If you are due to sit an assessment and you are not in the UK, you can apply to sit this in an approved overseas venue. Please see below some frequently asked questions:
Can I sit my exams overseas?
My visa has expired and I will have to leave the UK before my exams. Can I still take my exams?
As long as you have not been withdrawn from the programme, you can apply to sit your exams abroad at one of our approved venues.
I have had to go back home due to personal reasons. Can I sit my exams near my home?
If we have an approved venue in the area, we can arrange for you to take your exams there.
I have to submit a coursework / take-home assignment or sit an oral exam, do I need to apply?
No, we only arrange exams, whether they are written or computer-based. We do not make any arrangements for coursework, take-home assignment submissions or oral exams.
Additionally, for information regarding your exam timetable, please visit the VLE/Hub section of your Programme or contact your Programme Advice team for guidance.
Deadlines and venues
I know I have missed the deadline to apply to sit overseas. Please accept my application; it is only a couple of days late.
We are unable to accept your application after the deadline. We organise hundreds of exams for students all over the world and each deadline is set to give us enough time to make arrangements with the overseas venues and BPP Schools. If there is a capacity we will try to accept your application, however, there is no guarantee that this is possible. If your application has been declined, the alternatives are to sit your exams in the UK or apply for extenuating circumstances.
There is no approved Venue in my area, can I sit the exams in another Venue?
Overseas Assessments cannot guarantee the provision of local venues to students. Students who wish to sit their assessments overseas, they need to do so in an ‘Approved’ Venue. Please be aware that currently we are not submitting requests to alternative venues.
Costs and re-sits
How much does it cost to sit exams overseas?
Each venue has its own charging structure which covers the cost of administration, invigilation, room hire and postage of materials per exam. Fees may be higher if the venue has to open outside normal office hours. Expect to pay at least £100 per exam. Please note, that exams taking place during local public holidays might have a higher than normal fee (if the venue agrees to host exams on these days).
If you wish to know the fees your preferred venue will charge, you will need to contact the venue directly, as we would not be able to provide this information.
I am re-sitting some exams. Do I have to pay the resit fee in addition to the fees the venue charges?
Yes, if you are re-sitting your exams overseas, you will be charged the resit fee. You will have to pay £75 per written exam as if you are resitting exams in the UK. The Invoicing team will contact you prior to the date of your assessment to request payment. They will usually contact you around one month prior to the date of your assessment. You do not need to make payment until they have contacted you to request this.
If you have any queries in relation to this, please contact the Student Finance team using the Query Form. We encourage students to pay the re-sitting fee before the exams.
I am waiting for my results to be released and the deadline is earlier than the release date. When should I apply?
If you are waiting for your results to be released and the deadline is earlier than the release date, please submit the OS form with all the potential resit modules. After the result release date, please contact us immediately, to cancel the modules you passed.
Special start times and bank holidays
One of my exams take place during a local Public Holiday (Bank Holiday), the local 'Approved Venue' will be closed for business, can I change the exam date?
It is not possible to change the exam date or time. If an exam falls during a Public holiday, you will need to contact the Approved Venue to confirm it can host the exam. If the Exam Venue is closed, you may need to consider an alternative venue, i.e. travel to the UK or to a neighbouring country, or applying for Extenuating Circumstances.
I live abroad and I do not want to have to sit a 3-hour exam starting at 7pm. Please change the time to one more convenient to me.
All our exams have to run synchronously across the world to preserve the integrity of the assessment process so we cannot change the timings to suit individual students.
I applied to sit at one of your Approved Venues abroad and now you inform me that they cannot host the exams because they cannot run them at 5.30am. If they are an Approved Venue, they should agree to run all BPP’s exams.
Not all venues can accommodate very early or very late timings. However, we recommend submitting your application, as some venues may be able to proctor such exams.
After applying
What shall I expect after submitting the application?
When you submit an application via email, we will process it and once your exam arrangements are confirmed, we will send you the ‘Exam schedule’ that includes the exam timetable and the overseas venue contact details, in order to arrange a payment directly to them. If you do not hear from us as quickly as you expect, do not worry. We normally send the exam schedules after the application deadline.
Please note that you are NOT required to contact or pay any fees to the overseas venue at an earlier stage.
My Extenuating Circumstances application was sucessful and I have been granted a concession for my exam I was to sit overseas, therefore, my exams have been rescheduled. Will I be automatically registered to sit this exam at the same venue at the next exams series?
No, if your exams have been cancelled you must submit a new application. Each exam series requires a new application even if you have sat overseas before (regardless of it being the same venue). Please ensure you submit your application via email before the deadline relevant to the rescheduled sit.
My exam is next week but I have decided to come to the UK to sit it instead. Now the venue is charging me a cancellation fee, which I think is unfair.
Most venues will do this, if you cancel a booking close to the exam date. They have upfront costs, such as room hire and administration. Please notify us and the overseas venue as quickly as possible, in order to avoid any charges. Failure to do this at least two weeks before the exam may mean that you will not be refunded any fees already paid and/or you may be charged a cancellation fee by the venue.
My overseas arrangements have been approved but I decided to sit my exams in the UK / rescheduled my exams.
If you do decide not to sit your exam(s) overseas, please inform the Overseas Assessments team at overseasexams@bpp.com as soon as possible. Failure to do this at least two weeks before the exam may mean that you will not be refunded any fees already paid and/or you may be charged a cancellation fee by the venue.