Extenuating Circumstances Policy 2024/25

Last updated: September 2024. Review date: July 2025

• What are extenuating circumstances claims?
• Fit to Sit Policy
  
• How to make a claim for extenuating circumstances
  
• When do you need to claim by?
• Students who have long-term ongoing conditions or disabilities
• Grounds for extenuating circumstances
• Grounds that would not normally be accepted as extenuating circumstances
• How to provide supporting evidence
• Your responsibilities
• Consideration of your claim
• Outcome of your claim
• Confidentiality
• Your right to appeal 

What are extenuating circumstances claims?

During your time at university, you may encounter personal difficulties that impact your ability to study for or complete an academic assessment or exam, these are known as ‘extenuating circumstances or ‘ECs’.

The University is committed to supporting students that find themselves facing difficulties, and we want to help you stay on track and progress in your studies.

Extenuating circumstances are defined as serious circumstances that significantly disrupt a student’s ability to undertake assessment. In most cases we expect that the circumstances will be unforeseen and unpreventable, (though we recognise that this may not always be the case).

In order for an EC to be considered, students should submit a timely EC claim, supported by appropriate and contemporaneous evidence. We can then make an informed decision on your claim and offer any appropriate support.

This policy applies to all St Mary’s students undertaking Undergraduate, Postgraduate taught and Research programmes.

There are two levels of claim for extenuating circumstances:

• A Programme-level request to extend your submission deadline – short-term situations which require a short delay to the submission of coursework of no more than 10 working days after the original deadline.
• A University-level extenuating circumstances claim – longer-term situations which will affect the main examination periods and/or a delay in submitting your coursework of more than 10 working days. 

This policy applies to all St Mary’s students undertaking Undergraduate, Postgraduate taught and Research programmes.

Fit to Sit Policy

We operate a Fit to Sit policy at St Mary’s University. This means that if you submit an assessment or sit an exam, you are declaring yourself fit and well enough to undertake the assessment. If you decide to subsequently make an extenuating circumstances claim, this will not normally be accepted unless you are able to provide evidence to show that you were not fit enough, or otherwise affected to  undertake the assessment.  

How to make a claim for extenuating circumstances

Log into your student portal.

1. Select the ‘my details’ tab.
2. In the ‘manage my course’ select the ‘View, Add or Amend Extenuating circumstances Request’.

You’ll be able to complete an online form for either a Programme-level or University-level claim. Select the specific assessments you’re claiming for, provide an explanation of your circumstances, and upload any supporting third-party evidence.

Once you’ve completed your online form and successfully submitted it, you’ll receive an automatic email confirming receipt of your claim request.

Once your claim has been reviewed, you’ll receive another automated email confirming whether your claim has been approved or not.

<Dropdown accordion>Are you a final year student?

If you’re submitting a University-level extenuating circumstances claim in Semester 2, you won’t be able to attend a graduation ceremony that summer as your record will be incomplete at the Semester 2 Exam Board.

Dropdown accordion>Are you due to resit exams during the reassessment period (usually July)?

If so, you’ll need to make yourself available during the exam period – otherwise the module will appear as a fail on your student record, and may affect your progression to the next level of study.

When do you need to claim by

You’re responsible for reporting extenuating circumstances:

• Within the assessment period/semester for the affected assessment
• By the assessment’s submission date
• By the relevant claim deadline below  

These are the deadlines for extenuating circumstances claims this academic year (dates may be subject to change), allowing for timely submission of outcomes to the relevant University Examination Board:

• Tuesday 1 October 2024
• Tuesday 5 November 2024
• Tuesday 13 February 2024
• Friday 3 January 2025
• Tuesday 11 February 2025
• Tuesday 18 March 2025
• Tuesday 3 June 2025
• Tuesday 22 July 2025

Do you have long-term ongoing conditions or disabilities?

Students with declared long-standing disabilities or ongoing medical conditions

If these have lasted or are likely to last for a period of more than 12 months, you’re advised to register with the Wellbeing Service at St Mary’s. Where appropriate, through assessment by the Wellbeing Service, the University will support students through the assessment strategies to try to ensure that students are provided with reasonable additional support or facilities.

