Extenuating Circumstances

If circumstances outside your control are impacting on your ability to study or complete assessments to your usual ability, you can let the University know by reporting Extenuating Circumstances. The University's Extenuating Circumstances policy has changed in the 22/23 Academic Year, and so it is important that you know what these changes might mean for you in any declarations you submit.

Very importantly, if you have extenuating circumstances, the University expects you to report them straight away, unless you have a very good reason for not doing so.  Extenuating Circumstances can be considered retrospectively through the Academic Appeal Process, but the University will want you to provide a very good reason why you could not report then at the time.

The advice below is for undergraduate and postgraduate taught students. There is a different process for Postgraduate Research students. More information can be found here.

What are Extenuating Circumstances?

An extenuating circumstance is something that either adversely affects or prevents you from attending or completing your assessment(s), is usually outside of your control, and happens close in time to your assessment(s) (or where you can show has had a continued detrimental impact).

The University define Extenuating Circumstances as:

• Severe and exceptional; and,
• Unforeseen and unavoidable; and,
• Close in time to the assessment, or where you can demonstrate that the circumstances would continue to have an impact on your academic performance in the assessment.

Examples of circumstances that are likely to be considered extenuating by the University include, though are not limited to:

• Serious short-term illness or an accident.
• Bereavement, i.e., the death of a close relative or friend, partner, or significant other person.
• Significant adverse personal or family circumstances.
• Being a victim of a serious crime such as sexual assault, discrimination, assault, burglary etc.
• Severe financial or exceptional technical issues.
• Evidence of a long-term health condition or disability that has worsened or changed, and which is not covered by existing reasonable adjustments.
• Disability which has only just been identified, and where it has not been possible to put reasonable adjustments in place in time for the assessment.
• You are a carer for a person who experiences a change in their condition and subsequently their requirements, and this increases your responsibilities as a carer.

Students who are studying part-time and working may request extension of a deadline on the grounds of exceptional professional commitments.

Examples of circumstances which are not extenuating:

• Minor illnesses that typically would not cause you to take time away from study
• Poor time management, e.g., where you have not given yourself sufficient time to complete the assessment by the deadline. You should allow sufficient time to upload assessments to university systems
• Assessment-related stress which is not diagnosed as an illness or documented in your Individual Support Adjustment Notification (ISAN)
• Where the event/circumstances reported were foreseeable or able to be anticipated, for example, planned events, such as Jury Service, armed service deployment, competing in or attending sports events, arts, or other extra-curricular events, holidays, weddings, planned religious festivals/events; or other family-related events
• Where the event/circumstance is not close in time to the assessment
• Where reasonable adjustments have already been agreed and put in place for you
• Paid employment or other financial issues.

We have produced this table to show you when you should report your circumstances, if evidence is required and the remedies available.  

It is important to note:

• If the decision is that your assessment will be deferred you will normally need to hand in coursework over the summer vacation period or attend and exam during the August resit period.
   
• A nominated person in your School will decide on the remedy. If a one-week extension is deemed not to be a sufficient remedy, you will be given a deferral.

• If August exams and assessments are deferred it is likely that you will have to repeat the year.  

• In most cases the maximum number of credits that can be deferred is 60. If you need to defer more than 60 credits you may have to repeat a year of study.

• If you have a long term health condition or disability you may be able to access support from the University Support Services. More information can be found here.

• If you need to make frequent declarations of Extenuating Circumstances you might need to think about whether you are fit to study and consider taking a break.

• Deferring assessments in the taught stage of your Masters’ may impact on your progression to the dissertation stage of your course.

• If you have a student visa, it is important that you take your time limit to remain in the UK into consideration before asking to defer your assessments. 

Extension periods are not flexible or extendable. If you cannot submit by the extended deadline you will need to ask for a deferral. Student Advice cannot advise on visa related issues, and for more information and guidance on this matter, you must speak to International Student Support via Student Connect.

How Should I Report my Extenuating Circumstances?

The University’s rules state that you must use the Extenuating Circumstances reporting form through your SIMS online account. You must submit a new Extenuating Circumstances form for each assessment period.

It is essential that you explain how your circumstances meet the University’s definition of being:

• severe and exceptional; and
• unforeseen and unavoidable; and
• close in time to the assessment, or demonstrate that the circumstances continued to have an impact on your academic performance in the assessment.

If the University decide that your circumstances do not meet these criteria, they will be rejected.

When writing your form, it is important to explain how your particular circumstances meet the definition above and how they have prevented you from engaging in your course. You will need to explain not only what has happened but also when it happened, when your assessments took place and spell out the effect it had on you and your ability to study as normal, e.g., lost study time, difficulty concentrating and/or retaining information.

When explaining your circumstances, Student Advice recommend the following structure:

• Explain what the issues are, when they started and if they are ongoing;
• Explain how the circumstances have affected you (emotionally, physically and otherwise);
• Explain exactly how this has affected your academic performance;
• The remedy you want.

It is very important to note that the nominated member of the Extenuating Circumstances Group that considers your declaration will decide on the most appropriate remedy. This means that if the circumstances mean that it is unlikely a one-week extension will be sufficient you may be given a deferral. Think carefully about this when deciding whether to submit a declaration of Extenuating Circumstances or not.

I need to provide evidence, what does this mean?

The University is permitting you to self-certify for non-submission of coursework or non-attendance at exams. This means that you are not required to provide evidence but, if you do have evidence, we strongly advise you to keep it safe just in case you are asked to submit it later. You should also explain in your application what evidence you have.

If you sit or start to sit an assessment and you report circumstances that relate to a protected characteristic, or becoming ill or suffering technical difficulties that meant you could not complete an assessment; you must submit evidence to support your declaration, which should be on headed paper, signed and dated, from a recognised authority e.g., a letter from doctor. If you are unable to submit the evidence via the form in SIMS, send it to your School via email. Your School Office should be able to confirm the relevant email address. 

For technical difficulties we suggest you take a screenshot to show the problem making sure the screenshot includes the time and date.  If the problem is related to the internet your provider might be able evidence to there was a problem.

What Happens Next?

You should expect to receive the outcome for the declaration you have submitted within 7 days if you have declared extenuating circumstances for one of the following:

• Student unable to submit coursework by the submission deadline
• Student unable to submit postgraduate taught Masters’ dissertation by the deadline

Student unable to attend an examination/time-limited assessment If you have declared extenuating circumstances for any other reason, you should expect to receive the decision within 28 days as it will be considered by the Group.

Ongoing Circumstances

If you have personal circumstances that are affecting your studies over a long period of time, we recommend that you seek advice from The Disability and Dyslexia Service, who may be able to put adjustments in place to help you study. For ongoing mental health issues, you can speak to the University’s Mental Health Advisers. Disability and Mental Health Advisers can support you and liaise with your academic school to ensure you receive any special provision that might help you. You could also get special provision in exams, such as breaks or extra time.

You might feel that you would benefit from contacting the Counselling and Wellbeing service. They offer of a range of ways to support you during your studies: one-to-one counselling and wellbeing appointments, a drop-in service, interactive workshops, groups and self-help resources. We are awaiting clarification from them as to how their service will operate going forward.

The University provides specific and tailored support certain groups of students which include students who are

• Asylum seekers and refugees
• Care experienced
• Estranged
• Military experienced
• LGBTQ+
• Carers
• Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic

If you are experiencing challenging personal circumstances, you may also wish to take an Interruption of Study. If you would like more information on how to do so, please contact Student Advice.