Formal Examinations
All the information you need to know about formal exams, such as rules and expectations and where you can find your exam timetable, is available here.
The Student Centre is available via phone, email or online chat to answer any questions you may have.
Exam Expectations
- Ensure you check your timetable at least 4 weeks prior to your exam to confirm all details are correct.
- Remember your student ID (8 digit)
- Only bring the materials permitted on your timetable.
- Be on time for your examination, regardless of exam type.
- Do not bring any electronic devices (including watches, tablets, headsets) unless you have been authorised to do so, i.e Mobile phone for MFA Respondus exams.
- Do not copy other students or allow others to copy your work.
Exam Expectations - External Students only
- Your Semester Residential address must be kept up to date, even if you are on placement
- Your timetable will indicate the venue of your exam at a location near your Semester Residential address.
- You are expected to sit your exam at the date, time and venue indicated on your timetable
- Please refer to all Exam rules below
Exam Expectations – AccessAbility students only
Your timetable will contain your approved exam adjustments, if you believe these are incorrect or details missing please contact [email protected]
Exam Rules
| All Exams | The examination timetable for an individual student will conform to the following guidelines unless there are accreditation/ registration requirements which preclude the use of these guidelines.
End of Semester, formal exams, will be scheduled between 8am and 8pm excluding Sundays and public holidays. |
| Arriving /starting Late excluding On campus Oral/Practical or Online Oral | The exam timetable will provide a start date, start time and may have a window of time during which you can access and submit your exam. You can only enter the exam room/LearnJCU up to 30 minutes after the published start time. If you arrive after 30 minutes you will not be allowed entry to the exam room or into the LearnJCU Examination - you will receive an allocation of DNS (did not submit) for that examination. |
Late starting an exam | For an on campus exam if you start after the published start time and before the 30 minutes late start allowance you will forfeit that time. For an online exam if you start any time up to the 30 minutes late start allowance you will not lose any allocation time from your exam. |
Arriving Late for On campus Oral/Practical or Online Oral | There is no allowance for late arrival for Oral or Practical exams. You must be on time for your allocated examination and if you arrive after the published start time you will receive an allocation of DNS (did not submit) for that examination. |
| Communication | No communication is allowed with other students during the exam. If you have a question, please raise your hand, and wait for the supervisor. |
| Exam Instructions | Any instructions will be provided to you on your timetable and/or in LearnJCU. You must follow all instructions provided. |
| Materials Allowed - Any | This means you can bring anything into the exam, i.e., notes, excluding electronic devices. (For on Campus Respondus exams only, you will be required to bring your mobile phone for MFA). |
| Materials Allowed - None | This means you are not allowed to bring any materials into the exam room (including dictionaries, calculators) except standard stationary, i.e., pen/pencil. (For on Campus Respondus exams only, you will be required to bring your mobile phone for MFA). |
| Materials Allowed - Restricted | This means you can only bring books or materials that are listed under Materials Permitted on your timetable. (For on Campus Respondus exams only, you will be required to bring your mobile phone for MFA). |
| MFA – Multi Factor Authentication | You can register for MFA and can find further information at Multi-Factor Authentication in LearnJCU. |
| No Unauthorised Materials | Only the materials listed on your timetable are permitted, do not bring any other items/materials into your exam. |
| On Campus/Study site exams | You will be required to listen to all announcements made by the exam supervisor. Announcements will be made outside before you enter the room, and once you are seated in the exam room. You will not be permitted to leave the room during the first 60 minutes from the start of the examination, except for toilet breaks. |
| Permitted in all JCU Exams | Pencils, pens, highlighters, erasers, whiteout, ruler and a water bottle. Please be aware that supervisors do not carry any spares. |
Permitted in On-Campus Respondus Exams ONLY (MFA requirement) | You must bring your mobile phone/Yubikey for the purposes of MFA. You will be instructed to switch off your phone once access has been approved. |
| Permitted Materials | Your timetable will list any specific materials you are allowed to bring into the exam room. Check the details for your exam carefully on your timetable at Students Online or in the Student App two weeks before the start of the exam period. |
| Photo ID | The following exam types will ask you to provide photo ID:
This can be your JCU Student ID card, driver’s licence or other photo ID. Please be aware, if you have an on campus exam and you arrive at your exam room with no ID, you will not be able to take your exam. If time allows, you can go to the Student Centre for a replacement ID (current charge $15). Refer to Late Start details. |
| Purse/Wallet/Bags | You will be directed where to put your bags/purse/wallet or any other belongings when entering the exam room. |
| Reading Time | If your exam specifies a reading time you can refer to any permitted materials and make notes on rough paper during this time (available on request). You cannot start answering questions. |
| Respondus Monitor Exams only | You must complete the full Environment Check, please refer to the Video and further information on this page Respondus Monitor Environment Check Failure to provide a clear Environment Check video may lead to an Academic Misconduct report. |
| Rough Paper | Rough paper is available on request for any exam. All rough paper must be handed in at the end of the exam and will not be included in your exam – all rough paper is then shredded. |
Please Note:
Misreading the date or time of your exam cannot be used to apply for Special Consideration.
If there are extenuating circumstances for not being able to start/attend your exam on time and you have evidence of Extenuating circumstances, you may wish to consider applying for Special Consideration to either defer your exam or apply for adverse impact.
Further Information
Please refer to the Examination Procedures for further detail.
Please refer to the Student Academic Misconduct for further information.
The following items are permitted in all JCU exams:
- pencils, pens, highlighters, erasers, whiteout, rulers and a water bottle.
All instructions will be provided on your examination timetable.
