments

If you think you may need exam adjustments, please let us know as soon as possible. The process of assessing requests, reviewing documentation, and implementing adjustments takes time, so early notification is essential to ensure that everything is in place for your exams.

For more details about ILPs and the support available, please refer to the contact the Wellbeing Team.

The dates below are the latest date you can request and attend an appointment with Wellbeing Services to set up exam adjustments for the next exam session.

• January exams = Monday 3rd November 2025.
• Mid Term 1 exams = Monday 3th November 2025.
• May exams = Monday 9th February 2026.
• Mid Term 2 exams = Monday 9th February 2026.
• Referred/deferred exams = Thursday 25th June 2026.
• Mid Term 3 exams = Tuesday 5th May 2026.

Please note there is always a high demand for these appointments. It is always best to request these appointments as soon as you can. Unless your needs change you will only need to tell us about your specific provision (reasonable adjustments) once.

Exeter University cannot guarantee specific provision (reasonable adjustments) for your exam if you request an appointment after the dates listed above.

Providing evidence to support your specific provision (reasonable adjustments)

When submitting your ILP Request Form, you will need to provide supporting evidence of your condition. This may include:

You will need to bring the medical evidence for your disability or long-term health condition to your Wellbeing appointment if you have not already submitted this to Wellbeing Services. This evidence can include:

• A medical report or letter from a healthcare professional
• A diagnosis from a specialist
• An Educational Psychologist or Specialist Teacher’s report (for specific learning differences)
• Any other relevant documentation confirming your needs

This evidence helps our AccessAbility and Wellbeing advisors understand your specific requirements and ensure that suitable adjustments are put in place. More information can be found at:  Supporting evidence | Wellbeing Services in Devon | University of Exeter.

What to do if you have missed the appointment deadline

If, for whatever reason, you have not asked for your exam adjustments by the deadline, please contact Wellbeing Services immediately. If you have subsequently had an injury that could cause you difficulty in a formal exam situation, you should contact Wellbeing Services and the Exams Office as soon as possible with the necessary medical documentation.

Exeter University cannot guarantee to put any necessary specific provision (reasonable adjustments) in place if you miss the appointment deadline. Should exam arrangements not be put in place due to the missed appointment deadline and you feel your academic performance has been affected, you should speak to your College. They may advise you to apply for mitigation.

My Timetable and individual requirements

We will send you a link to your standard exam timetable, however if you have followed the guidance outlined above, you will receive an additional email setting out all your individual arrangements. Only the additional writing time of your ILP will be included on your online timetable (Time allotted for timed breaks will not show). Please also check you have been allocated a designated (SP) venue. If you do not receive such an email or the venue shown on your online timetable does not include 'SP' in its title, it is important you contact Wellbeing Services and the Exams Office immediately.

Students with existing ILP's

If you already have an Individual Learning Plan (ILP) that includes exam adjustments at the University, there is no need to set up these adjustments again. However, if you wish to review or update your existing ILP, you should reach out well in advance of your next exams and before the exam adjustment deadlines to ensure any necessary changes can be implemented in time.

Online Exams and ILP Adjustments

We are committed to ensuring that appropriate adjustments are made for undergraduate and taught postgraduate students who are eligible for additional specific provisions during online exams or assessments, in accordance with their Individual Learning Plan (ILP).

For details on how adjustments such as extra time or rest breaks are applied to online exams, Please see the information below and then please refer to the ILP Timings section in our FAQs for more specific guidance regarding extra time provision.

Option 1 exams (24-hour open-book assessments with no fixed duration)

You can take as much time as needed within the 24-hour window to complete your exam. These assessments are designed to take approximately the same length of time as a standard in-person exam, with the extended period naturally allowing for any extra time or rest breaks you would normally receive.

Option 2 and Option 4 exams (fixed-duration online assessments)

Any extra time adjustments specified in your Individual Learning Plan (ILP) will be applied. You can use the ILP Information Table in our ILP Timings section to calculate your additional time, and you can access details of your ILP through the Student Record System. Additionally, you will receive an email within seven working days of the timetable release confirming your total writing time.

If you have an Option 2 or Option 4 exam that requires submission via the Exams ELE submission point, an extra 15 minutes will be added to your exam duration to support you in case of any technical difficulties. This is provided in addition to any extra time granted as part of your ILP.