What you need to know

Each student can access their exam timetable on the my.tcd.ie portal under the ‘My Exams’ tab. Take note of the date, time, and location of your exams

If your exam is not listed on your my.tcd.ie portal visit our exam timetable here or you can visit our faculty exam timetable page. We recommend keeping an eye on your timetable as this is subject to change.

An exam number is required for all exams. Students can find their exam number on their portal page at my.tcd.ie prior to the start of each exam session.

We recommend that you double check your my.tcd.ie portal the day before your exam, in the unlikely event that your seat number has changed

Students are expected to familiarise themselves with the location of their exam venue. For details of exam locations please see our exam venues page.

If the listed exam is scheduled at the RDS

• Arrive in good time before the start of your exam.
• Present yourself at the Academic Registry Help Desk in the foyer area.
• Quote the paper code and a staff member will assign you a seat in the exam hall .

If the listed exam is scheduled at a venue on the Trinity campus:

• Arrive in good time before the start of your exam.
• Present yourself to the Chief Invigilator before the exam begins.
• Quote the paper code and they will assign you a seat in the exam hall.

If the listed exam is scheduled to take place online, contact your School/Department, who can arrange for you to take the exam.

Requesting a campus venue for online exams

• Some students may require space on campus to sit an online exam. This may be because you have an in-person exam and an online exam on the same day, and you are experiencing connectivity or accommodation issues.
• If you find yourself in this situation, some places are available on campus. Please complete the online form to request a space—if you are an undergraduate student, your tutor is required to support your request; if you are a postgraduate student, you must have the support of your course director.
• Please note that students will be assigned a shared room on campus for the exams, and that you will be required to bring your own battery-powered device.
• Demand may be high on certain days: we will do our utmost to accommodate all requests, but spaces will be apportioned on a first-come first-served basis.

Use of Mobile phones, or other electronic or communication devices, are not permitted in exam venues.

Students must remember that:

• Mobile phones must be switched off at all times and stored with your belongings. Having a mobile phone on your person is a breach of the exam regulations.
• Smart watches, smart glasses or any other electronic device which can store information or communicate with other devices must also be powered off and stored with their belongings for the duration of the examination. Having any such item on your person is a breach of the examination regulations.
• The use or attempted use of any electronic device that holds, receives or transmit data (unless the use of this device has been specifically confirmed by the Trinity disAbility Services) is strictly prohibited during an examination.
• If a student is found in possession of or attempt to use their mobile phone or any electronic device such as a mart watch during the exam it will be confiscated, and they will be issued a fine of €35 by the office of the Junior Dean. These fines are donated to the Student Hardship Fund.
• If a student’s phone/electronic device in their bag or jacket (not at their desk) rings or the alarm activates during the exam, the device shall be removed and confiscated by an invigilator.
• If a student's phone/electronic device is confiscated during an exam at the RDS, they can collect it on site from the Junior Dean’s office representative.
• If a student's phone/electronic device is confiscated during an on-campus exam, they can collect it from a Junior Dean’s office representative at the Academic Registry service desk. Confiscated phones/electronic devices will be returned to the AR one hour after the exam has finished.

Students will not be permitted additional time if arriving late for an examination. (Exceptional circumstances will be considered)

Invigilators are required to implement the examination regulations of the University and therefore students must follow the instructions given by the invigilators in a co-operative and respectful manner at all times.

Before your exam

Students will be assigned a designated seat in advance of the exam; Seat numbers are available on your mytcd.ie portal under the 'My Exams' tab. Seating lists will not be displayed. If you cannot access your mytcd.ie portal, please check with the invigilator in the examination venue.

Students must sit in their assigned seat, or an alternative at the request of the invigilator.

Students are asked to leave all personal belongings, including bags, coats, hats, etc. as directed by the invigilators in the examination venue as this may differ depending on the venue the examination is taking place in.

Students (except in exceptional circumstances):

• Will not be admitted to the examination after the first half-hour
• Will not be allowed to leave during the last half-hour.
• Will not be permitted to re-enter the examination venue after they have left.

If a student arrives after the first half-hour, they should contact their college Tutor as a matter of urgency. If neither are available, Candidates are advised to contact the Senior Tutor’s Office.

Students should arrive at their examination venue at least 15 minutes before the start of the examination.

Students must be seated in their allocated seat at least 5 minutes before the start of the exam.

Once students have entered a venue a quiet space is enforced

Complete SILENCE must be maintained at all times, during the announcements at the start of an exam and during an exam unless otherwise instructed by the invigilator.

