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Locally Arranged Exams

Before the examination, UCD students, faculty, and staff should be familiar with the Examination Regulations and the UCD Student Code of Conduct, particularly the requirements that all student's electronic devices, including mobile phones and smartwatches, be powered off.

For further information on locally arranged exams, see the sections below. 

Information for Schools

Per the UCD Assessment Code of Practice, the School is responsible for planning, organising and conducting examinations that the University does not organise centrally. 

When organising a local examination, the School shall ensure the following requirements are met and in place for every examination:

  • Appropriate supervision and invigilation are in place. The Invigilation section on this page provides additional details on locally arranged invigilators. 
  • All students' identifications are checked before the examination commences and again during the examination against an attendance register.
  • The UCD Examination Regulations are upheld throughout the examination.
  • The venue is accessible and appropriate so students can satisfactorily attempt the examination without environmental disturbances. For further details, please see the Room Bookings section.
  • Records and examination materials (attendance records, toilet records, examination question papers, examination scripts, etc.) are of the appropriate standard and are retained for 13 months after the examination.
  • Reporting any Regulation breaches to UCD Student Engagement, Conduct, Complaints and Appeals (SECCA), using their Student Misconduct Reporting Form. See their guidelines for completing this form.

To assist in the smooth running of a locally arranged examination, the following checklist can be used to ensure all arrangements are in place and communicated to the relevant staff: Examination Checklist

Information for Module Coordinators

  • Module Coordinators should ensure that all students know the date, time, and venue well before the exam and that these details are available on Brightspace. 
  • The Module Coordinator is responsible for providing exam accommodations for locally arranged exams. For further information, please see AEADS - Students with alternative exam arrangements (disability support) section below. 

Please be advised Assessment will not contact students regarding locally arranged exams. 

Before booking a room for an examination, the following should be considered: 

  • UCD will try to minimise noise levels while exams are taking place. However, as exam centres are located in busy locations, a completely noise-free environment isn't guaranteed, and outside noise may occur.
  • The venue should be appropriate for conducting examinations, quiet, and have suitable seating and desk arrangements.
  • There should be no materials in the room, such as posters, bookcases, or displays, that might distract students or give them an advantage in taking the examination.

To book a room:

  1. On the Belfield Campus, contact the Estates contact centre on (opens in a new window)estates@ucd.ie
  2. On the Blackroom Campus, contact (opens in a new window)services.blackrock@ucd.ie
  3. Assessment owns a pre-set-up exam venue on the Blackrock Campus; see section Blackrock Exam Centre for further details. 

At least one month's advance notice is required when booking a room. There is no guarantee a booking can be facilitated.

Exam answer books can be ordered using the (opens in a new window)Answer Book Request Form. UCD Estates deliver answer booklets to the Blackrock and Belfield campuses, and 5 working days should be allowed for delivery. 

MCQ Examination Answer Sheets can be requested through the (opens in a new window)MCQ Examination Answer Sheet Request Form. See the Assessment MCQ webpage for further details and the helpful guide for students on completing an MCQ sheet.

Information on Exam Papers Before Examination

  1. Exam question papers should be brought to the exam centre half an hour before the exam.
  2. Assessment: UCD Registry recommends printing 10% extra papers for contingency purposes.
  3. All exam papers and materials are confidential and should always be protected. 

In addition Assessment, UCD Registry recommends the following:

  • Encryption of Exam Papers: Exam papers must be encrypted when being exchanged. Passwords should be sent in separate emails to ensure security.

  • Avoid Using Courier or Internal Mail: Exam papers should not be dispatched through a courier service or the internal mail system.

  • Restricted Access: Access to exam papers and materials must be limited to a small, authorised group of personnel.

  • Secure Storage and Handling: Exam papers must be sealed, securely packaged, and stored at all times. They should only be opened by authorised personnel within the exam hall.

  • Transport Security: All exam papers and materials must be stored and transported securely, with strict control over who handles them. This includes ensuring that exam materials remain in sight at all times, even during travel, to prevent unauthorised access.

  • Post-Exam Security: Completed exam papers and materials should be sealed, securely packaged, and stored following the exam. They should only be opened by authorised personnel.

Invigilation 

Although Assessment, UCD Registry does not arrange invigilation for in-trimester or locally arranged examinations, a list of experienced, trained invigilators and their contact details can be provided upon request.
This list is revised each trimester; for the most up-to-date information, email invigilation@ucd.ie.

Should you wish to organise your own invigilators, see the Assessment, UCD Registry website for details on restrictions that apply to newly recruited invigilators who wish to claim payment for work completed. 

Invigilator Roles and Responsibilities 

Invigilators should have experience working as part of a team, excellent communication and time-keeping skills, and the ability to remain vigilant for long periods of time. They should be meticulous and organised to work with a high standard of accuracy, and they must remain calm and courteous under pressure. 

Typical duties of an invigilator include (but are not limited to):

  • Ensuring UCD Examination regulations are applied. 
  • Maintaining the security of exam papers and materials before, during, and after the exam.
  • Completing exam paperwork such as attendance sheets and seating plans as directed.
  • Supervising students during the exam, ensuring they do not communicate with each other.
  • Responding to any students who raise their hand with a query..
  • Reporting any suspected malpractice immediately to the team lead.
  • Collecting and collating exam materials as directed while maintaining strict security procedures.

Exam Hall Invigilator requirements:

A minimum of two invigilators should typically be assigned to an exam: 

  • One Team Lead and 
  • One standard invigilator per twenty-five students.

A contact list, including emergency phone numbers of faculty and staff involved in administering the exams, should be made available to all invigilators for each exam hall.

Invigilators should be present at least half an hour before and half an hour after the exam.

