Extended time is one of the most common accommodations. In part, this is because extra time can be helpful for a wide range of reasons. Students might need extra time on exams related to processing speed, learning disabilities, physical disabilities, and a range of other conditions. The specific amount of additional time varies depending on the functional needs of the particular student.
Key Things to Know
- Unless specifically noted or discussed by the instructor and student, extended time applies to all timed exams or quizzes (face-to-face and online).
- Extended time on exams does not apply to assignments.
- Extended time is calculated based on the anticipated completion time of the exam. For instance, if the exam is expected to be completed in 1 hour, a student with time and a half should have 1 hour and 30 minutes to complete the exam.
- Students are not required to use all of their time. However, if extended time is not needed, students should communicate this to their instructor.
- Due to the nature of some exams, there are situations where extended time might be unreasonable. When this is the case, the instructor should work with SAS to discuss reasonable alternatives.
- Each UNH Campus (Durham, CPS Online, CPS Manchester, UNH Law) handles exam accommodations in different ways based on the resources available. Please contact SAS to discuss options for each campus.
Student Responsibilities
Students are responsible for…
- Meeting all student accommodation responsibilities.
- Completing the exam within the scheduled time + their additional time.
- Creating a personal exam schedule to ensure any conflicts are addressed early in the semester.
- Notifying faculty of their accommodation in advance of the first timed quiz or exam.
- In general, they should share their accommodation letters with faculty at least 48 hours in advance of first timed quiz or exam.
- If the student requires access to the Testing Center, they should share their letters with faculty at least 5 days before their first timed exam.
- Arriving promptly at the exam's scheduled start time. Students with extended time are expected to begin their exams as scheduled or otherwise discussed with the instructor.
- If using the Testing Center, following all Testing Center policies and procedures as outlined in the UNH Testing Center Handbook.
Whether or not extended time applies on take-home exams depends on the structure of the exam. If the take home exam just means taking an exam remotely during a set period of time, then extended time applies as it normally would. However, take home exams are often meant to be implemented over a longer period of time, more like a time limited assignment. Determining what is appropriate in the latter case, would require understanding:
- How long is the anticipated time to completion?
- How long does the student currently have to complete the take home exam?
It is very common for faculty to intend the exam to take a shorter period of time than they assigned. Often why they plan for multiple days is to provide students with built in flexibility for completing the take home exam. When this is the case, it might not be reasonable for the student to have additional time.
Any questions about whether or not extended time is reasonable should be discussed with SAS directly.
No. Extended time does not apply to assignments. Students who require potential flexibility with deadlines have specific accommodations that indicate this need.
Yes. Unless otherwise indicated, it should be assumed that extended time applies to in-class quizzes and shorter exams. You can talk with the student about how to best accommodate their needs during a shorter or in-class quiz, but it should be assumed that they will require extended time.
As a best practice, instructors should schedule the exam room for at least time and a half. Extended time on exams is very common not only for students with permanent conditions, but also temporary conditions. Having additional time scheduled allows for flexibility in case needs arise later in the semester as well.
Yes. An instructor still has to provide the accommodation to students. If the student is consistently choosing not to use their time (this sometimes happens because of the nature of an exam), the instructor should speak with the student about how to best meet their needs.
