It’s your responsibility as an RMIT student to comply with these rules and other assessment policies and processes. You can be penalised if you don’t follow all RMIT on-campus exam rules and the instructions for your exam. Penalties range from failing the exam or course up to suspension or expulsion.
Your responsibilities during your exams
1. Exam timetables
It’s your responsibility to be available to attend all scheduled exams. It’s recommended that you arrive at least 20 minutes before the published exam commencement time. If you require additional assistance of any kind, please arrive 30 minutes prior to the commencement of your exam.
You can’t sit an exam for a course that you are not enrolled in. If this does occur, you won’t receive a grade.
You are responsible for knowing your exam times and locations and for arranging your own transport to the venue.
Important: Failure to correctly read the exam timetable is not an acceptable reason for special consideration.
2. Conditions of entering and leaving the exam venue
Entering the exam venue
Upon entry to the exam venue, you become subject to the authority of the exam supervisors. You must comply with all directions given by exam supervisors, written on the exam paper, and displayed in the exam venue.
During reading time, you are not permitted to:
- write on or mark any exam materials
- mark your hands or body
- read any text other than the exam paper
- do any calculations.
Where the exam is of two hours duration or more, you will be allowed to enter the venue up to 60 minutes after the published commencement time of the exam. No additional time will be granted. If you arrive more than 60 minutes after the published start time you will not be permitted to enter the exam room and will receive a zero mark for that assessment.
Masks will be provided upon entry to the exam venue if you wish to wear one. Masks brought in from the outside of the venue will not be permitted and will need to be discarded or stored under your desk.
Leaving the exam venue
You won’t normally be permitted to leave the exam room within the first 60 minutes from the published commencement time of the exam.
If you need to leave the exam room after the first 60 minutes from the published commencement time of the exam, you must remain seated and silent and raise your hand to gain the attention of the exam supervisor.
If you become unwell during the exam and are unable to complete the assessment, you must report your illness to an exam supervisor and leave the exam venue. If you don’t report your illness to an exam supervisor, you won’t be eligible for special consideration.
Once your exam has been collected you are not permitted to use the bathrooms inside the exam venue, and you must exit the building immediately.
You won’t be permitted to re-enter the exam venue after leaving it, unless you have been under supervision.
You won’t be permitted to leave the exam venue during the last 15 minutes of the exam.
You must leave the exam venue and surrounding areas immediately and quietly, and in consideration of others. You may not linger around exam venue entrance or exit points.
3. Student identification
You must show your RMIT student card on entry to the exam venue and clearly display it on your exam desk.
Your card will be checked during your exam. The supervisor will compare your student photo and student number with the exam attendance list.
Women who wear burqas or niqabs are encouraged to attend the exam venue at least thirty minutes before the exam starts to have their identification checked by a female staff member in a private room. This ensures that the identity check is completed respectfully and with minimal disruption. If your identification is not verified prior to or during your exam, it will need to be verified at the end of your exam in a private room by a female staff member.
4. Taking items into an exam
Possession of unauthorised materials in an exam is misconduct. It doesn't matter if you don't use your phone, notes, watch or other unauthorised materials to help with the exam – it’s still misconduct if these items are not stored correctly. Any material or item on your desk, chair, person or in your pockets will be deemed to be in your possession.
You are permitted to bring some personal items and study materials into the venue provided they are placed on the floor under your desk.
- Bags of any type are not permitted, including laptop bags.
- All watches must be removed and placed under your desk. There are clocks in the exam venue.
- All electronic devices (except calculators, where permitted) must be switched off and placed under your desk. These include watches, mobile phones, tablets and laptops.
- Ear buds or headphones are not permitted to be worn in the exam venue. They must be stored with other personal belongings under your desk. If you wear ear buds or headphones in the exam venue you will be reported for misconduct.
- Any items allowed to be used in the exam must not be enhanced or tampered with in any way.
- English language dictionaries are not permitted in an exam unless specified on the exam cover sheet or the exam is an open book exam.
- Hard copy bilingual dictionaries are permitted in an exam unless specified otherwise on the exam cover sheet. The dictionary must not contain any notations or be tampered with in any way.
5. Inside the exam venue
Once inside the exam venue you must:
- sit at your allocated desk
- comply with all instructions of the exam supervisor
- remain seated at the end of the exam until all papers have been collected and permission to leave is given by the exam supervisor
- hand in all exam materials with your name and student number written on each, even if not used. Exam materials must be submitted intact - no part may be defaced, removed or destroyed.
You are not permitted to:
- communicate with any other student.
- write during reading time or after writing time ends
- leave the exam venue temporarily unless escorted by an exam supervisor
- remove any exam materials from the venue, unless the exam paper states otherwise
- cheat, attempt to cheat, or knowingly assist another student to cheat
- have unauthorised materials on your person or in your jacket/coat pocket.
6. Misconduct during an exam
Misconduct during an exam will be reported to the Academic Registrar’s Group where it will be managed in accordance with the Student Conduct Policy. A first incident can result in a 0% exam mark or a 0% NN grade for the course. Subsequent incidents can result in suspension or expulsion from RMIT.
You can be reported for misconduct when:
- Your mobile phone is not switched off and placed under your desk.
- You have other electronic devices not allowed for the exam, including watches.
- You have or try to use notes, including notes written on your body.
- You have or try to use dictionaries or equipment not allowed for this exam.
- You do the exam for another student or let someone else do the exam for you.
- You get or try to get answers from another person.
- You disturb other students or don’t follow the instructions of a staff member.
You can be charged with academic misconduct even if you did not obtain an advantage from it.
Important: It doesn't matter if you don't use your phone, notes, watch or other unauthorised materials to help with the exam – it’s still misconduct if these items are not stored correctly.
7. Emergency procedure during exams
In the event of an emergency during an exam you must comply with the instructions of the exam supervisor or safety warden. You will still be subject to exam conditions until you are formally dismissed by the senior exam supervisor.
If you have any questions in relation to RMIT exam requirements, please ask the exam supervisor at the venue for further advice.