If any long term conditions arise after you’ve been offered a place to study with us, and they’re likely to be of limited duration, you may be advised to postpone your enrolment. Otherwise, we’ll endeavour to provide reasonable adjustment for support and guidance to enable you to complete your programme of study.

Reasonable adjustment may include support for formal examinations, and the option of requesting extensions for a submission deadline for coursework or, if necessary, deferring assessment (in line with the Academic Regulations).

Students with a long-standing condition, including an unexpected bout of illness as a result of the chronic or long-term condition

You’ll need to submit a University-level extenuating circumstances claim on the grounds of the condition you’ve already registered with the Wellbeing Service, and you won’t need to provide supporting evidence for the claim.

However, the timing of the diagnosis of your condition may be considered a basis for following the full extenuating circumstances process. For example, in the event of late diagnosis of your condition, resulting in a lack of adequate reasonable adjustments made in advance of the exam/assessment, you would be able to request extenuating circumstances.

Do you have an up-to-date Learning Support Form (LSF) from the Wellbeing service?

If so, please note this doesn’t automatically grant extenuating circumstances under this policy. Your claim will be considered based on the information provided and how the particular circumstances being claimed for relate to the condition/s outlined in your LSF.

If you have a long-standing condition and you submit an extenuating circumstances claim based on other grounds that aren’t registered with the Wellbeing Service, then this claim would need to follow the full procedure outlined in this policy.

Failure to disclose a known disability and seek the support of the Wellbeing Service won’t be accepted as grounds for extenuating circumstances.

Grounds for extenuating circumstances

Are you unfit to sit or submit an assessment?

We recognise there are occasions when you may be too unwell or affected by extenuating circumstances to take an assessment. Approval of a claim for extenuating circumstances depend on your provision of appropriate evidence or documentation. Extenuating circumstances will not normally be applied to students retrospectively.  

We won’t ordinarily* accept claims of extenuating circumstances relating to:

• An exam or other assessment event (such as a presentation) that you’ve attended – unless you’re taken ill during the event, in which case, you’d still need to make a claim and corroboration will be provided by the exam invigilator or the academic member(s) responsible for the assessment event.
• An assignment you’ve submitted by the agreed deadline (or agreed extended deadline), as we assume you had judged yourself fit to undertake the assessment, so no subsequent claim for extenuating circumstances relating to the assessment will be accepted.
• Partial submission of coursework – you can’t claim for a piece of unfinished work that you submitted before the deadline.

*We may waive these restrictions if you’ve had a certified illness that meant you were unable to judge at the appropriate time that you were fit to undertake assessments – with confirmation from a mental health adviser, or other practitioner qualified to make this judgement.

Students are responsible for ensuring that all relevant information and supporting documentary evidence is submitted with the extenuating circumstances claim. Students should be aware that an extenuating circumstances claim can only be considered once the fully completed form and relevant supporting evidence has been submitted. A claim without supporting evidence will be rejected.

Normally, late submission of a claim for extenuating circumstances will not be accepted. However, it is recognised that there may be cases where a student is unable to submit a claim for Extenuating circumstances within the normal time period (e.g. emergency in-patient hospital treatment). In this case the student can submit a claim within two months after the initial deadline and will need to provide evidence as to why the claim is late.

The following table lists grounds for applying for extenuating circumstances.

