Definitions

When appearing in the clauses below the following words and terms mean:

• student any person officially enrolled in a unit of study or course taught jointly between the University and any other institution
• invigilator members of the University's academic or general staff or any other person authorised to assume responsibility for supervision and/or organisation of a University examination
• examination room any place in which a University examination shall be or is being conducted
• during an examination the period of time from the start of an examination until its conclusion including time allowed for reading an examination paper
• good cause when applied to exclusion from an examination room this term means any breach of the requirements or any conduct on the part of a student which can be classified as "misconduct" under University Discipline Statutes or Regulations

These rules and regulations where appropriate, will also apply outside an examination room.

Seat numbers and student ID cards

Seat numbers

Examination seat numbers will be published on the internet and official notice boards at the Exam venues. You must know your seat number before entering the examination room.

If you haven't been allocated a seat number, please ask a question in ASKVU explaining your circumstances or phone +613 9919 6100.

Identification

For all VU examinations, you must bring photographic identification with you to your exam. Acceptable photographic identification includes student ID card, driver licence, passport

Entering and leaving time

You are not permitted to enter the examination room more than half an hour after the commencement of the exam.

You are not permitted to leave the examination room until half an hour after the start or during the last fifteen minutes except with the special permission of the invigilator in charge of the examination. If you leave during these times, the invigilator will report the details to VU.

Reading and writing time

Examiners normally provide reading time prior to each exam. This time is allocated at the discretion of the examiners.

Reading time usually commences at the scheduled exam start time as indicated on the exam timetable. You are not permitted to write anything during this time, including marking, scratching with pen, pencil, finger, thumbnail, spit, rings, bangles or any other material. You are also not permitted to fold or crease your exam paper to mark answers, or use any other equipment eg. calculators to calculate or document anything during this time.

All writing, including the entry of names or other information on the examination paper, examination answer booklets, or the numbering of questions must be completed during the examination time, but only after the invigilator has indicated that reading time is over.

Students with disabilities or medical conditions

If you have a disability or a chronic medical condition requests for special examination arrangements will be considered. You must:

• apply for consideration as soon as possible after the start of the semester
• register for disability support (it is solely your responsibility to ensure you are registered for this support)
• provide supporting evidence substantiating your disability or disadvantage
• register for disability support at least 4 weeks prior to commencement of the examination period

Exam materials - what's allowed and what's not

Allowable materials

The allowable materials for each unit of study is displayed on the exam timetable and on the exam paper. It is your responsibility to ensure you are aware of the allowable materials for each exam. Make sure to bring your own:

• pens
• pencils
• rulers
• erasers

Unauthorised materials

Any materials other than the stated allowable materials cannot be taken into the exam room except with the special permission of the invigilator in charge and where they are specifically required for an examination and expressly authorised by the examiners.

You must not take into the exam room any:

• books
• writing paper
• notes
• manuscripts
• electronic media (including electronic dictionaries)
• pagers
• any form of stored or recorded information
• religious materials such as Prayer Books, Korans and Bibles

Mobile phones and other electronic media

You are not permitted to take your mobile phone into the exam venue unless it is switched off and placed underneath your desk. Invigilators will advise you to do this during the amnesty period before the commencement of each examination.

If a mobile phone is found switched on in your possession after the amnesty period in the examination venue, it will be deemed as a breach of examination rules. This may result in the matter being referred to the relevant Head of School for further action in accordance with the discipline regulations.

Invigilators will advise you that the phone will be held as unauthorised material and returned to you at the end of that examination.

Palm pilots, pagers, PDA's and similar electronic media are not permitted into the examination venue.

Dictionaries

Only students whose first language is other than English can bring dictionaries into exams. If your first language is other than English, you must register your dictionary at a Student Service Centre. Please read the instructions below on how to register your dictionary.

Exam booklets and notes

All examination answer booklets must be submitted intact. Remember:

• you must not deface, remove or destroy any part of an examination booklet
• you must do all notes, rough work and calculations in the examination answer booklet

Behaviour during an examination

You must not communicate in any way with any person other than an examiner or an invigilator during an examination. Any other communication will be deemed as a breach of examination rules.

Smoking is not permitted in an examination room, and food and/or drink is not permitted in an examination room without the special permission of the invigilator in charge.

