Specific Provisions for Exams

Exam Adjustments: Ensuring Fair Access to Assessments

Exam adjustments are modifications to the way exams are conducted, designed to provide equitable access for students who may face challenges due to a disability, neurodivergence, or health condition. These adjustments aim to remove potential barriers and ensure that all students have the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and skills under appropriate conditions.

Depending on individual needs, exam adjustments may include:

  • Extra time – Additional time to complete the exam, allowing for processing, reading, or writing at a pace that accommodates your needs.
  • Use of a laptop – Permission to use a computer instead of handwriting responses, which may be beneficial for students with difficulties related to writing speed, dexterity, or concentration.
  • Specific exam room or location – Access to a particular type of exam setting, such as a smaller room, a quieter space, or a location with fewer distractions, tailored to support concentration and comfort.
  • Support from a scribe – A designated individual to transcribe answers on your behalf if you experience difficulties with writing or typing.
  • Support from a reader – A person who can read exam questions aloud for students who require auditory processing support.

If you have previously received exam adjustments at school, college, or another university, please be aware that these do not automatically carry over to your studies with us. You must formally request adjustments to ensure they are applied to your exams.

Requesting Exam Adjustments

To have exam adjustments in place, you must submit your request by the exam adjustments deadline. This ensures that appropriate arrangements can be made in time for your assessments. Failure to meet the deadline may mean that adjustments cannot be accommodated.

The Deadlines for the 2024/25 Academic year are as follows:

  • For the January exams and Mid-Term 1 Exams, the ILP deadline is Monday, 4th November 2024.
  • For the May and Mid-Term 2 Exams, students must have their ILPs confirmed by Monday, 10th February 2025.
  • For the referred and deferred and Mid-Term 3 Exams in the summer, the deadline is Thursday, 26th June 2025.

For more information please check the FAQ's below.

 

Extra Time for Specific Provision Students

Some students are entitled to additional time in their exams as part of their ILP arrangements. This extra time is calculated based on the standard duration of the exam and is applied consistently across all scheduled exam times. To ensure clarity, the table below outlines how extra time is allocated depending on the start time of the exam.

 

If the standard duration of your exam is: And your ILP has rest breaks in exams, add: And your ILP says 00:15 per hour extra time at the end, add: Or your ILP says 00:30 per hour extra time at the end, add: And you ILP says you have a scribe or a reader add:

15 mins

+4 mins

+5 mins

+10 mins

+3 mins

30 mins

+8 mins

+10 mins

+15 mins

+5 mins

40 mins

+10 mins

+10 mins

+20 mins

+7 mins

45 mins

+12 mins

+15 mins

+25 mins

+8 mins

50 mins

+13 mins

+15 mins

+25 mins

+9 mins

1 hour

+15 mins

+15 mins

+30 mins

+10 mins

1hour 15m

+19 mins

+20 mins

+40 mins

+13 mins

1 hour 30m

+23 mins

+25 mins

+45 mins

+15 mins

1 hour 45m

+27 mins

+30 mins

+55 mins

+18 mins

2 hours

+30 mins

+30 mins

+ 1hr

+20 mins

2 hours 15m

+34 mins

+35 mins

+1hr 10m

+23 mins

2h 30m

+38 mins

+40 mins

+1hr 15m

+25 mins

2h 45m

+42 mins

+45 mins

+1hr 25m

+28 mins

3h

+45 mins

+45 mins

+1hr 30m

+30 mins

Please note this table tool is for guidance only and exact timings may be subject to rounding.

You will be emailed within seven working days of the timetable release with confirmation of your total writing time. 

You can find details of your ILP via the Student Record System here

Example:

Standard duration of exam

1hour 30mins

ILP states

00:15 per hour extra time at the end

Rest breaks in exams

Time to add to your exam

25 minutes (extra time at the end)

23 minutes (rest breaks)

New total exam duration

2 hours and 18 minutes (1hr30+25mins+23mins)

Setting Up Exam Adjustments as a Current Student

If you believe you require exam adjustments due to a disability, neurodivergence, or health condition, the first step is to complete an ILP (Individual Learning Plan) Request Form. This form allows us to assess your needs and determine the most appropriate adjustments to support you during your exams. Details can be found on the Wellbeing Webpages.

Assessment and ILP Creation

Once your request and supporting evidence have been received, an advisor will review your information and begin drafting your Individual Learning Plan (ILP). This plan may outline exam adjustments, such as extra time, use of a laptop, or a specific exam setting, as well as other types of academic support that could benefit your studies.

If the advisor requires further information or clarification, they will contact you directly. You are also encouraged to reach out at any time if you would like to discuss your disability and the support available to you. Appointments can be arranged to ensure your needs are fully considered.

Act Early to Arrange Your Adjustments

If you think you may need exam adjustments, please let us know as soon as possible. The process of assessing requests, reviewing documentation, and implementing adjustments takes time, so early notification is essential to ensure that everything is in place for your exams.

