The Hilary Term examination session will take place between Thursday 27th April and Saturday 6th May 2023. If you are sitting an exam, it will be held on campus, RDS Simmonscourt or online. Double-check your timetable here!
TCD Students' Union wishes anyone sitting exams the best of luck! Remember that you are worth more than any exam -- look after yourself and your friends over the next two weeks.
The Academic Registry is responsible for the running of all TCD examinations, and has provided key exam info here: www.tcd.ie/academicregistry/exams
Make sure to have a read of that if you're unsure of how to:
If you have any questions related to the running of exams on the day, there will be an Academic Registry Help Desk in the main foyer of the RDS Simmonscourt. If your exam is scheduled for a campus venue, approach the Chief Invigilator.
If your exam is online, your School/Department is the main point of contact. For general queries, you can contact the Academic Registry via:
Some students may require space on campus to sit an online exam. This may be because they have an in-person exam and an online exam on the same day or they are experiencing connectivity or accommodation issues.
If you find yourself in this situation, a limited number of places is available on campus. Please complete the online form to request a space—if you are an undergraduate your tutor is required to support your request; if a postgraduate, you must have the support of your course director.
Please Note:
If you aren't sure where your Campus Exam Venue is, find the list here.
Visit the Venue
If you have an exam in RDS Simmonscourt and would like to visit the venue in advance of exam week, there will be an opportunity to do so on Wednesday, 26 April between 11am and 2pm. This provision has been put in place to allow all students to acclimatise to the space. There is no requirement to visit if you don’t want to and there’s no need to book in advance if you do.
Is there a cloakroom?
No - all students will be asked to bring their belongings to their exam desk and will be provided with a biodegradable bag in which they can securely store their belongings for the duration of their exam. Once the bag is sealed it can only be opened outside the exam venue.
Coffee Truck?
There will be a coffee truck serving hot drinks and light snacks in the carpark next to the RDS Simmonscourt venue.
How Do I Get to the RDS from Trinity?
Exams can be a really stressful time. Your well-being is the most important thing right now.
DO NOT SIT AN EXAM IF YOU ARE NOT MEDICALLY FIT TO DO SO.
If you are medically unfit to sit your exam, please consult your doctor and request a medical certificate for the appropriate period. All medical certificates must be dated and include the date on which the illness started, the length of incapacitation, and a clear statement that you are unable to sit exams. This must be given to your tutor - preferably before the exam(s) in question, but up to 72 hours after.
Remember that medical certificates are not accepted in explanation or excuse for poor performance. You cannot claim mitigating circumstances having submitted a piece of work for assessment. As per college regulations, students cannot retract work submitted.
Please contact the Trinity Health Centre for COVID related queries on + 353 1 8961556 or for general queries on + 353 1 8961591.
If you are feeling unwell during an examination, do not submit your work as it will be considered completed. Make the invigilator, designated liaison person in your school, module leader and/or tutor aware of your illness and contact the Trinity Health Centre.
If you are working on a take home 48 hour exam, remember to continually save and update your work.
If your internet drops during a live exam, take a picture of the computer screen to have as proof (timestamped preferably) and inform your tutor, module coordinator and/or school designated liaison person as soon as possible.
Contact your tutor immediately. If your tutor is on sabbatical, maternity leave or not replying to you, please contact the Senior Tutors office on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Failing your exam isn’t the end of the world! Email Zöe at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you are unsure of your next steps.
If your average mark was good and you only failed one or two papers with an F1 you may be able to compensate and go onto the next year as if you had passed. All modules and components within modules are compensatable (except in certain professional programmes where compensation doesn’t apply). The rules for compensation vary from school to school, so make sure to check.
You may have to sit repeat exams (free of charge) at the end of summer if you fail and cannot pass by compensation.
If you feel that your result is unfair or that your marks were added up wrong you can apply to have them rechecked.
You may also be entitled to appeal. This is usually reserved for extenuating circumstances, and you have to act quickly. For more info, email your tutor or Zöe at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
If you can’t appeal, then sometimes the only option is to repeat the year.
You won’t qualify for the Free Fees Initiative if you have to repeat, except in special circumstances.
Off books doing exams/placements/assessments incurs a €382 exam fee.
If students have failed modules at the end of the academic year, they can potentially apply to repeat Off Books with Assessment. This requires special permission, more information can be found here: https://www.tcd.ie/academicregistry/student-cases/
If you are unwell, do not sit your exam if you are not fit to do so.
Contact your tutor straight away if you need any deferrals, extensions or support with your academic work due to illness, bereavement or other situations outside of your control (loss of internet connection etc). You can find their details on your my.tcd.ie under “My Records”. If your tutor is not replying to you, contact the Senior Tutor's office at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
If you defer an exam from the Semester 2 session, it will deferred to the supplemental session in late August. There is no automatic right to deferral this session.
If you are overwhelmed with your workload or otherwise unable to complete your assignment(s) in the designated time, please get in touch with your module coordinator.
Liaise with your classmates, as many of you may be in the same position. Lecturers should, and have been, very understanding of the pressures everyone is facing right now and should be lenient in this regard.
With exams & assignment deadlines looming, it’s easy to feel under pressure to use essay mills & other contract cheating services. Contract cheating is a term used to refer to the practice of companies that sell bespoke assignments, essays and theses which students may then submit for assessment, as their own work. These companies are often referred to as 'essay mills'.
Essay mills are illegal. Do not use essay mills. The consequences of doing so are severe and I cannot emphasise that enough.
Please watch this video from QQI for further information.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVC_bwpvKcM
There are lots of ways Trinity can help. You’re not alone. Please talk to us in the SU, your lecturer or Student Learning and Development for assistance.
