Proctoring

Proctoring at Ohio State ensures academic integrity during exams taken on-campus or in an online classroom. Students and faculty are encouraged to use the university’s suggested proctoring options for exams to ensure fairness across online courses.

Proctoring ensures a level playing field for all students, allowing you to schedule tests around your busy schedule. If you are in a course that requires proctored examinations, you can find specific policies in your course syllabus. 

The four current proctoring options are:

On-Campus in the Student Testing Center

The Student Testing Center in the Student Academic Services Build is an option for students on or near the Columbus campus to take exams in a proctored environment. To learn more and register for an exam session, visit the Student Testing Center website.

Proctored Locations Off-Campus

If neither on-campus nor online proctoring options meet your needs, you have the option to use an authorized third-party testing center in your area. Ohio State is a member of the Consortium of College Testing Centers, which has 355 institutional members across multiple countries that offers students the opportunity to take exams in a physical proctored environment. To find a member location, visit the Consortium of College Testing Centers website.

Online Proctoring

Test proctoring can is done online using Proctorio, an online proctoring solution that is fully integrated into CarmenCanvas. 

Online proctoring solutions verify student identity and monitor both your computer screen and webcam to ensure academic integrity. Students must be 18 years or older and authorize the proctoring company to access personal information and education records as it relates to the course and specific test. To use the service, there will be a fee paid on a per exam basis by the student or course department.

  • Note: This option is only available if your instructor has enabled it as an option in your course.

Extension Office Locations

The Office of Distance Education and eLearning and The Ohio State University Extension offices have partnered to provide test proctoring services at two extension offices in the state of Ohio. At these locations, students will be able to schedule proctoring services for their required course quizzes and exams at no cost. 
 
Locations:
 
Contact Kathy Green (green.1405@osu.edu) for information about the facility, availability, and how to schedule.
 

Contact Lee Ann Johnson (johnson.82@osu.edu) or Vickie Snyder (snyder.252@osu.edu) for information about the facility, availability, and how to schedule.

Taking an exam at an off-campus location?

Make sure you're ready for your NCTA proctoring experience by following the steps below:

NCTA Testing Center Process

At the start of the semester:

  1. Determine if your course requires examinations to be administered by a testing center (This information is generally in your course syllabus).
  2. Find a testing center by visiting the National College Testing Association’s website(link is external), or select the Ohio State University Testing Center(link is external) in Columbus, Ohio.
  3. Contact your chosen testing center to learn:
    1. What the fee is for taking an exam at the testing center (fees range from $15 to $75 per exam for non-Ohio State testing centers).
    2. What sort of identification you will need with you to take an exam (commonly, this is a government-issued photo ID – NOT a BuckID).
    3. How far in advance the testing center will need to receive the exam and exam instructions from your instructor.
    4. IF APPLICABLE, how testing accommodations should be communicated to the testing center. NOTE: Some testing centers require that accommodations are initiated through their institution’s disability services center rather than Ohio State’s.
  4. Contact your instructor to let them know that you will be testing at an external testing center and provide them with the URL for the center you will be using so that they can familiarize themselves with the procedures there. Send your instructor information you have gathered, specifically what the instructor will need to send and when to the testing center. 

 

Two weeks before the exam:

  1. Contact your instructor to:
    1. Remind them to submit the exam, exam instructions, and any accommodation information to the testing center.
    2. Determine how much time will be allowed for the exam and whether the exam will be administered on paper or in CarmenCanvas.

 

One week before the exam:

  1. Contact your testing center to schedule your exam.
  2. At this time, ask:
    1. For parking information.
    2. IF APPLICABLE: Whether you need to be prepared to cover postage for mailing paper exam materials back to your instructor.
    3. IF APPLICABLE: To ensure accommodations are communicated and prepared

 

One day before the exam:

  1. Call the testing center to ensure that your exam materials have arrived and all is prepared
  2. If your exam will be administered in Carmen, make sure that you remember your login information.

 

Day of the exam:

  1. Arrive at testing center at least 10 minutes before your scheduled appointment.
  2. Make sure you have your fee, your photo ID, and, if applicable, a prepaid and pre-addressed envelope to return your exam to your instructor.