Exams

Most of the information in this section focuses on practical aspects of University examinations.  However, it is very important to remember that University exams build on what you have done throughout the year. Everyone works in a different way, so instead of comparing yourself to other people, think about what works for you and plan your revision time in line with this. Be proactive in your revision supervisions, and active in your revision strategies (do practice papers, discuss questions and so on).

Looking after yourself during exam term is important. There will be many events within College and the University to help you to do this so keep an eye out for these and take up these opportunities. Building up your own confidence and developing your resilience throughout the year is also very important. Remember to eat well and to get a good night’s sleep. If you have any specific concerns about your exams you may wish to talk these over with your Tutor or DoS, and also arrange to meet a Student Health Practitioner to talk about exam anxieties or stress: health-practitioner@dow.cam.ac.uk

Exams are organised by the University and take place in central locations, at the times that will be specified on your CamSIS Self Service pages and on your yellow exam confirmation form – known as your ECF (normally not issued until the start of the Easter Term). ECF’s are placed in your pigeon hole in the Porter’s Lodge by the Tutorial Office. Please check the information on your exam timetable is correct and read the important information concerning the exam procedure, printed on the reverse of your ECF.  Do not leave this checking to the last minute. If you have any concerns, please contact the Tutorial Office: tutorial-enquiries@dow.cam.ac.uk

Useful links

Useful links for University exams can be located on the University SharePoint. Please login using your raven credentials.

Lost University Card 

If you lose your university card, please contact the Tutorial Office by email: tutorial-enquiries@dow.cam.ac.uk.

 The College will need to advise the University Exam Office if you will be bringing alternative photo ID to any of your exams.

What to bring and not to bring to your Exams

To all your exams you must bring with you your yellow Examination confirmation Form (ECF) University card and place both on your desk alongside your name ticket.

Clear pencil case or small bag containing writing materials are permitted in exams, also standard watch/clock and ear plugs.

You are only allowed to a bottle of water into the exam room. If it is not a clear bottle, you will have to place this by your feet during the exam.

If permitted on the exam question paper a Cambridge University Approved Calculator and Reference Texts.

Further information as to what to bring to your exam can be found on the University SharePoint. Please login via your raven credentials.

What not to bring to your exams include items such as mobile phones (only permitted for Inspera exams 30 minutes before the exam start time), smart-watches, noise cancelling headphones, wireless earpieces, good luck charms, coat/bag, tabs in Statute Books into exams at any venue. You are not allowed any other items of food, drink, sweets, tablets, medicines etc. unless you have a medical condition which requires this. Medical evidence from your GP will be required to support any requests. This evidence must be supplied to the Tutorial Office before the end of the Lent Term for Easter Term exams and at least one month in advance of exams in other terms. If the University agree to this you will receive an email from the Tutorial Office to confirm. Without this email confirmation you cannot take additional items to your exam.

Late arrival for exams

If you arrive at the Examination Hall within the first 30 minutes of the exam starting, you will be allowed to sit the exam in the time remaining.  No extra time is permitted to take into account your late arrival at any exam site including College.

For any of the below contact the Tutorial Office 01223 334811 or tutorial-enquiries@dow.cam.ac.uk

  • If you arrive later than 30 minutes after the start of the exam, at any exam site including College you will not be permitted to take the examination.
  • If you were late for an exam and were not permitted to sit the exam.
  • If you are running late, and do not believe you will get to your exam venue in time to let them know.

If you can get to the Tutorial Office within the first 30 minutes of your exam having started, the Tutorial office may be able to help you to sit your exam.

Special exam conditions and/or Exams in alternative locations

Under certain circumstances, the University may allow you to take your exams under special conditions and/or in alternative venues to the main examination sites.

The buildings that may be used for Reasonable Adjustments include the following:

  • Titan Rooms
  • Phoenix Rooms
  • Student Support Centre
  • University Centre
  • The Divinity Rooms

If you are allocated any of the above venues you will receive an email from the University’s Exam Mitigation Team to invite you to familiarise yourself with the room before you attend your first exam and enable you to ask any questions.

These venues are available when the total amount of time taken to complete an examination (including rest breaks and reading time where applicable) does not exceed 6 hours (regardless of how this may be split between extra writing and/or reading time and rest breaks).

If you sat your exams under special conditions in the University last year, you will be asked in an email from the Tutorial office to confirm this is still applicable for the current academic year.   It is important to note that the venue to take your exams in a forthcoming year may not be the same as previously agreed by the University.  If you have previously submitted an assessment report, in respect of a SpLD, you will need to have contact with the Accessibility and Disability Resource Centre (ADRC) annually as a minimum, to identify if there have been any changes to your diagnosis or to the conditions required for your exams.

If you sat your exams under special conditions in your School last year, and/or you will need to make a request for your University exams to be taken under special conditions.  In the Michaelmas Term you need to make your Tutor or the Tutorial Office aware: tutorial-enquiries@dow.cam.ac.uk

If you have been diagnosed with a Specific Learning Disability (SpLD) you will be required to provide a valid assessment report which must be:

  • Written by an Educational Psychologist or Specialist Teacher, who has the Patoss SpLD Assessment Practising Certificate (or equivalent).
  • Dated not more than three years old on your entry to the University.
  • Written after you were 16 years of age.
  • Written in accordance with the SpLD Working Group 2005/DfES Guidelines

If you think that you may need a full diagnostic assessment you should, in the first instance, please contact the Accessibility Disability Resource Centre (ADRC) Accessibility and disability services | University of Cambridge. You should be aware that, if you require a full diagnostic assessment, it can take several weeks to complete, so please look to contact the ADRC in the Michaelmas Term.

