On campus exams

How do I find out my exam details?

• Your exam date, venue, time will be noted on your exam timetable.
• Exams may be scheduled on a different campus than where your teaching normally takes place. 
• Most exams are due to start at 9:30am or 2pm, and can happen Monday to Saturday.

What should I do on the day of the exam?

• Check the exam venue and plan enough time to allow for travel. 
• Arrive at least 30 minutes before the published start time to find your desk.
• Make sure you check what you can and can’t take into the exam venue. 
• Go to the toilet before you enter the exam venue. You are unable to leave the venue during the first 30 minutes or the last 15 minutes of the examination unless you feel unwell.
• Use the 15 minutes reading time to read all questions and raise your hand to ask any questions you may have about them during this period.

I can’t find my SHUcard. Can I bring another form of ID to my exam? 

• You can request a replacement SHUcard if it has been lost, damaged or stolen. 
• If you are unable to present your SHUcard, you will be asked to provide an alternative form of photo ID such as your passport, driving licence or BRP card. Invigilators will check your identity against your proof of identification during the exam.

I arrived after the start time for my exam. Will I be allowed into the venue to complete it?

• If you arrive late, you may enter an exam during the first 30 minutes, including any reading time. 
• If you miss an exam, contact your Student Support Adviser as soon as possible.

Online exams via Blackboard

How can I prepare for my online exam?

• Set up a space where you can work without being disturbed while taking the exam.
• Book a room and computer on campus using resource booker.
• Check your computer/laptop to ensure that it is working and all software is up to date, your battery is fully charged, and you have an appropriate power supply.
• Login to Blackboard using a web browser. We recommend Google Chrome.
• Ensure you have good broadband and WiFi or use a wired connection. Sit as close to the WiFi point as possible.
• Make use of any practice exams, where available, so you can become familiar with downloading, completing, preparing, and submitting an exam.
• Warn other people in the household that you are taking an exam and that they should avoid activities that use lots of bandwidth until you finish.

How do I know what time to start, finish and submit my exam?

• All exams are due to start at 9:30am or 2:00pm.
• Your exam start, end of working time and submission deadlines are noted on your exam timetable. If you are unsure, contact your module leader.
• We recommend that you set an alarm so that you know when your exam working time has ended as you must begin to submit your work then if you haven’t already.
• After your exam working time, you have a 15-minute submission period to submit your exam.

What should I do if I did not start my exam at the agreed start time, i.e. 9.30am?

• All exams start at 9.30am or 2:00pm – this start time is not flexible, unless this has been pre-agreed in your learning contract if you have one.
• If you do not start on time you will not have the full working time available for your exam. The exam will end at the same time as noted on your exam timetable.

I have been allocated extra time above 15 minutes per hour for my exam as part of my learning contract – how do I know when to start and finish my exam?

• If you have additional time allocated (above 15 minutes per hour) in your learning contract this will have already been built into your start and finish times as noted on your exam timetable.

I am experiencing technical difficulties during my exam, what do I do?

• You should get help with IT support immediately by phoning 01142253333 and pressing option 2.
• When contacting IT Support, have the following information at hand to help address your issue: your SHU username, module name and code related to the exam you are taking, details of the problem and any software you are using.
• You can submit an Exceptional Circumstances request if you feel the technical difficulties have affected your performance in the exam.

How do I know when and how to submit my exam?

• You have 15 minutes to submit your exam after the working time has ended. You cannot continue to work on your exam during this time.
• Exam papers are submitted by uploading them to the indicated exam submission point on the module’s Blackboard site.
• Multiple-choice type exams are submitted by completing the indicated Blackboard Test on the module’s Blackboard site.
• You can submit your exam any time up to the submission deadline.

I’m having difficulty uploading my completed exam during the 15 minutes submission time, what do I do?

• Try to submit again. Refresh / re-log into your Blackboard just in case there is a timeout issue
• If you are still unable to submit you should email your exam paper to your module leader within the 15 minutes submission time. Your exam paper must be received by your module leader within this time.
• After the 15 minutes, if you have not submitted your work, you may want to consider an Exceptional Circumstances request. 

What if I do not submit my exam or submit it after the submission period has ended?

• If you do not submit your exam, or submit beyond the submission deadline, the work will not be marked and you will need to take the exam again in the reassessment period. Your mark will be capped at the minimum pass mark. If you submit an Exceptional Circumstances request which is accepted then you will be allowed to repeat your initial attempt which means marks will not be capped.