For more details about ILPs and the support available, please refer to the contact the Wellbeing Team.

The dates below are the latest date you can request and attend an appointment with Wellbeing Services to set up exam adjustments for the next exam session.

  • January exams = Monday 4th November 2024.
  • Mid Term 1 exams = Monday 4th November 2024.
  • May exams = Monday 10th February 2025.
  • Mid Term 2 exams = Monday 10th February 2025.
  • Referred/deferred exams = Thursday 26th June 2025.
  • Mid Term 3 exams = Thursday 26th June 2025.

Please note there is always a high demand for these appointments. It is always best to request these appointments as soon as you can. Unless your needs change you will only need to tell us about your specific provision (reasonable adjustments) once.

Exeter University cannot guarantee specific provision (reasonable adjustments) for your exam if you request an appointment after the dates listed above.

Providing evidence to support your specific provision (reasonable adjustments)

When submitting your ILP Request Form, you will need to provide supporting evidence of your condition. This may include:

You will need to bring the medical evidence for your disability or long-term health condition to your Wellbeing appointment if you have not already submitted this to Wellbeing Services. This evidence can include:

  • A medical report or letter from a healthcare professional
  • A diagnosis from a specialist
  • An Educational Psychologist or Specialist Teacher’s report (for specific learning differences)
  • Any other relevant documentation confirming your needs

This evidence helps our AccessAbility and Wellbeing advisors understand your specific requirements and ensure that suitable adjustments are put in place.

What to do if you have missed the appointment deadline

If, for whatever reason, you have not asked for an appointment to arrange your exam provision with Wellbeing Services by the deadlines seen above, please contact Wellbeing Services immediately. If you have subsequently had an injury that could cause you difficulty in a formal exam situation, you should contact Wellbeing Services and the Exams Office as soon as possible with the necessary medical documentation.

Exeter University cannot guarantee to put any necessary specific provision (reasonable adjustments) in place if you miss the appointment deadline. Should exam arrangements not be put in place due to the missed appointment deadline and you feel your academic performance has been affected, you should speak to your College. They may advise you to apply for mitigation.

My Timetable and individual requirements

We will send you a link to your standard exam timetable, however if you have followed the guidance outlined above, you will receive an additional email setting out all your individual arrangements. Only the additional writing time of your ILP will be included on your online timetable (Time allotted for timed breaks will not show). Please also check you have been allocated a designated (SP) venue. If you do not receive such an email or the venue shown on your online timetable does not include 'SP' in its title, it is important you contact Wellbeing Services and the Exams Office immediately.

Students with existing ILP's

If you already have an Individual Learning Plan (ILP) that includes exam adjustments at the University, there is no need to set up these adjustments again. However, if you wish to review or update your existing ILP, you should reach out well in advance of your next exams and before the exam adjustment deadlines to ensure any necessary changes can be implemented in time.

Online Exams and ILP Adjustments

We are committed to ensuring that appropriate adjustments are made for undergraduate and taught postgraduate students who are eligible for additional specific provisions during online exams or assessments, in accordance with their Individual Learning Plan (ILP).

For details on how adjustments such as extra time or rest breaks are applied to online exams, Please see the information below and then please refer to the ILP Timings section in our FAQs for more specific guidance regarding extra time provision.

Option 1 exams (24-hour open-book assessments with no fixed duration)

You can take as much time as needed within the 24-hour window to complete your exam. These assessments are designed to take approximately the same length of time as a standard in-person exam, with the extended period naturally allowing for any extra time or rest breaks you would normally receive.

Option 2 and Option 4 exams (fixed-duration online assessments)

Any extra time adjustments specified in your Individual Learning Plan (ILP) will be applied. You can use the ILP Information Table in our ILP Timings section to calculate your additional time, and you can access details of your ILP through the Student Record System. Additionally, you will receive an email within seven working days of the timetable release confirming your total writing time.

If you have an Option 2 or Option 4 exam that requires submission via the Exams ELE submission point, an extra 15 minutes will be added to your exam duration to support you in case of any technical difficulties. This is provided in addition to any extra time granted as part of your ILP.

Further Information

For more information on the support available from Wellbeing Services, please see our contact us page.

Students studying in Penryn or Truro

For information relevant to your campus, please click here.

Religious Observance and Exams

If you observe strict religious practices that may coincide with or impact your scheduled exams, we encourage you to inform the Exams Team by completing the Religious Observance Form. Please see our dedicated Webpage with more information here. Please note that this form is processed solely by the Exams Team and is not monitored by Wellbeing Services.

Should you have any queries please feel free to contact

If you have any concerns about how your ILP adjustments will be applied to your online exams, we encourage you to get in touch as early as possible.

For more general enquiries, the Student Information Desk (SID). Full contact details can be found  here.