Frequently Asked Questions - Examinations

Students have the option to sit their examinations in one of thirteen locations: Sydney CBD, Newcastle, Canberra, or one of 10 Country University Centres. For more information on the locations, please visit the Diploma in Law Examinations website page. 

Country University Centres (CUC) are available to students whose registered address is closest to the centre they wish to attend. Before submitting your request, make sure your address in STEMS is up to date.

If there are extenuating circumstances preventing a student from attending an in-person examination centre, an application for an online examination can be made via the STEMS portal.

Online examinations are by exception, and an application is required each semester (a $220 fee applies). For more information and eligibility criteria please refer to the Online Examinations by Exception Policy. 

If you wish to sit a schedule examination centre other than the centre you nominated at the time of enrolment, you must forward a written request to the LPAB at least six weeks before the commencement of the examination period. Applications of this nature are rare, for more information and  please refer to the Online Examinations by Exception Policy. 

Examination dates will be available in STEMS once you have enrolled. These details are also available on the LPAB and LEC websites prior to the enrolment period.

Examinations MUST be taken on the date and at the time specified in the timetable. 

If there are extenuating circumstances that prevent a student from attending an in-person examination centre, students can apply to sit the exam online. 

For full eligibility criteria, please see the 'Online Examinations by Exception Policy'. This application incurs a $220 application fee (regardless of outcome) and applications must be made each semester.  

To apply to sit an exam online, please log into the STEMS portal and select Miscellaneous and apply.

Applications should be made shortly after enrolment. During the enrolment process, you will need to select either Mode 1 or Mode 2 as your preferred option in case your application to sit the exam online is not approved. If approved, your Mode will be updated automatically in STEMS.

Do not wait for the outcome of your application before enrolling - applications are assessed after the enrolment period has closed but before the census date. 

You can find more information on examination modes here.

Examinations will not be administered before the scheduled date.

Deferred exams (after the scheduled date) may be granted in exceptional circumstances where there has been a recent, direct, and catastrophic impact on the candidate.

These circumstances are outlined in our Deferred Examination Policy available on the LPAB website here.

Minor medical, recreational travel and personal scheduling conflicts are specifically excluded from the possibility of a deferred exam.

The bar for granting deferred exams is set high, and they are rarely approved.

If you believe you may be eligible to be granted a deferred exam due to exceptional circumstances please email [email protected] with your request and supporting documents. 

All students have the option to either handwrite or type the examination on their own device using a lock down browser application (Examplify). 

Examplify is software which provides a secure exam environment by locking down all other applications on the exam-taker’s device. It does not depend on maintaining an internet connection throughout the exam.

If you select to type your exams you will be required to confirm that your computer equipment is suitable. You can check the minimum system requirements on their website here. 

You can find detailed information on each mode here. 

Each examination consists of 15 minutes reading time at the start of the exam and 3 hours writing time. 

This is a total exam time of 3 hrs and 15 minutes. 

The examiners set if an exam is to be open or closed book and this is subject to change each semester. 

Open and closed book details will be released after enrolment via CANVAS and will also be posted on the LPAB website here. 

The key difference between an open book and a closed book exam lies in the reference materials you are allowed to have on your desk during the exam.

In an open book exam, you are permitted to bring written or printed materials such as textbooks, notes, articles, and flashcards, all of which must be visible on your desk. Once you’ve finished using any of the allowed materials, they may be placed under your desk until the exam concludes.

In contrast, a closed book exam only allows the materials outlined on the examination coversheet. You may be provided reference material as part of the examination paper. 

During both types of exams, digital materials and devices, including mobile phones and smartwatches, are strictly prohibited. 

Students must pay particular attention to the list of permitted materials on the website so that they do not inadvertently take unauthorised material into an exam.

For an open book exam you may bring written or printed material to refer to in the exam. 

Examples of permitted materials include:

• physical textbooks

• articles, excerpts, reports

• flash-cards 

• your own written notes 

• printed pdf of textbooks 

All materials must fit on your desk and be in full view of your exam supervisor/s. 

Once you have finished using any of these materials, these may be placed under your desk, but you cannot pick them up again until after the exam.

During all LPAB exams, you CANNOT refer to digital materials, or use any digital devices. Mobile phones must be turned off. All watches must be placed on the desk and no smart watches are allowed.

Students should always refer to the Exam Cover Pages page on the LPAB website for specific information about the format of each exam and whether any permitted material is allowed.

For closed book exams you may only have the materials provided by the exam supervisors on your desk or any permitted material as specified in the examination coversheet. This will include:

• The exam question paper (sometimes with additional reference material
• The exam answer paper
• Permitted material as specified in the examination coversheet (this material will be checked by the exam supervisor to ensure it is correct). 

 Students should always refer to the Exam Cover Pages page on the LPAB website for specific information about the format of each exam and whether any permitted material is allowed.

