Individual arrangements for examinations

Based on a specialist certification and the identified need, individual exam arrangements may include:: 

• Additional time to complete an examination 
• Using a computer or other aids in an examination
• A smaller or separate examination room

The individual arrangements expert panel recommends 30 minutes of additional time for examinations whose duration is less than three hours, and 60 minutes of additional time for examinations whose duration is three hours or more. For well-grounded reasons, exceptions to this recommendation can be made. The organiser of the examination decides whether the additional time  is offered at the end of the examination session or before it, or both.

Additional time is granted for reading and writing exams based on dyslexia, not for oral exams.

General examinations are exam events organized by the Exam Services, where you can take e.g. retake exams for lecture courses. Please request individual arrangements from the address specialneeds@helsinki.fi at least 10 days before each exam event. Requests made after the deadline may not be made. You can include all requests for individual arrangements for exams up until the end of the following calendar month in the same message. Please provide the following information in your message:

• Date of the exam, faculty, and course
• What individual arrangements you need
• Your name and student number

The Exam services will confirm your individual arrangements. You will also receive the necessary instructions for your exam at least a few days before the exam.

Please cancel the individual arrangements you requested if you are unable to attend the exam by sending a message to the exam services. You can cancel the individual arrangements up until the start time of the exam.

Please also remember to register for the exam in Sisu at least 10 days before the exam (for summer exams, by May 31 at the latest).

Teacher-organised exams could be on-site exams supervised by the teacher or remote exams. These exams are e.g. course exams held at the end of the lecture course. In some cases Exam Services can organise a course exam. If you need individual arrangements for a teacher-organised exam, contact your teacher to find out who will organise the exam. Ask for individual arrangements as follows:

Teacher-supervised exams

• If you are entitled to additional time or the use of a computer during a paper exam, request these special arrangements directly from your teacher no later than the beginning of the course. Provide your specialist certificate or recommendation to the teacher either as a secure email or by meeting your teacher in person.
• If you are entitled to a separate or quiet exam room, request individual arrangements by emailing specialneeds@helsinki.fi at least 10 days before the exam. Include the following information in your email:
  • Exam date, faculty, and course
  • Your teacher's name and contact details
  • The individual arrangements you need
  • Your own name and student number

Please note that additional time does not entitle you to a separate exam room.

Course exams organised by the Exam Service 

Please request individual arrangements from specialneeds@helsinki.fi at least 10 days before each exam. Include the following information in your email:

• Exam date, faculty, and course
• Your teacher's name and contact details
• Your required personal arrangements
• Your name and student number

If you are unable to attend the exam, cancel the individual arrangements you have requested by sending a message to the Exam Service. You can cancel your arrangements up until the start of the exam. 

Please note that additional time does not entitle you to a separate exam room.

Please request individual arrangements from the address specialneeds@helsinki.fi at least 10 days before each exam event. Requests made after the deadline may not be made. Please provide the following information in your message:

• Date of the exam,  the name of the course and the mention “Open University”
• What individual arrangements you need
• Your name and student number

If you are studying at our partner institution, please contact the institute organizing the instruction. The teaching at the partner institution follows the guidelines and practices of the respective institution.

You can find more information about exams on the Examinations instruction page of the Open University.

If you are entitled to additional time:

• Contact the examiner and tell her/him that you are entitled to an additional  time to complete an examination. Show your specialist certification or recommendation to the examiner either by secure email or by meeting him/her in person.
• The examiner will prepare a personalised exam for you, taking into account the additional time.  If the additional time exceeds 2h 55min, the exam will be split into two separate exams.  I
• Book your exam time(s) in the Examinarium.

If you are entitled to a separate examination room (Examinarium is defined as a smaller examination space)

1. Check the Examinarium reservation calendar (Book an exam time and Exam room at your own university) to see if the room you want for individual arrangements is available on the date you wish.  Please do not book an exam time, as the individual examination rooms are also used for non-Examinarium examinations and may not be available.
2. To request individual arrangements, please send an email to specialneeds@helsinki.fi. Please include the following information in your message: the date and a room of the exam you wish to attend, the course to be examined and the name of the your examiner, the individual arrangements you need and your name and student number.
3. Exam Services will confirm to you whether you can book your requested exam date. If there is no space available, Exam Services will offer alternative examination times.
4. Once you receive confirmation, book your exam time in the Examinarium.
5. Arrive at the Individual Arrangements  Exam room you have reserved 5-10 minutes before the start of your exam. You will have been provided with information on how to access the examination room. The Individual Arrangements Exam room is equipped with camera surveillance.
6. If you are also entitled to extra time, please contact your examiner first.

Snacks, medicines and toilet visits

If for health reasons you need to eat a snack, take medication or use the toilet during the exam, please send a message to specialneeds@helsinki.fi with the following information:

• The date and a room of the exam you wish to attend. Please refer to point 1 of the previous instructions.
• The course to be examined and the name of your examiner.
• What arrangements you need and why
• Your name and student number

The Exam Services will confirm whether you can take your exam an Individual Arrangements Exam room and book your requested exam time. If no room is available, Exam Services will offer alternative times.

• Book your exam time in Examinarium (Book an exam time and Exam room at your own university)
• Arrive at the reserved exam room 5-10 minutes before the exam starts.  You will have been provided with information on how to access the examination room. The Individual Arrangements Exam room is equipped with camera surveillance.

If you need access to the exam room without difficulty

• When booking your exam time, select "Accessibility requirements" and "Wheelchair access"
• Book your exam time in Examinarium.

If you need an electric desk, please contact specialneeds@helsinki.fi before booking your exam time.

These instructions apply only to the University of Helsinki's own students.

Exam visitors should contact the EXAM support of their university, which will contact the University of Helsinki for possible individual arrangements. 

If your MOOC-course includes a distance exam and you are entitled to extra time, please request individual arrangements from specialneeds@helsinki.fi at least 10 days before the exam. Please include the following details in the message:

• Date of the exam, the name of the MOOC-course and the mention ‘MOOC’
• The individual arrangements you need (extra time)
• Your name and student number

If you only need individual arrangements for the MOOC-course exam and have not submitted your specialist certificate to the University of Helsinki, you can attach your specialist certificate to the message. In that case, please use secure email. For detailed instructions on how to encrypt your email, see the IT Helpdesk website.

Messages about individual arrangements specialneeds@helsinki.fi. Please title your message clearly so that it can be directed to the right person. 

Please remember to use an explicit subject so your message will be forwarded to the right accessibility liaison. If your message contains sensitive information, we recommend the use of encrypted email. Detailed instructions for encrypted email are available on the website of the University of Helsinki Helpdesk.

Contact details for exam services

• Keskustan tenttipalvelut citycentre-exams@helsinki.fi
• Kumpulan tenttipalvelut kumpula-exams@helsinki.fi
• Meilahden tenttipalvelut meilahti-exams@helsinki.fi
• Viikin tenttipalvelut viikki-exams@helsinki.fi