Exams

If you are unable to sit an examination due to illness or other unavoidable reason you should do the following as soon as possible:

• Submit a Self Certificate or Absence form.
• Notify the Examinations Officer ONLY if there is a problem submitting a Self-Certificate - please contact (01334) 464100 if you are unable to submit a self certificate.
• Contact the School to make arrangements for deferred or alternative assessment.
• You might also want to discuss the issues affecting you with Student Services (theasc@st-andrews.ac.uk).

Take a look at Absence reporting for more information.

It is entirely your choice whether you sit an exam after experiencing difficulties, but there are several things you should be aware of. If you choose not to sit the exam, you will need to provide some evidence as to why you were unable to attend the exam. Deferred assessment is not automatically guaranteed, and you'll need to talk to your School about your options. However, if you choose to sit the exam (especially if the School offer you deferred assessment), it is much more difficult to make allowances for your circumstances at a later date. You should also bear in mind that if you pass a module, you cannot take the module again.

In the event of failure (a grade of between 4 and 6.9), you will be eligible for one reassessment before the end of the session. If you have scored 3.9 or below (and therefore have no right to resit), or if you fail the reassessment, contact your Adviser of Studies and in most cases you will need to be advised into additional modules during the next semester or academic year.

It is normal to have Anxiety about your exams. You can download the exam relaxation track, or contact Student Services for details of upcoming exam help sessions or to make an appointment to speak to an Adviser (theasc@st-andrews.ac.uk). You can also book an appointment using our online booking form.