Extenuating Circumstances
If you are a Greenlands Programme Member, please click here for guidance specific to your programme.
All other students: It is essential that you read the following guidance notes before downloading an Extenuating Circumstances Form (ECF) at the bottom of the page.
We are required to keep records of any action we take in respect of course assessment in which an individual student is treated differently from others. We need to record information about illness or other problems which may have affected examination performance or which may form the basis of a request for suspension of a student's course, or an extension to a deadline to submit coursework.
This document sets out what we ask you to do. Please answer every question and submit the form to the School Office of the School responsible for your degree programme as soon as possible after your illness or other circumstance and not later than the deadline specified below.
You are strongly encouraged to discuss any circumstances which you consider are affecting or might affect your work with your Personal Tutor or the lecturer responsible for your coursework/module.
You are responsible for notifying your School of any circumstances which you consider might have affected your performance or your ability to complete a piece of coursework by the deadline.
If you do not submit this form, your circumstances will not be considered.
Claims will be considered where:
- your performance or ability to work has been impaired by your circumstances; and
- the circumstances were beyond your control (such as illness, death or severe illness of close relative or partner, a physical attack, or other events of comparable effect).
Deadlines for submission of Extenuating Circumstances Forms
The University has set deadlines by which students are required to submit Extenuating Circumstances Forms. If a form is submitted after the relevant deadline, your circumstances will not normally be taken into account. Extenuating Circumstances Forms submitted after the specified deadlines will only be considered if insurmountable circumstances prevented you from submitting the form (for example, hospitalization, incarceration, or equivalent incapacity). If you submit your extenuating circumstances form after the relevant deadline, you must provide a statement explaining in full the reasons for late submission, and provide supporting evidence where appropriate. The deadlines for 2012 are given below.
Deadlines for requests for extensions for coursework
If you are seeking an extension for coursework, you should submit the form, if possible, before the deadline for coursework submission. If it is not possible for you to submit the form before the coursework deadline, you must submit it as soon as possible after the deadline.
Undergraduate deadlines for submission:
- Results to be considered in the Summer Term (excluding Institute of Education):
| Part 3, Part 4, Finals | Friday 1 June 2012 2pm |
| Part 2 | Friday 8 June 2012, 2pm |
|
Part 1, IFP (October cohort) and Foundation Year in Science (excluding Taylors University July intake) |
Friday 15 June 2012, 2pm |
- Institute of Education only:
|
Finals (Institute of Education, excluding BA in Children's Development and Learning) |
Friday 1 June 2012, 2pm |
| BA Children's Development and Learning (Finals) | Tuesday 26 June 2012, 2pm |
| Part 1 and 2 (Institute of Education) | Tuesday 26 June 2012, 2pm |
| Foundation Degrees (Institute of Education only) | Monday 16 July 2012, 2pm |
- Programmes with examinations in July:
| Taylor's University Part 1 | Friday 20 July 2012, 12 noon (BST) |
| International Foundation Programme (January cohort) | Monday 30 July 2012, 11am |
- Results to be considered following August/September resit examinations:
| All Parts | Monday 10 September 2012, 2pm |
Postgraduate deadlines for submission
| January examinations (ICMA and MSc Renewable Energy only) |
Friday 3 February 2012, 2pm |
| Programmes less than 12 months in duration | Friday 8 June 2012, 2pm |
| April/May examinations | Friday 8 June 2012, 2pm |
| PGCEs | Tuesday 26 June 2012, 2pm |
| August/September examinations | Monday 10 September 2012, 2pm |
Except for the categories indicated above, extenuating circumstances forms in respect of postgraduate students must be submitted as soon as possible after the illness or other circumstance and not later than deadlines published by the School.
Extensions
An extension to a deadline for completion of assessed coursework is one possible outcome of a request for consideration of extenuating circumstances. If you use this form to request an extension, you must have valid extenuating circumstances. Note that an extension may not be granted if your reasons are not valid. Some examples of reasons not usually considered valid are set out below. If you are seeking an extension, you should indicate a revised submission date that you consider reasonable given your particular circumstances.
