Exam Proctoring Center | Student Health and Wellness

The Test Proctoring Center at SDAC is reserved for students with disabilities who have approved testing-related accommodations. The Testing Center has a set of best practices (guidelines in Word, guidelines in PDF) available to review.

Guidelines for Taking Exams at SDAC

Students must have coordinate with their instructor prior to scheduling exams at SDAC. In general, students are expected to take their exam at the same date/time as the rest of the class. If a student has scheduling conflicts due to their testing accommodations and will be taking an exam at a different time than your classmates, please obtain the course instructor’s permission prior to scheduling the exam at SDAC.

SDAC requests that students schedule exams as far in advance as possible; the recommendation is to schedule them all at the beginning of the semester. SDAC will not be able to accept late requests within 48 hours of an exam (except in the case of true emergencies or if students are eligible for certain accommodations such as Exam Reschedule).

Please arrive on time and ready to start – the exam time begins at the time scheduled, and arriving late may impact the amount of time available to complete the exam.

SDAC testing rooms are only for SDAC students with approved exam-related accommodations.

General FAQs

Can I take any exam at SDAC?

The Exam Proctoring Center at SDAC is reserved for UVA students with disabilities who have approved course-related testing accommodations.

This is NOT a location for standardized testing such as the GRE, LSAT, or MCAT. This is NOT a location for students without SDAC testing accommodations to take exams. This is NOT a location for tests for non-UVA courses.

How do I sign up to take an exam at SDAC?

You can reserve a spot in our test proctoring center online through your SDAC Portal. If you would like instructions for how to do this, please see our Tutorials page, specifically focusing on How to Sign up for Exams at SDAC.

I need to schedule an exam through the Portal, but the class isn’t showing up! What do I do?

If the class does not appear in the drop down menu of the Alternative Testing section of the SDAC Portal, that usually means the proctoring instructions haven’t yet been filled out. You can reach out to your instructor and ask them to fill it out (they have a link to it in the Faculty Notification Letter that was emailed to them through the Portal). Alternatively you can fill it out yourself, but we ask that you have the correct information prior to filling it out; to that end, we recommend that you communicate with your faculty to get these questions answered:
1.   Are books, notes, or calculators allowed?
2.   Standard length of an exam, quiz and/or final?
3.   Is the exam delivered online (such as through Collab/Canvas/Blackboard) or paper/pencil?
4.   How will SDAC receive the exam?
5.   How will SDAC return the exam?
6.   Best way to contact instructor during the exam should there be questions?
7.   Any other information needed?
Once you have this information, you simply fill out the form in the SDAC Portal; please view our Proctoring Instructions YouTube tutorial for more information.

What are the SDAC testing hours and location?

Typically, our hours are Monday through Thursday, 8am to 8:30pm, and Fridays, 8am to 4:30 pm. We are open extended hours during final exams, and we will have more limited hours during the summer semester and J-term. We are located at 550 Brandon Ave, on the first floor of the Student Health and Wellness Building.

I have a class at that overlaps with my exam. What do I do?

Reach out to your instructor and ask to take the test at a different time. Once you have obtained permission from your instructor, schedule your exam through the SDAC Portal.

I want to take my exam on a different time or day than my class. What do I do?

Exams are to be taken at the same time as the class, unless you have permission from your instructor to take it at a different time. All changes need to be approved by your instructor before you schedule with SDAC. When SDAC approves exam requests, it is purely on the basis of whether we have room for you; this does not imply that we have obtained approval from your instructor on your behalf.

I’m running late for my exam; will I still get my extended time?

Please arrive on time and ready to start – your exam time begins at the time scheduled, and arriving late may impact the amount of time you have to complete the exam. If you will be less than 30 minutes late, please call and let us know. If you will be more than 30 minutes late, it is possible that your space may be given to another student. Please be in good communication with us.

I forgot to schedule my exam and it is less than 48 hours from now. Can I still take it?

We recommend that all exams be scheduled at least one week in advance. This is to make sure we have space, and in case our testing rooms are full it is to give staff at SDAC appropriate notice so we can try to reserve additional space. Unless there is a true emergency, we do not approve exam requests less than 48 hours before the exam date. If your request is denied, your exam accommodations must be worked out with the instructor or taken in class, without accommodations.

