diff --git a/src/components/ExamEditor/SettingsEditor/index.tsx b/src/components/ExamEditor/SettingsEditor/index.tsx
index faf6bcbc..be98e4b4 100644
--- a/src/components/ExamEditor/SettingsEditor/index.tsx
+++ b/src/components/ExamEditor/SettingsEditor/index.tsx
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ interface SettingsEditorProps {
     children?: ReactNode;
     canPreview: boolean;
     canSubmit: boolean;
-    submitModule: () => void;
+    submitModule: (requiresApproval: boolean) => void;
     preview: () => void;
 }
 
@@ -148,19 +148,31 @@ const SettingsEditor: React.FC<SettingsEditorProps> = ({
                     </div>
                 </Dropdown>
                 {children}
-                <div className="flex flex-row justify-between mt-4">
+                <div className="flex flex-col gap-3 mt-4">
                     <button
                         className={clsx(
                             "flex items-center justify-center px-4 py-2 text-white rounded-xl transition-colors duration-300",
                             `bg-ielts-${module}/70 border border-ielts-${module} hover:bg-ielts-${module} disabled:bg-ielts-${module}/30`,
                             "disabled:cursor-not-allowed disabled:text-gray-200"
                         )}
-                        onClick={submitModule}
+                        onClick={() => submitModule(true)}
                         disabled={!canSubmit}
                     >
                         <FaFileUpload className="mr-2" size={18} />
                         Submit Module as Exam
                     </button>
+                    <button
+                        className={clsx(
+                            "flex items-center justify-center px-4 py-2 text-white rounded-xl transition-colors duration-300",
+                            `bg-ielts-${module}/70 border border-ielts-${module} hover:bg-ielts-${module} disabled:bg-ielts-${module}/30`,
+                            "disabled:cursor-not-allowed disabled:text-gray-200"
+                        )}
+                        onClick={() => submitModule(false)}
+                        disabled={!canSubmit}
+                    >
+                        <FaFileUpload className="mr-2" size={18} />
+                        Submit Module as Exam Without Approval Process
+                    </button>
                     <button
                         className={clsx(
                             "flex items-center justify-center px-4 py-2 text-white rounded-xl transition-colors duration-300",
diff --git a/src/components/ExamEditor/SettingsEditor/level.tsx b/src/components/ExamEditor/SettingsEditor/level.tsx
index 02e97fd6..76b82bb6 100644
--- a/src/components/ExamEditor/SettingsEditor/level.tsx
+++ b/src/components/ExamEditor/SettingsEditor/level.tsx
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ const LevelSettings: React.FC = () => {
         });
     });
 
-    const submitLevel = async () => {
+    const submitLevel = async (requiresApproval: boolean) => {
         if (title === "") {
             toast.error("Enter a title for the exam!");
             return;
@@ -195,7 +195,8 @@ const LevelSettings: React.FC = () => {
                         category: s.settings.category
                     };
                 }).filter(part => part.exercises.length > 0),
-                isDiagnostic: true, // using isDiagnostic to keep exam hidden until the respective approval workflow is completed.
+                requiresApproval: requiresApproval,
+                isDiagnostic: requiresApproval ? true : false, // using isDiagnostic to keep exam hidden until the respective approval workflow is completed.
                 minTimer,
                 module: "level",
                 id: title,
diff --git a/src/components/ExamEditor/SettingsEditor/listening/index.tsx b/src/components/ExamEditor/SettingsEditor/listening/index.tsx
index c1a5fa7c..c2a862d3 100644
--- a/src/components/ExamEditor/SettingsEditor/listening/index.tsx
+++ b/src/components/ExamEditor/SettingsEditor/listening/index.tsx
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ const ListeningSettings: React.FC = () => {
         }
     ];
 
-    const submitListening = async () => {
+    const submitListening = async (requiresApproval: boolean) => {
         if (title === "") {
             toast.error("Enter a title for the exam!");
             return;
@@ -138,7 +138,8 @@ const ListeningSettings: React.FC = () => {
                             category: s.settings.category
                         };
                     }),
-                    isDiagnostic: true, // using isDiagnostic to keep exam hidden until the respective approval workflow is completed.
+                    requiresApproval: requiresApproval,
+                    isDiagnostic: requiresApproval ? true : false, // using isDiagnostic to keep exam hidden until the respective approval workflow is completed.
                     minTimer,
                     module: "listening",
                     id: title,
diff --git a/src/components/ExamEditor/SettingsEditor/reading/index.tsx b/src/components/ExamEditor/SettingsEditor/reading/index.tsx
index 30424552..15615a8b 100644
--- a/src/components/ExamEditor/SettingsEditor/reading/index.tsx
+++ b/src/components/ExamEditor/SettingsEditor/reading/index.tsx
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ const ReadingSettings: React.FC = () => {
       (s.state as ReadingPart).exercises.length > 0
   );
 
