Last updated on 23 October 2023
Most courses at VU Amsterdam are completed with an exam. Here you will find information about exam times and locations, resits and exam regulations.
Information about exams
Documents
Exam information
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Exams during Ramadan 2024
During Ramadan (March 10 to April 9), exams will take place in the evenings. The exam week of period 4 falls entirely during the Ramadan period.
To support participating students, eating during evening exams (starting at 6:45 PM) will be temporarily permitted. Please note: this exemption concerns a small snack, not a whole meal. Drinking is allowed, provided that it is brought in a sealable bottle. Please take your fellow students into account (in terms of smell and noise).
Good luck! -
Exam timetable
Check your timetable for the date, time and location of your exam. Make sure to arrive at least 15 minutes before your scheduled exam. This leaves you with enough time to find the right classroom, a seat and put away your personal belongings.
VU Amsterdam applies short and longer examination blocks:
Examination times - Regular (length)
Block 1 (long): 08.30 – 11.15 AM (2.45 hrs)
Block 2 (short): 12.15 – 2.30 PM (2.15 hrs)
Block 3 (short): 3.30 – 5.45 PM (2.15 hrs)
Block 4 (long): 6.45 – 9.30 PM (2.45 hrs)Examination times - Extra time (length)
Block 1 (long): 08.30 – 11.45 AM (3.15 hrs)
Block 2 (short): 12.15 – 3.00 PM (2.45 hrs)
Block 3 (short): 3.30 – 6.15 PM (2.45 hrs)
Block 4 (long): 6.45 – 10.00 PM (3.15 hrs)Exam block 1 (morning) and block 4 (evening) amount to 2:45 hours. Exam blocks 2 and 3 (afternoon) have a length of 2.15 hours. This makes a distinction between short and long examinations.
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Exam locations
Most examinations are held on our VU campus.
In regular exam weeks, there is not enough room at the campus to accommodate all pen&paper exams. Therefore, off-campus locations are arranged. Regular off-campus exam locations are RAI in Amsterdam, Emergohal in Amstelveen or VU Sports Centre at Uilenstede.
The DigiTent at the VU campus offers more than 500 digital exam spots. Digital exams are also held in regular classrooms (on VU laptops) and in computer rooms. For digital exams you will need your VUnetID and password. Make sure you know these in advance.
Please make sure to check your exam schedule in advance! Is your exam planned in multiple rooms? Your teacher will probably have shared a room breakdown with you. You will have to take place in one of the planned rooms, which one this is will be shared via Canvas.
During the 2023-2024 academic year, the VU campus square will be renovated. This can affect the accessibility of, among other things, the DigiTent. Before your exam, check the current state of affairs via the information about the campus square.
Please note: Cancellation of Emergohal shuttle buses
From academic year 2023/2024, shuttle buses from bus/tram stop Ouderkerkerlaan to Emergohal will no longer be in use. We advise you to take traffic and public transport into account; planning extra travel time if necessary.
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Registration and deregistration deadlines
Registration and deregistration for exams/resits is possible within the (de)registration deadlines for the period in which the course or exam takes place.
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Examination regulations
Important rules of conduct and rules regarding fraud apply during exams. This is the case both on the VU campus, such as in the DigiTenT, and at external locations such as Emergohal and VU Sports Center. Please read these rules and regulations carefully before your exam to ensure a smooth start to your exam.
• ID
When participating in an exam, you are required to identify yourself. Valid proof of identity is your VU student card or ACTA pass, passport, driver's license or identity card. You can sit the exam without proof of identity, but your grade will not be announced afterwards.• Registration
You must be registered for the exam. Are you not registered, but is there a place available in the exam room? Then you can sit the exam. The invigilator will take note of this. If there are no more places available, you cannot take the exam.
Are you not going to sit the exam and do you already know this in advance? Please deregister via the registration module at vu.nl.
