Exams
Information and resources related to the conduct, procedures, scheduling, and accommodation guidelines for exams at 成人大片.
The scheduling and organization of examination sessions is coordinated by the Office of the University Registrar through its Exams Office.
- Gordon Hall, Room 110
- exams@queensu.ca
- 613-533-2101
- Regular hours: Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm
Exam Communications
The Exams Office is committed to keeping students informed about important dates, processes, and deadlines impacting examinations.
In order to help you get the information you need to fully prepare for your exams, we invite you to review the messages that have been e-mailed to students, as well as their contents:
The Fall 2024 Exam Schedule is now available in the SOLUS Student Centre.
Please read all the following information carefully.
Where do I find the schedule?
- Students can view their exam schedule in the SOLUS Student Centre by selecting the 鈥淓xam Schedule鈥 tile. It contains both the times and on-campus locations of each exam session. These instructions are also available online here.
- If you have an exam that is NOT listed in SOLUS, please contact your instructor for clarification, as this would mean that the exam is not being administered by the Exams Office.
Before you write鈥
Before you arrive to write your exam, please be aware of the following rules:
- If you are sick on the day of your examination: It is recommended that students who are ill on the day of an examination not write the exam. Such students should seek health services, if needed, and follow up with their home Faculty/School.
- Students who experience an unexpected illness during an examination must notify a proctor prior to leaving so the student鈥檚 home Faculty/School can be informed of the event with an incident report. When students leave an examination without notifying a proctor of an unexpected illness, it will be assumed that they completed the exam.
- All exam venues are scent-free. Please refrain from wearing scented products, including perfume or cologne, to your exam.
- Once arriving at the exam hall, please review the blackboard/whiteboard to determine which room(s) your exam is in. Please congregate near, but DO NOT ENTER that room. If all rooms are hosting the same exam, you may congregate in the general area. The proctors will direct students into the room at the appropriate time.
- Please ensure you bring only items required for your exam as all other personal belongings, including all bags, must be left in the hallway. Queen鈥檚 University assumes no responsibility for lost or stolen items.
- Students may wear their coats into the exam venue, and they may be placed on the back of the chair. If for any reason the coat impedes traffic in the aisle behind the chair, students will be required to adjust the placement of the coat to ensure safety standards are met. Proctors may advise students of impediments, and students are to follow the direction of the proctors regarding coat placement.
- Please ensure you have visited the restroom and have all your required items before entering the exam hall. Once admitted to the exam hall prior to the exam beginning, students will not be allowed to exit the hall until after the first half hour of the exam (e.g., 9:30 / 2:30 / 7:30).
- You will need your Student Photo ID Card to gain admittance to the exam hall. A $50.00 fine will be applied to those who do not bring their card. Replacement cards are available Monday through Friday in Gordon Hall, Room 125 from 10:00 am until 3:30 pm. Double-check that you have your card for an evening or weekend exam since the office is closed during those hours.
- Students enrolled in an online course writing in an off-campus location may use an alternate form of government-issued ID.
- Use of communication and electronic devices with memory and/or audio capabilities and/or web access is prohibited during an examination. All electronic devices must be turned off and placed underneath the candidate's seat. This includes your cell phone and your smartwatch.
- Ensure you bring only the authorized aids for your exam.
- CALCULATORS: The approved exam calculator is the Casio 991, or with an approved blue sticker for School of Business (COMM) exams only. If you require a blue sticker for your calculator for a COMM exam, you should visit the Commerce Office to obtain one.
- If you do not have the correct calculator with you in the exam, you may be required to write the exam without a calculator. You will not be permitted to leave the exam hall to get a different calculator, nor should you expect spares to be present in the exam venue.
I am in a Distance Studies course and am writing off-campus. What do I need to know?
- The rooms listed are only for on-campus exams.
- The date and time listed for on-campus exams are the same for off-campus exams.
- If you are in an online course and have selected to complete your exam online remotely through ProctorU/Examity, you can confirm this under Class Schedule.
- Arts & Science Online (ASO) will inform you of details related to scheduling your online exam through ProctorU/Examity at a later date.