	Grounds for claim	Timeframe	Acceptable evidence
1	Significant illness, accident, injury, or hospitalisation (planned or otherwise)	Evidence will be accepted up to one month prior to or after the submission deadline	Valid medical letter, screen shot of appointment dates and information regarding diagnosis and treatment. Evidence of engagement with Student Services or Department regarding the matter.
2	The death or serious illness of a close family member, close relative by marriage, dependent or a close friend	Evidence will be accepted up to six months after the bereavement	Death certificate, order of service, confirmation of bereavement from a doctor or other professional.  Evidence of engagement with Student Services or Department regarding the matter.
3	Family crisis directly impacting the student such as illness of a family member or child, divorce, separation of self or family members	Evidence will be accepted one month after the submission date	Medical letter from GP, counselling services or social services or other professional services.  Evidence of engagement with Student Services or Department regarding the matter.
4	Serious personal disruption due to a sudden change of circumstances, fire, or being a victim of crime	Evidence will be accepted one month after the submission date	Medical letter from GP, counselling services or social services or other professional services.  Letter from insurance company, police crime reference number.
5	Disability where student is registered disabled with Student Services and/or has an LSF in place – including hearing or visual impairment, mobility restrictions, neuro-diverse conditions, and dyslexia (not an exhaustive list)	Evidence will be accepted up to one month in advance	Medical letter from GP, counselling services or social services or other professional services.  Evidence of engagement with Student Services or Department regarding the matter.  An LSF does not provide an automatic EC, but can be viewed as evidence towards the claim.
6	Absence caused by pregnancy, maternity, paternity or adoption leave	Evidence will be accepted up to one month in advance	Medical letter from GP, counselling services or social services or other professional services.  Evidence of engagement with Student Services or Department regarding the matter.
7	Loss of a baby or miscarriage	Evidence will be accepted up to six months after the loss	Medical letter from GP, counselling services or social services or other professional services. Evidence of engagement with Student Services or Department regarding the matter.
8	Absence caused by jury service	Evidence will be accepted one month ahead of time – you should aim to defer the jury service but this is not essential	Letter from the court requesting attendance at Jury service
9	Serious financial difficulties affecting a students’ ability to a study – including having to take on additional hours at work due to being unable to maintain a reasonable standard of living, unable to buy food, provide heating etc	Evidence will be accepted up to a month before or afterwards	Letter from employer, proof of financial difficulty, bank statements. Evidence of engagement with Student Services or Department regarding the impact of financial difficulties.
10	Change of circumstances in living arrangements such as eviction, periods of homelessness	Evidence will be accepted up to one month in advance	Evidence of eviction from landlord, letter from social services or other professional services. Evidence of engagement with Student Services or Department regarding the matter.
11	Loss of immigration status	Evidence will be accepted up to one month in advance	Letter from home office, legal representative or other professional service. Confirmation of withdrawal on UKVI portal from Registry
12	Training camps and competition at National and International level, e.g. elite athletes	Evidence will be accepted up to one month in advance	Letter or screenshot of email confirming place on team
13	Acute personal or emotional circumstances or trauma, or significant events impacting the student that are out of their control (such as war in home country)	Evidence will be accepted up to one month after the submission date	Medical letter from GP, counselling services or social services or other professional services.  Evidence of engagement with Student Services or Department regarding the matter.
14	Unexpected disruption to childcare arrangements, including school or nursery closures or being called away to care for a child	Evidence will be accepted up to two weeks after the disruption has occurred	Letter from nursery, school or childminder to confirm the difficulties. Medical evidence such as screenshot of school/nursery notification, GP appointment, dated and named label on medication if a child has been ill.
15	Planned industrial action or station and line closures impacting public transport	Evidence will be accepted up to one week after the disruption has occurred	Evidence of cancellation i.e. travel board or website update
16	Arrest or being investigated by the police	Evidence will be accepted up to one month in advance	Letter from police or legal representative. Letter of support from student services or department
17	Religious observance (Short term only)	Evidence will be accepted up to one month in advance	Letter from religious leader, church or place of worship to confirm
18	Impact on ability to submit work due to industrial action undertaken by University staff	Evidence will be accepted up to one week after the disruption has occurred	Confirmation of cancellation of lecture
19	Other serious circumstances which could not be foreseen by the student

Please note a Learning Support Form (LSF) isn’t considered as satisfactory evidence for an automatic EC claim, but it may be used to support a claim alongside the other required evidence as outlined above. 

