diff --git a/frontend/src/utils/exam-correct/exam-correct.js b/frontend/src/utils/exam-correct/exam-correct.js
index 45f967ee7..70a9bdb63 100644
--- a/frontend/src/utils/exam-correct/exam-correct.js
+++ b/frontend/src/utils/exam-correct/exam-correct.js
@@ -9,13 +9,20 @@ import moment from 'moment';
 
 
 const EXAM_CORRECT_URL_POST = 'correct';
+const EXAM_CORRECT_HEADERS = {
+  'X-XSRF-TOKEN': Cookies.get('XSRF-TOKEN'),
+  'Content-Type': HttpClient.ACCEPT.JSON,
+  'Accept':       HttpClient.ACCEPT.JSON,
+};
+
 
 const EXAM_CORRECT_IDENT = 'uw-exam-correct';
 const EXAM_CORRECT_PART_INPUT_ATTR = 'uw-exam-correct--part-input';
 const EXAM_CORRECT_SEND_BTN_ID = 'exam-correct__send-btn';
-const EXAM_CORRECT_PARTICIPANT_INPUT_ID = 'exam-correct__participant';
+const EXAM_CORRECT_PARTICIPANT_INPUT_ID = 'exam-correct__user';
+const EXAM_CORRECT_USER_INPUT_CANDIDATES_ID = 'exam-correct__user-candidates';
 const EXAM_CORRECT_INPUT_BODY_ID = 'exam-correct__new';
-const EXAM_CORRECT_PARTICIPANT_ATTR = 'exam-correct--participant';
+const EXAM_CORRECT_PARTICIPANT_ATTR = 'exam-correct--user';
 
 const INPUT_EMPTY_CLASS = 'input--invalid';
 
@@ -33,7 +40,8 @@ export class ExamCorrect {
   _element;
 
   _sendBtn;
-  _participantInput;
+  _userInput;
+  _userInputCandidates;
   _partInputs;
 
   constructor(element, app) {
@@ -48,40 +56,65 @@ export class ExamCorrect {
     this._element = element;
     this._app = app;
     this._sendBtn = document.getElementById(EXAM_CORRECT_SEND_BTN_ID);
-    this._participantInput = document.getElementById(EXAM_CORRECT_PARTICIPANT_INPUT_ID);
+    this._userInput = document.getElementById(EXAM_CORRECT_PARTICIPANT_INPUT_ID);
+    this._userInputCandidates = document.getElementById(EXAM_CORRECT_USER_INPUT_CANDIDATES_ID);
     this._partInputs = [...this._element.querySelectorAll(`input[${EXAM_CORRECT_PART_INPUT_ATTR}]`)];
 
     if (this._sendBtn)
       this._sendBtn.addEventListener('click', this._sendCorrectionHandler.bind(this));
     else console.error('ExamCorrect utility could not detect send button!');
 
-    if (this._participantInput)
-      this._participantInput.addEventListener('focusout', this._validateParticipantInput.bind(this));
-    else throw new Error('ExamCorrect utility could not detect participant input!');
+    if (this._userInput)
+      this._userInput.addEventListener('focusout', this._validateUserInput.bind(this));
+    else throw new Error('ExamCorrect utility could not detect user input!');
+
+    if (!this._userInputCandidates) {
+      throw new Error('ExamCorrect utility could not detect user input candidate list!');
+    }
   }
 
   destroy() {
     this._sendBtn.removeEventListener('click', this._sendCorrectionHandler);
-    this._participantInput.removeEventListener('change', this._validateParticipantInput);
-    this._participantInput.removeEventListener('input', this._removeInputEmptyClassHandler);
+    this._userInput.removeEventListener('change', this._validateUserInput);
+    this._userInput.removeEventListener('input', this._removeInputEmptyClassHandler);
   }
 
-  _validateParticipantInput(event) {
-    console.log('WIP _validateParticipantInput', event);
+  _validateUserInput() {
+    const user = this._userInput.value;
+
+    if (!user) return;
+
+    const body = {
+      name:    user,
+      results: {},
+      op:      false,
+    };
+
+    this._app.httpClient.post({
+      url: EXAM_CORRECT_URL_POST,
+      headers: EXAM_CORRECT_HEADERS,
+      body: JSON.stringify(body),
+    }).then(
+      (response) => response.json()
+    ).then(
+      (response) => this._processResponse(response, user)
+    ).catch((error) => {
+      console.error('Error while validating user input', error);
+    });
   }
 
