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Student Complaints Procedure

If you would like to raise any issues or concerns you have with the University, you will usually need to do so through the Student Complaints Procedure.

Before making a complaint, we recommend where appropriate you try to find a resolution. This could be letting your Student Rep know about an issue with your programme of study, or meeting with your personal tutor or programme lead. Although there are timescales within the procedure to be aware of (see below).

Student Advice can guide you so please do contact us.

The University’s Student Complaint Procedure allows students to submit complaints where they feel they have suffered a detriment, dissatisfaction, or disadvantage due to:

The alleged action(s) of a member of staff;
The alleged action(s) of a student;
Bullying, harassment, discrimination, or sexual violence from someone in the University community;
Irregularities in the delivery of a programme of study;
The quality of or access to supervision;
Issues with your placement or your placement year;
The quality of facilities, services, or learning resources.

The University are usually very strict with their deadlines so, if you do want to make a complaint, you must do so within 28 days of the date the issue arose, or from the latest occurrence of the issue if it is ongoing. If you are no longer a registered student at the University, you must also complain within 28 days of your formal leaving date. If you miss the deadline, the University will only look at your complaint if you provide and evidence good reason why you were not able to meet it.

If your complaint relates to sexual misconduct or harassment deadlines will be flexible as the University understands that it is not always possible to submit a complaint within the 28 days deadline - Student Advice can provide specific guidance.

All complaints must be submitted using the University’s Student complaint form in either English or Welsh. You should explain your complaint clearly and fully but you should also be concise.

If your complaint is serious or complex it may be appropriate to submit it to the central Student Complaints team - Student Advice can provide specific guidance.

FAQs

Who should I submit my complaint to?

The Complaints Procedure has two different stages for the consideration of a complaint.

Stage 1 Complaints

The University expects most complaints to be submitted at the first stage to allow early and local resolution where possible.

If you are submitting your complaint within 28 days of the issues arising, you must submit your student complaint form to the Complaints Administrator for your School, or for College or Department where the issues arose if appropriate, together with the documents/evidence you wish to rely on. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive at stage 1, the complaint outcome should explain your right to request that it is escalated to stage 2 (formal stage).

Details of the University's Complaints Administrators can be found here.

Stage 2 Complaints

If your complaint is escalated to stage 2, it will be sent to the university’s central Student Cases team for consideration.

If the issues you are raising as a complaint include your experience of violence or abuse, you should send your complaint directly to the University’s central Student Cases team at studentcases@cardiff.ac.uk.

There are a group of us who want to raise a concern to the University, how do we go about this?

You can submit a group complaint through using the regular University Complaints procedure. You will need to complete the group complainant's and spokesperson form. You are then able to fill out the standard Complaints form and submit as you would an individual complaint.

If you feel that you as an individual have been impacted more than other members of your group - due to a protected characteristic or personal circumstances – you may wish to submit a separate complaint in conjunction with your group.

We appreciate that group complaints can be difficult to navigate so please contact Student Advice for further guidance if needed.

Is there a possibility of receiving compensation as a complaint outcome?

Depending on the nature of the complaint, compensation may be offered as a remedy on behalf of the University. It is important to note that although you may request monetary outcome, it is possible that the University may uphold your complaint but award a non-financial outcome which they feel may be more appropriate.

If you are seeking financial compensation through the Complaints Procedure, we would encourage you to refer to the OIA's guidance relating to distress and inconvenience.

What is ‘sufficient evidence’ and how can I obtain this?

The evidence which you provide will vary depending on the nature of your complaint. It is helpful to provide as much evidence as possible as this allows the investigation officer to build a holistic view of your situation. Some examples of evidence may include:

University documentation e.g. student handbook, programme information;
Correspondence: note that emails and letters must show the date on which they were sent and details of the sender and recipient;
Medical evidence;
Witness statements which have been signed and dated;
Reports by a third party e.g. police report or letter from a counsellor;
Financial information;
Offer of a place to study at Cardiff University;
Any other information relevant to the issue being raised.

The University does not accept covert recordings as evidence to support your complaint.

If you are struggling to collect evidence, you may want to think of people who have supported you through a situation. This may be a family member, friend or someone from an external support service.

If you are finding obtaining evidence challenging, then please contact Student Advice for further guidance.

What are the remedies for a complaint outcome?

The remedy applied to your complaint may vary on the subject matter. Again, it is important to note that if you request one remedy, an alternative may be awarded which the University deem to be more appropriate for your situation. If the complaint is upheld, in the first instance the University will aim to:

Provide an explanation or further information in response to your complaint;
Identify a suggested solution;
Offer an apology;
Offer mediation and/or restorative approaches;
Offer a financial remedy.

If these remedies are not appropriate, or not sufficient to address the seriousness of your complaint, it will pass to the formal stage. The remedies available at the formal stage are not actually specified in the Procedure but can include:

A practical remedy, such as a change of supervisor or recommendations to a School to make changes to the way they work moving forward; and/or
A financial remedy to compensate you for any financial loss and distress or inconvenience.

I am unhappy with the outcome of my complaint, what do I do next?

If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of your complaint, you can request a review of the decision within 14 days of receiving it, but only if you have one of the following grounds:

Procedural irregularity, i.e. the process described to reach the original decision was not followed;
The decision and/or remedy was unreasonable and not supported by the facts of the case;
There is new information or evidence that could not have been made available at the time when your original case was considered

If you require further guidance on this, please do get in touch with Student Advice for further guidance.

My complaint is out of time, can I still submit it?

You typically have 28 days to submit a complaint after an incident has occurred. However, there may be exceptional circumstances where your complaint may be considered due to the nature of the complaint.

If you believe you may be eligible, please contact Student Advice for further advice on writing and submitting a late complaint.

Can a complaint provide an academic remedy?

This procedure does not normally provide an academic outcome. If you wish to seek an academic outcome and/or challenge any academic decision in respect of your results, you will need to submit an academic appeal under the Academic Appeals Procedure.

Where can I get guidance on the complaint's procedure?

The University provides some standard advice on the complaint procedure on the Student Intranet here.

You can also contact Student Advice for more specific guidance on your situation. Our service is independent from the University and confidential.

Who will be considering my complaint?

If you choose to submit a stage 1 complaint to your school, this will be handled locally by the School/Service Complaint's Administrator.

Stage 2 complaints will be considered by an Investigating Officer in the University's central Student Complaints Team.

It is possible that a stage 1 complaint can be escalated to stage 2, meaning that this would be dealt with by the University central Student Cases team. In this instance, an investigating officer would be assigned to your case. They may contact you for further information or supporting evidence throughout the process. The decision will be made and sent to you confidentially through your university email account.

I have had a complaint made about me and I am unsure what to do now, can you help?

We offer support to students who are on the receiving end of student complaints, as well as the reporting students. If a concern has been raised about your conduct, please get in touch with Student advice for guidance on engaging with the University procedure.

Contact Student Advice

Advice@cardiff.ac.uk
+44 (0)2920 781410

Last updated: 19 Jun 2025 09:06