Virtual Exam Proctoring
To continue to maintain the integrity and value of your credentials, The Institutes Designations CPCU exams will require virtual proctoring starting January 15 with all non-CPCU exams at a later date.
What You Need to Know
Why Virtual Exam Proctoring
Virtual exam proctoring reinforces the value and integrity of your hard-earned designation, while also ensuring fairness in the exam process.
Why Virtual Exam Proctoring
The Institutes Designations are implementing virtual exam proctoring in order to:
- Maintain the integrity of the designations and credentials students work so hard to earn.
- Ensure fairness across the exam experience and for all Institutes exam takers.
- Adhere to standards and practices common across professional education organizations.
- Continue to uphold the reputation, credibility and highly respected standards of The Institutes Designations, which have served risk management and insurance professionals for over 110 years.
How Virtual Proctoring Works
Taking your exam with virtual proctoring provides you with the same flexibility of testing anywhere, anytime, now with added security.
How Virtual Proctoring Works
With virtual exam proctoring, students continue to enjoy the flexibility of completing their exams anywhere, anytime, with the added benefits of protecting their achievements through added security. Here is what you can expect when launching an exam:
- Starting with CPCU exams on January 15 and non-CPCU exams at a later date, your exam session will be recorded and reviewed to ensure compliance with exam rules.
- No exams will be monitored live.
- After opening your exam and completing the affidavit, you will be asked to consent to the recording before starting the exam.
- All recordings are performed by Talview our established, remote proctoring partner, and handled in compliance with industry data and security standards, such as GDPR.
What You Need on Exam Day
Find out what device and hardware requirements are needed to ensure that you have a seamless experience when ready to test.
What You Need on Exam Day
Here is a checklist of items that you will need to ensure you are ready for exam day:
- Laptop or desktop computer; the exam experience will not launch on mobile or tablet devices.
- Web Camera and microphone
- Required operating system:
- Windows 10 or Windows 11
- Mac OS (the most recent 2 releases)
- One of the following, supported web browsers:
- Latest version of Chrome (or latest version - 3)
- Latest version of Microsoft Edge (or latest version - 3)
- Mozilla Firefox latest to (or latest version - 3)
- Please note that Safari is not a supported web browser
We recommend that you use this link to test your camera and microphone at least 48 hours prior to when you plan to take the exam.
See How Virtual Proctoring Works
Wondering what the virtual proctoring process is like? This short demo video walks you through the experience. See how easy, reliable, and secure the process is, so you can approach your exam with confidence.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
General
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Why are The Institutes implementing virtual exam proctoring?
Virtual proctoring is a standard practice used by leading organizations in professional education. The Institutes are adopting virtual proctoring to maintain the integrity, value, and credibility of the designations you work hard to achieve and to ensure fairness for all students.
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How does virtual proctoring work?
Virtual exam proctoring involves recording and reviewing your exam session. Exams are not monitored live, and are instead recorded by our partner, Talview, in compliance with strict data privacy and security standards. They are then reviewed by a member of The Institutes’ Assessments team.
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How does this benefit me?
Virtual exam proctoring ensures designations are earned fairly, enhances the credibility of accomplishments, and provides continued flexibility for students to complete exams remotely without compromising security or fairness.
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Which exams currently have virtual exam proctoring?
Virtual exam proctoring begins January 15 for CPCU 500, CPCU 520, CPCU 530, CPCU 540, CPCU 550, CPCU 551, CPCU 552, CPCU 555, and CPCU 556.
ARM courses that count towards the ARM path to CPCU will transition to virtual proctoring at a later date.
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Will this change affect the timing or flexibility of taking my exam?
No, virtual exam proctoring maintains the same flexibility as before. You can take your exam remotely, any time during one of our four testing windows. The exam timer will not start until the first question appears on your screen.
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Why is virtual exam proctoring happening now?
Virtual exam proctoring is being implemented to align with best practices across leading professional organizations and to further protect the value and credibility of what you’ve worked hard to achieve.
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Will virtual proctoring increase exam difficulty?
No, the content and structure of the exams remain unchanged. Virtual exam proctoring is focused solely on ensuring compliance with exam rules and fairness for all participants.
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What should I do to prepare for a smooth exam experience?
