Preparing for your examinations
Before you attend your face-to-face or online assessments and examinations it is important that you are prepared and know what is expected of you during this time.
From Semester 1, 2026, numbered seating applies to all face to face examinations at the Bentley Perth campus.
Face-to-face examinations
From Semester 1, 2026, numbered seating applies to all face‑to‑face examinations at the Bentley Perth campus.
If your exam has numbered seating:
- Your seat number will be shown in your personalised exam timetable.
- A venue map will be available to help you locate your seat before you arrive.
- Please sit only in your allocated seat and follow directions from invigilators when entering the venue.
Numbered seating does not change your exam venue or start time — it only tells you where to sit within the venue.
If you are sitting a face‑to‑face examination at a Curtin campus, you must present your Curtin student ID card. You must place your ID card on your desk so invigilators can check it during reading time.
If you do not have a Curtin student ID card, you may present one of the following acceptable forms of photographic identification:
- Driver’s licence
- Passport
- Government‑issued national identification card
If you do not present any form of identification, you will not be permitted to enter the examination venue. Staff will direct you to Curtin Connect to verify your identity.
You will not receive any additional time to complete the examination after your identity is verified. You will also not be admitted to the examination if more than one hour has elapsed since the scheduled start time.
Curtin Connect will operate extended opening hours during the examination period to assist with identity verification. The University will also make provisions for students who are unable to pay for an ID card at the time of issue.
If you sit an examination at a Curtin campus other than the Bentley Perth Campus, you may use a driver’s licence or passport as acceptable photographic identification until you obtain a Curtin student ID card.
The University conducts face‑to‑face examinations, practical assessments, and invigilated online examinations in venues that are suitable for the examination process.
You are responsible for attending the correct venue for your examination, as shown in your final examination timetable. At the commencement of each examination, invigilators will remind you to check that you are in the correct room. If you do not identify yourself to the invigilator at that time, you may be in breach of the examination regulations.
Invigilators will allow you to enter the examination venue with sufficient time to be seated before the examination begins. You may complete the cover page of the answer book and the attendance card, but you must not make notes or write in the examination answer book until the invigilator instructs you to do so.
In all examinations, you must place a valid Curtin student identification card on your desk where it is clearly visible to invigilators.
If an examination starts late for any reason, you will not be disadvantaged. The full reading time and examination duration will still apply and will not be reduced.
You will not be permitted to:
- Enter the examination venue after the first hour of the examination (including reading time) has elapsed
- Leave the examination venue until one hour of the examination has elapsed
- Leave the examination venue during the final 15 minutes of the examination
- Re‑enter the examination venue after leaving, unless you remained under approved supervision for the entire period of your absence
- Receive additional time to complete the examination if you arrive late
If you are unable to complete a final examination due to illness or another valid reason, you may apply for an assessment extension in accordance with the Inability to Complete a Final Examination procedure and provide supporting medical documentation. In these circumstances, examination invigilators will contact Curtin Security to escort you to the Curtin Medical Facility (B109), where required.
You must submit your examination script with your name and student ID clearly written on it, even if you have not completed all or any part of the examination.
Your examination duration will be stated in the Unit Outline.
Face‑to‑face examinations will normally run for no more than two hours, unless the University has approved a longer duration.
If you have a Curtin Access Plan (CAP), you will receive approved reasonable adjustments, including any modifications to examination duration. These adjustments take precedence over standard or extended time allowances.
Each examination includes an additional optional ten‑minute reading time, which is separate from the examination duration. If your examination includes reading time, you may use this time to:
- Think, plan, and organise your response to the examination paper
- Make notes or highlight text, as directed on the front cover of the examination paper
If you are sitting a face‑to‑face examination, you should arrive at your examination venue at least 20 minutes before the scheduled start time.
You may be required to submit answers via a multiple choice answer sheet. Instructions will be provided on the answer sheet.
An information document [.pdf 197 KB] has been established to assist you.
You must follow all examination instructions. These instructions may specify permitted reference materials and outline expectations for academic referencing.
During an examination, you must not:
- Communicate with any other student, unless instructed to do so
- Obtain, or attempt to obtain, unauthorised assistance for your work
- Give, or attempt to give, assistance to another student
- Behave in a manner that is inconsistent with the Student Charter or the instructions provided
Further information about the regulations governing the conduct of examinations and invigilated tests is available in the Assessment and Student Progression Manual (Consolidated Policy and Procedures) [.pdf 1094 KB]
If you take any action that may be considered potential misconduct, the University may address the matter as misconduct in accordance with Statute 10 and the relevant Rules.
You must not wear headwear during an examination. This includes hats, caps, headphones, earmuffs, and earpods. You may wear headwear only where it is required for medical, disability, or obligatory religious reasons.
If an invigilator cannot verify your identity because of religious facial coverings, they may conduct identity verification in a private space with a same‑gender invigilator, where this is available. If a private space or same‑gender invigilator is not available, you will be permitted to continue the examination, and the University will complete identity verification retrospectively.
