In order to sit for a DEDP MicroMasters course's Proctored Exam, in order to earn the MicroMasters Course Certificate for that course, All of the following must be true:
- You must have an MITx Online account linked to your MicroMasters Portal account
- You must be eligible to sit for that course's Proctored Exam
- The course must have been offered in the semester you plan to sit for the Proctored Exam
Am I Eligible to Sit For a DEDP Proctored Exam?
You will be eligible to sit for a DEDP course's Proctored Exam at the end of a DEDP semester only if:
- You have completed the corresponding online course with a passing score (in that semester or in a previous semester)
- You submitted payment of the course fee before that semester's Payment Deadline
- You have at least one Proctored Exam attempt for the course remaining
- The online course—and therefore its Proctored Exam—is offered in that semester
Please note: If you do not submit payment of the course fee for a course before the Payment Deadline of the semester in which you plan to sit for the Proctored Exam, then you will not be eligible to sit for that course's Proctored Exam at the end of that semester. You will be required to wait until the next time the Proctored Exam is available for the course.
If you are unsure of how many Proctored Exam attempts you have remaining, please reach out to DEDP MicroMasters Support for more information at dedp-micromasters-support@mit.edu.
How Do I Sit For the Proctored Exam This Semester?
If you are eligible to sit for one or more DEDP Proctored Exams, they are available this semester, and you wish to take them this semester, then you will need to complete all of the following steps:
- Enroll in the Proctored Exam course (for each course you wish to sit for)
- Complete the Onboarding Exam, including ID Verification
- Sit for the Proctored Exam during the availability window
Please note: the Onboarding Exam process need only be completed once—it will apply to multiple Proctored Exam courses. If you have completed this process in a previous semester, it may still be valid. However, if you previously completed Onboarding prior to Fall 2021, on the edX platform, then you must complete Onboarding again.
The Proctored Exam courseware will show you your Onboarding status on the home page, in the upper-right.
Please Note: Dates and times are listed in UTC. Please be sure to convert all deadlines to your local time zone to avoid confusion!
Important Proctored Exam Dates
For detailed information about the important dates and deadlines for upcoming DEDP semesters, please refer to the DEDP MicroMasters Upcoming Dates page.
You will find the important dates listed like this:
- Proctored Exam Registration Period corresponds to the open and close dates for Proctored Exam Registration (enrollment)
- Onboarding Exam Period corresponds to the timeframe during which Onboarding can be completed
- Proctored Exam Period corresponds to the timeframe during which the exam will be available for learners to complete and submit
How to Register (Enroll) for a Proctored Exam, Complete Onboarding, and Sit For the Exam
1. Enroll in the Proctored Exam course:
The Proctored Exam Enrollment Period typically opens no more than a few days after the online course ends.
Once Registration (Enrollment) for Proctored Exams opens, enroll in the Proctored Exam course for your DEDP course. If you are eligible to enroll, a link will appear on your MicroMasters Dashboard next to each eligible course which will read something like “You are authorized to take the virtual proctored exam for this course.” (example image included below). Please note that DEDP Learners have two different dashboards! For more information, please refer to this FAQ article.
Please Beware: clicking this registration link will enroll you in this semester's Proctored Exam course session and will expend one of your proctored exam attempts. Please be certain that you want to take the proctored exam during this semester's testing period before clicking the button.
3. Complete the Onboarding Exam process:
The Onboarding Exam is available as soon as Proctored Exam registration opens, and remains available until the Proctored Exam testing period beings—about two weeks.
The Onboarding Exam is not a test! The Onboarding Exam is a short preparation process that will guide you through the necessary steps to set up your computer for the Proctored Exam. You must complete the Onboarding Exam at least five days before you plan to take your Proctored Exam.
The Onboarding Exam will help you ensure that your computer system is compatible with the online proctoring system. The Onboarding Exam will also walk you through completing ID Verification. The Onboarding Exam does not count as part of your proctored exam grade.
If you completed the Onboarding Exam in the past and your onboarding is still valid, you will see a notification on the right side of the Proctored Exam course page that says "Onboarding was approved in another course" or similar. In this case, you may not need to repeat the onboarding process, though we strongly recommend you re-complete onboarding if you have updated or changed your computer or network in any way.
The best way to avoid technical issues during the exam is to complete onboarding with the exact setup you will use for the exam. Please also be aware that previous onboarding approval is valid for a finite period of time. Please be sure that your onboarding approval will not expire before you take the exam.
For a complete description of how to complete the Onboarding Exam, including screenshots, please refer to this FAQ article.
4. Take the Proctored Exam:
The exam becomes available approximately two weeks after Proctored Exam registration opens, and exams are available to complete for one week.
During the Proctored Exam testing period, you will be able to take your exam at any time. You will not need to schedule a specific time or date to complete the exam.
You will have 75 minutes in which to complete your proctored exam. Once you open (begin) an exam, you will not be able to stop the timer and come back to it. All exams will be automatically closed and submitted at the end of the Proctored Exam testing period, at 15:00 UTC on the last day of availability. Please ensure you begin the exam at least 75 minutes before the exam deadline or you will not have the full time to complete it!
Please be sure to fully and carefully read through all of the Proctored Exam's courseware. The courseware contains critical information about requirements and prohibitions for the Proctored Exam!
For more information, please refer to the DEDP MicroMasters site's Proctored Exams page or our helpful About Proctored Exams FAQ Section. The most current dates and times for upcoming DEDP events and deadlines are available on the Upcoming Dates page.