Key examination regulations

It is important that you abide by the rules of the exam venues and listen to and follow all invigilator instructions and announcements.

Every year, students are caught breaking the rules. Ignorance is no excuse: if you are caught breaking the rules for whatever reason, it is considered cheating and therefore you will face academic misconduct procedures. It is your responsibility to familiarise yourself with the rules and adhere to examination requirements.

You are advised not to bring valuables to your examinations and that all your pockets must be completely empty throughout your exam. Please therefore only bring what is required. The University cannot accept any liability for loss or damage to any property in exam centres, howsoever caused.

Permitted items in examinations

Pens, pencils, and any other stationery necessary for the completion of the exam must be placed in a clear pencil case (no patterns or writing of any kind) or be clearly visible on your desk, not left in pockets.
Clear bottle of water, no writing or labels – Only transparent bottles are permitted, and all labels must be removed. There should be no writing of any kind on the bottle. Please do not rely on invigilators to supply you with water.
A non-programmable, non-networked, non-communication enabled calculator. If you are required to bring one and it is an exam where calculators are permitted.
University ID (or your Driving licence/Passport if you do not have this) This must be a physical copy not a digital version. Removed from any cases, wallets or lanyards.
Jumpers – As the temperature in the exam venues can vary, bring a warm jumper as coats/outdoor jackets and hats are not permitted to be worn during the exam. Nothing can be hung over the back of your chair.
Any additional exam specific items approved by your department and listed on the front of your exam paper – such as notes, molecular model kits or specific textbooks. Your school will let you know in advance of the exam if you need to bring any additional permitted items.

Non-Permitted items in examinations

Check your pockets before you sit down, your pockets should be completely empty – If you forget to remove items from your pockets before you sit down, the invigilator in the room will give you an opportunity to hand these over prior to the exams starting. If you leave any non-permitted items in your pockets/on you during the exam, you will be breaking the rules and risk facing Academic Misconduct.

The following items are not permitted and so must not be on/near you in the exam room, even if turned off. All items should be put in your bag before entering the exam room or given to the room invigilator if you don’t have a bag.

Mobile phones. Switched off, alarms cancelled and, in your bag, not on you. You must NOT have a mobile phone on you, even if it is switched off.
Any wearable device that enables a candidate to obtain, generate, receive, transmit, record, analyse, and/or display information during an assessment, whether currently existing or developed in the future, shall be considered prohibited wearable technology unless explicitly authorised by the University. e.g AI glasses, any bluetooth enabled device.
Ear pods/ear buds/earphones of any description
Watches or fitness tracker of any kind. No form of watch or tracker is permitted.
Programmable, networked or communication enabled calculators
Any electronic communication and/or internet enabled devices
Food – except in relation to a medical condition or as part of an approved special arrangement.
Stationery or written material/notes not specifically authorised in the exam instructions.
Notes in any form including written on the body
Coats/Outdoor jackets – these are not permitted to be worn or hung on the back of chairs.
Headwear – except for religious purposes or in relation to a medical condition or disability.
Bags - All bags must be left in the designated area. Do not take your bag to your seat at any point, even unpacking at the start of the exam.
Any form of opaque or patterned water bottle or pencil case. All labels should be removed and there should be no writing on items at all.
Glasses cases, tissue packets or any other item that could conceal non-permitted items such as notes.

View our academic misconduct pages for further information.

Dictionaries

Each exam venue has at least one standard English dictionary available for you to consult, provided the exam paper does not state dictionaries are not permitted. If you wish to use it, you must put up your hand and ask the Invigilator for permission.

Candidates may only take a bilingual dictionary (in book format) into a University exam if prior permission has been given by the School responsible for the paper. Electronic dictionaries are not permitted. Where a School permits all candidates to use dictionaries (e.g. for a modern language translation paper), this will be indicated on the exam question paper, together with details of the dictionaries specifically permitted or excluded.

If you would like to bring a bilingual dictionary into an exam, please visit your Support Centre where staff will provide a letter on headed paper to state that use of the dictionary will be permitted, listing the specific exams in which it is allowed. You should display this letter on your desk throughout the exam. The Invigilator will check the dictionary for any notes and annotations, which are not allowed.

A School may not permit the use of a dictionary for examinations for which it is not responsible.

Calculators

You are only permitted to bring and use a calculator if your exam paper specifies the use of one and the calculator is permitted under the calculator policy.

It is your responsibility to ensure you have an appropriate non-programmable, non-networked, non-communication enabled calculator for any exam where a calculator is permitted and you are required to bring your own.

1. Exams that permit you to use your own non-programmable calculator.

If your exam requires you to use your own calculator, it must be a non-programmable, non-networked and non-communication enabled model.

A non-programmable calculator cannot store programs or text and can only perform mathematical operations based on in-built functions. It cannot be programmed or customised in any way and cannot be network or communication enabled.

The University does not have a list of permitted calculator models. It is your responsibility to ensure your calculator meets these non-programmable specifications. Invigilators will continue to check calculators being used in exams. The models previously included on the list of permitted models fulfil these requirements.

Having a programmable calculator of any type in an exam, even in exam mode, will lead to academic misconduct procedures.

2. Exams that do not permit you to bring or use your own calculator.

If your school has further calculator restrictions and you are not permitted to use your own calculator, the University will provide the required model which will be laid on your exam desk for you to use for that exam. You must leave this University calculator on your desk at the end of the exam.

Depending on your exam’s requirements the model provided will be either the CASIO FX-83GT CW or the CASIO FX-991CW. Your school will advise you of this in advance and it is your responsibility to familiarise yourself with the model prior to your exam. Invigilators cannot help with this.

In this case you are not permitted to use your own calculator, even if it is the same model.

For further information on your specific exam please contact your Student Support coordinator the first instance. In some cases, you may be directed to your Department/School.

Watches and fitness trackers

Candidates are not permitted to wear any form of watch for in-person examination. Each examination room will have a clock which can be clearly viewed throughout the exam.

All watches and fitness trackers, not just SMART watches, must be removed and placed in your bag before entering the examination room.

If you do not have a bag, hand all non-permitted equipment to your room invigilator who will keep them at the front of the room until the end of the exam.

Watches are not permitted on you or on your desk.