Formal Examination Information

If your internet drops out during your exam, you can navigate back into your exam and continue from your last saved response. In most instances clicking the refresh button on your browser will re-load your exam. You should make note of any responses entered on the page (e.g. take a screenshot and save to your desktop or copy your responses to a blank document), then try to reconnect.

If you cannot re-enter your exam immediately, you must contact UniSQ for support within 15 minutes of losing access to your online exam, using the contact information below. Be sure to take a screenshot at the time you encounter the issue.

A member of the support team will verify your drop out and allow you access back into your exam. The questions you have already answered will be saved and you will continue from your first attempt.

Students may be granted a second attempt if necessary but will not be granted multiple additional attempts.

Ensure you have carefully read all the Technical FAQs below and taken action to assist in mitigating issues, as far as possible, prior to taking your online exams.

Support is available during the Final Assessment Period

Other enquiries:
For general or non-urgent queries please phone during business hours or email assessment.support@unisq.edu.au and one of our team will respond as soon as possible.

Your Online Exam and/or Take Home Exam may require you to create and submit a Word document or PDF file.  

If you do not need to include any handwritten workings or notes:

• Submit your examination as a Word document.

If you do need to include any handwritten workings or notes, the methods below may assist you:

• Use a scanner or photocopier scanner to scan your handwritten workings to a PDF file.
• Use the OneDrive App on your phone to scan a document. Watch the instructional videos below:

• Android
• iPhone 

UniSQ Students are able to access OneDrive via Office 365. Watch the video on how to download the app.  

• Use a smartphone app such as Genius Scan to scan your document.
• Use the notes app on your iOS device to scan and email to yourself as a PDF.
• Use your smartphone to take photos of your handwritten solutions, email to yourself or save the images to a One Drive/Google Docs location. Copy and paste the images from the drive or your email to a Word file in the correct order of the exam questions, resize each image to a single page A4 and then save as a PDF file

Other important tips:

• If you are scanning workings or notes, write your name, the course code/name and page number at the top of each page before scanning.
• Use a black pen to write your exam and not a pencil as pencil does not provide good contrast when scanning.
• Ensure you use good lighting to take your photos or scan images and avoid shadows wherever possible.
• Check the final image quality.
• Test your chosen scanning process before you start your exam.
• Where instructed, compile photos or scan images to a single PDF file with the specified naming convention e.g. Course Code_Full Name e.g. CMG1001_Michael Jackson.pdf
• Submit your PDF file/s via the examination link on your course StudyDesk. Do not email files directly to your lecturer.
• Ensure you have uploaded the correct files and that all necessary pages have been included. 

If your course requires you to use other file types, ensure you follow these directions. If you are not sure about the file type required for your course/s check with your course examiner.

If you experience any technical issues with creating and uploading your documents during your exam, you must contact Assessment Support immediately by telephone where possible. 

Support is available during the Final Assessment Period

For urgent enquiries phone:
Ph: +61 7 4631 2285
Ph: 1800 007 252 (within Australia only)

Other enquiries:
For general or non-urgent queries please phone during business hours or email assessment.support@unisq.edu.au and one of our team will respond as soon as possible.

If you encounter a serious disruption that is outside your control and you believe this has impaired your performance, you may apply for a deferred assessment.

Examples of a serious disruption may include a:

1. power outage
2. internet outage
3. technical issues during online invigilation in select courses
4. medical emergency
5. evacuation or other emergency.

To apply, you must:

1. Complete the online Deferred Examination Application form.
2. Submit the completed application with supporting documentation no later than five University business days after the closing date and time of the exam.

Supporting Documentation:

Your online Deferred Examination Application form must be submitted with supporting documentation. Examples might include:

• verification from your power or internet service provider
• ProctorU chat transcripts or referral to examination recordings (online invigilated exams only)
• medical certificate
• emergency services report
• other third-party verification

Students affected by compelling circumstances occurring prior to commencing their Formal Examination, should apply for a Deferred Examination (ensuring appropriate supporting documentation is provided) and should not attempt the exam.

Students cannot apply to defer an examination for reasons that are the consequences of their own actions or inaction.

Yes, you should retain your workings and calculations until your grades are finalised. You may require these in the event of a technical issue, where your scanned document is not legible, where you wish to seek a review of your final grade, or in cases of alleged misconduct.

UniSQ does recommend some minimum hardware and software requirements for students.

You will need a computer/laptop and internet connection to access and submit the examination in your StudyDesk course/s.

You may also require a printer, scanner or mobile device to capture and upload hand-written workings.

Check your StudyDesk for further details.

Allow pop-up windows in your browser before starting your Formal Examinations.

Detailed instructions for allowing pop-ups on your specific internet browser can be found on the internet.

Clearing your cache, cookies and internet history may improve the performance of your internet browser.

