Exam Scheduling

Scheduling Services supports and facilitates the creation of the final exam schedules. This process begins after the add/drop deadline, when registration data is most accurate, with the end goal being a published schedule three weeks after the add/drop date.

Students and instructors are expected to be available for the duration of the examination period (Winter Session, 12 days including Saturday and Sunday; Summer Session, 5 days which may include Saturday).

You can access the Exam Schedule online at any time.

Special Accommodation Requests

Examination scheduling is completed in a way that suits the best interests of the student by avoiding direct exam clashes and minimizing hardships.

A request for an exam to be scheduled on a specific day or in a specific general use classroom significantly restricts the scheduling process and therefore will only be considered with the approval from the Associate Dean/Director.

Exam requests for special accommodation should be consistent with the standards for students requesting a preferred schedule, such as:

  • Medical, emotional or other condition
  • Religious and cultural observances
  • Faculty presenting their research at an academic conference that directly conflicts with the exam period may also be considered a special request if the request is submitted in advance of exams being scheduled

Requests can be submitted to the Associate Dean/Director for approval. Upon approval, the approving Associate Dean/Director will then forward the request and approval to academic.scheduling@ubc.ca for consideration.

Late Addition Requests

If you need to request a change to the draft exam schedule, please submit the UBCO Exam Scheduling Change Request Form.

Exam Scheduling Supports

Exams scheduled through Academic Scheduling Services can range from 1 hour (min) to 2.5 hours (max).

Exams needing a 3-hour duration require Associate Dean/Director approval. All requests for 3-hour exams are to be emailed to academic.scheduling@ubc.ca prior to the exam tab closing.

Final exam sittings

  • Exams will have four sittings per day:
    • 8:30–11:00 am
    • 12:00–2:30 pm
    • 3:30–6:00 pm
    • 7:00–9:30 pm
  • Winter Session: up to 12 examinable days which may include Saturday and Sunday for each formal examination period
  • Summer Session: up to 5 days which may include Saturday for each formal examination period

Option 1

In tandem exam held on different days and times at each of the UBCO and UBCV campus

  1. Each campus independently follow each individual campus exam scheduling procedure and timelines
  2. Each campus enters an exam request
  3. Each campus exam will be assigned a day and time according to student registration data for each relevant campus and be placed to minimize exam hardships and clashes

*Note: In choosing option 1, UBCV and UBCO exams will be assigned different exam days and times and this information will be published to students.

Option 2

In tandem exam held on the SAME day and the same time at each of the UBCO and UBCV campus

  1. The primary campus will follow the campus exam scheduling procedures and timelines and will request a final exam when the exam tab is open.

*Note: In choosing option 2, the secondary campus will not enter an exam request when the exam tab is open.

  1. Once the primary campus exam is scheduled with a day and time—the secondary campus will send an email to Scheduling Services and request a final exam be entered for the in tandem course
    • Secondary campus will communicate exam day and time placement of the primary course
    • Scheduling Services will place the exam on the same day and closest start time to the primary campus in tandem exam
  2. Scheduling Services will enter the exam with day and time
    • Secondary campus will notify students of the exam date and time

*Note: In choosing option 2, there will be a delay in the publishing of the exam day and time for students. This option may also result in direct exam lashes and increased number of exam hardships. The department is responsible for arranging a Deferred exam for students that may be affected.

The department cannot switch from Option 1 to Option 2 after exams are published.

Booking a larger room for a mid-term

If sections require a larger room for a mid-term exam being held on the same day/same time as the course is normally scheduled, you can submit general use classroom space booking requests through your approved Web Room Booker (WRB) department designate.

Out of time mid-term process

Courses holding out of time and/or multi-section mid-terms that require additional space must:

  1. Have dean’s approval for the out of time exam
  2. Include section publish notes to the course sections in the SISC to notify students in advance that the midterm will be scheduled outside of regularly scheduled class time
    • Unit assistants and other admin staff around campus are trained on how to use publish notes
  3. Contact your Web Room (WRB) department designate to request a classroom booking
    • Note: Booking a location to accommodate double seating cannot be guaranteed. Multi-section out of class time mid-terms cannot exceed a single room capacity of 400 seats. If more than 400 seats are required, multiple rooms may need to be booked to accommodate the exam.
  4. Rooms can be booked for out of time mid-terms before classes start (prior to releasing rooms to ad hoc event booking), but not before August
  5. Include the mid-term date and time in the course syllabus to be distributed on the first day of class
    • Scheduling of out of time mid-terms does not take into consideration the student’s academic schedule and therefore instructors should make accommodations for students that have schedule conflicts as a result of the out of time midterm

Additional Resources