What can I take into the testing room?

We allow food and drink inside the testing rooms, as long as it’s not distracting to other students. Otherwise, you only need to take in what is needed for the exam. Absolutely no electronic devices (e.g., phones, tablets, or smart watches) are allowed unless you have an approved accommodation to have access to your phone at all times for medical purposes.

How soon can I schedule my exams?

At the beginning of every semester, we recommend signing up for all exams, including finals. Our space is allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, therefore it benefits you to plan ahead. Exam dates and times can be provided by the instructor or may be listed in the syllabus.

Do I schedule with SDAC if I don’t need to take my exam there?

If your instructor can provide your exam accommodations, there is no need to schedule with us. Instead remind your instructor about your testing accommodations by email. Only schedule exams at SDAC if you need to take the exam in the SDAC test proctoring center.

My Instructor is providing a room but I want to take my test at SDAC.

If your instructor can provide your exam accommodations, we ask that you take the test with them. This opens up our space for students that don’t have that option and will allow you to ask questions if needed.

What if I have more questions?

Contact our office at [email protected]. We will be happy to answer any questions you have.

Finals FAQs

I want to take my final on a different time or day than my class. What do I do?

Finals are to be taken at the same time as the class, unless you have permission from your instructor to take it at a different time. All changes need to be approved by your instructor before you schedule with SDAC. When SDAC approves exam requests, it is purely on the basis of whether we have room for you; this does not imply that we have obtained approval from your instructor on your behalf.

I’m running late for my final; will I still get my extended time?

Please arrive on time and ready to start – your final begins at the time scheduled, and arriving late may impact the amount of time you have to complete the exam. If you will be less than 30 minutes late, please call and let us know. If you will be more than 30 minutes late, it is possible that your space may be given to another student. Please be in good communication with us.

Is there a deadline to schedule final exams?

Yes, we post the deadline in our office and also send out email reminders. The deadline is two weeks before the first day of finals each semester. We will continue to accept requests until the day before the final examination period begins, but there is no guarantee space will be available as we tend to fill all available space during final exams. If you wait too late and space is not available, accommodations must be worked out with your instructor or exams taken in class without accommodations.

For Spring 2024, the last day to schedule finals is Thursday, April 18th.

We ask that when you sign up for final exams, you select a start time of either 9 am, 2 pm or 5:30 pm. If you have double time as an approved accommodation, then we ask that you select a start time of 9 am, 2 pm or 4 pm.

I have two finals on the same day. What do I do?

If the two exams overlap, first speak to your instructors to see if one of the exams can be moved. If your instructor denies your request to move either test, please contact either your SDAC advisor or the Accommodation Exam Testing Coordinator.

If you have three exams within 24 hours of each other, there is a form that can be filled out to request a delay of one of the exams. Please refer to your particular school or college for the correct form; additional guidance may be available through your deans office.

How soon can I schedule my finals?

My final starts at 9am. That said, I don’t need the whole time and plan to show up at 11am.

Please don’t do this! We ask that you start at the scheduled time. If you are more than 30 minutes late, your space may be given to another student.

My final is at McLeod or Claude Moore! Where do I go?

McLeod Hall is located at 202 Jeanette Lancaster Way. Claude Moore Nursing is located at 225 Jeanette Lancaster Way. We have created a series of photos to help guide you from our SDAC office at 550 Brandon Avenue to these exam rooms if you show up to the wrong location. Much like normal exams, please aim to show up at least 10 minutes before your exam time. Exams will start promptly at 9am for those taking exams at 9am, and 2pm if you are taking a 2pm exam. For physical exams, you will submit your exam to the proctor AT McLeod Hall and will leave from there after your exam is complete.

My final is in Bond! Where do I go?

Bond is located at 600 Brandon Ave. We have created a series of photos to help guide you from our SDAC office at 550 Brandon Avenue to these exam rooms if you show up to the wrong location. Much like normal exams, please aim to show up at least 10 minutes before your exam time. Exams will start promptly at 9am for those taking exams at 9am, and 2pm if you are taking a 2pm exam. For physical exams, you will submit your exam to the proctor AT Bond and will leave from there after your exam is complete. You will always return your cover sheets to your proctors.