Extenuating Circumstances Policy and Procedure

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, and evidence, as to why you could not report them 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 or 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.

The University’s ‘Fit to Sit’ Policy

The University’s Extenuating Circumstances Procedure is one of ‘fit to sit’, meaning that if you sit the assessment, you are declaring yourself as fit to do so.

The only exception to this is where you attempt an assessment and are subsequently impacted by circumstances that relate to a protected characteristic or a long-term health condition. Protected characteristics in law, are characteristics that are listed as being protected in the Equality Act (2010).

Guidance on how to apply for extenuating circumstances when you have a Protected Characteristic can be found here.

Contact Student Advice

Advice@cardiff.ac.uk

+44 (0)2920 781410