You may also have a medical need for your exams to be held in alternative locations to the main exam sites with additional support to be provided. If this applies to you, you will need to submit a request to the Tutorial office: tutorial-enquiries@dow.cam.ac.uk by the early February for exams in the Easter Term or at least one month preceding your exams in any other period.  It is the University (not College) who make the final decision as to whether exams can be sat under special conditions and/or in alternative venues. It is important that you allow sufficient time to discuss your requirements with your Tutor prior to meeting this deadline. All requests must be accompanied by supporting evidence.  Requests and supporting documents must be submitted by the Tutorial Office in good time. The University recommends requests are submitted as far in advance as possible as it can take time for the University to consider these. A delay in letting the Tutorial Office aware of your needs may prevent you knowing if the University has agreed to your exam arrangements you are requesting until very close to your exams starting. Not all requests submitted are agreed.

Exams in College 

You cannot ask to take your exams in College. Exams in College take place if you have approval for exam times that exceed the 6 hours duration or you need to be in a single room through requiring a scribe/amanuensis, then you must take your exams in College. There are other exceptional circumstances, such as complex medical cases where exams must be taken in College. The Tutorial Office will contact you if you need to take your exams in College. In addition, if you experience a sudden, unexpected illness, this may also require exams to be taken within College. The University stipulate that a separate room is normally only agreed if you are using an amanuensis or you have a disability or illness which would be disruptive to other students taking exams in the same room. It is not recommended that students sit in a separate room unless it is specified in their supporting documents that they should have one-to-one invigilation and supporting documents specifically confirm why this is necessary.  Anxiety and stress over exams are not considered reasons. Please arrange to meet a College Health Practitioner to talk about exam anxieties or stress. It is important to raise concerns as soon as possible if you find exams difficult.

Each year the University require College to liaise with students who have previously taken exams in College to ensure, that going forward, arrangements cannot now be met by using the central exam locations provided by the University in the designated venues for students where special arrangements for exams are required. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Tutorial Office: tutorial-enquiries@dow.cam.ac.uk

Illness, or events that occur during the Exam period

If an illness or an event occurs prior to the start of your exams, which seriously hinders your exam preparation, you should see your Tutor immediately. Please note that coughs and colds or other minor ailments of limited duration will not qualify you for special consideration and you should not trouble your GP needlessly by seeking a medical certificate without consulting your Tutor first.

An Exam Warning may also be appropriate if you suffer from:

  • colour-blindness
  • dyslexia
  • dysgraphia
  • dyspraxia
  • another specific learning difficulty.

If your Tutor deems appropriate, they will arrange for the Tutorial Office to submit an Exam Warning to the University on your behalf. Please note that supporting documents are required to support any exam warning agreed by your Tutor. Any supporting document should be seen by your Tutor but must also be submitted to the Tutorial Office tutorial-enquiries@dow.cam.ac.uk

If you are unwell, or an event occurs on the day of your exam and you are unable to go to the venue then you should contact the Tutorial Office on 01223 334811 or tutorial-enquiries@dow.cam.ac.uk. Please do this as early as possible, in advance of your exam starting to alert someone to your illness. Appropriate advice will be given to you on what you should do.  The Tutorial Office will be open from 8.30am Monday to Friday during the main Easter Exam period.

If you become unwell during an exam and cannot continue, you should alert the invigilator in the exam room, who will be able to take appropriate action.

You will not normally be able to continue with your exam, and should submit online exams before leaving the venue and leave all paper submissions on your desk for collection.

If you leave the examination venue before the end of the exam, your College Tutorial Office will be alerted and you should follow up with them immediately.

You should also contact a medical professional (where appropriate) for medical support.  

Illegible exam scripts

The Tutorial Office will contact you if your exam scrip is identified as illegible by the University and advise of the next steps.

Exam results

Class List publication dates shows the expected publication dates for each subject. These dates will be available on the University website. Your results appear in your CamSIS self-service page and College publications. You may opt out from College publications by contacting: development@dow.cam.ac.uk

Progressing to a Fourth Undergraduate Year

If you are an undergraduate in your third year at Downing and you intend to progress to a fourth year, please ensure that you email the Tutorial Office (graduation@dow.cam.ac.uk and tutorial-enquiries@dow.cam.ac.uk) as soon as you receive your examination results. This will enable your academic record to be updated and your name removed from all General Admission (graduation) lists accordingly. Please note, as soon as your fourth year place has been confirmed, you will be expected to leave your accommodation within NPR, unless you have an approved application to remain in College outside of NPR.  

Exam allowances

Please see the University’s EAMC’s guidance Notes on Exam Allowances.

Please note major changes in the guidance for all students for this academic year 2025/26, one being that a student must complete the Student Initiation Form and send it to the Tutorial Office (to graduate@dow.cam.ac.uk) within 7 days of the missed exam/assessment, or the final exam in the same exam period (before the exam results are known). The Student Initiation form can be found at the above link.  The contemporaneous evidence of the illness or grave cause must be sent to the College with the Student Initiation Form, or before 6 weeks have passed since the missed exam/assessment, or the final exam in the same exam period. The College then has 6 weeks from receiving the Student Initiation Form to send an application to the EAMC.

Investigating academic misconduct and mark checks

See the University's Investigating academic misconduct and mark checks webpage for further information and the Examiners Academic Misconduct Guidance. 

The Office of Student Conduct, Complaints & Appeals (OSCCA) deal with academic misconduct. Please mail the Tutorial Office if you have any questions or concerns: tutorial-enquiries@dow.cam.ac.uk