Exclusion, absence, or failure to attend an examination

Exclusion

An invigilator has the power to exclude you from an examination for good cause. The invigilator will submit a written report to VU immediately after the conclusion of the examination.

Absence

If you need to leave an examination room during the exam and return to the room later, you must obtain permission from an invigilator. You will be kept under supervision and be accompanied by an invigilator during your absence from the examination venue.

Failure to attend

If you fail to attend an examination at the time and place published in the final timetable, except where prevented from doing so by illness or other acceptable reason, you will be deemed to have failed that part of the assessment.

Exam clashes

If you are timetabled to sit two examinations on the same day and time you must complete a Clash of examinations advice form and lodge it at a Student Service Centre at least one week prior to the commencement of the examination period. You will then:

• receive a letter confirming your exam details including new seat numbers (disregard the seat numbers displayed on the web)
• be required to sit both examinations on the same day (morning and afternoon sessions)
• be supervised throughout the lunch period
• need to bring your own lunch because you will not be permitted to leave the examination room during the lunch period

Special consideration and Special examinations

If your performance at an examination is seriously affected by illness or other special causes complete a Special consideration application.

If you are prevented from attending an examination by illness or other special causes complete a Special examination application.

You will also need to:

• contact your medical practitioner or an external counsellor to have them complete the relevant section of the form
• or see a Student Counsellor to discuss support for your application and what additional evidence may need to lodged with your form
• submit your form to your Faculty office within three working days of the examination

Alternative examinations

You are expected to be available for the duration of the published examination periods. In exceptional circumstances, you can apply to sit an exam at an alternative time during the examination period. You must complete an Alternative examination time application form. You must sit your alternative examination within the current examination period.

You must complete a separate form for each unit of study in which an alternative exam time is requested. The completed form must be lodged at a Student Service Centre at least seven days prior to the commencement of the examination period.

Alternative examinations will only be approved in the following circumstances:

• medical or compassionate grounds, such as confinement, surgery or illness (supporting documentary evidence must be attached to the application form)
• military service, supporting documentary evidence must be attached to the application form
• work commitments, circumstances beyond control (a letter on company letterhead from an employer confirming this must be attached to the application form)
• competitive sporting events, at state, national or international level (a letter on company letterhead from the sporting body confirming this must be attached to the application form)
• wedding, only student's own or that of a close relative (a Statutory Declaration must accompany the application)
• religious convictions, a letter from a religious leader must accompany the application
• other exceptional circumstances, (eg. jury service, your exam timetable falls outside the timetabling guidelines), a statutory declaration should accompany this application

Applications for alternative examinations will not be approved unless they fall within one of the above categories or in exceptional circumstances beyond your control and supporting documentation is provided.

Applications for alternative examinations will not be approved where you wish to return home early, except on compassionate grounds and supporting documentation is provided. Booking plane/train/boat tickets for overseas or domestic travel is not considered an adequate reason for an alternative examination.

Students from non-English speaking backgrounds

Using dictionaries in exams

If your first language is other than English (NESB- non-English Speaking Background), you can apply to use a foreign language translation dictionary without annotations, illustrations or tables in an examination. Electronic dictionaries will not be approved.

To register a dictionary you must:

• take it to a Student Service Centre and complete a Dictionary use in an examination application
• take the form and registered dictionary to your unit of study lecturer for final approval
• fill out a separate form  for each exam you are sitting every semester
• present your registration form at each examination with the dictionary

No other type of dictionaries (eg. English, medical, accounting) are allowed to be used in an examination unless specified in the allowable materials for the relevant exam.

Extension of exam time

If you are from a NESB, you may also be eligible for extension of time for your examinations in the first two years of your enrolment at VU.

Recommendation of Extension of time in an exam is solely at the discretion of the unit of study lecturer and course coordinator. It is on the basis of the provision of documentary evidence supporting a valid reason for Extension of time. The recommended maximum additional time in an exam is 15 minutes.

You must complete an Extension of time application form and provide documentary evidence of the following:

• you arrived in Australia within the last five years from a non-English speaking country
• your immediate prior course of study was in a language other than English
• in addition coordinators may require you to provide your ELICOS (English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students) results that were submitted with your application for entry into your course, as an indicator of your English language proficiency.

If you have a disability or medical condition, you need to register for disability support.

ASKVU  Find answers and ask questions
Phone  +61 39919 6100
Visit  Student Service Centres