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Quality Handbook Supplement 15H - Personal exam plans

Guidance outlining how NTU manages Personal Exam Plans (PEPs) and exam adjustments for students with disabilities, injuries or ongoing conditions across timed assessments, ensuring accessibility while maintaining academic standards and consistency.

Latest version as of September 2026.

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1. Introduction

1.1 Personal Exam Plans are the recommended adjustments for examinations included in an Access Statement for students with a disability, injury or ongoing condition that could affect exam performance.

1.2 The purpose of this supplement is to

  • Ensure that all examination arrangements are conducted in such a way as to maintain academic standards.
  • Provide clarification on the permitted range of Personal Exam Plan arrangements.
  • Ensure all Personal Exam Plan arrangements are undertaken consistently.

1.3 Personal Exam Plan arrangements apply to all assessments with a timed component, including in-person and online exams, and in-class tests.

1.4 Personal Exam Plan arrangements do not normally apply to any coursework assessments (timed or otherwise), including presentations; recommendations listed under ‘Teaching and Learning Support’ on a student’s Access Statement should apply.

1.5 Personal Exam Plan arrangements may not be possible for examinations that are subject to Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Body requirements.

2. Access statements

2.1 Students with a declared need for educational or health-based support will be assessed by Students Support Services, who will create an Access Statement. The Access Statement and recommendations are recorded on the Student Record System.

2.2 The recommendations in an Access Statement should reflect a student’s normal way of working and must maintain the integrity and academic standards of the exam.

2.3 Students without an Access Statement are not eligible for a Personal Exam Plan.

3. In-person exams

3.1 Personal Exam Plans are administered by Academic Registry for in-person and online exams scheduled within the agreed NTU assessment periods (half-year, end of year and resit). For exams and other forms of timed assessment scheduled outside the NTU assessment periods, Schools are responsible for establishing whether the recommendations in Access Statements apply, and for making any arrangements needed in line with this policy.

3.2 For Personal Exam Plans to be implemented, Access Statements must be recorded in the Student Record system at least eight weeks before the start of any given assessment period.

3.3 Late Personal Exam Plan requests must be submitted to Academic Registry and are considered on a case by case basis in accordance with one or more of the following criteria:

  1. The student is in the final year of study and an Access Statement has only been completed after the normal submission deadline.
  2. The student has suffered an unexpected physical injury and now requires adjustments such as the use of computer.
  3. The student has been disadvantaged as the result of an administrative error caused by NTU.
  4. The request does not affect existing rooming and invigilation arrangements.
  5. Any other factor that meant the request could not be submitted by the deadline.

Late requests will be accommodated as far as possible, but cannot be guaranteed.

3.4 The list below details the standard Access Statement recommendations permissible in an in-person exam and the typical adjustments made.

  • Typically, 25% extra time.
  • Students with more complex needs may be assessed as requiring longer than 25%.

  • Rest breaks of up to 10 minutes per hour can be recommended for students who need to take a break from the exam, for example to take medication.
  • Time for rest breaks will be added onto the end of the exam.
  • Students must remain in the exam room during any break, unless they need to use the bathroom, and must be accompanied by an invigilator.

  • The use of a PC for students to type answers may be recommended.
  • The exam paper is provided on a USB and the answers saved to USB.
  • Students may use their own PC peripherals such as mice and keyboards but will need to ensure they can connect to University PCs.
  • This does not apply to Multiple Choice Question assessments.

  • Text Help can be used for students who need the facility to have the questions and / or their answers read back to them.

  • Microsoft Word is used for students who require the use of speech recognition.

  • A reader may only be recommended for any student who is unable to use Text help.

  • A scribe may be recommended for a student who is unable to write, type or otherwise dictate their answers.

  • Students with Personal Exam Plan arrangements will normally be placed in smaller rooms of up to 15 students.

  • In exceptional circumstances it may be recommended that a student is seated in a room on their own.
  • Academic Registry must be informed when an individual room recommendation is provided, for resourcing considerations.

  • Students with certain medical conditions are permitted to take food and drink into the exam.
  • This must be limited to items that will not distract other students and must be in clear containers.

The following specialist equipment can be provided based on medical evidence:

  • Supportive chair with lumbar support
  • Standard operator chair (with or without arms)
  • Reading and/or writing slope
  • Footrest
  • Wrist rest
  • Height adjustable desk
  • Double screen PC
  • Large Screen PC

  • Students who normally use a coloured overlay may use these in an exam.

  • Assistance dogs who have been appropriately trained by, and are registered with, Assistance Dogs UK or one of their eight affiliated members are permitted in the exam room.

  • The student may use a prompt sheet, but this must also be agreed with the academic school.

  • The student may wear approved noise-cancelling headphones, tinted glasses, or use a silent fidget toy.

  • Based on medical evidence, the student may require their phone or a medical device on their table.

  • The student may request a general location preference of where to sit in the examination room. This will be accommodated as far as practically possible.

3.5 The following are not permitted in an exam room:

  • Animals, other than registered assistance dogs;
  • Babies or children;
  • Headphones or music.

3.6 The University does not allocate seats to individual students; therefore, recommendations for a student to sit in a particular location cannot be accommodated.

3.7 There may be certain access requirements that, while recommended, cannot be delivered because of regulations from external examination boards or Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Bodies (PSRBs). When this occurs, this will be communicated to the student by the School and, if possible, alternative assessment measures will be provided.

3.8 In exceptional circumstances, alternative forms of assessment may be considered as a reasonable adjustment where other adjustments have been explored and on the advice of a Disability Support Officer in Student Support Services. Such alternatives are discussed with the course leader.

3.9 Any recommendations not listed in this supplement should be discussed with the Academic Registry before inclusion in an Access Statement.

4. Online exams/timed assessments

4.1 Depending on the nature of the online exam/timed assessment, some PEP recommendations may not be applicable. The following table provides an indication of where recommendations may or may not apply for different types of assessment. This list is not exhaustive, and if an assessment type/recommendation is not listed, advice should be sought from the Academic Registry.

Short, timed, online exam:

  • Yes

24-48 hour submission:

  • No

Short, timed, online exam:

  • Yes

24-48 hour submission:

  • Yes, amount of additional time to be agreed.

Short, timed, online exam:

  • Yes

24-48 hour submission

  • No

Short, timed, online exam:

  • No

24-48 hour submission:

  • No

Short, timed, online exam:

  • No

24-48 hour submission:

  • No

Short, timed, online exam:

  • Student’s own

24-48 hour submission:

  • Student’s own

Short, timed, online exam:

  • Yes

24-48 hour submission:

  • Yes

Change History

Approval date:

09.02.2023

Nature of change:

New policy

Implementation date:

15.02.2023

Approval date:

19.09.2024

Nature of change:

List of recommendations and adjustments updated.

Implementation date:

01.10.2024

Approval date:

15.05.2025

Nature of change:

Minor update to specialist equipment and sensory support.

Implementation date:

15.09.2025

Approval date:

09.07.2026

Nature of change:

Minor amendments including clarification on peripherals permitted for personal computers during exams.

Implementation date:

01.09.2026