During your assessment period

If you’re being assessed by coursework, but you can’t quite submit by the published deadline, you can make use of the Automatic Extension. This gives you a further 48 hours to submit your work - and you don’t have to do anything to request the extension. 

That means, if the original deadline is 12.00 noon on a Wednesday, the end of the Automatic Extension period will be 12.00 noon on the Friday.  

You won’t have access to academic support relating to completing your assessment during the extension, and if it goes over a weekend you may also be unable to access university buildings. This is really important if your assessment piece requires a physical submission.

If you submit the assessment by the original deadline, or within the 48 hour extension period, you cannot resubmit it again during the extension period - an assessment can only be submitted once.

You’ll be advised which assessments are eligible for an automatic extension at the start of each module you study. As general guidance, though, you can use an automatic extension for:

• Most coursework-type assessments
• First-time submissions, or retaken assessments (referrals, deferrals and trailing assessments)

You can’t use an automatic extension for:

• Exams
• Presentations

An automatic extension may not be the appropriate choice if you’re facing more serious disruptions to your learning and your ability to complete assessments,. This is when you should make use of an Extenuating Circumstances request.

If you’re facing short to mid-term circumstances that affect the standard of your work, or your ability to complete your assessment by the submission deadline, you can make an Extenuating Circumstances claim. This can give you extra time, or another attempt, for your assessment. 

You can submit an extenuating circumstances claim up to one week after the end of the teaching block in which the assessment was due. Retrospective claims are only awarded under exceptional circumstances. 

This process is kept confidential between you and us, although we may contact the Student Wellbeing Service for advice, and possible referral, where we have specific concerns. 

You should submit an Extenuating Circumstances claim when you: 

• Are not able to submit a piece of assessment by the original submission date (and a  48 hour extension is not enough)  
• Have been unable to finish an examination during the allotted examination time due to an unforeseen circumstance arising during the examination.
• Are unable to attend an exam or assessment event for valid reasons. (Planned absences such as holiday are not valid) 

If you’re claiming extenuating circumstances on a group assessment, the names of all members of the group should be on the claim form. In these cases,  valid claims will affect all members of the group. 

If you’re making an extenuating circumstances claim, you should discuss the process with your personal tutor. It’s important to note that we follow a ‘Fit to Sit’ policy; if you do sit the exam, or submit your work, it means you’re claiming you’re fit to do so, and your Extenuating CIrcumstances claim won’t be accepted. 

We’ll tell you whether your claim has been approved or declined, within 10 working days of submission of the EC claim. If it is approved: 

• For a coursework assignment, you’ll be given ten further working days to complete and submit your work. If that’s still not enough, and this is your first attempt at this assignment, you’ll be entitled to retake the assessment in the next referral / deferral period, without penalty. 
• For an examination, you’ll be entitled to retake the assessment in the next referral / deferral period, without penalty, if this is your first attempt at this exam
• For an assessment undertaken in a referral / deferral period, you will have the opportunity to retake the assessment in the next assessment period. This could mean you are taking the assessment in the following academic year. 

For some accredited courses, you may not be able to progress into the next academic year until you have passed your deferred assessment. You may also face restrictions on the number of times you can attempt an assessment. You should discuss the implications of submitting an EC claim with your Module Leader if you’re following an accredited course.

More about claiming Extenuating Circumstances 

Further notes

If you’ve experienced a  course management issue , this isn’t considered extenuating circumstances. You should make a complaint, following the University’s official complaints procedure, and your Head of School will provide an appropriate solution.

An assessment penalty imposed in accordance with the University’s Student Conduct Policy overrides any valid Extenuating Circumstances claim.

Written statements on your behalf, when not accompanied by an EC claim from yourself, may be considered where there have been severe mental health issues / hospitalisation or other circumstances such that you are unable to submit yourself. You will be informed of such action and given time to let the University know if you do not wish the University to proceed with this.  No other intervention on your behalf will be considered.

If you submit late, without a valid Extenuating Circumstances claim, you’ll face assessment penalties. 

If it's the first time you're submitting to an assessment: if you hand your work in after the automatic extension period, the highest mark you can receive will be the module pass threshold (usually 40%).  If you hand it in more than 10 working days after the original deadline, however, your work will be recorded as a non-submission and won’t be marked.

Otherwise, if you hand work in after the automatic extension period, your work will be recorded as a non-submission and will not be marked.

You’ll need to bring identification to your exam. Your campus card is ideal; you can also use official photo ID like a passport or driver’s licence.  

1. Entry to Examination Room: You can enter the examination room up to fifteen minutes before the exam starts.
2. Late Entry: If you arrive later than thirty minutes after the exam starts, you won’t be allowed to enter.
3. No Re-entry: Once an exam has started, you can't enter if another student has already left.
4. Leaving During Exam: Except for illness or with the invigilator's permission, you must stay in the exam room until thirty minutes after it starts. Leaving without permission means you’ve withdrawn from the exam.
5. Last Thirty Minutes: Normally, you can’t leave in the last thirty minutes. However, in computer aided assessment or exceptional cases, you can with the invigilator's approval, leaving quietly. 
6. Early Exit: If you need to leave early, get the invigilator’s attention and leave quietly. 
7. Returning Materials: Before leaving, hand in all used and unused answer books or records of assessment.
8. Clean Up: Take all your belongings and rubbish with you when you leave.