The examination board can assign students a place in the examination room.• Digital exams
To sit a digital exam you will need your VUnetID and associated password. Make sure you know these by heart before coming to the exam location.• Latecomers
If you arrive late, you will be met in a waiting area that is close to the exam location. You will be admitted to the exam room 30 minutes after the start of the exam. By arriving late you will lose 30 minutes of your exam time. Are you more than 30 minutes late (counting from the start time of your exam)? Then you will no longer be admitted.• Invigilation
Invigilators are there to supervise the smooth administration of exams and to report on abnormal situations and incidents during the exam. They may check for the presence of prohibited material on or around your table. This includes checking permitted materials such as a dictionary or law book.• Gadgets
Smartphones, digital watches, earplugs (an exception is for students with a specific approved provision), earphones, headphones and the like are not permitted. Devices must be turned off and placed in your bag during the exam. If you are caught with one of these tools, this will be seen and noted as fraud.
Make sure to leave valuables at home (laptops, expensive jackets, bags and the like), as you may not be able to store them in a safe or under your table.• No food
Eating is not allowed during exams. An exception to this rule is for students who have an approved provision for food during exams.• Drinks
During the exam you may drink from a transparent and sealable bottle, which is placed on the floor during the exam.• Toilet visits
After 90 minutes you will be allowed to use the toilet. An exception to this rule is for students who have an approved toilet provision. You will be supervised by an invigilator. If you want to go to the toilet, the invigilator will ask you to prove that you do not have any prohibited objects with you. You are of course not allowed to have contact with other students while visiting the toilet.• Leaving the exam room
It is not permitted to leave the room during the first and last half hour of the exam. -
Retaking an exam
Students get two exam opportunities per course each academic year.
- A resit cannot take place within ten working days after the results are announced.
- You will be registered for a resit automatically if you have failed to pass the first exam.
- If you have registered for a resit but do not participate, a No Show will be registered. The previously obtained result will remain valid.
- It is also possible to retake an exam or course, even if you passed it. Please note that in this case, the last obtained result will be valid, even if it is lower than the result of your first try.
The registration process for retaking practicals, internships, or your thesis might differ from the standard procedures. You will find more information about this in your study or internship manual or the thesis arrangements of your study programme.
In exceptional circumstances, students are granted additional examination opportunities. Students must submit their request to the Examination Board of their programme. Please make sure to carefully read the explanation here.
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Examination facilities for disabled students
Students with a disability can apply for arrangements and support through their academic advisor. If possible, you will sit exams at regular examination locations and not in a separate classroom.
During exams, the following facilities are available:
- extra exam time (see 'Exam timetable' above);
- additional toilet visits;
- food, walking or administering medication;
- use of a laptop;
- use a quiet room.
Please visit Studying with a disability for more information about these facilities.
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Overlapping exams?
Every effort is made to avoid exam schedule conflicts. If you are a student in a regular study programme, there should be no overlapping exams. However, sometimes conflicts occur when combining electives or retaking a course from a previous year.
The entity you have to contact about overlapping exams differs per faculty. For the process and rules at your faculty, please check the tab of the faculty at the bottom of this page.
TIP: As soon as your schedule has been published, please check on which day(s) and time(s) the (re)examinations of your courses are scheduled! For most faculties, you will have take action at least three weeks before your exam to make sure you will be able to sit both exams.
Examination regulations per faculty
The terms and conditions for exams may differ per faculty.
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ACTA
Students of the Faculty of Dentistry (ACTA) can find more information on ACTA.nl [in Dutch].
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BETA
You have two exams that overlap
If you have registered for two exams that are organised at the same time, the following procedure applies:
- Report your exam schedule conflict to your student advisor, 3 week before your scheduled exams and ask for a solution.
- Your student advisor decides if your request is reasonable;
- If your request is considered reasonable, your student advisor will try to arrange with the Beta Exam Office for you to sit both exams;
- Beta Exam Office will inform you and your student advisor one week in advance.
