Exams policies & procedures

Examination Venues

Network exam venue
Students who live within 150kms from a network exam venue are required to attend the network exam venue. If a student lives within the metropolitan area of a capital city they are required to attend the network examination venue.

Nomination of examination venues
Students will be able to change/ nominate an examination venue via the OUA Exam Services site seven (7) weeks prior to the commencement of the examination period. The venue selection option will be open for (3) three weeks and will close four (4) weeks prior to the commencement of the examination period. Please see the Key Dates page for specific dates.

Students wanting to change/or request an examination venue after the nomination closure date may have their request denied. Please contact the OUA Exam Service to discuss your options.

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Selecting your Preferred Examination Venue

When you select your Examination Venue, you may choose to select the venue for all your examinations, or select a venue for each of your examinations.

Clicking on the actual venue name will provide you with the address and telephone details of the venue.

Your selection will be automatically updated in the Exam Venue summary page, however, it may take up to 7 days to be reflected in your examination timetable details, as displayed in the Exam Venue and Timetable Summary page.

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Examination Travel Bursary

Students who are >100kms from the nearest examination venue may be eligible for a travel bursary.  Further information can be found on the Bursaries page

Special Local Invigilators (SLI)

If a student lives more than 150km from the nearest network examination venue, or the student has a medical condition or disability which precludes travel to a network exam venue they may apply to sit their examinations with a Special Local Invigilator (SLI).

Students must nominate a Special Local Invigilator (SLI) via the Online SLI form that is available at the time your Venue Selection and Examination timetable is available. Please see Key Dates. It is accessible from where you nominate your preferred exam venue - Exam Venue Summary page.

The nominated invigilator must NOT be a relative, friend or have any vested interest in the student's studies.

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

Applying for an SLI
You will be required to submit your SLI request along with the details of your SLI nominee via the SLI Online Form.

The SLI Online Form requires details of your SLI Nominee, including their name, address, and contact details, as well as details of their own, or employer's, business.

Your SLI request will cover all your unit exams for that teaching period.  If for some reason, you require both an SLI and a venue selection, submit your SLI Online Form and contact the OUA Exam Services to discuss your venue selection requirements.

You will be required to scan and load a form of identification for your SLI nominee, such as a business card, or an official letter from the SLI nominee's employer ,clearly showing the position held, and the actual business address.

You may update your SLI Online Form with the required identification for up to 2 days after submission. The request will not be actioned until the required identification document is loaded to the online application.

Your SLI request will be assessed and verified by the OUA Exam Services team and you and your SLI nominee will receive email notification advising you of the outcome of your request.

SLIs for Students Studying in India
If you are a student studying in India, or wishing to sit your exam in India, and you wish to apply for an SLI, you must contact the OUA Exam Service team directly to discuss and apply for your SLI.

You must not apply for your SLI via the Online SLI form as there are special requirements that must be met for SLIs conducted in India, and the OUA Exam Services team will discuss these with you prior to your application.

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Alternative Assessment Arrangements (AAA)

Alternative assessment requirements are to be determined and approved by the provider you are studying the unit/s with. Medical documentation supporting your application will need to be submitted to your Provider. Approved alternative arrangements will be arranged for students at their nominated Network Exam Venue. Special local invigilators will only be provided if the student is unable to travel due to their disability or medical condition, or reside more than 150kms from the established venue. AAA students will be sent a letter confirming that their selected exam venue will be supporting the approved alternative assessment arrangements that were requested. Letters will be posted to their registered correspondence address one week prior to their scheduled examination/s.

Some examples of alternative assessment arranges are:

• Use of a Scribe or Reader
• Use of a PC or laptop
• Rest/movement breaks
• Exam papers printed in a larger font
• Additional working time
• Voice recognition software
• Exam conducted in a private or separate area of the exam room, away from other students

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Deferred and Supplementary Exams

Provider Institutions are responsible for the approval process for deferred and supplementary exams. Please contact your provider for further information regarding their Policy and Procedures for granting a deferral or supplementary exam.

Once granted/approved, the examination periods for the deferred/supplementary exam are:

For study periods:

• In the examination period at the end of the next study period, ie. Deferrals from SP1 will sit in the SP2 exam period.

For sessions:

• Students in Session 1 will sit the deferred exam in mid August
• Students in Session 2 will sit the deferred exam in mid to late January
• Students in Session 3 will sit the deferred exam in Study Period 1

Students will be sent a confirmation letter from the Provider regarding their approved deferred/supplementary exam, indicating the dates the exam timetable and venue selection will be available.

