Exceptional Circumstances
When a student believes that his/her performance may be adversely affected by exceptional circumstances in advance of an examination or deadline for returning assessed work, he/she should seek advice e.g. from his/ her doctor, University Occupational Health Service, Adviser of Studies, Personal Tutor or the relevant Students’ Union officer(s), on the options open to him/her. These options might include withdrawal, deferral of the examination, applying for an extension to the deadline for submitting coursework or applying for a waiver to any penalty imposed for late submission.
IMPORTANT: If you turn up and attempt an examination, or submit a piece of assessed work, you are deeming yourself fit to be examined. The decision on whether to attempt the examination or submit the assessed work, and the consequences of that decision, shall remain the sole responsibility of the student in question.
IMPORTANT: Please remember that exceptional circumstances should not be submitted as an insurance against possible poor performance and acceptance of exceptional circumstances will not result in individual marks being raised.
Exceptional circumstances for the purposes of assessment decisions are defined as unforeseen factors or factors outside the student’s control which may adversely affect performance, such as illness during an examination. Chronic conditions for which some students have received support and reasonable adjustments do not constitute exceptional circumstances, though a worsening of a condition may do so. It is the responsibility of candidates to ensure that medical certificates and other documentary evidence of exceptional circumstances are submitted to the School Office within three working days of returning to their studies, or, in the case of emergencies which arose during examinations, by the University’s published deadline. Boards of Examiners are not obliged to consider any medical certificate or evidence of exceptional circumstances presented after the University’s published deadline.
A more detailed University guide to exceptional circumstances is available here.
A template 'Exceptional Circumstances' form can be downloaded at the link below.
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