Appendix 7 – Procedures for the Submission of Exceptional Mitigating Circumstances: 2021-22

Surprising Terms

• Failure to hand in work on time or present for an examination or timed assessment can only be accommodated where there are serious mitigating circumstances which students could not have been expected to know about or plan for in advance.
• Circumstances which will not be accepted as valid will generally relate to things that could have planned for. Examples are:
  • oversleeping
  • missing a bus/train
  • computer/ equipment faults whilst preparing assessment
  • holidays during published term and assessment dates
  • planned house moves
  • everyday occurrences such as headaches, colds or known conditions such as hayfever unless they are unusually severe and have a medical certificate to indicate the student was too unwell to attend.
  • lack of command of the English language
  • normal pregnancy
  • childcare arrangements
• For full-time students work commitments are not accepted as valid exceptional mitigating circumstances.
• Students who require special arrangements in relation to assessment because of a disability or learning difficulty should refer to appendix 6.
• Applications should be submitted at the earliest opportunity and no later than the absolute deadlines set out by Academic Registry. Claims which are submitted late without good reason will not be considered.
• All EMC applications are considered by Faculty Panels which operate as sub-committees of Assessment Boards. Applications submitted without all the appropriate evidence will not be considered if, in the opinion of the Panel, it could have reasonably been provided.
• Assessment Boards are not authorised to and will not change marks on the basis of Exceptional Mitigating Circumstances.
• It is a responsibility of the student concerned to complete the application form correctly. Decisions of the panel will only relate to information included on the application form.
• The consideration of an application for EMC requires academic judgement in relation to the appropriateness of the application and substance of the evidence provided. There is no right of appeal against this academic judgement. If however a student believes that there has been procedural error in a decision to reject an application to intercalate, the normal Appeals process can be followed.