What are extenuating circumstances (ECs)?
Extenuating circumstances are situations or events that have happened in your life that make it difficult or impossible for you to undertake an assessment (such as submitting coursework, making a presentation or sitting an exam) or affected your ability to do as well as you could have. They would usually be something that happened at the same time as, or when you were preparing for, the assessment.
Though it’s not possible to provide a complete list of all acceptable circumstances, extenuating circumstances are situations or events that are:
- Exceptional - different to what you deal with in your usual day-to-day life.
- Unforeseen - you couldn't know that it was going to happen or plan for it.
- Outside of your control - there was nothing you could do to stop it happening.
- Short-term - you don't expect it to last very long.
We also expect them to have a substantial impact on your ability to prepare for or take an assessment.
It’s important to remember that the Extenuating Circumstances Procedure should only be used for situations that are short-term and generally only affect assessments. If you are experiencing longer-term issues that could mean you miss too much learning, you may need to consider interrupting your studies.
What is not considered an extenuating circumstance?
Extenuating circumstances must have a bigger impact than everyday things, like a poor night’s sleep (e.g. a cough or cold), a minor injury, or being anxious about an assessment.
Generally, something is not extenuating if it can be predicted or expected, such as coursework deadlines, which are set in advance. These examples are circumstances which usually could have been avoided or where arrangements could have been made to address the problem, so are unlikely to be accepted:
- Accommodation disturbances - It is your responsibility to make sure you have access to suitable accommodation during your academic year, exam, and resit period. Disturbances caused by housemates would generally be considered normal and therefore not acceptable grounds.
- Criminal conviction - If you are convicted of a criminal offence, any disruption caused by the sentence is not considered an acceptable extenuating circumstance.
- Exam stress - Feeling stressed or anxious leading up to and during an exam is common. It is not considered to be an acceptable extenuating circumstance unless a medical diagnosis of illness has been made.
- Holidays - It is your responsibility to ensure you are available for all potential assessments during term time, exam, or resit periods. All term dates can be found on the Academic Calendar.
- IT and/or computer failure - If you lose your work, your files become corrupted, or you upload the incorrect file, this isn't an acceptable extenuating circumstance. It's your responsibility to make sure all your work is sufficiently backed up.
- Misreading the exam timetable - It is your responsibility to make sure you know and remember the location, time, and duration of all your exams.
- Moving home - Buying a property is not an unexpected or unforeseen event. An eviction notice from a rented property is usually provided with a minimum notice period of 3 months so isn't normally considered an acceptable extenuating circumstance. However, if you've been issued with a section 8 eviction notice of less than 3 moths, this may be accepted.
- Scheduling of assessments - Deadlines or exams being close together are unlikely to be considered an acceptable circumstance. You’re expected to plan your academic work so that you can meet assessment deadlines at the same time as your other obligations. If you have an exam clash, speak with your Faculty.
- Transport issues - You should arrive at your assessment or exam on time and always allow extra time in case of delays. If you can't travel because of circumstances beyond your control, this may be accepted.
- Work issues - You are expected to make sure that any work you undertake does not interfere with your studies. If you are a part-time student and an unexpected or exceptional work commitment does arise, this may be considered an extenuating circumstance.
What if I can’t disclose the details of my extenuating circumstances?
We understand that in some cultures it is not usual to disclose the details of some of these kinds of circumstances outside of immediate family. We are fully supportive of students in difficult circumstances and want to assist you where possible. If you feel uncomfortable talking to a tutor or member of faculty staff in the first instance, you might prefer to approach the Students’ Union or Wellbeing Services for initial informal confidential advice.
Without wanting to invade your privacy, you do need to formally advise us by making an EC claim so that we can consider your circumstances, despite the discomfort you might feel. If you don’t disclose your circumstances at a time when you could have done so, we might not be able to take them into account later.
How many times can I submit an EC claim?
There’s no limit to the number of EC claims you can make, but it’s important to understand that if you have too much outstanding work at the end of the year, you may not be able to progress to your next level of study. If you find you’re submitting multiple EC claims throughout the year, you may want to consider:
- Interrupting (taking a break from) your studies
- Contacting the Student Wellbeing Service if you’ve been newly diagnosed with a long-term condition for advice about managing and supporting your condition
If you’re struggling with or have an issue affecting your studies, you can visit the Wellbeing Hub or contact the Students’ Union Advice Team.