Here are the rules regarding starting, stopping and conduct during the examination:

1. Starting the Exam: Wait for the invigilator to instruct you before beginning the examination. 
2. Identifying your work: You will be provided with an examination answer book or coursework cover sheet with a foldover adhesive flap. You must record your name on the top right-hand corner of the book/sheet and obscure this information by sealing the fold-over flap. You must also identify yourself on the answer book or cover sheet by means of your Student Number, which is on your Student Campus Card. 
3. Stopping Work: Immediately stop working when instructed by the invigilator. If you arrive late, you must still finish at the scheduled end time as directed by the invigilator. 
4. Computer Aided Assessment: In computer aided assessments, you will be automatically timed out at the end of the assessment.
5. Remaining Seated: Stay seated in silence until all answer scripts or assessment records have been collected and you are given permission to leave.

Here are the rules concerning examination stationery and materials:

1. Use of Answer Books and Additional Sheets: All work, including rough work, must be written in the provided answer books or on relevant paper if answer books are not supplied. Additional sheets such as graph paper or drawings must be clearly marked with your Student Number and attached to your answer book or assessment record. 
2. Returning Answer Books: Answer books must be handed to the invigilator upon request.
3. Security of Answer Books: Pages cannot be removed from answer books, and answer books or assessment records cannot be taken out of the examination room. 
4. Use of Provided Materials: Mathematical tables, charts, and similar aids provided by the University must remain in the examination room and cannot be removed. 
5. Permitted Aids: Before each exam, you will be informed about which aids, like calculators or notes, are allowed. You may not use mobile phones, smart watches, or any device that can store or transmit information unless specified otherwise. Using unauthorised aids is considered an assessment offence. 
6. Translation Dictionaries: In modules where language proficiency isn't directly assessed, non-native English speakers may use a translation dictionary if approved by the Module Coordinator. The dictionary will be checked before the exam starts to ensure it's not marked or altered in any way. Electronic dictionaries are not allowed, and extra time for their use is not permitted. 
7. Inspection by Invigilators: Invigilators have the right to inspect any materials or items in the exam room or in a student's possession at any time during the exam.

Here are the rules on behaviour during the exam:

1. Silence and Conduct: Throughout the entire examination, maintain silence except when requesting additional answer books. Persistent disturbance to other students may result in exclusion from the examination.
2. Food and Drinks in the Examination Room: You are allowed to bring drinking water into the examination room. No other food or drink is permitted, except for medical reasons.
3. Communication Rules: During the examination, you must not communicate with anyone other than an invigilator.
4. Documents Allowed: You should only bring documents required for the examination's purpose. Unnecessary documents are prohibited.
5. Mobile Devices: All mobile phones and devices must be turned off throughout the entire examination.
6. Computer Aided Assessment: In computer aided assessments, invigilators will specify the approved software and any restrictions. No other software is permitted during the assessment.

We have a zero-tolerance policy regarding cheating or disruption in exams. If an invigilator suspects that you have committed an assessment offence during an examination, they will:

• Draw a line across the cover of the answer book and note the time when the suspected offence was discovered.
• Sign their name at this point and remove the answer book(s) from your desk.
• Provide you with a fresh answer book to continue the examination, finishing at the scheduled time.

The Senior Invigilator will notify your Head of School about the suspected assessment offence after the examination.

1. If you feel unwell during an examination, it's important to inform the invigilator immediately.
2. You may temporarily leave the examination room due to illness or for reasons approved by the invigilator. A university staff member will accompany you during your absence. If you return to complete the examination, you will not be eligible to submit a claim for extenuating circumstances.
3. If you cannot continue due to illness or believe your examination performance has been impacted, you should leave the examination room. The invigilator will note the time of your departure on your answer book or assessment record. Following the examination, you must submit a request for extenuating circumstances. If you leave the examination due to illness and submit such a request, your examination mark will be recorded as zero.

If you’re taking an exam off-campus, we call this a ‘remote examination’. It’s remote if:

• It doesn’t take place in a face to face format, even within University buildings; or
• It’s held in premises hired for assessments, or in an overseas venue engaged by the University for the purpose of examinations

Your remote exams might include open book or take home examinations, standard time limited examinations or time limited examinations taken within a defined submission window. 

When you take a remote examination, you’re still subject to the same expectations of academic integrity as anyone taking an on-campus exam. The work you submit must be entirely your own, and can’t use answers or content provided wholly or in part by others. You must not share any information or discuss any aspect of the examination questions with others during the assessment window for the examination.

Because there’s a potential for collusion or other forms of academic misconduct in remote exams, there are likely to be differences from the rules for on-campus exams set out above. You’ll be informed of any differences before the exam is held.