Deferred Exam Policy

We have a deferred exam policy in place to accommodate students who meet the approved grounds for deferral. Please read the information below before submitting an exam deferral request form. All requests should be submitted by April 23, 2024. Students will receive exam deferral confirmations closer to the exam period. 

All students are required to take examinations as scheduled with the exception of the following six grounds only:

  1. Physical inability to take the examination, including illness or medical situations;
  2. Personal necessity, which includes emergency situations and religious observances;
  3. Three examinations scheduled on three consecutive days, in which event one of the three may be deferred;
  4.  Two or more examinations scheduled on the same calendar day;
  5. For part-time students with a work obligation on the days in question, two examinations scheduled on two consecutive days, in which event one of the two may be deferred;
  6. An examination scheduled in the morning (9:00am) following an examination the evening before (6:00pm). Please note: there is no rule that states you must have 24 hours between exams. An evening exam followed by a 9:00am exam is the only circumstance that would create a reason for deferral based on this ground.

Documentation is required for grounds 1, and 2 for emergency situations.

Please read the information below before submitting the form. Please email exams@wcl.american.edu [mailto:exams@wcl.american.edu] with any questions. As a reminder, you may view your Anonymous Grading Number (AGN) by logging on to MyWCL; it will be displayed underneath your course listing on the right hand side of your home page.

When an examination is deferred, it may only be moved to one of the next two available examination dates during the examination period and to a date on which the rescheduled examination will not again be subject to deferral under the conditions outlined above. Exams may not be taken earlier than their scheduled dates.

Deferred exams will be administered at 10am on the scheduled deferred exam date.

Travel plans will not be considered a personal necessity unless the original exam date was changed after the purchase of tickets. Participation/attendance at weddings and other commencement ceremonies is not considered a reason for exam deferral.

Deferred examinations must be taken before the first day of the subsequent term – May 28, 2024.

Examinations may be deferred only through the Office of the Registrar. Do not contact your instructor to reschedule an exam or ask for authorization to defer an exam. All questions should be directed to exams@wcl.american.edu.