Are all OUA Unit examinations scheduled via the OUA Examination Services?

While most exams are organised by the OUA Examination Service, there are some exceptions. In the case that your exam is not organised by the OUA Examination Service, your provider university will advise of all exam details.

The OUA Examination Service will manage examinations that are held on weekdays during business hours; are held at the end of the Study Period/Session; and are written exams that require invigilation (supervision).

The OUA Examination Service will not include mid-term exams. Where a Mid Term exam is required, your Provider university will advise of all exam details.

Can I apply for Special Consideration?

Refer to your provider's policies and procedures regarding Special Consideration.

Can I apply for an OUA Travel Subsidy?

You may be eligible for an Exam Travel Subsidy if you are 100kms from the nearest exam venue. Further information and application details can be found on the Subsidies page.

Do I have to pay for my examination/s?

When the examination is managed by the OUA  Examination Service, your exam organisation, invigilation and venue hire will not incur any costs on top of your unit fee.

Do I have to use the OUA Examination Service?

Yes, if your examination is managed via the OUA Examination Service you will be required to adhere to all policies and procedures associated with the Examination Service.

Where an examination is NOT being managed via the OUA Examination Service, your provider university will supply you with all examination details.

Your unit study materials will provide detailed information about the assessment component of your unit(s), including the examination details if applicable.

How do I arrange my exam through the OUA Examination Service?

If your exam is organised by the OUA Examination Service, you will receive emailed instructions during the Study Period/Session on how to arrange your examinations.

An email will be sent to you around the middle of the Study Period/Session to advise you when you can nominate/change your preferred examination venue and when your exam timetable is ready for viewing.

You will be directed to your individual exam schedule timetable which will detail the date, time and duration of each exam, and the address of your nominated venue.

If required, you can change your venue by selecting another venue from the list available.

I have special needs. Can these be accommodated by the OUA Examination Services?

The OUA Examination Service can support special examination requirements at  examination venues. These are called Alternative Assessment Arrangements (AAA). You will be required to contact your Provider's Disability Liaison Unit for advice regarding options available to you for AAA services. If required, the Provider Disability Unit will liaise with the OUA Examination Service to arrange Alternative Assessment Arrangements.

It is extremely important that you advise of your special needs by week 4 of the Study Period/Session.

What does the OUA Examination Service do?

The OUA Examination Service will manage the selection and allocation of invigilators (exam supervisors) and examination venues. Your examinations will always be conducted using approved examination venues and invigilators, assuring you of a professional standard of supervision with the aim of allowing you to achieve optimum performance in the examination.

The OUA Examination Service provides students with:

• A convenient method of viewing their personal examination timetable
• An extensive network of established examination venues both within Australia and internationally
• A professional exam environment with supervision provided by approved invigilator

What if I am running late for the exam?

You have the option of commencing your exam up to one hour after the advertised commencement time. After this time, you will not be allowed to enter the venue, irrespective of the cause. Extra time is not provided to students who are late.

What if I can't attend an exam at the time scheduled?

If you are unable to attend the exam at the scheduled  time, you may be eligible for a Deferred Exam if your circumstances meet your provider university's criteria. You must contact your provider university for details on their Deferred Exam policy and procedures.

It is important to note that the examination schedule cannot be changed to accommodate an individual student's needs.

If you are on holidays during the date of your exam you may still sit your examination at your holiday location if there is a venue available, or you may wish to apply for a Deferred Examination.

If you are sick on the day of your exam, please refer to your provider university's policies and procedures regarding Special Consideration.

What if I cannot travel to the OUA Examination Service nominated venue/s?

If you live within 150km of one of the locations on the list you you must attend that venue by choosing it via the online OUA examination timetable (when available).

If you live more than 150km from a venue you can apply for a Special Local Invigilator via the OUA Examination Service website. The application form will be available when the venue selection and timetable is available. Please refer to "When will my exam timetable be available" for publication dates.

If you live within the 150km range, and you have a disability and/or mobility impairment that prevents you from travelling, you may be eligible for a Special Local Invigilator. In these cases, you must contact your provider to be assessed for Alternative Assessment Arrangement eligibility as well as applying for Special Local Invigilation via the OUA Examination Service online application form.

When are examinations held?

For examinations that are scheduled via the OUA Examination Services, the examination period  will be:

Study Periods: All examinations will be conducted within the fortnight following the end of the Study Period, although the majority of exams will be held within the week immediately after the end of the Study Period sometimes referred to as 'Week 14').

Sessions: All examinations will be conducted within three weeks from the end of the Session.

Where will the OUA examination venues be located?

The OUA Examination Service is always working to organise examination venues based on OUA student enrolments, and student locations.

Venue addresses will be available from Study Period Week 7 or Session Week 8 when the venue selection is available for you to choose your preferred examination venue.All venues are also within close proximity to public transport and/or public parking.

For international students: OUA Examination Service venues are located in many international locations for students who are studying overseas. Whether you are an Australian citizen living overseas or an international student, the OUA Examination Service will usually be able to provide you with an exam venue or list of available venues. All standard OUA Examination Service policies and procedures apply to students living outside Australia.

Can I sit my exam during the evening?

Exams conducted by the OUA Examination Service will only be held during weekday business hours.

How do I select or change my exam venue?

To select or change your venue:

• Navigate to the exam venue and timetable summary page, and click Select/Change Venue
• Select the country in which you will be sitting your exam
• Select the venue most convenient to you
• Allow 7 days for the timetable to be updated to display full details of your nominated venue

Note: Your newly selected venue may have a different exam start time, so be sure to double check your updated exam timetable.

What do I do if a unit that requires an examination is missing from my exam timetable?

The OUA Examination Service does not timetable all exams offered through OUA units.