-  const submitReading = () => {
+  const submitReading = (requiresApproval: boolean) => {
     if (title === "") {
       toast.error("Enter a title for the exam!");
       return;
@@ -74,7 +74,8 @@ const ReadingSettings: React.FC = () => {
           category: localSettings.category,
         };
       }),
-      isDiagnostic: true, // using isDiagnostic to keep exam hidden until the respective approval workflow is completed.
+      requiresApproval: requiresApproval,
+      isDiagnostic: requiresApproval ? true : false, // using isDiagnostic to keep exam hidden until the respective approval workflow is completed.
       minTimer,
       module: "reading",
       id: title,
diff --git a/src/components/ExamEditor/SettingsEditor/speaking/index.tsx b/src/components/ExamEditor/SettingsEditor/speaking/index.tsx
index 297e864c..6d2be4df 100644
--- a/src/components/ExamEditor/SettingsEditor/speaking/index.tsx
+++ b/src/components/ExamEditor/SettingsEditor/speaking/index.tsx
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ const SpeakingSettings: React.FC = () => {
         });
     })();
 
-    const submitSpeaking = async () => {
+    const submitSpeaking = async (requiresApproval: boolean) => {
         if (title === "") {
           toast.error("Enter a title for the exam!");
           return;
@@ -181,7 +181,8 @@ const SpeakingSettings: React.FC = () => {
             minTimer,
             module: "speaking",
             id: title,
-            isDiagnostic: true, // using isDiagnostic to keep exam hidden until the respective approval workflow is completed.
+            requiresApproval: requiresApproval,
+            isDiagnostic: requiresApproval ? true : false, // using isDiagnostic to keep exam hidden until the respective approval workflow is completed.
             variant: undefined,
             difficulty,
             instructorGender: "varied",
diff --git a/src/components/ExamEditor/SettingsEditor/writing/index.tsx b/src/components/ExamEditor/SettingsEditor/writing/index.tsx
index 8f077d2f..8c6b79c1 100644
--- a/src/components/ExamEditor/SettingsEditor/writing/index.tsx
+++ b/src/components/ExamEditor/SettingsEditor/writing/index.tsx
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ const WritingSettings: React.FC = () => {
         openDetachedTab("popout?type=Exam&module=writing", router)
     }
 
-    const submitWriting = async () => {
+    const submitWriting = async (requiresApproval: boolean) => {
         if (title === "") {
             toast.error("Enter a title for the exam!");
             return;
@@ -131,7 +131,8 @@ const WritingSettings: React.FC = () => {
                 minTimer,
                 module: "writing",
                 id: title,
-                isDiagnostic: true, // using isDiagnostic to keep exam hidden until the respective approval workflow is completed.
+                requiresApproval: requiresApproval,
+                isDiagnostic: requiresApproval ? true : false, // using isDiagnostic to keep exam hidden until the respective approval workflow is completed.
                 variant: undefined,
                 difficulty,
                 access,
diff --git a/src/interfaces/exam.ts b/src/interfaces/exam.ts
index 201ce888..3fc363cc 100644
--- a/src/interfaces/exam.ts
+++ b/src/interfaces/exam.ts
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ export interface ExamBase {
 	createdAt?: string; // option as it has been added later
 	access: AccessType;
 	label?: string;
+	requiresApproval?: boolean;
 }
 export interface ReadingExam extends ExamBase {
 	module: "reading";
diff --git a/src/pages/api/exam/[module]/index.ts b/src/pages/api/exam/[module]/index.ts
index cedda8f1..966bf502 100644
--- a/src/pages/api/exam/[module]/index.ts
+++ b/src/pages/api/exam/[module]/index.ts
@@ -98,21 +98,25 @@ async function POST(req: NextApiRequest, res: NextApiResponse) {
 			// create workflow only if exam is being created for the first time
 			if (docSnap === null) {
 				try {
-					const { successCount, totalCount } = await createApprovalWorkflowOnExamCreation(exam.createdBy, exam.entities, exam.id, module);
-
-					if (isAdmin(user)) {
+					if (exam.requiresApproval === false) {
+						responseStatus = 200;
+						responseMessage = `Successfully created exam "${exam.id}" and skipped Approval Workflow due to user request.`;
+					} else if (isAdmin(user)) {
 						responseStatus = 200;
 						responseMessage = `Successfully created exam "${exam.id}" and skipped Approval Workflow due to admin rights.`;
-					} else if (successCount === totalCount) {
-						responseStatus = 200;
-						responseMessage = `Successfully created exam "${exam.id}" and started its Approval Workflow.`;
-						/* responseMessage = `Successfully created exam "${exam.id}" and started its Approval Workflow(s).`; */
-					} else if (successCount > 0) {
-						responseStatus = 207;
-						responseMessage = `Successfully created exam with ID: "${exam.id}" but was not able to start/find an Approval Workflow for all the author's entities.`;
 					} else {
-						responseStatus = 207;
-						responseMessage = `Successfully created exam with ID: "${exam.id}" but skipping approval process because no approval workflow was found configured for the exam author.`;
+						const { successCount, totalCount } = await createApprovalWorkflowOnExamCreation(exam.createdBy, exam.entities, exam.id, module);
+	
+						if (successCount === totalCount) {
+							responseStatus = 200;
+							responseMessage = `Successfully created exam "${exam.id}" and started its Approval Workflow.`;
+						} else if (successCount > 0) {
+							responseStatus = 207;
+							responseMessage = `Successfully created exam with ID: "${exam.id}" but was not able to start/find an Approval Workflow for all the author's entities.`;
+						} else {
+							responseStatus = 207;
+							responseMessage = `Successfully created exam with ID: "${exam.id}" but skipping approval process because no approval workflow was found configured for the exam author.`;
+						}
 					}
 				} catch (error) {
 					console.error("Workflow creation error:", error);