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Information for current registered students

Departmental tests

Departmental tests are arranged by respective departments. They take a considerable amount of time to arrange. These are different to exams held in the formal exam periods at the end of each semester.

It is essential that you take the steps listed below to ensure that the special arrangements are made for you for each of your tests. It is important that you understand that if you do not follow these instructions then special arrangements will not be provided.

For each test that you require special arrangements, you must contact the Departmental Administrator of the department concerned at least 10 working days before the date of the test. Contact details for the departmental administrators can be found on the department’s website or in the table below.

To help administrators make your arrangements please state:

• The course code
• The date and time of the test
• The duration of the test
• What your ‘Special Arrangements’ are eg: an extra 10 minutes per hour and a room with only a few others; Reader/Writer, an extra 10minutes per hour and/or a separate room

After this contact with the Departmental Administrator, you must liaise with them to confirm the time, place and any other instructions necessary regarding the test.

Report to the designated room at least 10 minutes before the test is due to start.

If, after your arrangements have been confirmed, you don’t intend, or are unable to sit your test, you must contact the Department Administrator by midday, one working day before the test. Failure to do this will result in a fine of $60.00 per test for each Supervisor and Reader/Writer (should you have one), towards the cost of setting up your accommodations.

If you do not contact Departmental Administrators at least 10 working days before the date of the test, they are within their rights to decline your request and you can sit the test with the main cohort. The Equity & Disability Service staff support this decision.

If you have any concerns at any time, please contact the relevant ‌Departmental Administrator.

Who to contact to arrange your test

Mid-year and end-of-year examinations

Special arrangements for exams held during the formal exam periods are automatically arranged for you by the Records, Examinations and Graduations office.

They will send an email to your overall preferred email address two weeks prior to the exam period with details of your exams, including venues, times and contact people during the exam period.

If, after receiving the email, you don’t intend, or are unable to sit your exam, you must contact the Examination Special Arrangements Coordinator, Melanie, melanie.clinton@canterbury.ac.nz by midday, one working day before the exam. Failure to do this will result in a fine of $60.00 per exam for each of the Supervisor and/or Reader/Writer (should you have one), per exam, towards the cost of setting up your accommodations.

Please note, exams with special arrangements begin 30 minutes prior to the main cohort i.e.: 9.00am and 2.00pm.

Downloadable: Guidelines for using a reader-writer (235Kb).

Notetaking information

Notetaking may be provided for you in lectures if you experience difficulties taking notes yourself for disability-related reasons. The notes are intended to record information presented in a lecture that isn’t contained in course handouts or lecture slides as accurately as possible, including information from class discussions and announcements.

This service is not designed as a substitute for attending lectures, so students receiving notes are expected to attend all lectures.

Applications from existing students who are registered with the Equity & Disability Service should be made no later than a week before the beginning of the semester so that notetaking can be arranged.

If you apply for lecture notes once the semester has commenced, the notes request will be actioned as soon as practicable. Note that if you apply after the first week of the semester, EDS is under no obligation to backdate notes.

It is also your responsibility to notify your Disability Advisor of any changes where notes are no longer needed or a notetaker is not required. Additionally, cancelled lectures, tests held during lectures, and any room or time changes must also be notified.

In most cases notes are loaded onto the University of Canterbury's Learn site for you to access, view and download independently.

Downloadable: Notetaking_End_User_Agreement (108Kb)

Downloadable: Guidelines for Students using Notetakers (249kb)

Downloadable:  (376Kb)

Re-registering with Equity & Disability Service

Each year you need to register with EDS to confirm and update the learning supports required to help facilitate your studies here at the University of Canterbury. You can re-register anytime from October in one year for the following year to avoid any delay in the implementation of supports.

Please email your Disability Advisor or drop into the office to make an appointment – you don’t need to have selected your courses for the next year before re-registering.

We are open Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 4pm, including during Term Breaks.