   _sendCorrectionHandler(event) {
     console.log('WIP _sendCorrectionHandler', event);
 
-    // refocus participant input element for convenience
-    this._participantInput.focus();
+    // refocus user input element for convenience
+    this._userInput.focus();
 
-    const participant = this._participantInput.value;
+    const user = this._userInput.value;
 
-    // abort send if the participant input is empty
-    if (!participant) {
-      this._participantInput.classList.add(INPUT_EMPTY_CLASS);
-      this._participantInput.addEventListener('input', this._removeInputEmptyClassHandler.bind(this), { once: true });
+    // abort send if the user input is empty
+    if (!user) {
+      this._userInput.classList.add(INPUT_EMPTY_CLASS);
+      this._userInput.addEventListener('input', this._removeInputEmptyClassHandler.bind(this), { once: true });
       return;
     }
 
@@ -106,9 +139,9 @@ export class ExamCorrect {
     const now = moment();
     dateTD.appendChild(document.createTextNode(now.format(MOMENT_FORMAT)));
     dateTD.setAttribute('date', moment());
-    const participantTD = document.createElement('TD');
-    participantTD.appendChild(document.createTextNode(participant));
-    participantTD.setAttribute(EXAM_CORRECT_PARTICIPANT_ATTR, participant);
+    const userTD = document.createElement('TD');
+    userTD.appendChild(document.createTextNode(user));
+    userTD.setAttribute(EXAM_CORRECT_PARTICIPANT_ATTR, user);
     const partTDs = this._partInputs.map((input) => {
       const partTD = document.createElement('TD');
       const partKey = input.getAttribute(EXAM_CORRECT_PART_INPUT_ATTR);
@@ -120,7 +153,7 @@ export class ExamCorrect {
     const statusDiv = document.createElement('DIV');
     statusDiv.classList.add('exam-correct--loading');
     statusTD.appendChild(statusDiv);
-    [dateTD,participantTD,...partTDs, statusTD].forEach((td) => {
+    [dateTD,userTD,...partTDs, statusTD].forEach((td) => {
       td.classList.add('table__td');
       correctionRow.appendChild(td);
     });
@@ -129,41 +162,65 @@ export class ExamCorrect {
 
     // clear input values on validation success
     // TODO only clear input on post success
-    [this._participantInput, ...this._partInputs].forEach(clearInput);
+    [this._userInput, ...this._partInputs].forEach(clearInput);
 
-    const url = EXAM_CORRECT_URL_POST;
-    const headers = {
-      'X-XSRF-TOKEN': Cookies.get('XSRF-TOKEN'),
-      'Content-Type': HttpClient.ACCEPT.JSON,
-      'Accept': HttpClient.ACCEPT.JSON,
-    };
     const body = {
-      name: participant,
+      name: user,
       results: results,
       op: true,
     };
 
     this._app.httpClient.post({
-      url: url,
-      headers: headers,
+      url: EXAM_CORRECT_URL_POST,
+      headers: EXAM_CORRECT_HEADERS,
       body: JSON.stringify(body),
     }).then(
       (response) => response.json()
     ).then(
-      (response) => this._processResponse(response, participant)
+      (response) => this._processResponse(response, user)
     ).catch((error) => {
       console.error('Error while processing response', error);
     });
   }
 
