This page tells you which calculators and computers are approved for use in UNSW exams and important rules for the use of calculators and computers in exams.

You can also find the eligibility criteria used to determine UNSW approved calculators.

Use of calculators and computers

Important rules for use in exams

Your exam timetable will specify if you have an on-campus Inspera invigilated exam - which requires you to bring your own laptop - and if you need a UNSW-approved calculator.

Students with an on-campus Inspera invigilated exam will need to bring a laptop and their smartphone to complete their exam.

  • If you are unable to bring your own device (BYOD), you should arrange to borrow a laptop from the Law or Main UNSW Libraries
  • Your smartphone will only be used as part of a routine login to exam systems that are enabled with SSO/MFA policy.

The use of approved electronic calculators or hand-held computers may be permitted in exams when indicated on the exam timetable. They must be hand-held, internally powered and silent.

Note: Where an electronic calculator is required, students must use a UNSW-approved calculator with a tamper-proof 'UNSW Approved' label.

UNSW-approved calculators are listed by brand below.

Rules for use:

  • All on-campus Inspera invigilated exams will be held online, and a computer and a calculator are not interchangeable. You must bring a laptop, and if advised, you may also bring a calculator. You will not be able to use your computer for calculations.
  • Computers are distinguished from electronic calculators by the existence of a full alphabetic keyboard.
  • A personal digital assistant (PDA) is not permitted in exams for which an electronic calculator has been specified.
  • When an electronic calculator is permitted in an exam, any programmable memory on it must be cleared prior to entering the exam room.
  • When a hand-held computer is permitted in an exam, students may not take a notebook, iPad, tablet or similar device into an exam room.
  • Where a calculator is required for any UNSW administered exam, students must use their own calculator.
  • UNSW does not provide replacement calculators where a student forgets to bring a calculator or where a student brings a non-approved calculator to an exam.
  • Where an electronic calculator (an 'approved' calculator) is required for an exam, students must use a calculator that has a (tamper-proof) 'UNSW Approved' label. If your calculator does not have an approval label, it will be confiscated for the duration of the exam.
  • Where a 'calculator: other' is required for an exam, the calculator does not require a (tamper-proof) 'UNSW Approved' label although an 'approved' calculator may be used.

Computers

Approved computers (Current as at 27/02/2024)
The following information pertains to centrally managed, on-campus invigilated exams on Inspera.  Students with an on-campus invigilated exam will need to bring a laptop and their smartphone to complete their exam. If you are unable to bring your own device (BYOD), you should arrange to borrow a laptop from either the Law or Main UNSW Libraries.

All on-campus Inspera invigilated exams will be held using Safe Exam Browser (SEB). You must bring a laptop that meets the system requirements for these two mandatory applications (Inspera and SEB).

You will not be able to do your exam on any form of iPad, tablet or notebook, regardless of the system requirements. 

image-20240227120351-1

    Note: Chrome OS does not support SEB.

    In preparation for your on-campus Inspera invigilated exam, we recommend you perform the following tasks prior to the exam:

    • Save the Inspera Assessment link to your browser.
    • Download SEB and have participated in a practice test. See here for more information: Inspera: On-Campus Invigilated Final & Supplementary Exams | UNSW Current Students
    • Check that your laptop is set to the uniwide network using your ZID.
    • Ensure that your device is fully charged.
    • Ensure that you are signed in with any SSO/MFA authentication.
    • Administrator permission is needed to install SEB on a computer. You cannot install it as a standard user. Administrator permission is also needed to restart, stop, and start the SEB service in case it is interrupted.
    • If you are unable to BYOD, you should arrange to borrow a laptop from someone you know or the Law or Main UNSW Libraries in preparation for your exam. Be sure to download and trial SEB on the borrowed laptop prior to your exam. 

    Power Adaptors

    • Also remember to pack your power cable and bring it to your exam.
    • Be sure to power your laptop to full charge before your exam. 
    • There may be limited access to power points. Do not expect to have access to power during your exam.