You can clear the cache on your browser before starting your Formal Examination by following the detailed instructions for:

• Chrome
• Firefox
• Safari
• Microsoft Edge

Prior to completing your Formal Examination, you should: 

1. Know what StudyDesk is, and how to navigate it. 
2. Access your course StudyDesk within UConnect. This is where you will access your Formal Examination. 
3. Check UniSQ’s recommended configuration settings for your computer. 
4. Ensure you have completed the mandatory Academic Integrity for UniSQ students training. This is available as a StudyDesk course that is linked on your Assessment page.

You can access your exam in your course StudyDesk.

It is recommended that you log out of your StudyDesk on all other devices prior to starting your exam (mobile phone, tablet, other computers).

1. Login to UConnect > access the relevant StudyDesk course on your preferred device (e.g. Computer or Laptop).
2. Go to the Navigation menu on the left and click on ‘Assessment’.
3. Scroll down the Assessment page to locate your exam and click the relevant exam link.
4. Carefully read the instructions provided.
5. Commence your exam.
6. Complete/Submit your exam within the set time frames.

If you experience any issues accessing your exam, you must contact Assessment Support immediately by telephone where possible. 

Support is available during the Final Assessment Period

For urgent enquiries phone:
Ph: +61 7 4631 2285
Ph: 1800 007 252 (within Australia only)

Other enquiries:
For general or non-urgent queries please phone during business hours or email assessment.support@unisq.edu.au and one of our team will respond as soon as possible.

If you are experiencing slow internet, the information below may assist in improving the speed within your home.

Having other household members using streaming or gaming services while you are completing online study, may impact your experience.

Check if other family/household members are using the internet prior to taking your exam (Note: This could be hard connected by Ethernet cable OR by Wi-Fi)

• Desktop computers

• Laptop computers

• Smart phones

• Smart televisions

• Tablets

• Gaming consoles

• Google Home mini or other smart speakers

Ask if they can switch to using their mobile data or wait until after you have completed your exam. 

Having your own devices open and using streaming or gaming services while you are completing online study, may impact your experience. 

Check if you are running multiple programs needing internet connection

Check all your devices and close all other running programs, for example email, music streaming etc.

If other applications/programs are needed consider if they all need to be open, especially ones that are computer intensive.

Other things to consider

Check your modem is turned on and is connected successfully to your Internet Service Provider (ISP).

• Do not wait until the last minute to commence or submit your exam. Plan for possible technical issues, to allow you time to find and fix the issue and get back online.

• If you have problems connecting to the internet, check with your ISP Outages page.

Examples:

• Telstra

• nbn

To find the best setup for Wi-Fi and ethernet cabling for your home network, consult your ISP for further advice on in-home
optimisation.

Note: It is your responsibility to know how to check and use your modem. If you need additional support to understand your modem prior to taking your exam, you will need to contact your ISP support staff.

Students who do not have access to a reliable device or internet connection in their own home, may access the UniSQ Computer Labs during the Examination Period to complete their Online Exams and/or Take Home Exams.

It is important to note that the number of devices on campus is limited. You will need to allow ample time to access a device.

In an open book formal examination you may access any printed or written materials, and calculator whilst completing your exam.

The use of online textbooks, StudyDesk materials and other resources may also be required/recommended for your course. You should check on your StudyDesk for each course, for specific instructions.

If you require further advice on what resources you need to access during your exam, contact your course examiner at least 2 weeks prior to commencing your exam.

Finally, you should be aware of UniSQ’s expectations for academic integrity as they apply to your examination.

Online Exams in StudyDesk have an automatic save function built in that saves every 2 minutes.

There is no ‘Save’ button within the online exam. Questions are marked as ‘saved’ once you navigate to the next page.

Yes. Online Exams on StudyDesk have a word count feature.

Your responses to questions are saved when you move between pages of the exam, though many types of questions, such as short-answer or multiple-choice, will save your work in progress every two minutes.

Note: Questions that require you to upload files are only saved once you move to the next page of the quiz.

It is imperative that you monitor your internet connection during your exam.  If you are typing lengthy answers, you should enter these into the online exam, but you may also like to regularly save a copy of your responses locally in a word document.

If you experience an internet outage and you continue working while your device is not connected to the internet, your answers will not be auto saved.

Support is available during the Final Assessment Period

For urgent enquiries phone:
Ph: +61 7 4631 2285
Ph: 1800 007 252 (within Australia only)

Other enquiries:
For general or non-urgent queries please phone during business hours or email assessment.support@unisq.edu.au and one of our team will respond as soon as possible.

Yes. Our assessment support team will be available during all examination opening and closing windows, to assist with any urgent technical issues you may experience.

You are required to phone within 15 minutes of experiencing technical issues or dropouts during your exam.

Support is available during the Final Assessment Period

For urgent enquiries phone:
Ph: +61 7 4631 2285
Ph: 1800 007 252 (within Australia only)

Other enquiries:
For general or non-urgent queries please phone during business hours or email assessment.support@unisq.edu.au and one of our team will respond as soon as possible.

You must report technical issues within 15 minutes of their occurrence when taking your exam.

If you have been unable to access and complete your exam at all during the 24 hour time frame provided, you will need to phone Assessment Support urgently for advice.