Payment for Invigilators

Schools can process invigilators' pay claims through their cost centres. Check at a local level to see if this is possible.

Please be advised, as per UCD Finance guidelines, Assessment cannot reimburse invigilators for parking costs associated with locally arranged exams. 

If processing through Assessment, Schools must submit a Record of Invigilation form to Assessment to confirm any hours invigilators have worked in locally arranged exams. Assessment will not pay invigilators for unconfirmed hours.

To confirm your invigilators' hours, you must complete our Record Of Invigilation (opens in a new window)Google form. One form is to be submitted per invigilator.

See the Assessment, UCD Registry Invigilator Information for details on how invigilators can claim for work completed, pay rates, and how to set up an hourly paid set-up form.

Garda Vetting for Invigilators:

A number of posts in UCD require staff to undertake activities that will bring them into contact with children or vulnerable adults. To ensure the protection of the public, and promote public trust and confidence, UCD is committed to ensuring that only suitable candidates are recruited into these positions. To protect the public and promote public trust and confidence, UCD is committed to ensuring that only suitable candidates are recruited for these roles. Invigilators (who will be in contact with a vulnerable person*) hired by Assessment, UCD Registry to support annual exams are Garda vetted by UCD HR as part of the appointment process.If you are organising your locally held exams, which include vulnerable persons, and are engaging invigilators to support them, you must arrange for the invigilators to complete the Garda Vetting process prior to commencing work for UCD

For further information, please contact staffvetting@ucd.ie or refer to the (opens in a new window)Garda Vetting Policy

*The term “vulnerable person” shall be understood to mean a person, other than a child who: (a) is suffering from a disorder of the mind, whether as a result of mental illness or dementia; (b) has an intellectual disability; (c) is suffering from a physical impairment, whether as a result of injury, illness or age; or (d) has a physical disability, which is of such a nature or degree - (i) as to restrict the capacity of the person to guard himself or herself against harm by another person; or (ii) that results in the person requiring assistance with the activities of daily living including dressing, eating, walking, washing and bathing.

Cancellation of an Exam

In the event of a cancellation of an exam, Invigilators must be informed as soon as possible. Last-minute cancellations of Invigilators should not take place except in exceptional circumstances.

Students who have been allocated Reasonable Accommodations in exams, e.g. Alternative Exam Location or Extra Time, are entitled to these for all timed exams, including locally arranged ones. 

Information for Students

Students are advised to contact their module coordinator to request this support. However, encouragement may be needed to receive these requests on time. 

Information for Module Coordinators

The Module Coordinator is responsible for providing exam accommodations for locally arranged exams. Module Coordinators can access information on students with accommodations in their class lists in Infohub under the Students with Disability column.

Module Coordinators must arrange for an alternative exam location, amanuensis/scribe, laptop or other Assistive Technology if these supports have been approved by UCD Access & Lifelong Learning and the student wishes to use them for a locally arranged exam.

UCD Access & Lifelong Learning can assist with providing laptops and other assistive technology and answer queries on exam accommodations. UCD A&LL may be contacted at disability@ucd.ie.

The Blackrock Exam Centre (BEC) is located on the UCD Blackrock Campus. Please be advised that it is an examination venue and should be used as such. Requests that involve substantial furniture movement or rearrangement will not be facilitated.

To book the Blackrock Exam Centre (BEC)*, which is managed by Assessment, UCD Registry, complete the (opens in a new window)Blackrock Exam Centre Booking form

At least one month's advance notice is required when booking the hall. There is no guarantee a booking can be facilitated. 

  • The Blackrock Exam hall has a capacity of 439. 324 are located on the ground floor, and 115 are up the stairs on the second floor on the balcony. Please note that the second floor is not wheelchair accessible. The hall is permanently set up in an exam configuration and cannot be rearranged. 
    (All capacities are for guidance only and are subject to change).
  • Once your booking has been submitted, successful bookings will receive an email of confirmation within 5 working days. In the case of amendments/cancellations, affected parties will be notified immediately.
  • Each examination booking will automatically receive 1.5 hours preceding and following the session to facilitate set-up / tidy-up / cleaning. Should more time be required, please indicate this in the form. Exams should not be booked back-to-back to allow time for exam turnaround, such as students leaving/entering the hall, gathering belongings, etc.
  • If locally arranged, on the day of the exam, keys will need to be collected and returned by the lead invigilator at the Services desk in Blackrock, Building E. To arrange, Contact Blackrock Campus Services by email at services.blackrock@ucd.ie or Ext 8908.

What information has been provided to students on examinations?
Information on examinations for students can be found on the Current Students Exam webpage.

Where should I direct my students for information on what to do if they have tested positive for COVID-19 or another infectious illness?
If a student can’t attend an exam due to COVID-19 or another infectious illness, they should be directed to the UCD Exams - Covid Guidelines section on the Current Students website and to the extenuating circumstances process. This applies to all examinations - in-person and online.

Do I have to provide an alternative assessment opportunity in place for students who have missed my exam due to COVID-19 or another infectious illness?
No, students can apply for extenuating circumstances. If approved, the student must complete the component (or components) of the assessment or complete some equivalent assessment(s) set by the School within two trimesters of the initial attempt in line with the Academic Regulations.

How will I be informed if one of my students misses an exam due to COVID-19 or another infectious illness?
Students who miss exams due to COVID-19 or Infectious Illnesses are advised to submit an Extenuating Circumstances application. Module Coordinators can then view details of students who have missed an exam due to Covid-19 or another infectious illness on the Extenuating Circumstances—Module Coordinator View report in InfoHub.

Programmes Offices can see this information via their Extenuating Circumstances report.

Contact UCD Registry

University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
T: +353 1 716 1555 | Location Map(opens in a new window)