    Other Devices & Programs

    • Remove any USB-connected devices (including wired or wireless mice) from your laptop. No accessories are permitted under exam conditions for security purposes.
    • Close any programs running on your computer (even if they are running in the background). These can interfere with SEB and may disrupt your exam experience on the day. They will also drain your battery faster.
    • Log any other users out of your computer. If you use a Mac and have multiple Apple IDs or family sharing, ensure that everyone else is logged out of all applications when you close them and out of the computer. 
    • USB adaptors may be required in the event you need to download your answers due to lost connectivity. For Mac users, be sure to have a USB-C to USB-A adaptor so invigilators can save your file.  


    Approved calculators

    (Current as at 11/03/2024)

    Here is a list of UNSW approved calculators. If your examination timetable states that you require a UNSW approved calculator, you must obtain an approval sticker from The Nucleus: Student Hub.

    Brands A - B

    Abacus

    • SX-11 Matrix
    • SX-11 Matrix a
    • SX-11 Matrix n

    Aurora

    • SC600 131 Function Scientific

    Bazic

    • 10-Digit Scientific Calculator

    Biolang

    • Biolang 82MS

    Bosnum

    • BM-82MS

    Brilliant Basics

    • Scientific calculator 60250

     

    Brands C - C

    Caieion

    • Caieion FM-570MS

    Canon

    • F717SGA
    • F-718SA
    • F-718SGA
    • F720
    • F720i
    • F-604
    • LS-82Z
    • LS 100 TS
    • WS-1400H

    Casio

    • AX-12V
    • FC-200V
    • fx-82AU
    • fx-82AU PLUS
    • fx-82AU PLUS II
    • fx-82D
    • fx-82ES
    • fx-82ES PLUS
    • fx-82ES PLUS A
    • fx-82EX
    • fx-82L
    • fx-82LB
    • fx-82MS
    • fx-82 NASER
    • fx-82 PLUS
    • fx-82 SOLAR
    • fx-82SP X II
    • fx-82 SUPER
    • fx-82SX
    • fx-82TL
    • fx-82ZA PLUS
    • fx-83ES
    • fx-83ES PLUS
    • fx-83GT PLUS
    • fx-83GTX
    • fx-83MS
    • fx-83WA
    • fx-85ES
    • fx-85ES PLUS
    • fx-85GT
    • fx-85GT PLUS
    • fx-85MS
    • fx-85SA
    • fx-85W
    • fx-85WA
    • fx-92
    • fx-97SG X
    • fx-100
    • fx-100AU
    • fx-100AU PLUS
    • fx-100D
    • fx-100S
    • fx-115N
    • fx-115S
    • fx-115WA
    • fx-122S
    • fx-220
    • fx-220 PLUS
    • fx-270MS
    • fx-270W PLUS
    • fx-300ES
    • fx-300ES PLUS
    • fx-300MS
    • fx-300W
    • fx-350CN X
    • fx-350E PLUS
    • fx-350ES
    • fx-350ES PLUS
    • fx-350HB
    • fx-350MS
    • fx-350TL
    • fx-350WA
    • fx-550
    • fx-550S
    • fx-570AD
    • fx-570S
    • fx-580
    • fx-820MS
    • fx-901
    • fx-911W
    • fx-911WA
    • fx-911Z
    • fx-991s
    • fx-991WA
    • fx-992S
    • fx-8200 AU
    • HL4
    • X INNUO FN-350TL
    • JW-200TV
    • FC-100V
    • SL-1000TW

    Cebar

    • CD-402

    Citizen

    • SR-135
    • SR-135N
    • SR-260
    • SR-270
    • SR-270X
    • SR-270 II

    Comix

    • Comix C-350MS

    Brands D - J

    Deli

    • Deli D82TM
    • Deli DL-1210
    • Deli DL-1657
    • Deli DL-1703
    • Deli DL-1704
    • Deli DL-1710
    • Deli DL-1711

