Due to Covid-19, Athabasca University exam locations are closed and only ONLINE exams are being issued. Students must confirm that an invigilation centre is open before booking an exam. Please refer to the Covid Q&A page for any updates and current steps for booking an online exam.
Students can write their examinations at Athabasca University buildings in Athabasca, Edmonton, or Calgary, Alberta. In addition, a Canada-wide Examination Invigilation Network has been established that is composed of many post-secondary institutions that are AU-approved invigilation centres.
If you wish to write your examination at a location other than AU or any of the listings in the Examination Invigilation Network, you must write at an accredited post-secondary institution such as a community college or a technical institute. If a college or technical institute is not accessible, you may write your examination at an educational institution such as a high school or library, provided it is approved by Examination Services Unit, Office of the Registrar.
If none of these options is available, review Invigilators: Pre-Approved.
Arrive promptly for your examination. Latecomers can be extremely disruptive to other students writing examinations. If you arrive more than 15 minutes late for a scheduled examination, and you have not notified your exam invigilator in advance, you should try to rebook your examination within 10 business days. Depending on where you write, you may be charged a non-refundable exam rebooking fee (payable at Athabasca, Edmonton, and Calgary, Alberta).
After the 10 business-day hold period, the unwritten examination is returned to AU. If and when you request the exam again, the non-refundable multiple examination fee will be charged.
Whenever possible, AU will accommodate moderately late arrivals; however, you will risk being interrupted if others leave the room before you are finished writing your examination. Allowing additional time may not always be possible.
If you think you might be late, please inform the institution where you are writing. Staff will advise you whether or not there is time to write your examination. If you still choose to write with less than the recommended time allowed, this will be noted on your examination in the case of a future appeal.
Student Identification
Students must present a valid form of photo identification to an invigilator prior too being allowed to write an exam. The identification must be government issued (passport, driver's licence, etc.) or and Athabasca University-issued photo ID card.
Students who live within a 100 km radius of an AU-approved invigilation centre, write their examinations at that centre. Students who live more than 100 km from an exam invigilation centre, may request to write their exams closer to home provided they arrange for an invigilator who meets specific guidelines and is approved by AU.
AU students who live outside of Canada must write their examination at an AU-approved post-secondary institution or Canadian Embassy, or use an invigilator who meets specific guidelines.
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 by the AU course coordinator.
An increasing number of AU examinations are completed and submitted online. The course syllabus and your course materials will indicate whether the examination(s) for the course are online. Students have two options for how to write online exams: through ProctorU or at an invigilation centre that is able to invigilate online exams.
ProctorU: This exam-writing option is available to students with a computer in a suitable location, with (high-speed) internet access and a webcam.
Invigilation centre: When writing an online examination, it is your responsibility to ensure a computer with an Internet connection and an accepted web browser is available for your use at the Invigilation Centre. Students are not permitted to bring or use personal laptops for online exams.
Refer to your student manual for training resources, computer requirements and other information related to writing your online exam. Please direct your questions about online examinations to the Examination Services Unit or the AU Information Centre.
All other examination regulations apply to online examinations. You must complete and submit the Examination Request Form to Examination Services using the methods described in the Requesting an Examination section.
Once a student has viewed an examination—unless the wrong examination has been sent to the invigilator—the examination will be considered to have been written or attempted to have been written and assigned a grade.
At the beginning of the invigilation of the exam, a student must verify that the correct exam (midterm or final) for their course has been provided. Once a student has viewed an exam, unless the wrong exam has been sent to the AU-approved invigilator, it will be considered an attempt at the exam and the exam will be considered written.
If a student discovers they have been sent or are writing the wrong exam, they must immediately bring the discrepancy to the invigilator's attention. The exam invigilator must contact AU's Examination Services Unit at 780-675-6579 and ensure that the student remains at the invigilation site for further instruction. In the event that the Examination Services Unit is closed, the invigilator must contact the unit the next business day. Further instructions will be provided to the invigilator and the student.
Students must complete their examinations within the time specified on the official invigilation and examination instructions. An exam will be considered void if the student has exceeded the allowed time that has been specified for the exam.
Significant exam disruptions may occur which are beyond the control of the student, invigilator, or AU. These may include, but are not limited to, a utility service disruption or an evacuation of an invigilation centre.
In the event of a significant exam disruption, the invigilator must immediately contact the Examination Services Unit at 780-675-6579 and ensure that the student remains at the invigilation site, or other safe location for further instruction.
If the Examination Services Unit is closed, the invigilator must contact the unit on the following business day. Further instruction will be provided to the invigilator and the student at that time.
If a student writes an online or paper-based exam under appropriate supervision and the written exam is returned directly to AU from or through an AU-approved invigilator, but the exam or part of an exam is lost, the student may be required to be re-tested in order to adequately evaluate the student’s knowledge of the subject matter. See the Undergraduate Lost Exam Policy for more information.
Information effective Sept. 1, 2020 to Aug. 31, 2021.
Updated April 08 2021 by laurab
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