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Alternative examination arrangements

Examinations are held at the end of the first year (prelims) and usually at the end of your course (finals) centrally within the University at the Examination Schools.  Any examination adjustments required should be made known as soon as possible after matriculation and not later than at the time of entering for examinations. 

The deadline for applying for examination adjustments is the Friday of 4th Week of the term before the examination in the case of existing disabilities or injuries. However, some requests may, for urgent reasons, also be considered nearer to the date of your examinations. 

More details are available from the Proctors' Office 'Essential Information for Students' guide.

Examination provision may include:

  • Extra time and/or the use of a word processor for students with Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLDs) or physical disabilities/illnesses that make writing difficult.
  • Enlarged font papers for those with a visual impairment
  • Written instructions for those with a hearing impairment.
  • Ergonomic or other seating arrangements.
  • Scheduling of examinations at a specific time of day or only one examination scheduled per day due to fatigue effects caused by some disabilities.
  • Permission to bring of food and drink into an examination – to assist the staff at Examination Schools, students are required to carry a copy of the letter from the Proctors with them into Examination Schools or Ewert House.

Please note that this list is not exhaustive. If you have requirements that are not covered here please contact your college office to find out if these can be accommodated.

The University's policy has changed with regards to the amount of extra time that student's with SpLDs are entitled to.  Most current students will now be automatically entitled to 25% extra time (15 minutes per hour) for both hand written and word processed examinations.  Any recommendation for additional extra time over the standard 25% would need to be fully justified by an appropriately qualified educational psychologist or specialist teacher with a valid current practising certificate.  Please contact the Disability Advisory Service if you have any questions about this. 

Applying for examination arrangements

The Disability Advisory Service can advise students on applications for alternative examination arrangements, which are organised via your college.

  1. Contact the Disability Advisory Service in the first instance to discuss your needs.

  2. Provide evidence of why you need the adjustments so that the college disability contact can forward an application to the Proctors’ Office.

    If you have a Specific Learning Difficulty (SpLD) and have an exisiting educational psychologist's or specialist teacher’s report, the Disability Advisory Service will arrange for a summary sheet to be produced by the University's SpLD specialist.  Your assessment must meet Oxford’s Guidance on SpLD Diagnostic Assessments before alternative examination arrangements can be agreed by the University Proctors.  Contact the Disability Advisory Service for more information.

  3. For all other types of disability, medical evidence from a specialist, general practitioner and/or college doctor is required.  That evidence should explain explicitly why you need alternative examination arrangements.

  4. The Proctors make the final decision on whether to allow the adjustments requested and will notify you, your college, the Examination Schools, and the Chairman of Examiners of their decision.  If permission is given for ongoing examination adjustments for the remainder of your course, this will be recorded in Student Self Service which you can log on to and view.

Coursework and other assignments

You will not necessarily be given extra time to complete your assignments.  If you are having real difficulties with keeping up with the workload because of your disability then you should discuss this with your individual tutors and with the Disability Advisory Service.  There may be other adjustments that can be made to help, and an extension of the course may be recommended.

Checking or changing your arrangements

You can check any examination arrangements you have been given permission for in Student Self Service.

If your examination arrangements need to be altered, you should raise this with your college as soon as possible.  You will need to provide medical or psychological evidence to support any change in arrangements.

Special circumstances or illness

There is a procedure under which the examiners can be informed of any special circumstances (e.g. ill-health) which may have affected a candidate's performance before or during an examination. 

Information, usually accompanied by a medical certificate, needs to be sent in writing by the Senior Tutor (or other responsible college officer) to the Proctors as soon as possible before the papers are marked. 

At their discretion, the Proctors may forward the information to the relevant Chairman of Examiners who will then decide whether or not to take the information into account when determining the examination results.  Only in the most exceptional circumstances will the Proctors agree to forward such information after the results of an examination are already known.

Student Self Service

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