End of Year Exams: The Ultimate Student Survival Guide
You might feel a mix of emotions at the end of the academic year. Excitement for the long summer ahead, relief at getting through another year at university, and most likely – the looming pressure of end-of-year exams. If you’re feeling all these emotions (and more!), keep reading.
Our ultimate student survival guide will equip you with everything you need to get through this final exam period, including how to revise for university exams and the best revision techniques to ace your test the first time. And if you don’t – we’ve also got information on how to resit your university exams.
When Are University Exams In The UK?
University exam dates in the UK vary depending on your course and where you are studying. For example, this year, the end-of-year exams at the University of Manchester take place from 12 May to 4 June, while at the University of Reading, they take place from 26 May to 13 June.
The easiest way to find out the date of your end-of-year exams is to:
- Look at your university website or student portal
- Check the outline of your course
- Ask your tutor or lecturer
- Contact your university student advice centre
International students studying in the International Foundation Programme (IFP) might also have a different final exam timetable.
Can You Resit University Exams?
If you fail one of your end-of-year exams at university, you will likely be able to resit it. Most universities will let you take the exam again in a separate resit period from mid-August to mid-September, during the summer break between academic years.
You can find out the resit period for a specific university by looking online. Note, if you go home for summer, you may have to come back to resit your exam! If you’ve failed one of your assessments, your school or department will usually contact you to let you know. They will help you organise your resit and tell you the date and time of the exam.
Key things to know about end-of-year resits:
- You may have to pay a fee to resit your exam. You will be told about any fees when the department tells you the details of your resit.
- University resits are typically capped at the pass mark of 40 – even if you get a higher mark. However, there are certain exceptions. Always check with your department to find out the process for your specific exam.
- If a module is compulsory, you will need to pass it to progress with your degree. If it’s elective, it might be possible to pass the year if you’ve got enough credits overall. You can speak to your tutor for more information.
- The number of times you can resit your exam depends on your university. Some universities allow you to resit an exam up to three times, while others will only let you resit an exam once. Everything depends on your particular university, degree and chosen modules.
How To Study For University Exams
The following tips make revising for your end-of-year exams a little easier – great if you’ve been procrastinating so far! Use this advice to knuckle down on your studying, so you can start looking forward to big celebrations at the end.
Remove distractions
Getting rid of all distractions is one of the most important parts of good revision practice. Yes, this means putting your phone away! If you study best in complete silence, go to the quiet floor in the library to revise. If you need background music to get into the groove, play it through your laptop instead of your mobile.
Have a separate study space
Setting up a separate space to study can help you stay on top of your work and focus better. If you can, avoid studying in your bedroom or a place with distractions. Make sure you have:
- Enough light
- A comfortable chair
- Space to spread out your notes
- Plug sockets
Simulate exam conditions
No matter how many times you practice past papers (more on this later!), nothing will prepare you better for an end-of-year exam than revising in exam conditions. Not only is this great for working out how long you will likely spend on each question, but it can reduce exam anxiety. Find a quiet room, set a timer and follow the real exam format as best you can.
Take advantage of technology
No, we don’t mean ChatGPT! Instead, there are plenty of apps and tools that can enhance your revision process. For example, Quizlet for making flashcards, Notion for organising lecture notes, and Forest App to avoid distractions. Speaking of distractions, make sure to turn off notifications if you’re using these apps.
Make the most of office hours
Office hours are some of the most useful (yet the most underutilised!) ways to study for exams. If there is anything on the syllabus that needs explaining further, your professors are there to help. You can also ask if there’s a certain concept that often trips students up in the exam. Knowing this, you can alter your revision plan to cover it.
Take regular breaks
Whether you’re studying with the Pomodoro Technique (25 minutes of study, followed by a 5-minute break, then a longer break after four cycles) or are following an alternative revision schedule, regular breaks are essential for resetting the mind. Use these breaks to stretch, hydrate, take a walk, meet a friend or even practice a hobby.
Fuel your brain – and your body
What you eat can impact your energy levels. Try and stay away from junk food and instead fuel your body with foods proven to boost brainpower, like:
- Salmon and omega-3 rich foods
- Berries
- Whole grains
- Lots and lots of water!
Physical exercise can also improve your cognitive function and mental health, with regular exercise releasing endorphins that help to reduce stress. Try and plan your revision schedule around these opportunities to exercise. For example, incorporating a 20-minute brisk walk at lunchtime or hitting the pool after a longer revision session in the day.
Don’t neglect your mental health
Nonstop studying can lead to burnout, especially when mixed with high stress levels. Make sure to also prioritise your mental health during this period, and reach out for support if you’re feeling overwhelmed. You can contact your student support services, GP, university counsellor or even open up to your personal tutor. Apps like Calm or Headspace can also be used to practice mindfulness or meditation to stay centred.
Best Revision Techniques For Students
Perhaps your revision technique for the January exams produced great results, or you’re looking for a new way to study for this next set of assessments. Whatever your situation, these student revision techniques will help you go into your end-of-year exam the most prepared you can be.
Active learning techniques
Actively engaging with your notes rather than just reading them over and over will increase knowledge retention. These techniques will help you not just write down what you’ve learned but allow you to apply your knowledge to the question at hand.
- Mind mapping to draw visual connections between ideas and organise topics more effectively.
- Flashcards to strengthen your memory and revise on the go.
- Teach someone else to clarify your understanding of the syllabus.
Create a quiz
While past papers are perfect for applying knowledge in the way the examiners are looking for, a quiz can help you consolidate your knowledge of key facts. To write your quiz, focus on which topics you spent the most time on in lectures and what you would put in the quiz if you were a lecturer.
Go through your study guide
Textbooks and study guides are essential revision tools for end-of-year exams. If you have one for your course, go through it line by line and try summarising each topic in a sentence. If you can’t, make a note to go over it soon. Most textbooks also come with their own practice tests and quick recaps at the beginning of chapters – both of these can aid your revision.
Where To Find Past Papers For UK Exams
Completing past papers is one of the best ways to revise for university exams, especially when you do them in exam conditions. To find past papers for your university course, ask your lecturer or search online. The latter is great for filtering papers by subject, qualification level and exam series.
Links to past papers:
Good luck, we know you can smash these exams!