We recommend using this link to test your equipment at least 48 hours before your exam, reviewing all FAQ questions to make sure you meet the exam proctoring guidelines, as well as ensuring your testing environment is quiet, well-lit, and free from interruptions.
Technical Requirements
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What equipment or technology do I need to take my exam?
You will need:
- A laptop or desktop computer (mobile and tablet devices are not supported)
- A web camera and microphone
- Required operating system—Windows 10 or 11, or the latest two releases of MacOS
- A supported browser—latest versions of Chrome, Edge, or Firefox
We recommend testing your equipment at least 48 hours before your exam. If you are a MacOS user and unsure if your settings are enabled correctly, go here for steps on how to enable screensharing.
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My company’s firewall is blocking my exam. What should I do?
If your company’s firewall is blocking your exam from launching, please try to launch your exam from a personal laptop or desktop.
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What happens if I experience technical issues during my exam?
If you encounter technical problems during your exam, The Institutes’ Customer Success team is available to assist Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. EST. We also recommend testing your setup well in advance to minimize potential issues.
Privacy and Security
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Will my data and privacy be protected during the virtual proctoring process?
Yes. All recordings are handled by Talview in compliance with international data protection standards, including GDPR. You can learn more about Talview’s data security here.
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What data is captured during the exam?
Your face and your screen will be included in the recording. The information captured from the exam is stored in a separate database and follows the Talview privacy policy, which adheres to all GDPR and state regulations. You will not be asked to show your ID and your name, email address, address, company, and billing information is not shared with Talview.
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What if I don’t want to be recorded during my exam?
Virtual exam proctoring is a requirement to maintain exam integrity, and you cannot opt out of being recorded.
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How do I know when I start being recorded?
You will be asked to consent to the recording prior to starting your exam and you must share your whole screen when prompted. If you select to share only one browser tab, you will be unable to launch your exam. Once you launch your exam, the recording will start and will end when you exit your browser or click to end the exam.
Exam Rules and Accommodations
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What should I do if I need special exam accommodations?
Special accommodations will still be provided and the process to request accommodations remains the same. Please review the general exam FAQ for details on how to request accommodations.
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Can I speak out loud or read questions aloud during the exam?
Yes, you can speak out loud or read questions during the exam to help you better understand or process a question.
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Can I use a calculator on my exam?
You may use a basic calculator or a business/financial calculator as long as it is not programmable, does not have alphabetic keys, and is not capable of storing words. You may not use the calculator on your phone or computer.
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Can I use scratch paper during the exam?
Yes, you can use scratch paper to write down notes or math problems during the exam. In accordance with the affidavit that you sign prior to starting your exam, you are prohibited from using study notes, course materials, websites, phones, and AI tools during your exam. You can view the full affidavit here.
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Will I automatically fail if I’m flagged?
You will be able to complete your exam and will receive your grade immediately after completion, just as you do now. If abnormalities are detected, just as was done prior to virtual proctoring, a member of The Institutes Assessments team will review the recording and will reach out directly to you if further information is needed. AI is not making any decisions about the recordings.
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Is AI being used for proctoring?
You will be able to complete your exam and will receive your grade immediately after completion, just as you do now. If abnormalities are detected, just as was done prior to virtual proctoring, a member of The Institutes Assessments team will review the recording and will reach out directly to you if further information is needed. AI is not making any decisions about the recordings.
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What if I have multiple screens or monitors?
If you have multiple monitors, you’ll need to select and use only one for the exam recording. This monitor must have a webcam and be the one where you’ll take the exam, and you should not have any other browser open during the exam.
State CE
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Do I need to use virtual proctoring if I’m taking an exam for state Continuing Education (CE) that requires live proctoring?
Yes, virtual exam proctoring is still required, even if live proctoring is required for state CE.
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What if my state requires a live proctor to file my exam for CE credit?
A live proctor will still be required for exams that are submitted for state CE credit in addition to the virtual proctoring.
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What if I forgot to request state CE for my exam, or my organization forgot to select CE for me?
Please email our Customer Success team at CustomerSuccess@TheInstitutes.org or call (800) 644-2101 to discuss.
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Will the virtual exam proctoring check my ID in order to take the exam?
Your live proctor will check your ID if your state requires in-person proctoring but the virtual proctoring option will not.