If a particular unit is not shown on your exam timetable it is possible that

• No exam is scheduled for the relevant unit; or
• The exam is being administered directly by your provider; or
• There is a problem with your examination timetable

Please contact an OUA Student Advisors for further information

What if I have a clash of exam times?

In most instances, the exam timetable will be managed in order to avoid clashes. In the rare instance that a student has exams scheduled for the same time, OUA Examination Service will identify the clash and arrange for one of the exams to be scheduled on the same day but at a different time. Precautions will be taken to ensure the integrity and security of the exam and the student will be sent a letter providing details of their responsibilities on the day.

When will my exam timetable be available?

Your exam timetable and examination venue section will be available from Week 8 of a Study Period, and Week 9 of a Session. You will be sent an email in Week 5 reminding you to view your OUA exam timetable at the required time, and a reminder email will be sent in Week 7 of a Study Period and Week 8 of a Session.

The timetable will be displayed online until approximately a week after the examination period.

Where do I find my exam timetable?

After reading OUA's Exams overview, you may access your examination timetable by signing into My study centre, going to Current units and selecting the Book exam link.

Your timetable will provide the date, time, duration and exam venue details of each examination.

Please refer to When will my exam timetable be available? for publication dates.

What is an Alternative Assessment Arrangement (AAA)?

An Alternative Assessment Arrangement (AAA) examination is one in which the OUA Examination Service provides special examination conditions for a student with special needs.

These special arrangements may include variations in the structure, format and/or duration of the exam, access or special equipment at the exam venue, and specified allowable materials.

To find out if you are eligible for an Alternative Assessment Arrangements, contact your provider university for further information and request for AAA approval.

If your provider approves your eligibility for AAA, they will then contact the OUA Examination Service to ensure that your AAA needs is accommodated in your examination(s).

OUA Examination Service will also send you a letter approximately two weeks prior to the examination period, detailing exam arrangements that have been made. You must still check the OUA exam timetable online for details and to select/change your preferred examination venue.

How do I apply for a Special Local Invigilator (SLI)?

The OUA Examination Service website provides an online SLI application  form which is only available during the select venue and examination timetable period. Please check the When will my exam timetable be available? for key dates.

You must provide the contact and address details of your nominated SLI, along with a scanned copy of your nominated SLI's letterhead, business card or similar. You will also be requested to provide reasons for the SLI request.

You must have discussed your application with your nominated SLI, and once the application is received, the OUA Examination Service team will then contact the nominee to determine their eligibility.

Please note: if you are applying for an SLI due to disability reasons, you must also contact your provider directly to apply for an Alternative Assessment Arrangement (AAA). An SLI application due to disability will not be considered without a provider-approved AAA request.

How do I choose a Special Local Invigilator (SLI)?

You will be required to nominate a Special Local Invigilator when applying for SLI consideration.

Recommended categories of invigilators are as follows:

• University/TAFE examination office
• Corporate Training Officer
• Librarian
• Minister of Religion or other Religious Leader
• School Principal, Deputy Principal or Teacher

Your chosen SLI must speak English and must be available to supervise your examination on the date and time specified (local time).

The OUA Examination Service team will then contact the nominee to determine their eligibility.

What if I require an SLI and I am studying in India?

Where you wish to apply for an SLI, and you are studying in India, or seeking to sit your exam in India, you must contact the OUA Examination Services direct to discuss and apply for an SLI.

The OUA Examination Services team will provide you with the specific details and instructions you must follow for your SLI application.

You must NOT submit your SLI application via the Online SLI Request Form.

What is a Special Local Invigilator?

A Special Local Invigilator (SLI) is  utilised when either: (a) the student lives more than 150km from the nearest network examination  venue, or (b) the student has a medical condition or disability which precludes travel to a network exam venue.

What am I allowed to bring into the exam?

You will need to bring a photographic ID such as a current driver's license or passport. You will also need to provide both your OUA student ID number and provider ID number, to write on your exam paper(s).

You may also take personal belongings into the examination venue; however you must place everything under your desk in a closed bag, or on the floor. Mobile phones must be switched off (including any alarms) and placed in a closed bag, or on the floor.

Your own writing paper is not allowed into the exam; an examination answer book will be provided for taking notes.

Dictionaries can only be used during exams if it is specified on the cover of the examination or if the paper is an open book exam OR you have been granted permission from your provider and you have a letter of approval from the OUA Examination Service (this letter must be taken to the exam).

You are also not permitted to use a computer to sit your exam unless you have an approved Alternative Assessment Arrangement.

What is a deferred exam and how do I apply for one?

A deferred exam allows for those very special circumstances where illness or other serious causes will, or has, prevented you from attending an examination on the scheduled date/time.

You must contact your provider for consideration and approval for a deferred exam. They will also be able to provide you further information on their eligibility criteria for a deferral.

Your provider will then send you a letter advising whether your application has been approved. If your application for exam deferral is approved, you will be provided with the following details:

• Examination period dates (i.e. the examination period in which your deferred exam has been allocated)
• URL to the OUA Examination Service site for when the examination timetable is ready for viewing
• Date from which you will be able to view your deferred examination timetable.

When will my deferred exam be scheduled?

Approved deferred examinations using the OUA Examination Service will be conducted according to the following guidelines:

StudyPeriods: during the examination period at the end of the next Study Period.(eg. If deferred from SP1, the deferred exam will be conducted in the exam period at the end of SP2).

Sessions:

• Session 1: in August
• Session 2: in January
• Session 3: in the last week of May or early June.

How do I access my Exam Results?

Specific and individual exam results (where applicable according to university policy) will be available from your provider university. For details on when you can access your exam results, please refer to the results publication dates of your provider university.

When will my Exam Results be available?

Refer to the results publication dates of your provider university.