For the following exam types you may also be directed to your LearnJCU subject site for further detail:
- Assignment
- Online LearnJCU
- Online Respondus with Monitor
- Online Respondus
- Online or on campus Oral
- Online or on Campus Practical
Each on-campus exam has its own list of permitted materials which is a list of items you can take into the exam room. Check the details for your exam carefully at Students Online two weeks before the start of the exam period.
COVID-19 Information
There will be no spare pencils, pens, highlighters, erasers, rulers, dictionary (if permitted), calculators or batteries (if permitted) provided by supervisors in an exam room, so please bring a spare.
Exam timetables for the main Study Period 1 and 2, and Trimester 1, 2 and 3 are released and published in StudentsOnline five weeks before the exam period starts. This includes information about the Assessment type you will be sitting. Refer to the Academic Calendars to check the Exam Period for all Study Periods or Trimesters.
If you have any issues accessing your timetable, please contact [email protected].
The formal exam periods deliver a combination of on campus and/or online exams - details of each type of exam can be found below.
Your timetable will provide specific information regarding which exam type you will be sitting and may also include an Assignment which will be run under exam conditions and timetabled to prevent clashes with other exams.
Online LearnJCU exam
This is an online exam run in LearnJCU using the “test” tool. This exam has a single specified start time, a specified duration, and must be completed in a single attempt. Students will answer questions directly in the LearnJCU test response boxes and/or upload files to the LearnJCU test or submission portal/dropbox.
Online Respondus exam
This is an online exam run in LearnJCU using the “test” tool and Respondus Lockdown Browser. This exam has a single specified start time, a specified duration, and must be completed in a single attempt. Students will answer questions directly in the LearnJCU test response boxes.
On-campus online Respondus exam
This is an online exam run in LearnJCU using the “test” tool and Respondus Lockdown Browser, that is sat on-campus with in-person invigilation. This exam has a single specified start time, a specified duration, and must be completed in a single attempt. Students will answer questions directly in the LearnJCU test response boxes.
Online Respondus exam with Monitor
This is an online exam run in LearnJCU using the “test” tool and Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor. This exam has a single specified start time, a specified duration, and must be completed in a single attempt. Students will answer questions directly in the LearnJCU test response boxes.
Online oral exam
This is an online oral exam run in LearnJCU using Collaborate with individual students. This exam has a single specified start time for each student, a specified duration, and must be completed in a single attempt. Students will verbally respond to questions that are posed verbally or in writing.
Assignment
This is an assignment run under exam conditions that is released and due via LearnJCU during the examination period. The assignment has a specified release time, a specified due time, and a single submission is allowed. Students will submit file(s) to a LearnJCU submission portal/dropbox. Failure to submit by the due date and time will result in a non-submission.
On-campus hard copy exam
This a paper-based exam completed on-campus with in-person invigilation. This exam has a single specified start time, a specified duration, and must be completed in a single attempt. Students will handwrite answers directly onto an exam paper or answer booklet provided by the invigilator.
On-campus Oral exam
This is an oral exam held face-to-face on-campus with individual or groups of students. This exam has a single specified start time for each student/group, a specified duration, and must be completed in a single attempt. Students will verbally respond to questions posed verbally or in writing by the examiner.
On-campus Practical exam
This is a practical exam held face-to-face on-campus with individual or groups of students. This exam has a single specified start time for each student/group, a specified duration, and must be completed in a single attempt. Students will perform practical tasks and/or respond to questions, scenarios or demonstrations presented verbally, non-verbally, using computer software, or in writing.
Formal End of Semester exams
Please be aware that if any changes to already agreed reasonable adjustments are required for an Examination Period or a new adjustment is required unexpectedly, a request must be submitted at least 15 university working days prior to the start of a formal Examination Period. Adjustments will then be assessed on an individual basis and if adjustments cannot be accommodated at that time a deferred examination may be required.
If you are registered with AccessAbility Services, your approved examination adjustments will be listed on your formal exams timetable. See example below:
Important Note: Any additional writing time listed under AccessAbility Conditions will already be calculated into the duration listed. In the example below the exam without conditions is 2 hours.
Exam: EV3110 Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (AccessAbility Exam Conditions)
Assessment Type: Hard Copy Paper Exam
Date: Friday: 11/11/2022
Start Time: 8:15am
Duration: 2 hours and 20 minutes plus 0 minutes reading (plus 15 minutes rest per hour)
Campus: Townsville
Venue: 142-022
AccessAbility Conditions:
10 extra minutes per hour writing time.
15 extra minutes per hour for rest breaks.
Exam Conditions:
This is a Closed Book exam - no materials are permitted- no calculators, no dictionaries, no electronic devices.
Materials Permitted:
- No materials permitted
Students with religious obligations
If you cannot sit an exam due to religious obligations, contact JCU’s Examinations Office immediately by email at [email protected].
Seat on Campus
On-campus exam spaces are available for students who are unable to take an Online exam at home. There are limited spaces, therefore you must apply to book a seat on campus and receive pre-approval to sit your exams on-campus.
If you experience Special Circumstances that prevent you from attending your examination, you may submit an application to defer your exam.
Special Circumstances are events or experiences that:
- are short-term (a single study period); and
- unforeseen (i.e., unexpected, unusual, uncommon, or abnormal) and beyond the student’s control to prevent or overcome; and
- Please refer to the Special Consideration page for full information.
Any breach of the exam rules where inappropriate student conduct or academic misconduct is suspected, will be reported by the Exam Supervisor or the Subject Coordinator under the Academic Misconduct Procedure. Please make sure you are aware of the exam rules and contact [email protected] if you need any further clarification.