Assessment by Exam: Exams

Exam Format

Examinations are open-book and three hours in length. They may consist of a combination of multiple choice, true/false, short answer and case study questions, as decided.

Examinations are graded separately and, for the Diploma to be awarded, a passing mark of 60% must be achieved in each of the following examinations: Law of Trusts, Taxation of Trusts & Estates, and Wills, Trust & Estate Administration.

NOTE: The evaluation of the final course, Trust & Estate Planning, is based on two written assignments and a final exam. Each assignment is worth 20% of your mark and the final exam is worth 60% of your mark. You must score a minimum of 50% on the final exam. The guidelines and format for submission of the written assignments are found on the Student Resources section of the website for Trust & Estate Planning.

If the assignment due date falls on a weekend, the assignments are due on the following business day.

Exam Timing and Location

Exams are held twice per year, in May and November. You will be asked to choose your exam date upon course registration. Exams are taken online within the course e-classroom in the STEP Online Learning Centre. Exams are secured through remote-proctoring, which requires students to have camera and microphone capabilities on their computer. The general preparation time for each exam is 90 – 120 hours, it is recommended that you select an exam date that allows for sufficient preparation time. You may only complete one exam per session. If you have questions regarding the diploma exams, contact our Education Department at education@step.ca.

Exam Tips

For tips on preparing and writing a STEP Assessment by Exam exam, please click here.