Unless the examination explicitly authorises their use, you must not:
- Access, possess, or use a mobile phone or any unauthorised electronic device
- Access, possess, or use any device capable of storing information or connecting to another device
- Access, possess, or use any unauthorised notes, software, or materials
- Access, possess, or use any device capable of communicating with another person that is not required for the examination
- Interact or collude with any other person
- Wear a smartwatch or headphones
You must completely switch off all prohibited items using the power‑down function. If any prohibited item makes a sound during the examination, this may result in potential misconduct.
Before a face‑to‑face examination begins, invigilators will provide instructions on where you must store mobile phones, electronic devices, and notes or materials.
For the purposes of examinations, being “in possession” includes items that are on, next to, near, or under your desk or chair; in or on your clothing; on your body; or in your wallet or purse.
If invigilators find that you are accessing, possessing, or using any prohibited devices or materials, the University may apply an integrity warning, examination breach, and/or misconduct action.
If you believe there is an error or omission in an examination paper, you should immediately bring it to the attention of the invigilator. The invigilator will contact the Unit Coordinator to seek clarification.
The invigilator will not provide a ruling or interpretation of the question. The University will make all reasonable efforts to contact the Unit Coordinator during the examination.
Online invigilated examinations
If you are sitting an online invigilated examination or eTest, you must display approved photographic identification to your device camera so the invigilator can record and confirm your identity.
You must clearly show your Curtin student ID card during the authentication process to verify your details. If you do not have a Curtin student ID card, you may instead present a driver’s licence, passport, or government‑issued national identification card.
If you fail to display approved photographic identification to the device camera, this may result in an integrity warning, examination breach, and/or misconduct action, as the invigilator must be able to identify you.
To find out how to obtain a Curtin student ID card, visit the Student details and ID page.
You must sit online invigilated examinations in a quiet, well‑lit room with minimal background noise. No other people should be present in the room. This may not always be possible if you are taking the examination in a public space, such as a library.
You must use a clear desk or table, with nothing on the surface except your computer and any authorised materials specified in your Unit Outline or stated in the assessment disclaimer. You must not have any additional electronic devices present.
You must not wear headwear, including hats, caps, headphones, earmuffs, or earpods, during the examination, except where required for medical, disability, or obligatory religious reasons. Failure to follow these requirements may result in an integrity warning, examination breach, or misconduct action.
You must not leave the room during the examination unless absolutely necessary. If this occurs, you should contact your unit coordinator as soon as possible after the assessment.
Unless accreditation requirements specify otherwise or the University grants approval, the duration of online invigilated examinations and eTests will not exceed two hours and 15 minutes.
This time includes 15 minutes allocated for identity verification and test initialisation.
If you have requested alternative arrangements under a Curtin Access Plan (CAP), the University will manage your examination in accordance with your approved reasonable adjustments. These may include modifications to examination duration.
You must follow all examination instructions. These instructions may specify permitted reference materials and outline expectations for academic referencing.
During an examination, you must not:
- Communicate with any other student, unless instructed to do so
- Obtain, or attempt to obtain, unauthorised assistance for your work
- Give, or attempt to give, assistance to another student
- Behave in a manner that is inconsistent with the Student Charter or the instructions provided
Further information about the regulations governing the conduct of examinations and invigilated tests is available in the Assessment and Student Progression Manual (Consolidated Policy and Procedures) [.pdf 1094 KB].
If you take any action that may be considered potential misconduct, the University may address the matter as misconduct in accordance with Statute 10 and the relevant Rules.
You must not wear headwear during an examination. This includes hats, caps, headphones, earmuffs, and earpods. You may wear headwear only where it is required for medical, disability, or obligatory religious reasons.
If an invigilator cannot verify your identity because of religious facial coverings, they may conduct identity verification in a private space with a same‑gender invigilator, where this is available. If a private space or same‑gender invigilator is not available, you will be permitted to continue the examination, and the University will complete identity verification retrospectively.
Unless the examination explicitly authorises their use, you must not:
- Access, possess, or use a mobile phone or any unauthorised electronic device
- Access, possess, or use any device capable of storing information or connecting to another device
- Access, possess, or use any unauthorised notes, software, or materials
- Access, possess, or use any device capable of communicating with another person that is not required for the examination
- Interact or collude with any other person
- Wear a smartwatch or headphones
You must completely switch off all prohibited items using the power‑down function. If any prohibited item makes a sound during the examination, this may result in potential misconduct.
Before a face‑to‑face examination begins, invigilators will provide instructions on where you must store mobile phones, electronic devices, and notes or materials.
For the purposes of examinations, being “in possession” includes items that are on, next to, near, or under your desk or chair; in or on your clothing; on your body; or in your wallet or purse.
If invigilators find that you are accessing, possessing, or using any prohibited devices or materials, the University may apply an integrity warning, examination breach, and/or misconduct action.
If you believe there is an error or omission in an online examination, you should contact the Unit Coordinator by email as soon as possible.
Curtin is transitioning to Respondus Monitor with LockDown Browser for the remote invigilation of online tests and examinations. This system restricts what you can access during an exam and records your session for review.
More information on setting up, testing and sitting Respondus Monitor examinations.
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