When you sign up for courses, you are automatically signed up for the examination. As a rule, you cannot cancel neither course nor examination registrations (unless exceptional circumstances come into apply).
The rules applying depend on whether you did not pass the exam:
If you fail, are absent or report sick at the 1st examination attempt (ordinary examination), it is your own responsibility to sign up for the 2nd examination attempt (re-exam). Once you have signed up for the re-exam, you cannot cancel the registration. Information about the time for re-exam you will find in the course description.
Please note that the re-exam may differ from the ordinary exam. You may read about types of exams in your curriculum.
If you have previously been signed up for a course but did not pass the exam, you need only sign up for the exam. Please note that the syllabus may vary from one semester to the next.
If you do not pass the exam in the 1st and 2nd examination attempt, you still have the 3rd examination attempt.(An exception is the First Year Examination, see below). As a rule, it is up to you whether you choose to use the 3rd examination attempt when the exam is next available, or if you prefer to wait to a later date, but the attempt can only be placed in the ordinary examinations periods, if it is not an direct extension of an other ordinary attempt. However, you may be told when to do the exam, if e.g. the course is no longer available.
From September 2016 you may also, as a rule, decide when you are ready for the 2nd attempt.
Note the First Year Examination!
- Started in 2016: the First Year Examination must be completed within the first academic year. As a result of that you have only 2 examination attempts on subjects in the spring semester.
- Started before 2016: check your curriculum to find out whether you have 1 or 2 years to complete the First Year Examination.
Note the Study Start test!
The Study Start Test (SST) is meant to show whether you have actually started on your programme or not. The SST must be held within the first two months after study start, and you only have 2 examination attempts. If you do not pass the SST, you will be withdrawn from the programme. Check your curriculum to see if the SST is part of your programme.
What do I do, if I fail at the 3rd examination attempt?
If you do not pass the exam in the 3rd examination attempt, you do not have any more attempts and may, as a rule, not continue your studies. However, you may be granted a deviation from the regulations, i.e. be granted a 4th examination attempt if exceptional circumstances have been the reason for your not having passed the exam in a specific course in one or more examination attempts. Remember, that exceptional circumstances must be documented when you apply for exemption.
Did you fail one or more exams and have lost track of what courses you still need to do and when to do them? You may try to make your own syllabus. If you get stuck in the process, you are welcome to contact the academic student advisor.
There are various ways of cancelling an examination registration if you are prevented from attending an exam because of illness or due to other exceptional circumstances. It is important that you understand the difference between acute and long term conditions/circumstances.
Acute exceptional circumstances
If you fall ill just before or during the exam or are prevented from attending/sitting the exam in case of acute exceptional circumstances, you will, of course, not be using an examination attempt. Instead you should report yourself sick. This is done on SPOC.
Read more on Illness and Examinations.
You must also report sick to the study secretariat.
Long term exceptional circumstances
If the exceptional circumstances are not acute - i.e. if you already months before the exam know that you'll be unable to attend it due to exceptional circumstances - you may apply to your Study Board for permission to deviate from the general regulations on examinations and registration requirements. You need to apply to your Study Board for a reduction of the registration requirements, and thus the registrations will be cancelled for the course(s) and exam(s) that you'll be unable to attend.
Learn more under FAQ.
Read about requirements for applications for exemption.
Exemptions at examinations
Perhaps exceptional circumstances make passing exams more challenging for you? If that is the case you may apply to your Study Board to be exempted from the examination regulations.
Exemptions may vary. E.g. you may apply for:
- for additional time at the exam,
- to change of type of exam or
- for something else that may improve your chances of being able to pass the exam as well as your fellow students.
If you need help, you are welcome to contact the academic student advisor.
If you have a permanent physical disability or mental disorder you may be eligible for relevant support for your studies through the Special Educational Support (SPS).
Do you get nervous before an exam to the extent that it affects you negatively? Perhaps then, you suffer from examination anxiety…
Find out who you can contact.
You are also welcome to contact the academic student advisor, if you need to talk to someone about how to cope with and learn how to master your anxiety.
The majority of students have no intentions of cheating at the exams. Still, occasionally, students are caught cheating. Sometimes the intention has been to make it through a difficult exam that way, other times it is because the students are simply not familiar with the principles for academic integrity and formalities concerning good academic practices.
Read more about how to avoid cheating at exams
You may appeal
It is not a good feeling to have participated in an exam where you feel that the way in which the exam was conducted or the grading was not fair. Sometimes it results in a need to file an appeal on the conduct of the exam or the grade or both.
