Guide · Updated

How to conduct an online exam for students for free, step by step

Short answer

To conduct an online exam for free, build the paper in a free exam platform such as MegaExams, set a time limit and who is allowed to take it, then share one link that students open in any phone or computer browser. Objective questions are graded the moment each student submits, and you choose when students see their scores. Setup takes about ten minutes and students need no app and no account.

This guide walks through a complete online exam: writing or importing the questions, timing, access, fairness, sharing, and results. It uses MegaExams, which is free for teachers, schools and institutes with no limit on exams or students, but the checklist at the end applies to any tool.

Step by step: run your first online exam

  1. Step 1: Create a free teacher account

    Go to megaexams.com/register, enter your email address and type the 6-digit code you receive. There is no password to set, no credit card and no trial period.

  2. Step 2: Start a new exam and fill in the basics

    Open Exams and choose New exam. The builder has four steps: Basics, Questions, Settings and Share. In Basics, give the exam a title and add instructions students will read before they start. If you have no questions yet, type a topic into Let AI build the whole exam and you get a ready 10-question draft in about 15 seconds that you can edit before publishing.

  3. Step 3: Add your questions

    Type questions straight into the builder, pick them from your own question bank or the free library of ready-made papers, or upload a Word, Excel, CSV or PDF file (see how to import questions). Seven question types are available: multiple choice with one or several correct answers, true or false, fill in the blank, numeric, match the pairs, put in order, and written answers. Set the marks for each question, and turn on sections if the paper has parts such as Physics, Chemistry and Biology.

  4. Step 4: Set the timing

    In Settings, enter the Total duration in minutes. To run the exam at a fixed time, fill in the optional Schedule: Opens and Closes. Closes is a hard end for everyone, so a student who joins late only gets the time that is left. Tick Publish automatically at the open time and save the exam as a draft: it goes live by itself at Opens, and until then students who open the link are told it has not opened yet. You can also give each question its own countdown, or give each section its own timer.

  5. Step 5: Decide who can take it

    Under Access, choose Anyone with the link, Invite only (students need the link and a 6-character access code) or Public. With Allow guest attempts on, students only type a name and email, so nobody has to sign up. Set Max attempts per student to 1 for a real exam. After publishing you can also limit the exam to a list of email addresses, and ask for a roll number or class before the student starts.

  6. Step 6: Make it fair

    Turn on Shuffle question order and Shuffle option order so neighbours never see the same paper. Add Random draw from the pool to give each student a different subset of questions. Under Proctoring, turn on tab-switch and copy-paste tracking, and add lockdown mode or webcam snapshots if the exam needs them. The full checklist is in how to prevent cheating in online exams.

  7. Step 7: Choose when students see results

    Under Results visibility, pick Immediately, After exam ends or When I release. You can also hide the question review, show the answer key only from a set time, and choose whether a leaderboard is off, anonymized or shows full names.

  8. Step 8: Publish and share the link

    Click Publish exam. The Share screen gives you the exam link with buttons to copy it, send it on WhatsApp or post it to Google Classroom. For an invite-only exam, use Copy link + code message so students get both together. Open Preview and take the exam once on your own phone before students do.

  9. Step 9: Watch it live, then read the results

    During the exam, the live attempt view shows who is writing right now. You can send an announcement or message one student, and submit an attempt on a student's behalf if needed. Objective answers are scored on submit, written answers get AI-suggested marks for you to approve, and the results page shows scores, ranks and integrity flags, with CSV and PDF downloads.

Before exam day: a five-minute checklist

  • Preview on a phone. Most students will take the exam on a phone, so check that images, equations and long options read well on a small screen.
  • Run a two-question practice test a few days before. Students learn the screen, and you find out who cannot get in while there is still time to help.
  • Tell students the rules in the instructions: the time window, the number of attempts, whether a calculator is allowed, and that proctoring is on if it is. MegaExams can show a built-in scientific calculator and a scratchpad for rough work if you switch them on.
  • Explain what happens if the internet drops. Answers are saved on the device as the student works and sync when the connection returns. If time runs out while a student is offline, the exam submits as soon as they reconnect, as long as the tab stays open.
  • Send the link and access code in one message, and keep a copy in your class group so latecomers can find it.

Pick the right kind of online exam

Not every assessment needs the same settings. A quick check for understanding can be untimed with results shown immediately. A graded unit test usually wants a fixed schedule, one attempt, shuffling and results held until the exam closes. A mock exam that copies a real entrance or board exam needs sections with their own timers and often negative marking: see how to make a test with negative marking and how to create a mock test series.

If you already have a group of students, add them under Students, put them in a group, and assign the exam to the group. MegaExams can then email the group that the exam is assigned and send a reminder to only the students who have not attempted it yet.

What it costs

Nothing. MegaExams has no paid plans, so every feature in this guide, including proctoring, AI question drafting, scorecards and exports, is free with no limit on exams, questions or students. The pricing page explains why. For a feature overview, see the free online test maker.

Try it on your next exam

Free for teachers, schools and institutes. Sign up with your email and a 6-digit code: no credit card, no trial period, no limit on students.

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Frequently asked questions

Can I conduct an online exam for free with no limit on students?

Yes. MegaExams is free forever for teachers, schools and institutes, with no limit on exams, questions or students and no credit card.

Do students need to download an app or create an account?

No. Students open the exam link in any browser. With guest attempts on, they only type a name and email (or just a name, if you allow it) and start.

What happens if a student loses internet during the exam?

Their answers are saved on the device and sync automatically when the connection returns. If the time runs out while they are offline, the exam is submitted the moment they reconnect, as long as the exam tab stays open.

Can I schedule an online exam to open and close at a set time?

Yes. Set Opens and Closes in the exam settings. The exam can publish itself at the open time, and Closes is a hard end for everyone, so late joiners only get the remaining time.

How do I stop students from sharing the exam link?

Make the exam Invite only so students also need a 6-character access code, or limit it to a list of email addresses. Set one attempt per student and turn on proctoring for the strongest setup.

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