Exercise science graduate Samantha Locke, 23, was due to be induced the day after her last exam, a mix of gruelling practical exercises and writing.
But when the student began experiencing contractions from 8am on the morning of her exam, she simply put it down to nerves and turned up to complete the test at 2.30pm.
Samantha Locke and her mum Angela with baby Poppy
Despite the pain, she performed a series of six physical exercises as part of the exam and then completed the written section while experiencing painful stomach cramps.
Once she was finished with the test, Samantha went to hospital, where her daughter Poppy was born weighing 8lb 8oz the next day following a 13 hour labour.
Now a graduate, Samantha, who lives with proud partner Chris Ellis, 28, an accountant, said she was delighted with both baby Poppy and her first class degree.
She said: "I was absolutely determined to finish the exam after all of those three years of hard work.
"On the morning of the exam I did have some twinges but I just put them down to nerves. I did think it might be something to do with the baby but ignored it.
"The final exam was a practical and written exam, so I had to demonstrate how to perform six exercises for people with medical problems.
"It was funny because the problems were high blood pressure and a bad back, which I had because I was in labour. I just tried to do them slowly with no sudden movements.
"When I reached the last station I felt a definite twinge and realised what it was. Then I started to get more regular contractions.
"I just wanted to keep going because otherwise I would have had to have done it in the re-sit period in August, which would have been a nightmare with Poppy."
Samantha's mum Angela Locke, 51, a cleaner from Somerton, Somerset, rushed to her daughter's side straight after the exam - the final part of the three-year course at Bournemouth University - on June 7.
They waited until the contractions became more regular and drove to hospital at 11pm, when they were happening every four minutes.
Samantha added: "It was so surreal because I knew all my course mates had been out that night celebrating and they would all be in bed hung-over and I had just had a baby.
"I normally think about exams straight after them and worry about what I could have done better but I just forgot about it."
Samantha and Poppy were allowed home on June 10 at 5pm and returned back to the university a month later to pick up her results.
She said: "I was really hoping for a first but wasn't sure what I was going to get because some parts like the dissertation and final exam were quite heavily weighted.
"It was amazing when I got my results, I was so proud. I brought Poppy with me when I collected them and she slept through the whole thing, completely oblivious."
Samantha is currently a full-time mum to Poppy but will study Occupational Therapy at Southampton next year.
"Hopefully my exams will be a lot less eventful this time round," she said.
Her proud mum Angela added: "I am very proud of her university success but on top of this she has given birth to her beautiful baby girl Poppy."