Considerations before filing an appeal
However, before writing and submitting an examination appeal, it may be a good idea to contact your examiner and ask for the detailed reasons for your assessment. We also recommend that you consider what you expect to gain from the appeal. Are you hoping for a re-assessment and a higher grade? Or perhaps a re-examination?
Please note that should you decide to appeal, the appeal must be submitted within a two-week deadline from the time of publication of the examination results. We suggest that you spend those two weeks talking your exam experience over with e.g. your lecturer/examiner, fellow students or a guidance counsellor, and reflecting on your reasons for appealing and writing the appeal.
Appealing because of a failed exam?
If you failed an exam and have filed an appeal, we recommend that you register for the re-exam anyway. That way you’ll avoid lagging behind in your studies, should the appeal not be judged in your favour.
You can read more about the Faculty of Business and Social Sciences' rules regarding appeals here.
Under the Student Self-Serviceyou'll find an overview of which subjects you have passed, how many examination attempts you have used etc. You may also make a transcript of your examination results.
When you have completed your programme, a diploma will automatically be sent to you personally.
When you attend exams at The Faculty of Business and Social Sciences
This set of rules is an addendum to the SDU's regulations and good advice for examinations, SDU’s code of practice for written campus-based examinations and The Faculty of Business and Social Sciences’ policy for written exams. In addition to this, the following apply for The Faculty of Business and Social Sciences:
Prior to the exam
Keep an eye out for the exam schedule, which will be published on SDU.dk or Blackboard no later than three weekdays before the first exam date.
On the day
Bring your Student Card, and be on time. It is important that you adhere to the appointed time of meeting which is on the exam schedule: On the day of examination, there may be changes in the order of exams if some students do not show up for their exams; hence your exam will be moved forward.
In the course description, you can see if you have preparation time for the exam. If there is preparation time, you can bring your computer to the preparation. During the preparation time, you may not communicate or exchange files with others. In the course description, you can see if you are allowed to bring additional assistive aids to the preparation.
Only notes produced during the preparation time may be brought into the exam room.
Prior to the exam
You should make sure in good time before the exam that you are signed up for the correct course on ItsLearning. The phrasing of the assignment is always handed out in Digital Exam. When the exam starts, you can download the phrasing of the assignment.
Submitting take-home assignments
Your exam paper must be submitted in Digital Exam. The paper must be submitted by the expiry of the examination duration, at the latest.
If it is a group assignment, only one member of the group submits the paper. All student names must be on the front page of the paper.
- Only one file can be submitted, unless otherwise stated.
- You can only submit your paper once.
- Your paper must be submitted in PDF format.
- In Digital Exam you can see if you need to write your examination number or date of birth on your paper.
If there are any problems submitting in Digital Exam, you must contact your usual study administrative unit (The Student Information Point/Study Service/HD Secretariat/ Master Secretariat).
Requirements for your computer and IT equipment
You are responsible for your own IT equipment. Your computer must be able to connect to the University's wireless network. It is your responsibility to ensure that your equipment is compatible with the University's wireless network. Before the exam, make sure that the programs you must use, including Exam Monitor, function on your computer. Therefore, test your IT equipment in good time before the exam. Any technical questions may be directed to your local IT unit.
Please be aware that unless explicitly stated (or if you have a specific approval from your Study Board), you are not allowed to bring more than one screen for the exam (if you bring a laptop, and use the screen on this, it is thus not allowed to bring a separate screen. It is allowed to use a laptop in combination with a separate screen, if the laptop screen is not used).
If the course description allows you to bring iPads/tablets for written campus-based exams and MCQ tests, they must be set to flight mode.
For exams held outside the University's premises there may be special conditions regarding access to the wireless network. Any special conditions will be announced before the start of the exam. Graduate Diploma in Business Administration (HD) students should pay particular attention to this.
You can find generel guides for digital exams here.
Preparations before the campus-based exam
It is your own responsibility to make sure you have the sufficient fundamental IT competences in order to complete the exam.
You must therefore be able to:
- Download the assignment and submit your paper in SDU Assignment in Digital Exam.
- Please note, that unless otherwise is explicitly stated in the course description or in Digital Exam/itslearning, the assignment will only be available digitally in Digital Exam.
- Apply the programs that must be used for the exam
- Assemble all sections of your paper into a single document (e.g. by transferring data, tables from Excel or hand-written graphs and calculations from a digital scanner/pen to your paper).
- save in PDF format, which is the format your paper must be submitted in.