- If you have questions about your online exam, please contact ASO at aso.exams@queensu.ca.
Conflicts
The Exams Office accepts applications for resolution of the following conflicts ONLY:
- Two exams at the same time
- Three consecutive exams (e.g., one 9 am, one 2 pm, and one 7 pm exam slot)
Religious Observance:
- Fall 2024 Final exams run from December 7 to 21 inclusive. As always, students requiring accommodation for religious observance will be accommodated, provided they make their request in writing prior to the November 15 deadline. Students should read the religious accommodation FAQ found at /registrar/academic-info/exams/students.
- PLEASE NOTE: the Ontario Human Rights Code does not obligate the university to provide travel time to observe any religious holiday in a preferred location. The only requirement is to provide the time off for the observance itself. Students may direct their questions about religious accommodation to the University Chaplain: chaplain@queensu.ca
Exchange Students (whose first language is not English)
- All exchange students whose first language is not English can apply to the Exams Office for an extra 陆 hour of time to write final and mid-year exams. Students are also allowed to bring in one (1) paper language translation dictionary. Electronic dictionaries are NOT permitted.
- Eligible students will be contacted after the exam schedule has been posted with instructions on how to apply. If you have not received this communication by the end of October (for December exams) or the end of February (for April exams), contact the Exams Offices (exams@queensu.ca). Students must complete and submit their request by the following dates:
- November 15 (December exams)
- March 15 (April exams)
- The deadline dates are firm. No applications will be accepted after the deadline date.
Students registered with Student Wellness Services (SWS)
- Student Wellness Services include Accessibility, Health, and Counselling Services.
- If you have been approved for accommodations through SWS, you do not need to request accommodations for SOLUS-listed Fall 2024 Final exams, these will be automatically applied through Ventus once the schedule has been imported.
- Accommodated exams are scheduled at the same date and time as what is posted on SOLUS unless a student鈥檚 accommodation prohibits us from scheduling at that time*. If an accommodated exam must be moved, it will be moved to the nearest possible exam slot following the originally scheduled exam date and time. You should be able to view your final schedule on Ventus by November 15.
*Exams listed at 9:00 am in SOLUS will start at 8:30 am in the accommodated venues. Similarly, exams scheduled at 2:00 pm in SOLUS will start at 1:45 pm in the accommodated venues. This is to allow for a minimum 15-minute gap between students writing in the accommodated venues.
All exams begin at 08:30 am and end by 10 pm. Additional time is always allotted as follows:
- at the end of an 08:30 am exam (e.g. 08:30-1:00 pm)
- either the beginning or end of a 1:45 pm exam (e.g.-5:30 pm or 1:45-6:15 pm)
- at the beginning of the exam for a 7 pm exam (e.g. 5:30-10 pm)
- If you have not seen your accommodated exam arrangements on Ventus or you believe there to be an error, please contact the Exams Office at exams@queensu.ca at least three days in advance of your exam.
- If you do not require an accommodated assessment for any reason, including dropped courses, illness, etc., you MUST cancel the accommodated assessment on Ventus in advance of the exam, or you will be charged $45 per exam missed.
- If you make alternate arrangements with your instructor or the department, you must cancel your accommodated exam arrangements on Ventus.
- If you have an exam that is NOT listed in SOLUS, please contact your instructor for accommodation as this would mean that the exam is not being administered by the Exams Office.
What is permitted for all students during an accommodated exam?
- In the exam room
- A resealable beverage container. However, to prevent spills and maintain a clean environment, the following items are not allowed:
- Open cups or mugs (e.g., Starbucks coffee cups)
- Containers with straws or lids that cannot be securely closed
- Please ensure your beverage container is spill-proof and resealable.
- A resealable beverage container. However, to prevent spills and maintain a clean environment, the following items are not allowed:
- Outside the exam room
- Food that can be stored in backpacks. Students will be required to step outside the exam space while eating.
What is permitted within the exam space with a Food and Drink accommodation?
- In the exam room
- Beverages in securely resealable (i.e., screw-top) beverage containers (e.g., bottled water, reusable personal coffee mug, etc.)
