What to Do When You Have Two Exams on the Same Day

If you have two exams on the same day, separate two different problems:

1. Is this an official scheduling conflict your institution will resolve?
2. If both exams remain scheduled, how will you prepare and manage the day?

Do not assume that every same-day pair qualifies for an alternate sitting. Policies differ by institution, faculty, course, exam type, timing, and the number of exams within a defined period.

Step 1: verify the official schedule

Confirm:

• date;
• start and end time;
• location or online window;
• course section;
• whether the assessment is centrally scheduled or instructor-run;
• time zone for online exams.

Use the current official exam timetable or course source. A personal calendar is not the final authority.

Step 2: read the current conflict policy

Search your institution's official website for terms such as:

• exam conflict;
• exam hardship;
• multiple exams;
• alternate exam;
• deferred exam;
• three exams in 24 hours.

Look for:

• what qualifies;
• required form or contact;
• evidence needed;
• deadline to report;
• which exam may move;
• whether the policy covers same-day but non-overlapping exams.

Do not rely on another university's rule.

Step 3: contact the correct office early

Depending on the institution, this may be:

• registrar or exams office;
• faculty advising;
• department;
• instructor;
• accessibility office where an approved accommodation applies.

Keep the message factual:

I am registered in COURSE A and COURSE B. The current official timetable lists the exams at [times] on [date]. Could you confirm whether this meets the institution's conflict or hardship rule and what action I must take?

Do not promise yourself an alternate exam before it is approved.

If both exams remain on the same day

Build the day around logistics and preparation.

Confirm the transition

• Can you physically travel between locations?
• Is there a meal break?
• Are materials allowed?
• Does an online exam require a specific environment?
• Will one exam end late?
• What should be packed the night before?

Avoid last-minute subject switching

Finish major learning before exam day. Use the final gap for:

• concise retrieval prompts;
• formulas or themes;
• logistics;
• food and water;
• settling into the next location.

Trying to learn an entire second course between exams is rarely a credible plan.

Divide preparation before the day

Example:

• Biology exam: Tuesday 9:00 a.m.
• Economics exam: Tuesday 2:00 p.m.
• Preparation window: previous Wednesday through Monday.

A practical plan might give both courses repeated encounters, then place the final Biology check Sunday/Monday and the final Economics check Monday afternoon.

Use How to Divide Study Time Between Multiple Exams for the full allocation method.

When exams overlap in time

If the scheduled times overlap, treat it as an official issue immediately.

Do not:

• choose one silently;
• assume an instructor will notice;
• submit a request after the institutional deadline;
• rely only on a friend or forum explanation.

Preserve screenshots or official timetable details if the process requires them.

When an exam and assignment collide

A due assignment plus an exam is not always an official exam conflict. It is still a workload conflict.

Review:

• submission time;
• late policy;
• whether early submission is possible;
• remaining work;
• exam preparation;
• current communication options.

Move the assignment earlier if possible. If it cannot fit, seek guidance before the deadline.

A same-day exam checklist

• [ ] Official times and locations verified
• [ ] Current institutional policy read
• [ ] Reporting deadline checked
• [ ] Correct office or instructor contacted
• [ ] No alternate sitting assumed without confirmation
• [ ] Travel and break plan created
• [ ] Both exams receive preparation before exam day
• [ ] Final review materials kept brief
• [ ] Other coursework remains visible

The official policy determines whether the timetable changes. Your personal plan determines how prepared and logistically ready you are if it does not.