Final exams
Final exams are held at the end of each academic term in December, April and August. Start and end dates of future exam periods can be found in the academic calendar.
Students should always review the Exam regulations and Policy on academic integrity before writing exams.
Exam schedule
A detailed schedule is published in advance of each exam period, indicating the dates, times and locations of all final exams scheduled by the Office of the Registrar and Enrolment Management (OREM).
Exam formats
Final exams can be delivered in any of the following formats.
Flexibly timed online exams have limited durations and can be written within specific periods of time (e.g. a two-hour exam that can be written between December 15-17).
Same-day online exams are made available in the morning and must be submitted on the same day (e.g. an exam can be accessed at 9:00am and must be submitted by 5:00pm).
Multi-day online exams must be submitted within a set number of days (e.g. an exam can be accessed on April 6 and must be submitted by April 8).
How are exams scheduled?
Exam scheduling begins after the last day for adding courses, ensuring that course-registration data is as accurate as possible. This prevents conflicts and provides you with maximum flexibility when you register for courses, since you won't be limited by final exams that were scheduled before the term began.
There are approximately 650 final exams scheduled every term, taking place three times per day over 2-3 weeks. The schedule accounts for:
- the number of students writing an exam
- the exam type and duration
- locations and room capacities for face-to-face exams
- date and time requests from instructors and deans to support course requirements
The exam schedule is published by the end of the second month of the academic term. You should wait until the finalized exam schedule becomes available before making travel or work plans.
Exam conflicts and hardships
OREM makes every effort to avoid final exam conflicts and hardships. However, these issues can occur due to late student registration, changes to the exam schedule after it's finalized, and other factors.
Learn what what to do if you have an exam conflict or hardship.
Deferred and supplemental exams
Deferred and supplemental exams are organized by OREM, the course instructor, or the academic unit that offers the course.
- If your exam is organized by OREM, you'll receive an email with instructions and an online form that you must complete.
- If your exam is organized by your instructor or the academic unit, you should contact the instructor or the unit's undergraduate secretary to arrange a date, time and location.
Reviewing your exams
After final exams are completed, instructors have the option to send paper-based exams to OREG to be stored for 12 months. At certain times in the year, you can visit the Registrar's Office to review your marked exams and evaluate your performance.
If your final exam was delivered online or was not sent to OREM for storage, you should contact the course instructor.
Contact us
Contact Exams at Student Support Services for help.
- Phone: 250-721-8143
- Email: exams@uvic.ca