- Small, cold, hand-held snacks such as pastries, cookies, bars, fresh or dried fruit or vegetables, cold sandwiches, small candies, crackers, and chips.
What is not permitted within the exam space with a Food or Drink accommodation?
- Alcoholic beverages.
- Food that melts (including, but not limited to 鈥 ice cream and popsicles).
- Hot food and hand-held meals (including, but not limited to 鈥 hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza, french fries and other fried or grilled food, heated sandwiches or wraps.
- Food that is usually eaten with utensils, (including, but not limited to 鈥 salads, soups, stir-fries, noodle or rice dishes).
We strongly encourage students to leave all non-exam essential items, including phones and other electronics, at home.
The University assumes no responsibility for any personal property lost in or near any examination hall.
A full list of exam regulations can be found at: .
Any inquiries can be directed to exams@queensu.ca.
We wish you all the very best in your exams - Good luck
Exam Procedures and Conduct
Failure to comply with the regulations or with the instructions of an exam proctor may result in a written report by the Head Proctor which will be distributed to the instructor of the course, the Dean of the relevant faculty, and the Exams Office.
Exam Regulations Revised: 27 March 2006
You must have a Queen鈥檚 Student Photo ID Card to gain entrance to an exam room for all of your exams.
Missing Queen's Student Photo ID
Students writing an exam without a Queen's Student Photo ID card will be assessed an administrative fee of $50 per exam.
- Exception: Distance Studies students admitted prior to summer of 2020 who have not been issued a student card by the Office of the University Registrar will be subject to the process as outlined in Steps 1, 2, and 3 below, but if no student card has been issued, no charge will be levied
- Distance Studies students admitted summer of 2020 and after are sent an email asking them to upload their photos and an activity guide is assigned in SOLUS in their 鈥楾o Do鈥 tile. Their photo ID student card is mailed. If students do not upload their photos the $50. per exam fee applies.
Missing Student Photo ID Procedure
- If a student does not have a Queen鈥檚 Student Photo ID Card at an exam, the following procedure will apply:
- The student鈥檚 attendance card will be stamped "NO QUEEN鈥橲 PHOTO ID"
- The student will be directed by a proctor to the Head Proctor, or Associate Proctor, who will take a photograph of the student. The student will be asked to put their name, student number, course, and number of the exam on a form. The personal information on the form is collected under the Royal Charter of 1841, as amended. The information collected will be used by the Office of the University Registrar to verify the identity of students who did not bring their Queen's Student Photo ID to a mid-year or final examination
- The Exams Office will have the photo checked against the University's Photo Identification computer picture to verify that the student is actively registered in the course. If any discrepancies are found, the Exams Office will notify the professor of the course
- An administrative fee of $50 per exam will be charged and added as a debt the following working day after the exam(s) is written. The Senate Policy on Student Debtors applies. You may pay this fee:
- In person in the Office of the University Registrar, Gordon Hall, Rm. 125 (cash, cheque, debit or money order only), or
- By mailing your cheque to: Exams Administrator, Office of the University Registrar, Rm. 110, Gordon Hall, 74 Union St., Queen鈥檚 University, Kingston, Ontario, K7L 3N6
- Please make your cheque or money order payable to Queen鈥檚 University and in the memo section of your cheque indicate the
- following 鈥榶our student number/MID&苍产蝉辫;贵颈苍别鈥
- Online, telephone, or ABM banking 鈥 details available at: /registrar/tuition-fees/how-to-pay
Any student arriving at an exam hall after the beginning of an exam will receive only the remaining time in which to write the exam.
- The late student's paper will be marked only at the discretion of the faculty
- No student will be allowed to leave the exam hall within thirty minutes of the start time of the exam
- Students who have not left their exam table prior to the final fifteen minutes of the exam will be required to remain at their exam table until dismissed by the Head Proctor
A student shall not remove any material issued for the examination from the examination hall. Each student must submit all issued materials before leaving the exam hall.
