Frequently Asked Questions
Please read below for answers to some frequently asked questions and remember to read our Examination Notes 2022/23 [PDF 165KB] for full information about examinations at Queen Mary University of London.
Examination Timetable
Where can I see my exam timetable?
Will the timetable change once published?
Where will my examination be held?
Will I ever have two examinations on the same day?
My examination timetable is incorrect. What should I do?
Where can I find the University’s examination regulations?
Before the examination
When should I arrive for my exam?
What happens if I arrive late for my examination?
My examination is being held in two rooms. Which one should I attend?
What do I need to enter the examination room?
What can I take into the exam room?
Can I take food and drink into my examination?
My exam is online. How do I access it?
What if I feel ill before my exam?
During the examination
What do I write on my answer booklet?
What happens if I feel ill during the examination?
After the Examination
I have left my belongings in the examination room. Where can I collect them?
I have missed my examination. What can I do?
When will I receive my results?
Where can I see my exam timetable?
In accordance with University Regulations, it is your responsibility to make sure that you know the date, time and location of each examination.
Your personal timetable will be available on your MySIS portal. Please check this very carefully and contact the Exams Team immediately if the module details on your timetable are incorrect. Remember that it should show all modules in which you expect sit a formal examination during the examination period, whether that be in-person or online. Other methods of assessment (e.g. coursework/essays/mid-terms) will not be shown on your examination timetable. Students are not permitted to sit any assessment, including examinations, for any modules they are not registered for.
Will the timetable change once published?
On rare occasions, it may be necessary to change the examination timetable after it has been published. We do everything possible to avoid this and any changes post publish are made under exceptional circumstances.
Amendments to the published timetable will NOT be notified to individuals, therefore we encourage you to check your timetable in MySIS regularly.
IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO CHECK PERIODICALLY FOR ANY AMENDMENTS WHICH MAY AFFECT YOUR INDIVIDUAL TIMETABLE
Where will my examination be held?
The examination venue will be listed on your personal timetable and the main college timetable.
You are strongly advised to visit in advance the rooms where your examinations are taking place to familiarise yourself with the location and layout.
Will I ever have two examinations on the same day?
Every effort is made to avoid scheduling examinations for individual students in consecutive time slots but both time and accommodation constraints as well as specific requests from Examination Boards make this impossible on occasion. Please note that the published examination timetable will only be amended to correct actual errors and not to respond to individuals’ preferences.
If you have a timetable clash, you should notify the examinations team via exams@qmul.ac.uk as soon as possible.
My examination timetable is incorrect. What should I do?
Before the Semester A and Semester B examination periods you are sent an email from the Exams Team to inform you of which examinations we believe you should be sitting in the upcoming examination period. This is based on your module registration. If the modules listed are incorrect, for example if you have recently amended your module choices and this is not reflected in the email from the Exams Team, you should contact exams@qmul.ac.uk to inform us of the change(s) by the deadline noted in the email.
Students should ensure that they are registered for the correct modules and make any amendments to their module selection using guidance from their School/Institute before the module registration deadline.
Failure to complete module registration by the deadline or informing the Exams Team of any errors could result in examinations being omitted from your timetable. Once the timetable has been produced, capacity issues may mean it may not be possible to add you too a module that does not appear on your timetable.
Where can I find the University’s Regulations?
A full copy of the University’s regulations and Academic Misconduct Policy can be found in the Policy Zone.
When should I arrive for my exam?
It is recommended that you arrive outside your examination room at least 30 minutes prior to the start time. Posted outside each examination room will be a seating list, which shows the desk you have been allocated for that particular examination. You must only sit at the assigned desk unless specifically told otherwise by the senior invigilator.
What happens if I arrive late for my examination?
You should make sure that you arrive at least 30 minutes before the start of your exams, allowing sufficient time for transport difficulties. However if you do arrive late you may be allowed to enter but you will not be awarded additional time in compensation. If you arrive more than 30 minutes late then you will only be admitted if no other student for your exam has left the venue. You may not leave the exam venue unaccompanied in the first 30 or final 15 minutes.
My examination is being held in two rooms. Which one should I attend?
On some occasions it may be necessary to split large examinations over two or more rooms to allow all students to sit the assessment simultaneously. In this scenario, signs will be placed outside each room detailing which students should be in which room. This will normally be determined by your student ID number.
Further to this, the correct location will be detailed on your MySIS timetable. Do not go to a venue because that's where your friends are sitting the exam - check your individual timetable.
Again, it is recommended that you arrive at least 30 minutes early for your examination to avoid any confusion which could cause you to miss the beginning.
What do I need to enter the examination room?
Students will only be allowed access to the examination room with a valid Queen Mary University of London ID card. Passports, driving licences or any other forms of identity are not acceptable and you will be refused entry into the examination room.
If you forget your ID card, you may obtain a temporary permit from the Student Enquiry Centre, (Ground Floor, iQ East Court, Mile End Campus, E1 4GG). Only one permit will be issued to each student per examination period and you will need to buy a replacement ID card if you are unable to locate the original before your next exam.
What can I take into the exam room?