The combined exam arrangement often follows:
- You take exam 1;
- After completing exam 1, an invigilator accompanies you to Beta Exam Office;
- Beta Exam Office will have organised an examination room and surveillance so you can sit your second exam (immediately following exam 1)
* Every effort is made to avoid exams from overlapping. However, there is no guarantee that you will be able to sit both exams. Please note that in this situation students have to retake one of your exams.
Hardship clause
If there’s no practical solution for your conflicting exam schedules, the Examination Board decides on facilitating another solution or not.
Copy of your exam
You can request a copy of your exam, up to 20 days after the result of your written exam. Apply for a copy of your exam here.
Overview of teaching and (re)examination periods
You can find an overview of the teaching and (re)examination periods 2023-2024 here.
You can find an overview of the teaching and (re)examiniation periods 2024-2025 here.Please note: from the 'overview of teaching and (re)examination periods' no rights can be derived!
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FBMS
Protocol for overlapping exams
It is possible that two of your exams/resits take place on the same day and time. The Examination Board will look for a suitable solution if both exams are for FGB courses. Please note: there is no guarantee that you will be able to take both exams. Take into account that you might have to take one of the two exams during the next exam opportunity.
Submit the request to the Examination Board using the form no later than three weeks before the examination date. Requests that are submitted too late will not be processed! -
FRT
Faculty Religion and Theology
If you have registered for two exams that are organized at the same time, the following procedure applies:
- Are you enrolled in two study programmes at VU Amsterdam of which at least one is a study programme at the Faculty Religion and Theology, and the exams of both programmes fall on the same time? Then you will take the exam that is part of your main study on the scheduled time. For the other exam, we refer you to the resit.
- Are you taking exams for electives that are both offered by the Faculty Religion and Theology? Then you can decide for yourself which exam you will take at the scheduled time, and for which exam you will take the resit. In case you fail for this resit, you can submit a request for an extra exam opportunity. You can make this request at the Examination Board no later than three weeks after the date of the resit. You can do this using this form: Self-Service Portal - Additional examination opportunity (vu.nl)
Please indicate in the form which course you wish to resit, including the course code and the day and time of the resit. The Examination Board will then inform you within 30 days of the solution chosen.
Resit
- Are you enrolled in two study programmes at VU Amsterdam of which at least one is a study programme at the Faculty Religion and Theology? Then you will take the resit which is part of your main study on the scheduled time. For the other resit you can request an extra opportunity.
- In the case of a resit of electives that are both offered by the Faculty Religion and Theology you can decide for yourself which resit you will take part in at the scheduled time, and for which resit you will request an extra opportunity. You can make this request at the Examination Board no later than three weeks after the date of the resit. You can do this using this form: Self-Service Portal - Additional examination opportunity (vu.nl)
Please indicate in the form which course it concerns, including the course code and the day and time of the resit. The Examination Board will then inform you within 30 days of the solution chosen.
Extra facilities
If, as a student, you are entitled to extra facilities, the faculty will make an extra effort and incur costs to arrange these facilities for you. Do you wish not to make use of the extra facilities? Please let us know as soon as possible, but no later than one week before the examination. If you want to cancel an exam, you are urgently requested to do so at least one week before the start of the exam. You can do this at onderwijsbureau.frt@vu.nl or by phone at 020 5986618.
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FSS
Protocol for overlapping exams
You may be scheduled to take two (re)exams at the same date and time. The Examination Board will look for an appropriate solution if:
- Both exams are FSW courses or
- You are enrolled in two study programmes at VU Amsterdam, and the exams of these programmes overlap.
In this situation, please contact the Examination Board no later than three weeks up to your scheduled exams. Contact the Examination Board by using the following form.
Please include the following information:
- which subjects that are involved
- include code, date and time of (re)exams
The Examination Board will inform you about the chosen arrangements. In most cases, you will have the opportunity to take both (re)exams one after the other.
Testing Policy
Read the FSW testing policy here.
