University Registrar

OFFICE OF THE

University Registrar

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Exam FAQs

This section contains frequently asked questions regarding the process of exams at Queen's.

Please note: You must have a Queen’s Student Photo ID Card to gain entrance to an exam room.  YOU MUST BRING YOUR QUEEN'S STUDENT PHOTO ID TO ALL OF YOUR EXAMS.  Students writing an exam without a Queen's Student Photo ID will be assessed a fine of $50.00 per exam.

Gordon Hall, Room 110 | exams@queensu.ca

Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic - Current Service

The Office of the University Registrar (OUR) is here to provide service to you.

We continue to offer online and remote service delivery to help reduce the global spread of the COVID-19 virus.
Our commitment to provide support to you remains our priority during this time and our core operations will continue.  As many staff within the OUR are working remotely, we would ask that your inquiries be directed as follows:

Please continue to monitor the Queen’s University’s COVID-19 webpage (https://www.queensu.ca/covidinfo/) for the most up to date information.

Winter 2021 Exam Process Changes

Service revisions for Winter 2021 are highlighted in applicable sections of the Exams website
Where is the Exam schedule posted?
The Winter 2021 Exam Schedule is now posted to the SOLUS Student Centre.
Students:

Students can view their exam schedule in the SOLUS Student Centre. It contains both the times and on-campus locations of each exam session. Instructions can be found on the Exam Timetable page.
Faculty:

Faculty can see their exam schedules in the Faculty Centre through PeopleSoft. Instructions can be found on the Exam Timetable page
Administrative Staff:

Administrative staff should refer to the final exam timetable sent by email from the Exams Office.
What are the exam regulations?

      ** Please also visit our Exam Regulations Page for more information**

  1. If a student does not have a Queen's Student Photo ID Card at an exam, the procedure as outlined on our Exam Regulations page (under 'Missing Queen's Student Photo ID') will apply.
  2. Any candidate arriving at an exam hall after the beginning of the exam will receive only the remaining time in which to write the exam. The late candidate's paper will be marked only at the discretion of the Faculty.
  3. No candidate will be allowed to leave the exam hall within thirty minutes of the start time of the exam.
  4. No paper may be detached from an exam book. A candidate may not take an examination book or any part of an exam book or scrap paper that is given by the Proctor from the exam hall.
  5. Candidates who have not left their exam table prior to the final fifteen minutes of the exam will be required to remain at their exam table until dismissed by the Chief Proctor.
  6. Students must submit information about illness or other circumstances affecting their work to the relevant Faculty within twenty-four hours of the exam in the course concerned.

Failure to comply with the regulations listed above or with the instructions of an exam proctor may result in a written report by the Chief Proctor which will be distributed to the instructor of the course, the Dean of the relevant Faculty, and the Exams Office.

Exam Regulations Revised: 27 March 2006
What is / is not allowed during an exam?

**Please note: You must have a Queen’s Student Photo ID Card to gain entrance to an exam room. YOU MUST BRING YOUR QUEEN'S STUDENT PHOTO ID TO ALL OF YOUR EXAMS. Students writing an exam without a Queen's Student Photo ID will be assessed a fine of $50.00 per exam.**

1. No articles such as textbooks, notes, books of tables, data sheets, graphs, paper, written material, calculators, etc., may be taken into the exam hall unless authorized by the instructor in writing at least 3 days before the exam.

2. Food and recording or playback devices are not permitted in an exam hall.

  • Food may be consumed in the hallway. Please notify a proctor to be escorted to the hallway if you need to eat.
  • Beverages are permitted in an exam venue, provided the drink is brought in a re-sealable container (items such as cans and/or disposable coffee cups are prohibited).

3. The use of communication and electronic devices with memory and/or audio capabilities and/or web access is prohibited during an examination. All electronic devices must be turned off and placed underneath the candidate’s seat and must not be used for any reason.

4. Students should bring only essential items to the exam: student card, writing utensils, authorized aids for that exam.

5. All bags, including Queen’s red bags, handbags, purses and backpacks are not permitted in an exam room, and must be left in the hallway at your own risk. The University assumes no responsibility for personal property lost in or near an examination.

