Notes on time allotted to candidates and the assessment deadline

It is very important to know the difference between the duration of an assessment and the timeframe of the schedule:

• The “duration of the exam” tells the candidate how much time is available to complete once started.
•  The start and end time of the schedule set the timeframe during which the assessment will be available to be started.
• Please note that the end time of the schedule is leading. 

Schedule end as set by the scheduler is leading:

Please note that without intervention, candidates have until the schedule's end time to complete their assessment.

Tip: Best Practice: always schedule for a broader window then the strict duration of an assessment. In other words: plan for a little time up front and an good buffer at the end.

Let's look at a simple example to illustrate this:

The sitting of an assessment that has a duration of 30 minutes is scheduled (planned) for 15-16hrs. If there is any delay in starting all candidates will have ample time to finish their 30 minutes.

If however the schedule is planned for 15-15:30hrs, candidates starting at 15:10 will only have 20 minutes after which their assessment will close down.

This is why we recommend to set the assessment window taking into account the extra time needed (for example for special needs students / candidates with reasonable adjustments ).

Please note that if you use Timed Sections they do not automatically get extra time. In that case you can easily create a copy of your assessment setting extra time in the Timed Section. 

The candidate will be informed of the duration of the exam at the start. It is up to the scheduler to ensure correct planning:

Invigilator actions:

See our article on 'Invigilation: Invigilator Actions and Print' to see what the invigilator can do during the timeframe for the assessment, i.e. between the start en end time for the schedule.