ProctorU — FAQ

Questions related to privacy concerns are addressed in this section of the FAQ.

There is no service fee for the proctoring service. However, if you schedule your exam less than 72 hours before it starts, you will be charged a premium (late) fee: $5 for scheduling between 24 and 72 hours before the exam, and $8 for scheduling within 24 hours of the exam. You can avoid this by scheduling your exam more than 72 hours before its start time.

Yes, you need to create an account before you can schedule your exam(s) on ProctorU. To set up an account, visit proctoru.com, Click Take an exam > New user? Sign up here > Test Taker > Create an Account > Confirm account [email link] > Schedule New Session).

Make sure all information you have entered is correct and use your UCSC email address, not your personal one. Click the ‘Submit’ button and then read and agree to the terms and conditions.

If you are a student with a disability who is registered with the Disability Resource Center (DRC), be sure your instructor has your Academic Access Letter and is aware of all your testing accommodations. ProctorU will be notified of your exam accommodations only (e.g., “time and a half”, or “allowed to take short breaks”), and not the reason for your accommodation (no medical information is shared with ProctorU). There is no violation of privacy.

See DRC Accommodations FAQs. Learn more about DRC’s academic accommodations, policies, and processes. Make an appointment with a DRC adviser.

As this information can change, it is best to check ProctorU’s Equipment Requirements page.

Test the functionality of your equipment using this test site several days prior to taking an exam.

In order to run ProctorU, you will need to download a ProctorU extension for your browser. (While it doesn't interact with your computer in any way when you are not taking an exam, you can choose to disable or delete it after every exam.)

You should have two forms of photo ID, one of which should be a government-issued ID. If you don’t have this, let your instructor know immediately. You will not be prevented from taking the exam, but your instructor needs to know this information beforehand. You do not need to disclose your immigration status or other reasons for asking to be exempt from this requirement to your instructor.

If your preferred name in Canvas doesn't match the name on your government-issued ID, let your instructor know immediately. You will not be prevented from taking the exam, but your instructor needs to know this information beforehand. You do not need to disclose the specific reasons for the discrepancy between your Canvas name and the name in your documents to your instructor.

Visit go.proctoru.com and log in using your ProctorU user ID and password. Click ‘Schedule New Session’ and select University of California, Santa Cruz for institution; [current quarter] for term, and then your course and exam (e.g. MATH 101B Midterm Spring 2020) from the exam dropdown list, and click ‘Find Sessions’.

Choose a date from the calendar and a time from the dropdown menu. Select a time and click ‘Schedule’ to confirm your reservation. To complete scheduling, click ‘Process Order’ in the “cart”. Note that if you are scheduling your exam more than 72 hours prior to the test, there will be no cost to you. However, you will be responsible for paying any convenience fees for scheduling less than 72 hours prior to the exam.

Your instructor will let you know once the exam is active and ready for scheduling. There are usually different time slots available to take the exam, and you may choose one that works best for you. If you can’t see any times available, adjust the clock on the page to another time.

That being said, if you schedule too close to the day of the exam, you may not be granted a spot. To avoid this, and to have more times to choose from, schedule your exam ASAP.

At the date and time of your appointment, return to go.proctoru.com, log in, and a message reading “You have an exam. Click here to begin.” will appear. Click on this button and it will automatically take you to the proctor page. Fill out your personal information and hit ‘Submit’. You will then be directed to a screen which will connect you to your proctor. Just follow the steps on the screen and a proctor will be connected with you shortly. You may have to wait a bit. That is expected at this time.

Before Logging In To Take Your Exam:

1. Have your ID document ready and be located in a private, well-lit room with no one else around you.

2. Clear your workspace from all materials except those allowed by your instructor.

3. Close all third-party programs and unplug any secondary monitors.

4. Remove any non-religious head coverings.

5. Make sure you’ve downloaded the ProctorU extension for either Chrome or Firefox.

Exam Launch

This process will likely take between 8 to 10 minutes unless you experience technical difficulties (be sure to test your equipment before test day to minimize the chance you’ll have technical issues), in which case we can assist you with fixing your equipment. This time is not subtracted from the time you’re allowed in your exam.

1. Log in to your ProctorU account 2-3 minutes before your scheduled appointment and click Start Session when the countdown timer reaches 0:00:00.

2. Pre-checks: If you don’t already have the ProctorU extension, you’ll be prompted to download it. You’ll be required to accept exam guidelines and terms of service. The browser will prompt you to share your screen, a required part of being proctored online. You’ll be automatically guided through a series of equipment checks to make sure your system meets minimum requirements.

3. Photos & Authentication: You’ll take a photo of yourself as well as your I.D. for identity verification purposes. Depending on the level of verification required by your institution, you may be asked to answer a series of randomly generated, public record challenge questions. You may also be required to type out a paragraph of text that will be checked against a pre-existing typing test that you would have been asked to complete prior to exam day. Both of these are optional measures selected by your instructor or institution.

