Exam guidelines
March 2003
Revised 20 November 2007
ØSTFOLD UNIVERSITY COLLEGE / HØGSKOLEN I ØSTFOLD
Important information about exams
Which rooms are reserved for the individual examinations and candidates?
Information will be posted on the StudentWeb not later than 3 days before each exam.
Examinee/candidate number
You will be given a candidate number by the invigilators (exam supervisors).
Printed and written sources
Make sure you know which sources you are allowed to use and bring these with you. Non-native speakers may apply for permission to use a dictionary (native language-Norwegian / Norwegian-native language).
Note: you have to ascertain in advance which kind of notes may be included in the books you are using. This matter must be discussed with the lecturer(s) of that particular course. The invigilators will check your books.
Writing paper with three copies is used at the exam. You hand in the original and the first copy (yellow) to the invigilators and keep the third (blue) copy yourself. The original is given to the course lecturer, and the first copy goes to the external examiner. In order to produce good, legible copies you must use a good pen. Either blue or black ink is required. You are recommended not to use a pencil.
Proof of identity
Proof of identity including photo (student identification card) must be shown at the exam. Private or external candidates are required to submit some other form of identification with photo.
Illness
If you are unable to show up for the examination because of illness the university college requires to be notified, and a doctor's certificate must be submitted without delay. Should you fall ill during the examination you must tell the invigilators, who will notify the administrator responsible for the exam.
Announcement of exam results
Exam results will be made available on the StudentWeb
Note: The switchboard operator of your faculty will no longer inform you of exam results.
Justification and complaints about exam results
The candidate has a right to be given a reason for his/her result. For oral and practical exams, a request for justification must be submitted immediately after the result has been made known to the candidate. For other types of assessment, a request for justification of the result must be filed in writing within one week after the candidate has been notified of the result and never more than three weeks after the results have been made generally known. The request for justification is to be submitted to the administration and will then be handed over to the examiner.
Justification should normally be given within two weeks after the candidate has requested it. The justification should account for the general principles on which assessment is based as well as for the assessment of the candidate's performance. The examiner may choose to give the justification orally or in writing.
A student may complain about his/her exam results and/or errors in questions, faulty exam and assessment procedures. The complaint must be filed in writing within three weeks after the exam result has been made known. The reasons for the complaint must be stated. When the student has requested a justification or filed in another complaint, the complaint period starts running from the time the student has been given the justification or from the time the result of the first complaint is stated.
Please note that you may complain about written exam results only.
Re-examination
You may sit for an examination up to three times. If you fail to turn up at the examination without due reason and notification or if you withdraw from the examination after the deadline for withdrawal, you will have exhausted ("used up") one of the three times. The deadline for withdrawing from an exam without any consequences is one week before the exam date. However, should you decide to withdraw after that deadline the school still wishes to be notified. You may withdraw from the exam by using the student web, or you may find forms at the student reception.
Guidelines for exam candidates
1. Candidates are responsible for registering for exams within the given deadline and for checking that registration has been done.
2. Candidates may not enter the exam room before the invigilators (exam supervisors) say so.
3. Bags and coats must be left in the place designated for this purpose. Candidates may only bring writing materials, permitted sources and food to their places. Candidates are themselves responsible for bringing permitted sources. It is not allowed to borrow from other candidates during exams.
4. Candidates are requested to show valid student identification cards or other proof of identification containing photo and to sign candidate lists. Candidates will be given candidate numbers when signing the lists. Students who have not paid the semester fee have no access to exams.
5. Candidates are requested to take their places in the examination room 15 minutes before the exam starts. Candidates who show up too late for exams may lose their right to sit the exam. However, they may be allowed to take the exam provided the delay is not more than 30 minutes and no other candidate has left the examination room.
6. If illness prevents a candidate from sitting the exam a doctor's certificate, valid for the exam day, must be submitted. If it is not possible to submit the certificate on the exam day it must be submitted or posted on the next workday.
7. After candidates have taken their seats they may not leave the examination room without permission from one of the invigilators.
8. The time at the candidates' disposal has been stated prior to the exam. On expiry of the examination time exam papers must be ready for submission, i.e. candidate numbers have been filled in and the papers have been sorted and numbered. It is not permitted to continue writing after expiry of the allotted time - this will be considered an attempt at cheating.
9. Candidates bring pens but use paper handed out at the exam. They are requested to use blue or black ink if nothing else has been decided by the course lecturer. Paper with copies is used at the examination and the pen must be adequate so that the copies are legible. Candidates are responsible for separating the two copies from the original and keeping one of the copies, and for filling in their candidate number on each page.
10. Candidates who decide to leave the exam without submitting a paper must sign their names on a special list (withdrawal list) kept by the chief invigilator and additionally hand in the exam paper questions and all other materials handed out at the exam. Candidates who do this are considered withdrawn during the exam and have exhausted one of their permitted sittings.
11. If candidates fall ill during exams they must decide if they wish to withdraw (see above) or to hand in their paper for assessment. If candidates choose to withdraw from the examination because of illness they must sign the withdrawal list. A medical certificate must then be submitted within the next week if the absence is to be considered valid.
12. No kind of communication between candidates is permitted during exams. Likewise, communication with persons outside the examination room, e.g. via phone or other means of communication, is not permitted. If candidates have questions these should be directed at the invigilators.
13. Candidates may only leave the examination room accompanied by one of the invigilators. It is under no circumstances allowed to leave the room during the first 30 minutes after the exam has commenced. Candidates are requested not to take long breaks but to remember that other candidates may also want to leave the room. Please observe that smoking is only permitted in designated places and not outside the entrances.
14. When finished, candidates must not leave their seats until the invigilators have controlled their papers. Papers that have already been handed in will not be returned to the candidates on any grounds. The examiners decide whether rough drafts may - as an exception - be accepted for assessment as a part of the submission.
15. After submission of their papers candidates must leave the examination room.