Students are required to bring with them all writing aids and drawing materials necessary for the examination. These must be loose on the desk or contained in a clear plastic bag or pencil case.
With the exception of writing materials, students may only bring to the examination desk books, dictionaries, papers or instruments that are authorised in the rubric of the question paper. Bags, coats, jackets and non-religious headwear must be left outside the room or in a space within the room indicated by the invigilator.
For security reasons, it is recommended that wallets, purses, mobile phones, watches (digital or analogue) and any other electronic devices are placed underneath the examination desk/chair for the duration of the exam; these may not be kept in pockets. Please note that QMUL accepts no responsibility for the loss or theft of students’ personal belongings during examinations, and therefore you are advised not to bring unnecessary valuable items to an examination.
Any item (including pencil cases and instrument cases) brought into the examination room may be inspected by an invigilator in the presence of the student. Students may also be required to empty their pockets on the request of an invigilator. Any refusal to cooperate will be recorded by the invigilator and treated as an assessment offence.
What about mobile phones?
Regardless of location (be it in a bag or under a desk), mobile phones, communication devices and other electronic entertainment devices (e.g. smart watches) must be switched off for the duration of the examination so they cannot be used or cause a disturbance. Please note that alarms on many phones will sound even when the handset is switched off; alarms must be deactivated before the examination. Any device causing a disturbance will be confiscated by the senior invigilator, who will record the incident in their report. The owner will be informed that the incident will be investigated under the assessment offence regulations.
Can I take food and drink into my examination?
Except for medical reasons agreed by the Disability and Dyslexia Service, Students may not bring food or drink, other than still water in a clear bottle, into an examination room. Any other food or drink taken into an examination room will be confiscated by the invigilator.
My exam is online. How do I access it?
Online exams are organised and managed by the academic department that the module belongs to rather than the Exams Office. Therefore, they will tell you how to access your examination. Online exams usually take place on QMplus.
Well ahead of your exam you should make sure that you can login to QMplus. Please don't wait until the exam start time to try logging in. If you need to reset your password you can do so via SSPR. If you need help, you can speak to IT Services via a 24/7 live chat. Please note that, at exam start times, IT Services receive a high volume of enquiries from students who need help logging into QMplus. If you leave it this late you may miss valuable exam time as you will have to join a queue before you receive help. Check you can login to QMplus in good time!
What if I feel ill before my exam?
Full guidance is available in the Extenuating Circumstances Guide for Students.
Do not attempt an exam if you are unwell. In attending you are judged fit enough to sit the exam (‘fit to sit’) and the mark that you obtain will stand. It is important to note that you cannot get extra marks to compensate for any illness you were suffering on the day.
If you feel unable to sit an exam due to illness then you must notify your school or institute by submitting a claim for extenuating circumstances as soon as possible before the deadline in your school or institute. This must be accompanied by a doctor’s certificate giving details of your illness and confirming that you were unfit to attend on the date of the exam. You should aim to see your doctor on the day.
If your claim is accepted by the Exam Board then you will normally be permitted to take the exam at the first available opportunity as if for a first time (a ‘first sit’).
If you are absent without good reason then you are likely to fail the module
What do I write on my answer booklet?
Write your 9 digit student ID number and desk number on the front of all answer scripts or supplementary booklets/sheets, including graph paper. Your student ID number can be found on your ID card.
Your ID card must be displayed on your desk at all times during the examination so that the invigilator can record your attendance.
Can I use scrap paper?
The use of scrap paper is not permitted; rough work must be done on the stationery provided then clearly crossed through. Unless stated in the rubric of the question paper, you are not permitted to use notes during an examination. Please ensure that you have no notes on your person, in your pockets or in your pencil case. It is an assessment offence to have any unauthorised material with you during an examination, and if found with any notes (in paper or electronic format) the incident will be considered an assessment offence.
Can I leave my examination?
Students are not allowed to leave the examination room within the first 30 minutes or the final 15 minutes of the examination other than for medical reasons and they must be accompanied at all times if they intend to return to the examination.
What happens if I feel ill during the examination?
If you feel unwell during the examination, you must notify the invigilator. They will decide on the best course of action to take and contact the Exams Office accordingly.
Full guidance on claiming for Extenuating Circumstances is available in the Extenuating Circumstances Guide for Students
I have left my belongings in the examination room. Where can I collect them?
Any lost property left in the examination room will be returned to the Student Enquiry Centre (SEC) the next working day which can be found on the Ground Floor, iQ East Court, Mile End Road, E1 4GG. You should be able to collect any lost property from this office the day after your examination. Any lost property still in SEC two weeks after the end of the exam period will be discarded.
I have missed my examination. What can I do?
If there is no good reason for your absence then you will be given a mark of zero. If your absence was due to an unplanned reason outside of your control such as medical reasons, you may claim for extenuating circumstances. If approved, students will normally be allowed to sit the exam at the next opportunity without the missed exam counting as one of your permitted attempts.
However, if the reason that you missed your exam is not covered by extenuating circumstances, you will need to discuss your options with your academic department.
When will I receive my results?
Examination results will be confirmed after the Subject Examination Board (SEB) and Degree Examination Board (DEB) have met. Once results have been confirmed they will appear on MySIS.
