Final exam information

If students have exam conflicts or three (or more) final exams within one calendar day, they may request adjustment with their college office and instructors. Such a request must be presented at least two weeks before the exam period begins. To make up the exam, students must obtain the instructor's permission.

 Instructors may not vary from the University final exam schedule except by concurrence of the dean of the college and the director of scheduling. This prohibition also precludes moving a final exam from a scheduled time to study day or to the last or earlier meetings of the class, except laboratory final exams which cannot be held in accordance with the regular final exam schedule.

To request a change to final exam hours, departments must submit a change request through the Final Exam Request form. Doing so will ensure orderly consideration of student hardships. Additional common exams may be requested on the form, including room requests. Please be aware of the following:

• Instructors who request any variation from the official final exam schedule must agree to give a special make-up exam to any students who (1) have overlapping final exam conflicts, or (2) have three (or more) exams in one calendar day.
  • Authorized final exam variations and make-up exams should be conducted using time frames found in the final exam schedule.
  • Each college shall assume responsibility for making arrangements to spread out exams for students who have three (or more) exams scheduled in one calendar day.
• Three-hour exams will be scheduled on the half-day that the corresponding two-hour exams would have been given.
  • Exams are scheduled from 8:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. or from 1:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m.

University Senate policy decrees that no extracurricular events which require the participation of students may be scheduled from the beginning of study day to the end of finals week. Exceptions to this policy may be granted by the Senate Committee on Educational Policy. The Senate advises all faculty members that students who are unable to complete course requirements during finals week shall be provided an alternative and timely opportunity to do so.

Common final exams are pre-approved final exams for courses that have multiple sections with large enrollments that need to be conducted together at the same time. The Final Exam Request form does NOT need to be submitted for Common Exams. See the final exam schedule to see pre-approved common exams. Please contact ocmsched@umn.edu with any questions.