Remember also to:
- make sure before the exam that you are enrolled in the correct course on Student Selfservice.
- to set your computer to back up regularly.
- to remember to save regularly when you are writing
- to prepare a document by writing the following in either the header or footer of the page: exam number, course title and page numbers.
Examination aids and internet access
In the course description, you can read about which aids you are allowed to use, and whether use of the internet is allowed during the exam. It is not allowed to communicate with others, neither in the exam room nor outside. Any use of Facebook, email, Messenger or other social media will be considered exam cheating. So make sure that these services/programs are completely shut down during the exam.
It is not allowed to exchange files with others. Therefore, you must shut down internet drives like Dropbox and Google Drive, as well as other file-sharing services and turn off synchronization. Read more here.
When you are sitting an exam in one of the University's IT rooms, you are not allowed to bring your own computer or other equipment that can connect to the internet.
Before the campus-based exam begins
Show up one hour before the exam begins to set up your computer for the exam. Remember your power supply and an extension cord.
You must start up Exam Monitor before the exam begins. Exam Monitor must run on your computer throughout the exam. If you close down Exam Monitor before you have submitted your paper, it could be regarded as an attempt of exam cheating.
The doors to the room close 30 minutes before the exam begins. At this point, you should be sitting in your seat, ready to receive information about the exam. If you show up later than 30 minutes before the exam begins, you will not get access to the exam room. Then you cannot attend the exam, and you will have used an examination attempt.
Particularly on MCQ tests
At the start of the exam, written instructions will be handed out on how to log on to Blackboard and get access to the test. Before the exam begins, you must ensure that you have access to the correct course on Blackboard, where you will do the test.
During the campus-based exam
Equipment
It is not allowed to share equipment. You are responsible for your own equipment. If you have technical problems during the exam, you can ask the exam supervisor to call IT support.
SDU cannot guarantee that we can fix the problems on your computer, but we will of course try to help you as much as possible. If you are prevented from finishing your exam paper on your own computer, the University has a limited number of computers you can borrow.
We recommend that you make regular backups, so you can continue working on different equipment if you have problems with your own computer.
You are not allowed to use audio on the computer or use headphones. You may want to bring earplugs if you want to block out any disturbances from the exam room.
It is allowed to bring one external keyboard and one external mouse to the written exam on campus.
Digitising handwritten notes
At the exam, you must submit one single paper. You must therefore digitise any handwritten formulas, graphs and the like and paste them into your paper. You can use a hand-held scanner, digital pen or a camera. Transfers to your computer must be by cable. You are not allowed to use equipment that may disturb or distract your fellow students.
Particularly on MCQ tests
When the exam begins, the test will show up automatically on Blackboard, and you can start the test.
It is important that you have access to the internet throughout the exam, otherwise your answers will not be saved. Blackboard will continuously save your answers, but it is important that you keep an eye on whether BlackBoard actually does so. If BlackBoard does not save your answers, it is your own responsibility to do so.
If you leave the test before submitting it, you can recommence the test and continue from the last saved question.
If you take the test multiple times, only the last attempt counts.
Finishing the campus-based exam
When you have submitted your paper, you must show the exam supervisor the submission receipt on the screen. At the same time, the exam supervisor makes sure that Exam Monitor is still running.
The last half hour of the exam there must be peace and quiet, so the exam supervisors will not be checking receipts then.
It is not allowed to help each other or talk, and there must be complete peace and quiet in the exam room, even when the exam is over. Only when you have left the exam room, are you allowed to talk to others.
Submission of papers at written campus-based exams
The exam paper must be completed at the expiry of the exam duration. You must then convert your paper into a PDF file.
- Your exam paper must be submitted in SDU Assignment on the BlackBoard site for the course, unless otherwise stated.
- Only one file can be submitted, unless otherwise stated.
- You can only submit your paper once.
- Your paper must be submitted in PDF format.
- Your exam number, course title and page numbers must be on all the pages of your paper. Do not write your name or cpr-number anywhere - if you do, you will no longer be anonymous.
- If you are unable to submit your paper digitally, you must submit your paper on a USB key. The USB key must be handed to the exam supervisors in the black exam envelope.
Submitting a MCQ test
When the exam supervisors announce that the exam is over, you must save and submit your answers, regardless of the time shown on Blackboard.
It is usually not possible to see how many points has been scored.
When you have submitted your paper, you can see on the screen if the answers have been received. You do not receive a receipt by email.
Cancellation/changes of examination time can only be made according to the faculties formulated practice.