Permissible Items
- Students should only bring essential items to the exam: student card, writing utensils, or authorized aids for that exam
- Beverages are permitted in an exam venue, provided the drink is brought in a re-sealable container (items such as cans and/or disposable coffee cups are prohibited)
- Coats are permitted into the exam hall as follows:
- Students may wear their coats into the exam room, and they may be placed on the back of the chair
- If for any reason the coat impedes traffic in the aisle behind the chair, students will be required to adjust the placement of the coat to ensure safety standards are met
- Proctors may advise students of impediments, and students are to follow the direction of the proctors regarding coat placement
- Students are permitted only a Casio FX991 calculator for regular exams and only a Casio FX991 or Commerce-approved calculator for Commerce exams. For more information, please refer to this Senate Policy.
Non-Permissible Items
- Textbooks, notes, books of tables, data sheets, graphs, paper, written material, calculators, etc., may not be taken into the exam hall unless authorized by the instructor in writing at least 3 days before the exam
- Food is not permitted in an exam hall
- The use of communication and electronic devices with memory, audio capabilities, web access, or recording or playback capabilities are prohibited during an examination. All electronic devices must be turned off and placed underneath the student鈥檚 seat and must not be used for any reason
- All bags, including Queen鈥檚 red bags, handbags, purses and backpacks are not permitted in an exam room, and must be left in the hallway at your own risk. The university assumes no responsibility for personal property lost in or near an examination
It is recommended that students who are ill on the day of an examination not write the examination. Students should seek health services, if needed, and follow up with their home faculty/school.
In these circumstances, students must submit a consideration request to the relevant faculty of the exam in the course concerned. More information can be found on the Student Wellness Services website under Extenuating Circumstances (/studentwellness/forms).
- Students who experience an unexpected illness during an examination must notify a proctor prior to leaving so the student's home faculty/school can be informed of the event with an incident report
- When students leave an examination without notifying a proctor of an unexpected illness, it will be assumed that they completed the exam
Safety threats in exam halls will be thoroughly and diligently assessed and occupants of the building will be informed if the circumstances warrant.
- Exams that are evacuated with more than 30 minutes remaining in the exam period will resume if the venue is declared safe within a reasonable amount of time
- Instructors will be notified as soon as possible and will have the responsibility to decide how to deal with the interruption and its effect on the exam.
- In all cases, information will be posted on the departmental web site as soon as possible after a disrupted exam
Evacuation Policy
If your exam is disrupted please check your faculty website, email your instructor, or check the course website for any instructions. Access the different faculties and departments at Queen's.
Please do not email the Exams Office. We do not have any information.
Cancellation for Inclement Weather
If adverse weather conditions cause a closure of the university, then an announcement of the official decision to close will be posted on the university鈥檚 website at www.queensu.ca.
A posted official announcement of the closure means that all examinations scheduled for that particular day (or part thereof) are also cancelled.
If an examination is cancelled, the instructor of the course will have the authority to decide how to deal with the cancellation of the exam and its effect on the course. Information will be posted on the department/faculty website as soon as possible after the cancellation.
成人大片 Policy on Academic Integrity
The policy is intended to supplement the policy on Academic Dishonesty presently found in university calendars and posted at Academic Integrity @ Queen's.
- Breaches of academic integrity are considered unacceptable at Queen鈥檚
- Students who commit such an offence face a range of sanctions including course failure or university withdrawal
The following are some examples of activities that are prohibited during an exam:
- Impersonating another student
- Copying from another student
- Making information available to another student
- Communicating with another student, or
- Using unauthorized material
All breaches of academic integrity will be reported in writing by the Head Proctor to the instructor of the course, the Dean of the relevant faculty, and the Exams Office.
Pillars of Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is fundamental to all scholarly activities, including examinations.
成人大片 adheres to the definition provided by the Centre for Academic Integrity, namely, that academic integrity is made up of the five core values of honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility.
- Honesty appears in presenting one's own work and in acknowledging dependence on the words or ideas of another
- Trust promotes belief in the value and meaning of an institution's scholarship and degrees
- Fairness is embodied in clear standards, practices and procedures. Respect is shown by participating in academic activities to the best of one's abilities
- Responsibility requires one to accept personal accountability for upholding academic integrity
The 成人大片 Policy on Academic Integrity is intended to supplement the policy on Academic Dishonesty presently found in University calendars and posted on the web at Academic Integrity @ Queen's.