-  _processResponse(response, participant) {
-    console.log('WIP ExamCorrect._processResponse', response, participant);
-    
+  _processResponse(response, user) {
+    console.log('WIP _processResponse', response, user);
+
     if (response) {
+      if (response.status === 'no-op') {
+        if (response.users) {
+          // TODO directly replace input value and add attr if list contains only one element
+
+          // TODO add event handler on links -> display name as input value and set id as attribute
+          // TODO how to destroy candidate handlers?
+          response.users.forEach((userCandidate) => {
+            const candidateItem = document.createElement('li');
+            userAsInnerHTML(candidateItem, userCandidate);
+            candidateItem.setAttribute(EXAM_CORRECT_PARTICIPANT_ATTR, userCandidate.id);
+            
+            const acceptCandidateHandler = () => {
+              console.log('candidate accepted');
+              this._userInput.value = userCandidate['display-name'] || userCandidate.surname || userCandidate['mat-nr'];
+              this._userInput.setAttribute(EXAM_CORRECT_PARTICIPANT_ATTR, userCandidate.id);
+              
+              // remove all candidates
+              while (this._userInputCandidates.firstChild) {
+                this._userInputCandidates.removeChild(this._userInputCandidates.firstChild);
+              }
+            };
+            candidateItem.addEventListener('click', acceptCandidateHandler, { once: true });
+
+            this._userInputCandidates.appendChild(candidateItem);
+          });
+        }
+
+        return;
+      }
+    
       for (let row of [...this._element.rows]) {
-        const participantElem = row.cells.item(1);
-        const participantIdent = participantElem && participantElem.getAttribute(EXAM_CORRECT_PARTICIPANT_ATTR);
-        if (participantIdent === participant) {
+        const userElem = row.cells.item(1);
+        const userIdent = userElem && userElem.getAttribute(EXAM_CORRECT_PARTICIPANT_ATTR);
+        if (userIdent === user) {
           let faIcon, ecClass;
           switch (response.status) {
             // TODO fetch update time from response and replace
@@ -171,9 +228,9 @@ export class ExamCorrect {
               faIcon = 'fa-check';
               ecClass = 'exam-correct--success';
               if (response.user) {
-                participantElem.setAttribute(EXAM_CORRECT_PARTICIPANT_ATTR, response.user.id);
-                participantElem.innerHTML = '';
-                formatUser(participantElem, response.user);
+                userElem.setAttribute(EXAM_CORRECT_PARTICIPANT_ATTR, response.user.id);
+                userElem.innerHTML = '';
+                userAsInnerHTML(userElem, response.user);
               }
               // TODO replace results with results from response
               // TODO set edit button visibility
@@ -185,7 +242,7 @@ export class ExamCorrect {
               ecClass = 'exam-correct--error';
               // TODO show users
               if (response.users) {
-                showUsers(participantElem, response.users);
+                showUsers(userElem, response.users);
               }
               break;
             case 'failure':
@@ -211,10 +268,10 @@ export class ExamCorrect {
 
   _removeInputEmptyClassHandler() {
     console.log('removeclass');
-    if (this._participantInput.value) {
-      this._participantInput.classList.remove(INPUT_EMPTY_CLASS);
+    if (this._userInput.value) {
+      this._userInput.classList.remove(INPUT_EMPTY_CLASS);
     } else {
-      this._participantInput.addEventListener('input', this._removeInputEmptyClassHandler, { once: true });
+      this._userInput.addEventListener('input', this._removeInputEmptyClassHandler, { once: true });
     }
   }
 
@@ -225,7 +282,7 @@ function clearInput(inputElement) {
   inputElement.value = null;
 }
 
-function formatUser(elem, user) {
+function userAsInnerHTML(elem, user) {
   if (user && user['display-name'] && user['surname']) {
     elem.innerHTML += user['display-name'].replace(new RegExp(user['surname']), `<strong>${user['surname']}</strong>`) + (user['mat-nr'] ? ` (${user['mat-nr']})` : '');
   } else {
@@ -238,7 +295,7 @@ function showUsers(elem, users) {
   elem.innerHTML = '';
   if (users) {
     for (const user of users) {
-      formatUser(elem, user);
+      userAsInnerHTML(elem, user);
       elem.innerHTML += '<br/>';
     }
   } else {
diff --git a/records.json b/records.json
index 00fdc183c..9e7f6c03d 100644
--- a/records.json
+++ b/records.json
@@ -779,4 +779,4 @@
       }
     }
   ]
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/templates/exam-correct.hamlet b/templates/exam-correct.hamlet
index ab6645ba5..b825dda09 100644
--- a/templates/exam-correct.hamlet
+++ b/templates/exam-correct.hamlet
@@ -26,7 +26,8 @@ $newline never
         <tr .table__row>
           <td .table__td>
           <td .table__td>
-            <input #exam-correct__participant type="text">
+            <input #exam-correct__user type="text">
+            <ul #exam-correct__user-candidates>
           $forall ExamPart{examPartNumber} <- examParts
             <td .table__td>
               ^{ptsInput examPartNumber}