4. Chatbox download: You will be prompted to download and run a LogMeIn Rescue applet file that will bring up a chat box allowing you to text with your proctor. If prompted, be sure to click “open” or “allow” to give the file permission to run. When the chat box says “waiting,” it means that you are in the queue waiting for your proctor. TIP: If your status shows “waiting,” do not re-download the applet file as that will put you back at the end of the queue.

5. Proctor Connection & Confirmations: Your proctor will greet you and confirm that you passed your identity verification steps. You’ll review the exam rules with your proctor and they’ll ask to see any permitted resources that your instructor has allowed you to use during your exam.

6. Remote System Check: Your proctor will ask to take remote control of your mouse and keyboard via the LogMeIn Rescue applet in order to make sure no unpermitted programs are running. You will be able to see everything that your proctor is doing during this step, and it is impossible for them to access any files without your knowledge.

7. Camera Pan: Your proctor will ask you to show the 4 walls of your room as well as your desk space via your webcam. You may or may not also be asked to show your computer monitor. Your proctor will make sure your cell phone is out of reach.

8. Navigating to the Exam & Password Entry: Your proctor will then direct you into your LMS or exam delivery system so that he or she can unlock your exam with the password we’ve been provided by your instructor.

9. Take Your Exam: Your proctor will release control of your computer and you’ll begin your exam when you’re ready.

NOTE: Your webcam view and your screen will be recorded through the duration of your exam.

Steps to take when you’ve completed your exam:

1. Alert the proctor when finished BEFORE submitting: Prior to submitting your exam, let your proctor know through the chat box that you’re finished. They will oversee the submission process. You may also be required to clear a white board or tear up any scratch paper that was used during the exam.

2. Review results: If your exam results are made available immediately, you may review them for as long as you’d like.

3. Log out of your exam site and browser: After reviewing your results, your proctor must observe you log out of the exam website and close out of all browser tabs.

4. Close out of ProctorU chat box: This will end your session with ProctorU. Once the chat box closes, you’ll be invited to complete a customer satisfaction survey.

5. Done.

No, the timer for your exam does not start until the exam itself has been opened. The time spent showing your ID, verifying your identity and securing your testing space does not count toward your exam time. This starting process takes around 12 minutes. There may also be an additional wait time before you connect to the proctor. Make sure to account for this delay when scheduling your exam.

One of two things: either your time selection clock is set at a time when there are no exams (you can find the exam time in the ‘Exam’ box below the clock), or all exam slots have already been filled. Try a different time on the clock. If none result in scheduling options, contact your instructor. To prevent this from happening, do not wait to schedule your exams — schedule as soon as you can.

Cancel or reschedule the exam immediately. If the exam can’t be rescheduled because there are no more available spots, cancel it and inform your instructor, who may be able to provide you with an alternative exam time.

Whatever time zone you are currently in; that is — whatever time zone you entered in your account information. Make sure it is correct and it accurately represents where you will be taking the exam from.

Use the ‘Need Help? Chat Now!’ box on ProctorU’s website (go.proctoru.com) or call (855) 772-8678.

No, ProctorU cannot access your computer files without your knowledge. With permission from the test-taker, proctors have the ability to view the screen and move the mouse and keyboard as if they were sitting next to the test-taker. Once the test starts, the proctor will monitor everything but can no longer move the test-taker’s mouse and keyboard. During the entire process, an interface log, or chat box, is running on the test-taker's computer and they can see what permissions the proctor currently has at any time. Finally, the entire session log is saved and there is a permanent record of what actions the proctor took while accessing the test-taker's computer.

Your personal information is used only for the purpose of proctoring online exams. ProctorU does not sell your personal information to third parties. You can read ProctorU privacy policy and California privacy policy. In addition, ProctorU is a signatory to the UC Data Security Policy. Identity verification service providers used by ProctorU are bound by the same UC policy.

The picture of the photo ID you present before you take the exam is analyzed by the Amazon Rekognition platform. This service analyzes each picture in real time and flags if there are differences in the photos. If a difference is detected between the presented ID and your webcam image, a numeric percentage for likeness is generated and shared with UCSC. The percentage (which includes no other information) is deleted after seven days.

It is a real-time check and analysis, and none of this data is actually stored. ProctorU does not store any biometric faceprint data such as distance of the eyes, distance of the ears, etc.

For more details on third-party sharing, consult the detailed CCPA Privacy Policy of Meazure Learning, the parent company of ProctorU.

No*. UC Santa Cruz uses automated (AI-based) online proctoring with “live start”. What that means is that there will be a live proctor to greet you as you connect to the service, talk you through the exam-taking process, perform identity check and room inspection, and answer any questions that arise at this point. After you have started your exam, you are no longer monitored by a person, only software recording your screen (like many other lockdown browser services do) that also picks up on any potentially suspicious behaviors, flags them, and forwards to your instructor for review. None of this is disruptive to your test-taking process.

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*Exams in MATH 19A, 19B, 23A, and 23B have previously been proctored by live proctors who are monitoring several students taking exams at any given time. These courses are supported by the UC Office of the President and had a different proctoring model with ProctorU.