Exam Timetables
Students should avoid making personal plans that fall within the official exam periods (refer to the sessional dates for the official exam periods).
- Until the final exam schedule is published (the Friday before Thanksgiving for fall term and Family Day for winter term) it should be assumed that exams could be scheduled any time from the first to the last day of the official period
- Students will not be granted consideration for any personal plans (travel, etc.) made in conflict with their exam schedule. Section 8.4 of the Academic Regulations states that personal plans do not qualify as extenuating circumstances
Students can view their exam schedule in the SOLUS Student Centre by selecting the 鈥淓xam Schedule鈥 tile. It contains both the times and on-campus locations of each exam session.
Off-Campus Locations for your Distance Studies Course
- Exam locations only reflect the Kingston location
- If you have arranged to write your exam remotely, check your class schedule to confirm your exam centre location is listed as 鈥淥nline Proctor鈥
- Any questions about remote exams can be directed to aso.exams@queensu.ca
An Exam Conflict is defined by a student's exam timetable containing any of the following:
- Two (2) exams at the same time
- An exam in three (3) consecutive exam slots (see below)
- An exam at the same time as a religious observance
We do not make any accommodation for non-academic conflict (i.e. sporting events or wishing to return home earlier).
Examples of Consecutive Exam Slots
An exam slot refers to the morning, afternoon, or evening time of an exam sitting on exam day.
Examples of three (3) consecutive exam slots would be:
- The morning (9 am), afternoon (2 pm), and evening (7 pm) of the same day
- The afternoon (2 pm) and evening (7 pm) of one day, and the morning (9 am) of the next day
- The evening (7 pm) of one day and the morning (9 am) and afternoon (2 pm) of the next day
This applies to both 2 and 3 hour exam durations.
Religious Accommodations
Students requesting accommodation on the basis of Religious Observance must read the information contained on Faith and Spiritual Life's Religious Accommodation webpage.
All requests for Religious Observance must be submitted to the Exams Office by the deadline date (see Exam Conflict Application and Deadlines below), and are authorized by the
- To request a Religious Observance exam accommodation, please complete the Exam Conflict Application found below
- Students whose application has not been approved will be notified by email
- Students whose application has been approved will receive an exam accommodation notice by email with the details of the accommodation
Exam Conflict Application and Deadlines
Individual arrangements are made for each student.
To make arrangements regarding an exam conflict, a student is required to complete the Qualtrics survey .
The deadlines to apply for an official exam conflict are:
- November 15 (December Exams)
- March 15 (April Exams)
All exchange students whose first language is not English can apply to the Exams Office for an extra 陆 hour of time to write final and mid-year exams. Students are also allowed to bring in one (1) paper language translation dictionary. Electronic dictionaries are NOT permitted.
Eligible students will be contacted after the exam schedule has been posted with instructions on how to apply. If you have not received this communication by the end of October (for December exams) or end of February (for April exams), contact the Exams Offices (exams@queensu.ca). Students must complete and submit their request by the following dates:
- November 15 (December exams)
- March 15 (April exams)
The deadline dates are firm. No applications will be accepted after the deadline date.
Students with short-term medical conditions (for example, a broken arm, sprained wrist, etc.) that require an exam accommodation should visit Health Services to determine the required accommodation.
Refer to the Student Wellness Services website for more information on Academic Consideration for Extenuating Circumstances.
Student Wellness Services Accommodations
Queen鈥檚 is committed to an inclusive campus community with accessible goods, services, and facilities that respect the dignity and independence of its students.
- Students who require exam accommodations for the purpose of accessibility must register with Student Wellness Services at Mitchell Hall, 69 Union Street
Within Ventus, assessment refers to any quiz, test, or midterm.
Ventus is an opt-out system for assessment accommodations. Students are automatically opted into their accommodations and need to opt out of their accommodations if they are not required.
