When you are ready to write your examination, you must complete and submit an Examination Request online via myAU. When you request your exam through a virtual invigilator or at an established AU-approved invigilator, you must request your exam at least 10 days prior to your requested write date.
You do not require permission to write an examination; however, we recommend that you discuss your preparedness with your tutor or academic expert. It is a two-stage process:
Contact your invigilator and select a date and time to write, and discuss possible fees.
Submit your Examination Request Form at least 10 days in advance of your requested write date.
Students are responsible for any expenses incurred when writing an exam. Most invigilators request a fee to invigilate exams. Invigilation centres may also charge a fee if you cancel or reschedule your exam.
Before you submit the request, it is important that you continue to review the following sections.
Students have options of where they can write their AU exams, but they must be supervised by an AU-approved invigilator/proctor. And invigilator/proctor is a person who supervises students while they are writing an exam.
Students can write through ProctorU, a virtual invigilator, which enables them to write their exam in the comfort of their own home. There are technical requirements that must be met. Visit ProctorU for details.
AU has established a Canada-wide Examination Invigilation Network of place-based invigilators.
If you do not have the technical requirements to use virtual invigilation and there is not an approved invigilator within 40 km of your location, contact Examination Services (examunit@athabascau.ca) before proposing a new invigilator. There may be one already set up for your area that is not listed.
Athabasca University students living outside Canada can write their examinations with an AU-approved virtual invigilator, or can contact Examination Services to obtain a list of approved place-based invigilators. All invigilators must be approved by Athabasca University in order to supervise an AU exam.
If you are requesting to write an exam at an invigilator/proctor not yet established as an AU-approved invigilator, your request must be received 60 days prior to your requested write date.
Students can write any time within their course contract period, but the exam must be requested and completed prior to end date. Students cannot write their exam prior to the course contract start date. If you are near the end of your course contract and are unable to request and write within it, a course extension may be an option. Please see Course Extensions as not all students will benefit from an extension.
All examination requests, must be requested 10 days prior to writing and must be written on or before the course contract end date. Supplemental exams are an exception and can be written past the contract end date.
You will receive an e-letter notification when your exam request has been processed.
Students who require exam accommodations must register with Accessibility Services so that exam accommodations are arranged as verified. Some accommodations may require additional time outside of standard timelines. Students who require exam accommodations must provide at least 20 days notice between the exam request date and the scheduled write date in order for Accessibility Services to prepare and process exams with the approved accommodations. In rare circumstances, these time limits may be extended to 30 days but this will be noted in your Confirmation of Accommodation letter from Accessibility Services upon registration with the unit. Work with Accessibility Services early to ensure you are accommodated.
Request an exam via the university online Examination Request via myAU and indicate that accommodations are required due to the impact of a disability. Keep in mind you must select the invigilator that you’ve arranged to provide your accommodations, including virtual invigilator.
More information about services and the accommodation process is found on the Accessibility Services web site.
If you are requesting a supplemental exam, you must request within 90 days of the initial write date, and declare a write date within 30 days of making the supplemental exam request.
If you are registered in a course that has an oral exam, be advised that the exam may be conducted by phone, video conferencing, email, or other methods, and should be arranged between you and your tutor. The evaluation section of the course syllabus will indicate whether the course has an oral quiz or examination, or not.
Grouped study students write their examination at the same place, date, and time selected by the course professor unless approval for an exception has been obtained in advance.
All examination appeals must be made using the Office of the Registrar Online Appeals Form. The appeals officer designated by the Registrar has the final authority on all appeals. All decisions on appeals will be communicated in writing to the Appellant.
If the appeals officer has received an appeal in error, it will be redirected accordingly.
For further information on appeals and the appeals process, please review our website.
Information effective June 1, 2022 to Aug. 31, 2022.
Updated June 13, 2024 by Office of the Registrar (calendar@athabascau.ca)