Confidentiality
The information which you provide on this form will be kept in strict confidence and will be restricted to those who are involved in deciding the action to be taken in the light of your circumstances. The decision on your request will be passed to those who need to know, but the detailed circumstances will remain confidential.
Completing the form
The following guidance relates to the numbered sections of the form:
1. Specify the overall period of time when your work has been or will be affected
Please give the dates or period of time during which your problems have affected your work and ability to study. You should consider carefully the time period you specify as the University will not normally consider circumstances which fall outside of this period.
2. Modules/examinations/coursework affected and the action you would like us to take
If your problem has affected your coursework or exam for one or more modules, please list the modules affected and complete the table.
If your ability to complete an assessment has been affected by extenuating circumstances, various actions are possible. For example:
- You may be offered an extension to a deadline to submit a piece of coursework.
- You may be deemed not to have sat (DNS), which means that you are permitted a further attempt at an examination or assessment as if for the first time.
- The mark for the module may be calculated by a variant of the normal method, for example, a piece of work may be set aside and the mark calculated on the remaining work.
- The mark for the module may be set aside.
You should indicate in this section of the form what action you would like us to take in consideration of your circumstances. If you are seeking an extension, you should indicate a revised submission date that you consider reasonable given your particular circumstances.
If your circumstances are such that you are considering suspending your registration, you should consult your Personal Tutor or the Sub-Dean as a matter of urgency.
3. About your problem
Describe concisely the circumstances which you consider to have had an adverse effect on your ability to study and describe how these have affected your performance or ability to complete a piece of coursework by the deadline, or to take an exam. (Continue on a separate sheet if necessary).
Note that the following would NOT normally be considered as valid extenuating circumstances:
- Computer or printer failure
- Bunching of deadlines
- Job interview
- Falling behind due to paid employment
- Minor illness such as coughs and colds
- Illness after the deadline has passed
- Attendance at weddings and other "rites of passage" ceremonies
- Religious festivals (unless they cover a significant portion of the assessment period or
fall on the day of an examination, in which case the student is expected to give
reasonable advance warning). - General feeling of anxiousness/depression unless backed up by medical evidence
- Holidays
- House moves
- Ignorance of rules and regulations
4. Supporting evidence
Some form of supporting evidence is normally required to support your case, such as a letter from a counsellor, hall warden, or your Personal Tutor. In cases of bereavement you will normally be required to provide a copy of the death certificate. You should attach any supporting evidence to this form. If the evidence is not yet available, please indicate when it will be submitted.
If you consulted a doctor/professional practitioner (except for a counsellor in the University Counselling Service, in which case see below) about your circumstances, please provide a medical certificate or letter/statement from the practitioner and submit it with this form to your School Office. Note that medical and other practitioners may charge for providing a certificate or letter.
5. Supporting evidence to be provided by the University Counselling Service
If you consulted the University Counselling Service, please provide the counsellor's name, the date(s) of consultation(s) and your signature to give your consent for the University Counselling Service to disclose information from your confidential records which is relevant to the present request. If you are unwilling for information from your records to be disclosed, you should discuss the matter with your Personal Tutor.
Please note that it is your responsibility to provide the supporting evidence. All evidence must be submitted by the time of the relevant Special Cases Sub-Committee meeting. Only in exceptional cases will extenuating circumstances be considered after this meeting.
6. Supporting evidence to be provided by the University Medical Practice
If you consulted the University Medical Practice, please see their website for information on how to obtain evidence: University Medical Practice
Submitting the form
It is important that you submit the form to the School Office of the School responsible for your degree programme as soon as possible and not later than the deadline specified, so that the information can be taken into account.
Your form should be in a sealed envelope clearly marked with your name and degree and the words 'Extenuating Circumstances Form - Confidential'.
Each School or department has nominated a 'first point of contact' that you may speak to or email regarding the submission of the form. We recommend you contact this person so that they know to expect your form, especially if it is near the deadline, and so that you can post it to the right address or hand deliver it at a time when the person is available.
Click here for a list of School Contacts for Extenuating Circumstances Forms (PDF - 94KB)
Download an Extenuating Circumstances Form
- MS Word version: Extenuating Circumstances Form (MS Word - 40KB)
- PDF version: Extenuating Circumstances Form (PDF - 360KB)