The Exams Office uses Ventus to manage accommodations for assessments during the term. This provides a portal for instructors to enter details of planned assessments and a portal for students registered with Student Wellness Services to manage accommodations for their assessments The Exams Office collates this data along with students鈥 accommodation requirements and schedules to accommodate assessments accordingly. Depending on the student鈥檚 accommodations and the format of the assessment, the accommodated assessment may be administered by either the Exams Office or the instructor; see Administration of Accommodated Assessments below.
Submitting an Accommodation Request
Your instructor will submit all assessments requiring accommodation to Ventus. This may include quizzes, tests, midterms, and any other timed assessment. This does not cover essays, group projects, or assessments that are untimed..Instructors have 2 weeks to enter assessments into Ventus, and students have 10 days to opt out of their accommodations.
Unlike previous semesters, students requiring accommodations for final and mid-year SOLUS-listed assessments will need to log into Ventus to manage their accommodations. These assessments will be entered into Ventus by the Exams Office
Accommodated assessments are scheduled at the same date and time as the rest of the class (generally during class time) unless a student's accommodation prohibits us from scheduling at that time. If an accommodated assessment must be moved, it will be moved to the nearest possible time following the originally scheduled assessment date and time. Assessments cannot be moved to accommodate personal conflicts.
Accommodations are managed through the Ventus Portal.
Midterm exam accommodation and Ventus info for faculty
Administration of Accommodated Exams
Paper-Based Exams
The Exams Office will administer all in-person accommodated assessments. If an instructor has not entered their assessment into Ventus by the deadline, then it is assumed that they are administering their own accommodations, and the student should reach out to their instructor to ensure they are accommodated.
All accommodations are eligible for Exams Office administration even if you do not intend to use all of your approved accommodations (e.g. you do not intend to use a computer for a math-based or multiple-choice assessment but require your extra time).
You will be writing in-person in one of the accommodated venues (Mitchell Hall or Gordon Hall). Accommodated date, time, and location will be finalized in Ventus a week (5 business days) prior to the assessment, and a reminder email will be sent to students 2 days prior to the assessment.
Cancellation Policy
If, for any reason, you will not be attending an accommodated assessment, you must cancel the assessment in Ventus at least 24 hours in advance of the start time. Students are solely responsible for making this cancellation. Failure to cancel and failure to appear may result in a charge of $45 per exam missed.
Not Approved for Exam Office Accommodation
If you have not received any communication regarding accommodations at least 5 days prior to your exam, please contact your instructor.
Online Exams
The Exams Office is unable to administer online exams in our accommodated venues. Your accommodations will be communicated to your instructor through Ventus. Please refer to information from your instructor regarding your arrangements (e.g. email, onQ announcement, etc.). If you have not received any communication regarding accommodations at least 5 days prior to your exam, please contact your instructor.
If a student does not require their accommodations for their final exams, they must opt out at least 10 days in advance of the exam date. Your exam(s) will become available through Ventus at least 3 weeks in advance of your exam date
Details regarding your accommodated arrangements will be published in Ventus 1 week prior to your exam.
Deadlines to Register for Accommodation鈥 for Centrally Scheduled Exams
If you require accommodations for final exams, please ensure you have registered with Student Wellness Services no later than the following deadlines:
- November 15 (December exams)
- March 15 (April exams)
- May 29 (June exams)
- July 10 (July / August exams)
It is recommended that students arrive at their exam 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start time.
Accommodated Exam Scheduling
Accommodated exams are scheduled at the same date and time as the rest of the class unless a student's accommodation prohibits us from scheduling at that time. If an accommodated exam must be moved, it will be moved to the nearest possible time following the originally scheduled exam date and time.
Cancellation Policy
If, for any reason, you will not be attending an accommodated assessment, you must cancel the assessment in Ventus at least 24 hours in advance of the start time. Students are solely responsible for making this cancellation. Failure to cancel and failure to appear may result in a charge of $45 per exam missed.
Students having a final exam in December or April that does not appear in their SOLUS exam schedule must contact their instructor to receive accommodation.