Taking Exams

Most Independent Learning courses require exams. Depending on the course, you may need to take your exam in the presence of a proctor or with our online proctoring service, Proctorio. You can find information about course-specific exam policies in your course syllabus. If you need special accommodations please refer to our Accessibility information.

Exams with Online Proctoring

The University of Wisconsin Independent Learning program utilizes a remote proctoring service called Proctorio to ensure the security and validity of online exams in many of our courses.

Technical Support

  • Your best first stop is always Proctorio support, which is available even outside of exams via the shield icon installed on your Google Chrome browser. For details on how to contact Proctorio, go to the Support for Test-Takers page and review the HELP AND SUPPORT section.
  • If you are encountering issues that Proctorio can’t assist with, also fee free to reach out to UW Extended Campus Technical Support at http://ce.uwex.edu/technical-support or call 1-877-724-7883 (toll free).

Exams with In-Person Proctoring

A few of our online courses and most of our print-based courses require exams be taken in the presence of an approved proctor. All students requesting an exam will need to find a qualified proctor to supervise their exam. Please refer to our Exam Proctoring policies for more guidance on identifying a qualified proctor in your area.

Instructions for students enrolled in courses requiring in-person proctoring:

  • STEP 1: Identify a qualified proctor in accordance with our policies and confirm their willingness and availability to proctor your exam.
  • STEP 2: Log into your Student Account, access your Courses section and locate your course. Follow the prompts to submit a proctor for approval and request your exam. Be sure to fill in all requested fields completely to avoid delays in processing your request. Our Student Services team will respond to your request via email. Review our step-by-step guide demonstrating How to Submit an Exam Request in Your IL Student Account.
  • STEP 3: Once you receive email notification from our Student Services team that your proctor is approved, arrange time to take your exam with your proctor at their place of employment.
  • STEP 4: Take your exam in the presence of your approved proctor at their place of employment. When you finish, your proctor will submit your completed exam to our Student Services team and you will receive email notification when we receive it. Your Course Facilitator will grade your exam.

Tips for Success

Tips for success when taking an Independent Learning exam:

  • Find a private, quiet, and distraction-free place to take your exam or quiz. Although most exams require you to be in a isolated setting, removing distractions in your environment is always a good practice for setting you up for success on your exam.
  • Be proactive about scheduling and taking your exam. If you’ve completed all of your coursework and are ready for the final exam, make sure you schedule the exam with plenty of time for the course facilitator to grade it before you need your final transcripts. There may also be processing time to prepare your exam beforehand, depending on the course and type of exam, so please keep this in mind as well. The Goal Setting Assignment is a great place to incorporate this proactive planning.
  • Save your work. Most online platforms allow you to save your work as you progress through your exam. This is to ensure that your answers will be saved in the event of a computer malfunction.
  • Take care of yourself. Remember to eat a healthy meal, drink plenty of water, and get a good night’s sleep before an exam. You want to be sure to have the energy and focus needed to perform your best on the exam.

Need 1:1 Help?

Success Coaches are skilled professionals who are available to help you identify additional resources based on your individual needs. You can also expect to hear from your coach through periodic check-ins to discuss how things are going and how we can continue to support your success.

Contact your Success Coach at:

1 (608) 800-6750

If you would prefer that we call you, just send an email with your phone number and the best time to reach you.

Business Hours:

Monday – Thursday: 8 am – 6 pm CDT
Friday: 8 am – 4:30 pm CDT

Meet the Success Coach Team

  • Jessica Ramirez Torres

    Jessica Ramirez Torres
  • Samantha Crawford

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