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Special Consideration

Students are to consult their provider for policy and procedures relating to Special Consideration.

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Sitting your Examination

Definition of approved items in an examination
Only approved items as specified on the front cover of the examination paper will be permitted for use by students. 'Open Book' means a student is entitled to have any material in their possession other than: any form of electronic device, such as a calculator, electronic dictionary, mobile phone, computer, etc. 'Specific Text' indicates a particular item, or items that students are allowed to refer to in an examination. Eg, Accounting Handbook 1A, hard copy English dictionary, etc. 'Calculator permitted' indicates students are permitted to use a calculator in an examination. 'Calculator' refers to a device where mathematical calculations are the primary function.

Exam arrangements
Students should ascertain form lecturers in advance the format of the exam and what materials will be authorised for the exam. Students will not be permitted to have in their possession any materials which have not been authorised for the exam, as indicated on the front cover of the exam paper.

Reading times
Examinations will have 10 minutes reading time or 30 minutes reading and noting time which is in addition to the duration of the examination. The examination starting time is the commencement of reading time (local time).

Examination duration
Is the time provided to students for 'writing their answers' in an examination. It is referred to as the 'duration of the examination'. The duration of your exam is provided on your examination timetable.

Identification
Students will be required to take photo identification to each examination and display it prominently on the examination desk. Identification can be any form of photographical ID, i.e. drivers license, passport etc.

Examination admittance
After entering an examination venue students will not be permitted to leave until one hour after the scheduled start time of the exam, nor will students be permitted to leave in the last 10 minutes. An announcement will be given ten minutes before the end of the examination and an instruction to cease writing will also be given. Students will not be admitted to an examination if they arrive more than one hour after the scheduled start time of the exam. Extra time will not be granted to any student who does not present for an examination at the correct time and place. Students will not be permitted to remove any examination paper or script books from any examination venue.

Use of dictionaries
Dictionaries are not permitted in an examination unless specified on the cover of the examination paper or if exam is open book. Where a Provider approves the use of a dictionary for an individual student, the Provider is required to advise the OUA Exam Services of the requirement. The student will be sent an approval letter by the OUA Examinations Unit which the student must take to the examination and provide to the Invigilator prior to the commencement of the examination. Students who do not bring the approval letter to the examination will not be allowed to use a dictionary in the examination.

Mobile phones
During an exam students must not have a mobile phone in their possession. Mobile phone are not authorised or permitted during the exam (refer to the section on 'Cheating & Unauthorised Material' below). Any material or item on a students desk, chair or person will be deemed to be in their possession. Possession of unauthorised materials in an exam is a discipline offence.

Exam sessions
Examinations will be held during weekdays, Monday to Friday, and two examination sessions will be conducted each day. Examinations will not be scheduled, or conducted, at night. Students cannot change the date or time of their examination.

Toilet breaks
During an examination, if you need to go to the rest room, you must place your hand in the air and remain seated until you are directed by an Invigilator. Any student found to have unauthorised materials in their possession, or attempting to cheat, or cheating in an examination will be reported to the Provider Institutions.

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Cheating & Unauthorised Material

Students are reminded that possession of unauthorised material in an examination (including a mobile phone) or any other form of cheating or attempting to cheat in an examination is a discipline offence. Possession means any item in your pockets, clothing, or on any part of your person, or on your desk or chair. If you bring your mobile phone into the exam it must be switched off (including the alarm). All unauthorised material including mobile phones must be placed in your bag on the floor.

Unauthorised material refers to any item which has not been authorised for the exam or specifically permitted on the front page of the examination paper. Prior to your exam, make sure you are aware of the authorised items permitted for your examination. If you are charged with possession of unauthorised materials, such as notes, etc, or with attempting to cheat or cheating, and a discipline committee finds the charge proven, you could be suspended from your course or excluded from the University.

Cheating in an examination will be reported to the Provider Institutions.

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Examination Clash Arrangements

Students with a clash of exams (where 2 exams are scheduled on the same day and time) will be sent written correspondence confirming their clash of examination arrangements. The correspondence will outline the following:

Students will NOT be allowed to leave the examination room in the period between the two examinations.

Students will not be permitted the use electronic equipment such as lap-top computers, as these may be used as a means of wire-less communication.

Student will not be permitted the use of mobile phones.

If a student chooses to sit only one of the scheduled exams or varies his/her enrolment, the student must contact the Examinations Unit for confirmation of the revised examination arrangements.

A copy of the correspondence is forwarded to the examination venue for their information.

Students will be advised to bring lunch.

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