Arranging exam invigilators

Invigilators: pre-approved

An invigilator is a person authorized by AU to oversee the writing of an examination by an AU student. There may be an AU-approved invigilator in your area already!

Students must write an exam with an established AU-approved invigilator if they live within 40 km of an already approved invigilator. Students who live more than 40 km away from an examination centre may write their exams closer to home provided they arrange for an invigilator.

Use the resource in this section to decide whether there is an AU-approved invigilator in your area. If not, email the Examination Services Unit, Office of the Registrar, review the exam request deadlines and invigilation guidelines.

• Examination invigilation network

---

Invigilator: requires AU approval

AU has the right to:

• Refuse a requested invigilator and request that the student send an alternative invigilator.
• Request that the student write the examination at an AU-approved invigilator.
• Discontinue the use of an AU-approved invigilator at any time.

---

Invigilator guidelines

If an AU-approved invigilator is not available in your area, you may propose an individual (with the invigilator request form) who meets the guidelines below. The request time is longer than for an exam request with an existing invigilator. Please review exam request deadlines.

The university will verify the accuracy of the information presented by the student and proposed invigilator before an invigilator can be approved.

Invigilator environment

An AU-approved invigilator must be able to provide an environment that meets the university’s standards. They must be able to:

• provide a safe and quiet exam writing environment that is free from distraction and disruption.
• provide a secure method of holding the confidential login and exam information.
• provide a secure method of holding an exam before its return to AU.
• ensure that an exam is invigilated by following Athabasca University's invigilation standards and the exam invigilation procedures of the exam.
• ensure that a student does not have access to the exam outside of the scheduled exam times.
• ensure that the student writes the exam within the allotted timeframe.
• if invigilating an online exam, be able to provide a desktop or laptop computer that is compatible with the technology needed to host the online exam and be in an environment suitable to the writing of the exam.

Invigilation criteria

A proposed invigilator must be fluent in written and spoken English and be a permanent employee in one of the following categories:

• a professor or instructor at a recognized public or private post-secondary institution.
• an administrative, professional or library employee of a recognized public or private post-secondary institution.
• an administrative or professional staff member of a public library.
• an administrative, professional, faculty, or library staff member of a recognized public or private elementary, middle, or secondary school.
• a ranking officer in the Canadian Armed Forces.
• an official at an embassy or consulate office.

A proposed invigilator may not be a friend, neighbour, co-worker, supervisor, family member, or relative of the student and cannot live at the same address. Exceptions may be considered for students who live in remote communities and who do not have access to one of the individuals from the above categories within a 40 km radius of the student’s residence. The Office of the Registrar must be confident that the individual selected will ensure that the examination invigilation guidelines will be followed and that there is no conflict of interest between the approved invigilator and the student.

AU students are not allowed to act as invigilators for other AU students without the written permission of an authorized representative of AU as appointed by the AU Registrar. Students at other schools are also not allowed to act as invigilators unless the individual is a paid employee of an AU-approved invigilation centre or approved by an authorized representative of AU as chosen by the AU Registrar.

If these options are not available to you, email the Examination Services Unit at the Office of the Registrar. A staff member will help you decide a suitable location and an acceptable invigilator. If you would like to request an invigilator review, fill out the Invigilator Request Form and email it to invigilation@athabascau.ca.

• Examination request form
• Examination invigilation network
• Invigilator request form

---

Invigilator fees

Students handle any expenses incurred when writing an examination. Most invigilators request a fee to invigilate examinations. Invigilation centres may also charge a fee if you cancel or reschedule your exam.

---

Exam access

The AU-approved invigilator will be provided with instructions, a secure password, and a link to access an online exam before a student's scheduled exam date. Only the invigilator may log in to access the exam. Secure passwords must never be given to a student. ProctorU has detailed instructions on how to access your exam.

---

Exam return to AU

An attempted or completed exam must be returned to AU by the AU-approved invigilator on the same or next business day.

A void exam will be considered attempted but may not be graded. The Associate Registrar, Operations, will evaluate each case on its merit and provide the student with instructions on proceeding.

Visit Unwritten/Multiple Exams for information on returning unwritten exams.