6. Coats are permitted into the exam hall as follows:

  • Students may wear their coats into the exam room, and they may be placed on the back of the chair.
  • If for any reason the coat impedes traffic in the aisle behind the chair, students will be required to adjust the placement of the coat to ensure safety standards are met.
  • Proctors may advise students of impediments, and students are to follow the direction of the proctors regarding coat placement.
What if a student misses an exam?

If a student misses an exam, they must contact their instructor for options.
What if I am sick on exam day?

It is recommended that students who are ill on the day of an examination not write the examination.  Such students should seek health services, if needed, and follow-up with their home Faculty/School. 

Students who experience an unexpected illness during an examination must notify a proctor prior to leaving so the students’ home Faculty/School can be informed of the event with an incident report. When students leave an examination without notifying a proctor of an unexpected illness, it will be assumed that they completed the exam. 
What do I need to do if I require accommodation as approved through the Student Wellness Centre?
How do I contact the Student Wellness Centre?
When do I apply for accommodations?
  • Please submit your midterm accommodation requests to the EAS Student Portal no later than 10 working days (2 weeks) prior to the exam, and preferably by the end of September and January.
  • NOTE: the Exams Office only administers accommodated midterms for students requiring use of a computer, a private room, or 35+ minutes extra time per hour.
  • All other midterm accommodations are done through your Faculty Office and/or instructor.
  • Final exam (April, December, Summer) accommodations are automatically done and sent to your Queen’s email by the last day of class.
What if I need to cancel an accommodation?
  • If students do not require the accommodations, they must be cancelled with the Exams Office, IN WRITING (email preferred) in advance of the exam. Failure to do so will result in a $45 fine.
  • Students may also notify their instructor, however, that does not suffice as notification to the Exams Office.
  • Students are responsible for making the cancellation, not instructors.
What if I have an exam conflict?

The exams office makes accommodations for students who have an academic conflict as a result of exam scheduling. Please visit http://www.queensu.ca/registrar/exams/conflicts for more details.

An academic conflict is:

  • Two exams at the same time
  • 3 in a row (includes one 9 am, one 2 pm, and one 7 pm exam slot, in 24 hours)
  • We do not make any accommodation for non-academic conflict (ie sporting events, wish to return home earlier).
  • Any requests for a student to write at a different day and/or time than the scheduled exams will be directed to the course instructor and/or Faculty Office for approval AND administration.
What if I have a personal conflict during the exam period?

Students should avoid making personal plans that fall within the official exam periods (refer to the sessional dates for the official exam periods). Until the final exam schedule is published (the Friday before Thanksgiving for fall term and Family Day for winter term) it should be assumed that exams could be scheduled any time from the first to the last day of the official period. Students will not be granted consideration for any personal plans (travel, etc.) made in conflict with their exam schedule. Section 8.4 of the Academic Regulations states that personal plans do not qualify as extenuating circumstances.

What do instructors need to know about exams?
  • Any completed exams are not returned via campus mail or courier. Instructors or a delegate must come to our office to pick up the exam(s). Please bring ID. If it is a delegate, our office must be notified in advance of authorized persons.
  • Instructors or a delegate are encouraged to attend all exam venues in which their exam is being written, including accommodated venues.

In class tests, quizzes and midterms:
Final exams:
  • Final exam requests must be submitted to the online webform at https://www.queensu.ca/registrar/iservices.php by add/drop in September and January (approximately the 20th). Please refer to distributed emails for instructions.
  • Final exams must be delivered to the Exams Office by the Print Deadline issued with the final exam schedule (generally two weeks before the exam). They may not be emailed; our office requires a hard copy.
What if I have a question about exam grades?
  • Instructors should contact their Faculty Office regarding deadline dates for submitting grades.
  • Students should contact their instructor if they have a question about their exam grade.
Where can I find previous exams?

Final and midyear exams that are deemed non-confidential are posted annually by October 31 to the ExamBank. Answers are not provided. Users can access the ExamBank from off-campus by logging into QSpace with their Queen’s NetID..

When do you hire proctors?

Please contact the Exams Office at exams@queensu.ca for details.

Do you invigilate exams for other institutions?

No, Queen's does not offer this service. You can contact Kingston Learning College or St. Lawrence College for assistance with this type of request.

PLEASE NOTE:  Queen's is not affiliated with the proctoring services of KLC or SLC in any way.