Proctored/Correspondence Exams

Registration Procedure

Proctored/correspondence exams are for people taking courses at other colleges or universities who need to complete some testing or for people who are completing professional certifications required by their employer.

1. Email NIU Testing Services at testing@niu.edu to request approval to take a proctored exam. Include in your email:
   • The format of the exam (paper/pencil or web based)
   • The institution or company requiring the exam
   • The length of time of the exam
   • An approximate time frame when the exam needs to be taken
   • Your contact information
2. Wait to receive your approval email before registering and paying for your exam.
3. Once approval to take the exam has been granted by the NIU Testing Department, register online for an appointment. Payment is required.
   
   • The sponsoring school will indicate the time allowed for the exam. You must register for the correct amount of time for the proctored/correspondence exam that the sponsoring school indicates, not how long you think it will take you to finish the exam.
4. Contact your institution to have your test sent to Northern Illinois University and complete any required documentation. The test can be emailed to testing@niu.edu or mailed to:
   Test Specialist
   Northern Illinois University
   Testing Services, Campus Life Building 120
   DeKalb, IL 60115
   815-753-1203
   The sponsoring school, company or agency is responsible for providing the postage for returning the completed examination. If the school does not provide the postage, the cost becomes the responsibility of the student, and this postage must be presented to us on your test day before we will test you. Computer based correspondence tests do not require a postage paid envelope.
5. When your test arrives, we will contact you to schedule your appointment date and time (no appointment date or time will be scheduled without receipt of the exam or payment).

NIU, Sponsoring School and Student Responsibilities

Although every effort will be made to accommodate all requests, the actual scheduling of the examination will be made solely by the Testing Services office based on space availability upon receipt of the test. We do not test on nights or weekends.

We do not allow walk-ins to our testing center. We will not store any exam in our files after the exam has been administered. Questions and suggestions may be directed to testing@niu.edu.