Guidance for Final Exam Absence Requests (ABS)
If students have an emergent medical or personal emergency at the time of a final exam, they may request an excused absence by emailing examexcuse@brown.edu prior to the start of their exam. A dean trained in reviewing these requests will reach out to the student to discuss their situation and potentially grant an ABS. Please note that students' travel plans are never an excuse for missing a final exam.
Faculty Rules Pertaining to Final Examinations
The student will be permitted to take a Special Examination administered by the Registrar in accordance with the provisions in the Faculty Rules for such examinations, unless other arrangements are agreed to by the instructor and the student, and communicated to the Registrar. Registrar proctored ABS exams are scheduled in the first two weeks of the subsequent fall or spring semester.
The Dean of the College office is solely responsible for determining whether a student's absence from a final examination is excused. Faculty wishing to grant a student an exam excuse may contact examexcuse@brown.edu to be connected with the deans authorized to grant exam excuses. In emergency situations, students should reach out directly to examexcuse@brown.edu. The dean will determine whether or not an exam excuse is warranted.
Acceptable reasons for authorizing a postponement of a final examination are 1) serious illness at the time the exam is being administered (i.e., illness sufficiently serious to warrant a visit to Health Services or other health professional); 2) grave family or personal emergency; and 3) conflict of exam times as scheduled by the Registrar’s Office. Course instructors are notified of exam excuses granted by the College office. Students' travel plans are never an excuse for missing a final exam.
Students are responsible for checking their email for communications from the Registrar's Office regarding scheduled make-up exams.
An excused absence from a final exam appears on the academic record as an ABS next to the course for which an exam excuse has been approved. These courses count toward academic standing at the beginning of the subsequent term. If a make-up exam is not completed, or the student fails the course after taking the make-up exam, the ABS will change to an NC (no credit), and the student’s academic standing will be adjusted accordingly.