Here is an example of the information given on the Cover Page, of a closed book exam:

“Permitted Materials: This is a CLOSED book examination. Any printed material such as textbooks, written notes on paper, blank paper or notepads are NOT permitted.” 

During all LPAB exams, you CANNOT refer to digital materials or use any digital devices. Mobile phones must be turned off. All watches must be placed on the desk and no smart watches are allowed.

To request a change in your exam mode or venue, log in to your STEMS account, go to your Home Page, click Miscellaneous, and choose Examination Venue Change from the drop-down menu and follow the prompts.

Please note there will be a final deadline for mode and venue changes each semester. 

You will be eligible to sit for an exam if: 

• You have both enrolled in a subject through STEMS ; and

• satisfactorily completed any task prescribed in the LEC’s teaching program. This usually means completion of the compulsory assignments.

The LEC will notify any enrolled student prior to the examination, if they have not completed the requirements of the course to the satisfaction of the LEC. 
 
Eligibility to sit the examination is displayed in the STEMS student portal under ‘examinations’.

If you are not eligible to sit for an examination, this will not be as a fail. You will receive a Did Not Sit grade (DNS) and the subject will not be included on your academic transcript.

The Legal Profession Admission Board is committed to implementing reasonable adjustments during examinations to accommodate Students at Law with special circumstances to ensure they can achieve their full potential in the Diploma in Law course. 

A student may apply for special examination arrangements on the grounds of a disability or a medical condition or caring responsibilities.      

Please refer to the Special Examination Arrangements Policy on the LPAB website for information on the criteria to apply.

For known conditions please submit upon enrolment. or other circumstances unknown at enrolment, please submit a request no later than 6 weeks before the exam start date. 

To make a Special Arrangement request, select the 'Miscellaneous' button on the 'Welcome' page in STEMS. Then select 'Special Arrangement Request' in the drop-down menu.

You cannot make an application to have your circumstances considered or mark reviewed after the examination has taken place. 

If you have a digital medical device that you need on your person during the examination, you must submit a Special Exam Arrangement application via STEMS. 

To make a Special Arrangement request, select the 'Miscellaneous' button on the 'Welcome' page in STEMS. Then select 'Special Arrangement Request' in the drop-down menu.

If you are unwell for your exams, you have two options:

• sit your exams as scheduled, noting that there are no marking considerations made for illness or
• not sit one or both of your exams, in which case you would be recorded as ‘Did Not Sit’ for each exam you do not sit, and you would therefore need to pay to re-enrol in the relevant subject(s) and sit the relevant exam(s) in a future semester. This will not be reflected on your official transcript.

Students will have to make the best decision based on their circumstances. Sickness will not be considered as a mitigating factor for marking. 

Deferred exams can be granted in exceptional circumstances which have had a recent, direct and catastrophic impact on the candidate in question. These are detailed in our Deferred Examination Policy on the LPAB website.

Minor medical conditions are specifically excluded and an application must be made BEFORE the scheduled start time of the relevant examination.  

Medical evidence which merely states ‘unfit for work/study’ are not accepted. 

The bar is necessarily set at a high level, and grants of a deferred exam are rare.

If you believe you may be eligible to be granted a deferred exam due to exceptional circumstances please email [email protected] with your request and supporting documents. 

All students are required to abide by the Examination Rules. 

Candidates are responsible for confirming whether their examination is open book or closed book.

This information will be published on the LPAB website and will be specified on the examination paper coversheet:

• Open book: students may bring in hardcopy written reference material, all material you bring must fit on your exam desk 
• Closed book: Only materials specifically permitted by the examiner (as stated on the coversheet) are allowed.

For all examinations, whether open or closed book students are permitted to bring:

• stationary – pens, pencils, highlighters and an eraser.
•  a bottle of water – must be in a clear container, with all labels removed, no metal containers permitted
•  analogue or digital watch (not smart watch) – all watches must be placed visibly on your desk for the duration of the exam and may be inspected by the supervisor at any time 

There is no strict limit on the amount of material you may bring; however, everything must fit on your desk.

During the examination, you may place items you no longer need under your desk. Once an item has been placed on the floor, it cannot be retrieved under any circumstances.

We recommend bringing only the essential materials required for the exam.

• A physical copy of your passport (Australian or international) 
• An Australian driver’s licence (physical and digital live versions are accepted) 
• An Australian proof of age card (physical and digital live versions accepted). 

Not Accepted: 

• Screenshots and photocopies of identification documents 
• Accepted forms of identification that have expired or are damaged
• International licences and national identity cards
•  Student cards 

If you are concerned you do not have adequate acceptable identification, please email the LPAB Student Services Team at [email protected] prior to the examination period starting.  

Please arrive at least 40 minutes before your exam start time. This is especially important if you’re sitting your exam at the Sydney CBD venue, due to the volume of students attending. 

If a candidate arrives late but within the first hour, they will be allowed entry; however, no extra time will be granted.