Alternative Exam Arrangements

Any students wishing to avail of alternative examination arrangements for exams, please contact their Disability Advisor.

University College Cork is committed to ensuring that all students are accommodated in their examination assessment procedures. Alternative examination arrangements are designed as far as possible to meet the individual needs of each student with a disability, whilst at the same time ensuring that academic standards are maintained and not giving an unfair advantage to any student.

If a student is unable through disability to be assessed by the usual methods prescribed for the course, the Disability Support Officer in conjunction with the Examinations Officer and Academic Department may vary the method as appropriate, bearing in mind the need to assess the student on equal terms to their peers and maintaining academic standards for the programme.

Consideration of Requests for Alternative Examination Arrangements

• All requests for Alternative Examination Arrangements must be made before 30th November each year 
•  It is the student's responsibility to inform the Disability Support Service if they need alternative examination arrangements
• To avail of Alternative Examination Arrangements a student must submit medical evidence of disability from a consultant in the case of physical, sensory, long term illnesses and mental health difficulties
• Students with Specific Learning Difficulties such as Dyslexia must submit an Educational Psychologist's Report
• Students with Temporary Disabilities must also submit medical evidence

Examples of Alternative Examination Arrangements

• The provision of examination papers in alternative format or magnified paper
• Examination papers on coloured paper or provision of coloured overlays
• Access to computer facilities
• Access to specialised technologies
• Provision of scribes
• Making separate rooms available to students
• Provision of wheelchair accessible venues or rooms with accessible toilets.
• Specialised furniture in exam room
• Written communication for hearing impaired students or sign language interpreter to be available
• Extra time (10 minutes per hour)

Full details of UCC's policy on alternative examination arrangements can be obtained from the Disability Support Service.

Splitting Examinations

University College Cork offers flexibility to students with disabilities, who because of the impact of disability, may be unable to take all their examinations in one sitting. Students may split examinations between Summer and Autumn or over two years depending on needs and impact of disability. These individual requirements are negotiated between the Student, Disability Support Officer, Examinations Officer and the Academic Department. Students who have got authorisation to split their examinations on grounds of disability are not capped for Honours in the Autumn examinations

Where possible the DSS applies the DAWN Exam Guidelines (367kB).  Please note that some local variations occur.