    E-more

    • fx-127

    Eastalent

    • DF-837

    Helect

    • Helect H1002

    Hewlett Packard

    • HP 8s
    • HP 9s
    • HP 10s
    • HP 10s+
    • HP 10+
    • HP 10b11 Financial Calculator
    • HP 10b11+
    • HP 17b11+
    • HP 30-plus
    • HP 300s

    Insystem

    • Insystem 10 digit
    • IN-82SC

    ISA

    • GC-82MS

    Jastek

    • CS2EVO
    • JasCP1
    • JasCS1

    Joinus

    • JS-82MS-A
    • JS 82-MS-3

    Brands K - R

    Kadio

    • Kadio KD-350MS

    Kaerda

    • KA-82MS

    Kenko

    • KK-82MS
    • KK-82MS-1
    • KK-82TL
    • KK-837B
    • KK-89MS
    • KK-105B
    • KK-350MS
    • KK-350MS-5
    • KK-350TL
    • KK-991MS-1

    KLT

    • FG-82BL
    • FG-350BL

    Office One

    • 720
    • 3000

    Panatech

    • PA-82MS-W

    Radioshack

    • EC-4032

    Richmiss

    • RC-350MS-5

    RSB

    • FB-350MS

    Brands S - S

    Scholar

    • KD-350MS
    • DS-82MS
    • SC-250MX

    Sharp

    • EL-124A
    • EL-350MS
    • EL-501W
    • EL-506H
    • EL-509L
    • EL-509R
    • EL-509V
    • EL-509VM
    • EL-509W
    • EL-509X
    • EL-510R
    • EL-520VA
    • EL-520WG
    • EL-531HA
    • EL-531GH
    • EL-531LH
    • EL-531RH
    • EL-531TH
    • EL-531V
    • EL-531VH
    • EL-531W
    • EL-531WH
    • EL-531X
    • EL-531XG
    • EL-531XH
    • EL-533V
    • EL-546VA
    • EL-735
    • EL-738
    • EL-738F
    • EL-W531
    • EL-W531G
    • EL-W531H
    • EL-W531HA
    • EL-W531HAB
    • EL-W531XH
    • EL-W532TH
    • EL-W532XH
    • EL-W535
    • EL-W535TG
    • EL-W535TGB-BL
    • EL-W535X
    • DAL EL-531GH
    • DAL EL-531RH

    Brands T - X

    Tandy

    • EC-4032

    Taksun

    • TS-105B-C

    Texas Instruments

    • BA 11
    • BA 11 Plus
    • BA 11 Plus Professional
    • TI-30 eco RS
    • TI-30 SLR
    • TI-30X IIB
    • TI-30X IIS
    • TI-30XA
    • TI-30XB MultiView
    • TI-30XPLUS Mathprint
    • TI-30XPLUS Multiview
    • TI-30XS
    • TI-30XS Multiview
    • TI-34 MultiView
    • TI-36X Solar
    • TI-40 College II
    • TI-Collège Plus

    Texet

    • Albert2 (TX-842)
    • Albert3 (TX-890)
    • Albert5 (TX-895)
    • fx1000

    Treasure

    • TF-20

    UBT

    • FA-83W

    WNT

    • f-350MS

    XINNUO

    • fx-82-MSA-4

    Eligibility criteria for approval

    Additional calculators can be considered by the exams team: [email protected] 

    Calculators must be, or have, all of the following features:

    • hand-held
    • internally powered
    • non-programmable
    • numeric keypad
    • silent.

    Calculators must not be, or have, any of the following features:

    • alpha-numeric keypad
    • data banks
    • dictionaries
    • language translators
    • retrieval or manipulation of text
    • graphic or word display
    • sound
    • pocket organisers
    • external communications.

    Calculators must not be capable of:

    • storing alphanumeric information, although calculators that can store intermediate numeric calculations are permitted
    • graphical display of symbolically entered functions
    • performing symbolic manipulation such as factorisation, solving equations, integration or differentiation
    • performing hard-wired numerical processes such as solving equations and numerical integration.
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