Students must be in possession of their Student ID card for each exam session. Students should place their Student ID card on the right-hand side of their desk for the duration of each examination. Students failing to produce a current student ID card may present alternative photo ID (passport, drivers' licence) which shows a picture, full name and date of birth which will be subject to an ID check.

A ‘Clean Desk’ policy applies for all formal examinations. In addition to pens, pencils, rulers, Student ID card, etc. only materials permitted for an examination may be placed on the desk. Invigilators will be instructed to request students to remove any non-permitted items from their desk. Pencil cases and calculator covers are not permitted.

Food and Drink (with the exception of water) is not normally permitted in the Examination venue.

Your attention is drawn to the ‘CONDUCT OF EXAMINATIONS’ notice at the entrance of each venue.

During your exams

Students must not turn over the examination paper on the desk until requested to do so by the Invigilator.

Students should check the title of the paper on their desk to ensure that it is the correct examination paper for their course. Students are asked and read carefully all the instructions given.

Students are not allowed to start their examination until instructed to do so by the invigilators. (Please use any spare time at the start to fill in your answer book cover(s), remembering to complete the section at the bottom right-hand corner as requested before sealing the flap on every anonymous booklet used. Write legibly in ink – pencils are only allowed for OMR forms.)

It is the responsibility of each student to ensure that they have an adequate supply of pens, pencils, ink, etc., required for an examination. The borrowing of such materials will not be permitted during an examination. Candidates may not bring blank paper into the examination venue. All paper will be supplied by the Invigilators.

Students will be advised of the time thirty minutes and fifteen minutes before the end of the examination.

If a student wishes to leave the examination venue temporarily at any stage during the examination, they must be accompanied by an Invigilator. (Students may have to wait until an invigilator is available).

If a student wishes to leave before the end of the examination, all booklet(s) must be handed to an Invigilator and ensure you hand up everything you wish to have marked, including rough work.

If you are ill just before an examination and are unable to sit it, immediately contact your tutor or their replacement. If your tutor is unavailable, contact the Senior Tutor's Office. If you feel unwell during your examination, please inform an Invigilator - you will be attended by a nurse in the RDS or asked if you wish to go to the College Health Centre and will be accompanied by an Invigilator.

Smoking or use of electronic smoking devices is not permitted in examination venues. Smoking breaks are not allowed during examination sessions.

During an examination, a Candidate must not, on any pretext whatsoever speak to or have any communication with any other Candidate; such communications will be regarded as a breach of the Examination Regulations. If anything is required during the examination, Candidates should raise their hand to alert the invigilator.

Students are not permitted to have in their possession or consult or use any books, dictionaries, papers, notes, memoranda, written or electronic material of any nature unless specifically authorised by the examiners. If a student is discovered to have unauthorised material in their possession it may be regarded as a breach of the Examination Regulations.

Personal standard scientific calculators are permitted only where their use is explicitly noted on the examination paper . Programmable or text storing calculators are not permitted. Students are required to record on their answer booklet the make and model of calculator used. It is the responsibility of each student to ensure that their calculator is in working order.

After your exams

Students must ] stop writing, combine all their examination materials in the blue booklet and hand up their booklets (whether used or unused) when instructed to do so by an Invigilator.

Students should ensure that all their answer books are labelled correctly with their examination number (where appropriate), seat number and all other required information.

You must remain in your seat until the Invigilator has collected their answer book(s), the answer books have been checked, and the Invigilator has announced that you may leave the Examination Hall.

It is the responsibility of each student to ensure that their complete answer booklet(s) are handed to the Invigilator. No pages are permitted to be removed. It is also the responsibility of the student to ensure that their exam paper has been handed up where instructions on the exam paper state as such.

You are not permitted to remove from the examination venue any TCD examination materials including answer books, rough work, or other materials supplied.

Exam regulations

A student who is found to have unauthorised materials in their possession in the Exam Hall shall be deemed to be in breach of the Examination Regulations. Any written or printed materials not written on official answer books, including material written on the candidate’s person, or electronic devices containing text, shall be considered to be unauthorised materials.

The unauthorised materials, together with the student’s student identity card, shall be removed and retained by the Invigilators who shall make a written report. The candidate may also be requested to meet the Junior Dean to discuss the contents of this report. The candidate shall be allowed to complete the examination.

The same procedure will be followed where a candidate or candidates is/are considered by the Invigilator to have copied or to have attempted to copy any material from each other.

Students can read the conduct of exams here.