Grounds that would not normally be accepted as extenuating circumstances

Not all claims will be agreed by the university. Common reasons for extenuating claims being rejected are listed below, although this list should not be considered definitive or exhaustive:

1. Minor illnesses such as coughs, colds and Covid-19
2. Inadequate planning preventing completion or submission of coursework. (You should seek support from Student Services around reasonable adjustments if there are specific learning difficulties impacting youur ability to plan workload) 
3. Misreading an exam timetable or submission of coursework date
4. Assessments or exams scheduled close together (including assessments which were deferred or extended due to a previously approved extenuating circumstances claim)
5. Planned personal or domestic events, such as moving house or attending a wedding
6. An ongoing position as a carer for a family member or friend (however, we would consider an unexpected illness or emergency for the person you’re caring for)
7. Planned holidays
8. Religious observance which continues over a period of weeks, (if you require support, contact your department about adjustments)
9. Consequences of voluntary work which aren’t part of the substantive programme of study
10. Transport issues not linked to planned industrial action/station or line closures
11. Normal and/or scheduled sports activities
12. IT failures or loss or corruption of data (unless clear evidence can be provided to prove that an IT error has occurred, or that the loss or theft of an item delayed submission)
13. Criminal conviction preventing submission of work, (although we’ll consider this on a case-by-case basis) however, and ECs may be appropriate in some cases.

How to provide supporting evidence

• You’ll have to make your own enquiries to obtain evidence.
• Evidence must be relevant, legible and in English. 
• Overseas evidence in another language may require certified translation.
• Any costs incurred in supplying evidence are your responsibility.

Your responsibilities

The extenuating circumstances policy should only be used if you experience significant disruptions to your studies in circumstances over which you have had no control.

It’s your responsibility to:

• Make the decision to take an assessment, or to decide you’re too ill or otherwise affected by extenuating circumstances to take an assessment
• Provide acceptable and sufficient evidence of what happened and be able to say how this disadvantaged you
• Submit all relevant information and supporting documentary evidence with the extenuating circumstances claim (incomplete claims will be rejected)
• Read and understand this policy and adhere to the guidance provided  

You are responsible for deciding whether you are too ill or otherwise affected by extenuating circumstances to take an assessment. You may seek advice from staff about how to make a claim but any advice will be limited to guidance around the procedure and the final decision is yours. 

St Marys University are unable to support students by gathering evidence on their behalf

Consideration of your claim

Claims for extension to the scheduled submission deadline will be reviewed and approved or rejected by the nominated member of staff within each School.

Whereas University-level extenuating circumstances will be considered by the University Extenuating Circumstances Panel, an authority delegated by the University Examination Board. This Sub Board will include:

1. A chair (normally Academic Registrar or nominee)
2. Academic staff from one or more School or Faculty (where this can’t be achieved in person, academic staff may present their views by correspondence for consideration of the panel)
3. A clerk to record the outcomes and recommendations of the Panel.

Their role is to:

1. Establish that the evidence is valid – i.e. authentic and appropriate – and  relates to the assessment in question, and has been submitted by the required date
2. Review extenuating circumstances claims and evidence to recommend to the University Examination Board whether or not to accept each claim
3. Make improvements to the effectiveness and efficiency of the procedure

If any evidence is awaited, they could defer decisions or authorise the Chair to act on their behalf without calling a further panel.

Outcome of your claim

Programme-level requests to extend your submission deadline may be approved or rejected – we’ll aim to let you know by email (your student email address) no more than 5 working days after receipt by the Faculty/ School Administration. At busy times of year, best endeavours to meet this deadline will be made.                           

University-level claims may also be approved or rejected – we’ll aim to let you know by email (your student email address) within 15 working days of Panel meeting.

If a claim is granted on the basis of serious ill-health, it’s likely we’ll require a medical note authorising your fitness to return to studies, before you can continue.

If you’re facing difficulties over a prolonged period, you may wish to consider taking a Leave of Absence. Here’s our Leave of Absence procedure.   

Confidentiality

By making an extenuating circumstances request, you might reveal sensitive personal information. We treat all requests as confidential – access is limited to only those members of staff who need to be involved in the administration and approval process for extenuating circumstances.

Your right to appeal

The decision of the Sub Board will be based on the evidence submitted with your claim. You’ll have the right to appeal against the decision, if there’s evidence that the procedures for the University Extenuating circumstances Sub Board and/or consideration of its recommendation to the Examination Board were not followed.

See the Academic Appeals Procedure for further details. 

Last Updated	New and Updated policy for September 2024
Review Due	July 2025
Policy owned by	Academic Registrar
Linked to	Academic Appeals Procedure Leave of Absence Procedure