Below is practical information about what to expect and what you need to on the day of your exam. You should also read the University examinations Proctorial notice regarding conduct during examinations.
It is important that you bring into an examination your candidate number which can be found on your yellow Exam Confirmation Form (ECF), and your university card, which you should place on your desk. If you have lost or mislaid your ECF then you should contact your College’s Tutorial Office who will issue a replacement.
You may be allowed to use a calculator in certain examinations and it is your responsibility to confirm if the examination permits its use, and to check which makes and models are permitted. Calculators must have an approved marking (usually an official yellow sticker). Students requiring further information should contact their Director of Studies or refer to the information published in the University Reporter in Michaelmas Term.
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| Permitted |
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| Disallowed |
Unauthorised material (including revision notes) or equipment relevant to the exam.
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Standard university examinations are 3 hours long, with variations in some subjects. You are expected to submit your answers written legibly, and failure to do so may put you at a grave disadvantage. Whilst it is possible, in some circumstances, to have a script transcribed, even if a script is transcribed, you may still be at a grave disadvantage as to the mark awarded, as you had not communicated your thoughts effectively.
| DO | DO NOT |
| Arrive 20 minutes before the start of your exam | Arrive just as your exam is scheduled to start |
| Check the seating plan on display to determine where your seat is in the room. | Enter the room until instructed to do so by the exam room supervisor |
| Read carefully the instructions on the front of your exam paper | Leave the exam within the first thirty minutes |
| Cross through your rough notes | Open or turn your question paper until instructed to do so by the Invigilator |
| Complete the question numbers you have answered on the front page of the script booklet / cover sheet | Start writing until instructed to do so by the Invigilator. This includes writing notes on the rough pads. |
| Complete your candidate details on the front of each script booklet / cover sheet: candidate number, exam and paper | Write your name on the front of the script booklet / cover sheet |
An examiner will be present for the first twenty minutes of each session. You may ask the Examiner if you have reason to suppose that there is a misprint or other error in the paper, or to enquire whether you may take some particular point for granted in answering a question.
| DO | DO NOT |
| Raise your hand to attract the attention of an invigilator if you have a question or if you suspect there is a mistake on the exam paper | Communicate with any person during the exam, other than the invigilator |
| Raise your hand and wait for an invigilator if you need to leave the room, e.g. in case of illness | Leave the room unless permitted by the invigilator |
In some venues you must remain seated and silent until all scripts have been collected and you are told to leave the room.
Consider students who may be in adjacent rooms or venues who are still being examined and would not want to be interrupted by noise.
| DO | DO NOT |
| Listen carefully to the announcements made by the invigilator as they may also announce restrictions on removal of question papers. | Remove any paper from the exam room with the exception of the question paper (where allowed) |
| Place all rough notes in the bins by the exit | Leave your desk in an untidy state |
Students are responsible for ensuring that any post-examination celebrations, do not endanger others, cause damage to other people’s property or impede public byways. The Proctorial Notice on examination celebrations provides further information about rules for post-examination celebrations and fines on those who do not co-operate with Proctors or other university or examination venue staff
If you are ill on the day of your exam and do not think that you are able to sit your exam in the scheduled venue, then you should get in contact with your College Tutorial Office (during office opening hours), the Porters' Lodge (outside of College Tutorial Office opening times), or the College Nurse as soon as possible to let them know that you are unwell. Appropriate advice will then be given on what you should do.
If you feel ill during an examination and cannot continue, then you should let an invigilator know immediately. The invigilator will arrange for your College to be informed who may be able to assist you in returning to your home. You will not be able to continue with your examination and should leave all work on your exam desk.
A student who misses an examination altogether without good cause, such as illness, or who arrives more than 30 minutes late will receive no credit for that examination. This will seriously affect the overall class and result achieved.
Students who have reason to believe that the examination has been disrupted should report this to their Tutor as soon as possible and in any case within three days of their final examination. The Tutor is then responsible for investigating the matter and with the student’s agreement bringing it to the attention of the Board of Examinations.