Exam guidelines

courses and registration - examination hall with desks

It's a good idea to read UBC's Rules Governing Formal Examinations before you write exams. Check out the exam guidelines below as a quick reference.

For information on exam disruptions, please review UBC's exam disruption procedures.

Only bring materials you need to write with or supplementary material authorized by the course instructor.
Take your official UBCcard. You will need it in order to write and hand in your exam. Without your UBCcard, you may not be allowed to write the exam.

Items brought into the exam room are susceptible to theft. Do not bring valuables as you may be asked to leave them in an area of the exam room out of your line of sight.
Do not bring backpacks, pencil cases, pagers, music players, cell phones, unauthorized calculators, or electronic dictionaries. The use of a cell phone as a watch is not permitted.
Do not take unnecessary articles of clothing, bags, laptops, etc. You may be required to store them in a distant part of the room during the exam. In the event of an emergency, you will be required the vacate the room immediately, and you may need to leave your belongings behind. Do not bring anything that you are not prepared to be without for several hours.

Note that invigilators are not responsible for personal items brought into the exam room. You may be asked to leave your belongings in an area away from your desk. Items brought into the exam room are brought at your own risk.
Choose a seat where you cannot be suspected of glancing at another student's paper or exposing your paper to any other student. Doing either of these things could lead to your immediate expulsion from the examination room and disciplinary action.
Identify yourself on the exam paper in ink with your name, student number, and signature.
Read all the instructions on the exam paper before asking an exam invigilator for clarification.
You may not be permitted to leave the room during the first half hour or to enter after the first half hour.
If an alarm sounds, follow oral instructions. If you are told to vacate the room, leave your exam on the desk but take valuables (e.g., wallets, purses) with you when you leave the room. Follow those in charge, gather outside the building where directed, and remain quiet at all times. Discussing an exam or consulting notes during this time can result in disciplinary action.
When the writing time ends, put down your pen or pencil and follow instructions about the collection of exams.

You may not be permitted to leave the room in the last 10 minutes of scheduled exam time so that the collection of exam papers can be controlled. Do not leave without handing in your exam. Taking an exam – even a blank one – from the room could result in disciplinary action.

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