diff --git a/generic/templates/generic/exam_users_edit.html b/generic/templates/generic/exam_users_edit.html
index a3cff93c..9e65d962 100644
--- a/generic/templates/generic/exam_users_edit.html
+++ b/generic/templates/generic/exam_users_edit.html
@@ -11,18 +11,20 @@
                         {% endfor %}
                     </div>
                 {% else %}
-                    <div class="small text-muted mt-1">This exam is not associated with any user groups. <a href="{% url exam.app_name|add:':exam_groups_edit' exam.pk %}">Edit and add a group</a> to enable user management.</div>
+                    <div class="small text-muted mt-1">This exam is not associated with any user groups. <a href="{% url app_name|add:':exam_groups_edit' exam.pk %}">Edit and add a group</a> to enable user management.</div>
                 {% endif %}
             </div>
             <div class="btn-group">
                 {% if current_user_users or available_user_users %}
-                    <button class="btn btn-sm btn-outline-light toggle-all-btn" data-bulk-url="{% url exam.app_name|add:':exam_user_bulk_edit' exam.pk %}">Toggle all</button>
+                    <button class="btn btn-sm btn-outline-light toggle-all-btn" data-bulk-url="{% url app_name|add:':exam_user_bulk_edit' exam.pk %}">Toggle all</button>
                 {% endif %}
-                <button class="btn btn-sm btn-outline-success add-all-btn" data-bulk-url="{% url exam.app_name|add:':exam_user_bulk_edit' exam.pk %}">Add all</button>
-                <button class="btn btn-sm btn-outline-danger remove-all-btn" data-bulk-url="{% url exam.app_name|add:':exam_user_bulk_edit' exam.pk %}">Remove all</button>
+                <button class="btn btn-sm btn-outline-success add-all-btn" data-bulk-url="{% url app_name|add:':exam_user_bulk_edit' exam.pk %}">Add all</button>
+                <button class="btn btn-sm btn-outline-danger remove-all-btn" data-bulk-url="{% url app_name|add:':exam_user_bulk_edit' exam.pk %}">Remove all</button>
             </div>
         </div>
 
+        
+
         <div class="d-flex align-items-center mb-2">
             <div class="me-auto small text-muted">Sort by:</div>
             <div class="btn-group btn-group-sm user-sort-group" role="group" aria-label="Sort">
@@ -36,6 +38,22 @@
     </div>
 </div>
 
+        <!-- Collapsible panel for adding arbitrary users (collapsed by default) -->
+        <div class="mt-3">
+            <p>
+                <a class="btn btn-sm btn-link" data-bs-toggle="collapse" href="#add-arbitrary-users-collapse" role="button" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="add-arbitrary-users-collapse">Add arbitrary users</a>
+            </p>
+            <div class="collapse" id="add-arbitrary-users-collapse">
+                <div class="card card-body">
+                    <label class="form-label small mb-1">Add arbitrary users</label>
+                    {{ user_search_widget|default:''|safe }}
+                    <div class="mt-2">
+                        <button type="button" id="add-selected-users-btn" class="btn btn-sm btn-outline-success">Add selected users</button>
+                    </div>
+                </div>
+            </div>
+        </div>
+
 <script>
     // Mirror the HTMX-enabled behavior used for CID users.
     document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function(){
@@ -69,12 +87,24 @@
                 .finally(()=>{ if(triggeringButton) setLoading(triggeringButton, false); });
         }
 
-        const defaultBulkUrl = "{% url exam.app_name|add:':exam_user_bulk_edit' exam.pk %}";
+        const defaultBulkUrl = "{% url app_name|add:':exam_user_bulk_edit' exam.pk %}";
         document.querySelectorAll('.add-all-btn').forEach(function(btn){ btn.addEventListener('click', function(){ const url = btn.dataset.bulkUrl || defaultBulkUrl; const items = document.querySelectorAll('#user-users-list li:not(.current)'); const pks = Array.from(items).map(i => i.dataset.pk).filter(Boolean).map(Number); if (!pks.length) return; submitBulk(url, pks, true, btn); }); });
         document.querySelectorAll('.remove-all-btn').forEach(function(btn){ btn.addEventListener('click', function(){ if(!confirm('Remove all selected users from the exam?')) return; const url = btn.dataset.bulkUrl || defaultBulkUrl; const items = document.querySelectorAll('#user-users-list li.current'); const pks = Array.from(items).map(i => i.dataset.pk).filter(Boolean).map(Number); if (!pks.length) return; submitBulk(url, pks, false, btn); }); });
 
         document.querySelectorAll('.toggle-all-btn').forEach(function(btn){ btn.addEventListener('click', function(){ const url = btn.dataset.bulkUrl || document.querySelector('.add-all-btn')?.dataset.bulkUrl || defaultBulkUrl; const items = Array.from(document.querySelectorAll('#user-users-list li')).map(function(li){ return { pk: Number(li.dataset.pk), add: !li.classList.contains('current') }; }); if (!items.length) return; submitBulk(url, items, null, btn); }); });
 
+        // Handler for adding arbitrary selected users from the search widget
+        const addSelectedBtn = document.getElementById('add-selected-users-btn');
+        if (addSelectedBtn){
+            addSelectedBtn.addEventListener('click', function(){
+                const sel = document.getElementById('id_add_users');
+                if(!sel) return;
+                const pks = Array.from(sel.options).map(o => o.value).filter(Boolean).map(Number);
+                if(!pks.length) return;
+                submitBulk(defaultBulkUrl, pks, true, addSelectedBtn);
+            });
+        }
+
         // Listen for single-item toggle events to update counts and show toasts
         document.body.addEventListener('user_toggled', function(evt){ try { const detail = evt.detail || {}; const added = detail.added; if (window.toastr) { if (added) toastr.info('User added to exam'); else toastr.info('User removed from exam'); } const addedEl = document.getElementById('user-count-added'); const availEl = document.getElementById('user-count-available'); if (addedEl && availEl){ let addedCount = parseInt(addedEl.textContent || '0') || 0; let availCount = parseInt(availEl.textContent || '0') || 0; if (added){ addedCount += 1; availCount = Math.max(0, availCount - 1); } else { addedCount = Math.max(0, addedCount - 1); availCount += 1; } addedEl.textContent = String(addedCount); availEl.textContent = String(availCount); } } catch(e){} });
 
diff --git a/generic/views.py b/generic/views.py
index 47430cd6..9e23646f 100644
--- a/generic/views.py
+++ b/generic/views.py
@@ -2419,6 +2419,15 @@ class ExamViews(View, LoginRequiredMixin):
             "app_name": self.app_name,
         }
 
+        # Provide a searchable widget to allow adding arbitrary users
+        try:
+            from generic.widgets import UserSearchSelectMultipleWidget
+
+            widget_html = UserSearchSelectMultipleWidget("add_users", []).render()
+            context["user_search_widget"] = mark_safe(widget_html)
+        except Exception:
+            context["user_search_widget"] = ""
+
         if self.app_name == "atlas":
             context["collection"] = exam