Confirmation from your Power or Internet service provider would be required if a severe outage occurred on your grid or network.

Ensure you complete your exam well within the closing date and time. This will allow you time to resolve any issues before the 24 hour timeframe closes. Make sure you contact Assessment Support if you require assistance. 

Support is available during the Final Assessment Period

For urgent enquiries phone:
Ph: +61 7 4631 2285
Ph: 1800 007 252 (within Australia only)

Other enquiries:
For general or non-urgent queries please phone during business hours or email assessment.support@unisq.edu.au and one of our team will respond as soon as possible.

You can query the content of your exam if you believe there is an error or omission.

Please phone Assessment Support immediately if you need to ask any questions relating to your exam and our support team will provide you with further guidance.

Support is available during the Final Assessment Period

For urgent enquiries phone:
Ph: +61 7 4631 2285
Ph: 1800 007 252 (within Australia only)

Other enquiries:

For general or non-urgent queries please phone during business hours or email assessment.support@unisq.edu.au and one of our team will respond as soon as possible.

Your Formal Exam Schedule details the type of exams you have been set for each of your courses and the timeframes in which they must be completed and submitted.

To access your Formal Exam Schedule:

1. Log into UConnect
2. Select 'Student Centre'
3. Select the 'Exam' tile
4. Select the 'Formal Exam Schedule' menu item
5. Select each course to view specific instructions relating to the type of exam you have been assigned
6. Use the scroll bar located on the right of the screen to move down the page to view all details

No, you do not need to travel to an exam centre or a campus for your Formal Examinations in 2024. Exams will be conducted online in 2024.

Be sure to check your course StudyDesk for details on how to access and submit each of your assessment items.

The type of examination you are required to complete is specified within your course.

You must check your Formal Exam Schedule and course StudyDesk for the full details of your exam. You should also familiarise yourself with the Assessment Types Schedule.

Check your Formal Exam Schedule in your course StudyDesk for details on the opening and closing date and time of your exam.

You must ensure you have completed and submitted the exam by the closing date and time.

• Once an online exam closes, you will no longer be able to access it.
• Take Home Exams cannot be submitted late and extensions will not be granted.

Check your Formal Exam Schedule in your course StudyDesk for the opening and closing date and time, and duration of your exam/s.

The opening date and opening time indicate the time your Online Exam will open on StudyDesk, or when your Take Home Exam can be accessed. These exams will be available for 24 hours. 

The closing date and closing time indicate the time your Online Exam will close on StudyDesk, or when your Take Home Exam must be completed and submitted by.

• If you have an exam opening at 8:30am (08:30), your exam will close one day (24 hours) later, at 8:30am (08:30) on the closing date.
• If you have an exam opening at 2:30pm (14:30), your exam will close one day (24 hours) later, at 2:30pm (14:30) on the closing date.

This will depend on the types of exam you have been assigned in your course/s, and the types of adjustments that have been approved on your learning support plan.

The Student Equity Team are available to discuss the services and support you will be able to access when completing your examination.

UniSQ is flexible in our delivery of assessment methods for students with disabilities, and we realise that each student’s needs will be different depending on the format of your relevant assessment items.

The Student Equity Team are available to discuss what services and support are available and will negotiate on your behalf to achieve a reasonable offer of accommodations.

Your StudyDesk will outline the items you are permitted to access in your exam.

Students are responsible for providing their own permitted items. Ensure you have all required items before you start your exam.

If you are unable to complete your exam within the specified timeframes due to special circumstances, you may apply for a deferred examination. 

To apply for a deferred exam, follow the Deferred Examination process and provide evidence to support your application. You will have five (5) University business days from the closing date of your examination to submit your application.

If your examination is already deferred or is a supplementary exam from a previous teaching period, you will need to apply to defer again.

If you are feeling unwell on the dates your exam has been scheduled, you should not attempt the exam, and apply for a deferred examination. You must be able to provide supporting evidence in your application (e.g. Medical Certificate). 

In rare and genuine circumstances, students may fall ill unexpectedly during an examination. Should this occur to the extent that a student is unable to complete their examination, they must seek medical assistance urgently and obtain a medical certificate in order to apply for a deferred examination.

If this does happen to you, apply for a deferred examination as soon as possible after you have sought medical assistance and ensure you provide the appropriate supporting documentation/medical certificate as part of your application submission.

To apply, follow the Deferred Examination application process.

For urgent enquiries phone:
Ph: +61 7 4631 2285
Ph: 1800 007 252 (within Australia only)

Other enquiries:

For general or non-urgent queries please phone during business hours or email assessment.support@unisq.edu.au and one of our team will respond as soon as possible.

Your exam results and final grades are made available on scheduled dates that are published in UniSQ’s Academic Calendar. Check the Academic Calendar for the relevant dates applicable to the Teaching Period/s in which you are enrolled.

Final grades for any Deferred or Supplementary examinations should be updated no later than the Census Date of the following semester. For more information about Deferred and Supplementary Formal Examinations, refer to the Deferred and Supplementary Formal Examinations webpage.