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HUM
If you have registered for two exams that are organized at the same time, the following procedure applies:
- Are you enrolled in two study programmes at VU Amsterdam of which at least one is a study programme at the Faculty of Humanities, and the exams of both programmes fall on the same time? Then you will take the exam that is part of your main study on the scheduled time. For the other exam, we refer you to the resit.
- Are you taking exams for electives that are both offered by the Faculty of Humanities? Then you can decide for yourself which exam you will take at the scheduled time, and for which exam you will take the resit. In case you fail for this resit, you can submit a request for an extra exam opportunity. You can make this request at the Examination Board no later than three weeks after the date of the resit. You can do this using this form: Self-Service Portal - Additional examination opportunity (vu.nl)
Please indicate in the form which course you wish to resit, including the course code and the day and time of the resit. The Examination Board will then inform you within 30 days of the solution chosen.
Resit
- Are you enrolled in two study programmes at VU Amsterdam of which at least one is a study programme at the Faculty of Humanities? Then you will take the resit which is part of your main study on the scheduled time. For the other resit you can request an extra opportunity.
- In the case of a resit of electives that are both offered by the Faculty of Humanities you can decide for yourself which resit you will take part in at the scheduled time, and for which resit you will request an extra opportunity. You can make this request at the Examination Board no later than three weeks after the date of the resit. You can do this using this form: Self-Service Portal - Additional examination opportunity (vu.nl)
Please indicate in the form which course it concerns, including the course code and the day and time of the resit. The Examination Board will then inform you within 30 days of the solution chosen.
Extra facilities
If, as a student, you are entitled to extra facilities, the faculty will make an extra effort and incur costs to arrange these facilities for you. Do you wish not to make use of the extra facilities? Please let us know as soon as possible, but no later than one week before the examination. If you want to cancel an exam, you are urgently requested to do so at least one week before the start of the exam. You can do this at onderwijsbureau.fgw@vu.nl or by phone at 020 5986618.
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LAW
Do you have two exams that take place at the same time? Then we will refer you for one of the exams to the second opportunity. You can discuss with the study advisor which exam has priority for you.
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MED
Regulations for registering and / or deregistering for (re) exams
How do I register and how do I deregister for a resit? You can register or deregister for a (re) exam and (re) station test via a link in a CANVAS course under the heading modules / testing.
Register in time. You can cancel a regular exam by sending an email to studentenbalie@vumc.nl.
See the Regulations for registering and / or deregistering for (re) exams.
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SBE
Protocol for overlapping exams
Do you have two exams at the same time? In some cases, you can apply for a combined exam arrangement. This allows you to do both exams, one after another. The combined exam arrangement only applies to SBE students with overlapping exams of two electives, both of which are either:
- recommended within the programme or
- a compulsory course and a recommended elective
In all other cases, requests will be rejected!
Apply
Send an email to your study secretariat to request a combined exam arrangement: studiesecretariaat.sbe@vu.nl
Please include the following information:
- name
- student number
- study programme
- exams in question
- exam date
Applications for combined exam arrangements are accepted up three weeks before the exam date. Applications submitted later will not be accepted!
Exam abroad
SBE students can take one VU Amsterdam exam abroad, if the partner university can facilitate this. Please contact courses.exchange.sbe@vu.nl well before departure, if you want to use this option. You will receive a form that must be completed and signed by the partner university, declaring that it will use the correct examination method. The conditions are:
- You must register for the relevant (re-sit) exam
- You may take a maximum of one exam abroad
- It must be possible to take the exam at exactly the same time as it is taken at VU Amsterdam. (Due to time difference, this will therefore not be possible in all countries).
- The exam may only be taken at the university
- The partner university will provide space and surveillance
- These regulations only apply to SBE exams
- The confirmation of the partner university must arrive at VU Amsterdam no later than 2 weeks before the exam
Please contact courses.exchange.sbe@vu.nl for questions.
Do you have any questions?
Please contact the Student Desk.