Extensions and mitigating circumstances

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Graduating from UWL will open up a world of opportunities for you, but we understand that the journey to get there is not always easy - especially when you are combining studying with work, caring for others or dealing with illness. That is why we offer lots of support to help you meet your full potential and why we have been listening to you about what we can do to improve our processes around deadlines. 

Working with our award-winning Students’ Union, we have put together these simple steps if you are struggling with deadlines.

Navigating academic regulations

Academic regulations can be difficult to understand, especially when you need to apply for extra time on your deadline. We have put together a video to help you understand the application process and what to do in certain situations, such as if you have reached your self-certification limit.

1. Talk to us

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Don’t struggle in silence.

Whether it’s your course/module leader, personal tutor or any member of staff – speak to them so they can get you the support you need to succeed.

2. Extend your deadline

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If you have exceptional circumstances that mean you are not able to submit a piece of coursework on time, apply online for an extension. An extension will mean that coursework submitted up to 10 days late will not be penalised for late submission. Normally if you submit work late, the maximum mark you can receive is the pass mark.

You can ‘self-certify’ 3 assessments per academic year, for either an extension or mitigation. Self-certification means that a decision is made based on the reason you give for your request, but you do not need to provide documentary evidence. Once you have used your 3 self-certifications, you would need to provide evidence to support any further claims.

You can apply online for an extension using MyRegistry. Sign in, go to ‘My Assessments’, Look for ‘My Exceptional Circumstances’ and click ‘View, Add and Amend Requests’.

  • Before you apply

    You should speak to your personal tutor or module leader and seek advice as soon as possible so that they can support you.

    Read the exceptional circumstances regulations

     

  • How do I apply for an extension?

    To apply for an extension you will need to:

  • How is the 10 calendar days extension calculated?

    The 10 calendar days extension includes weekends and holidays and may mean that you will need to submit your work on a weekend.

  • What are exceptional circumstances?

    Exceptional circumstances are circumstances outside your control that mean you can’t submit your work on time or attend an assessment.

    Exceptional circumstances could be:

    • Serious short-term illness or injury
    • Worsening of an ongoing illness or disability, including mental health conditions
    • Symptoms of an infectious disease that could be harmful if passed on to others
    • Death or significant illness of a close family member or friend
    • Unexpected caring responsibilities for a family member or dependant
    • Significant personal or family crises leading to acute stress
    • Witnessing or experiencing a traumatic incident
    • A crime that has had a substantial impact on the student
    • Accommodation crisis such as eviction or the home becoming uninhabitable
    • An emergency or crisis that prevents the student from attending an exam or accessing an online assessment
    • A technical problem that prevents the student from accessing online teaching or assessment
    • Safeguarding concerns

    Exceptional circumstances are unlikely to be:

    • Holidays, house moves or other events that were planned or could reasonably have been expected
    • Minor illness such as common colds or hay fever, unless the symptoms are particularly severe
    • Assessments that are scheduled close together
    • Misreading the exam timetable
    • Poor time management
    • Minor transport disruption
    • Computer or printer failure where the student should have backed up their work
    • Normal exam stress
    • Minor life events, unless the circumstances have had a disproportionate impact
  • What if I have an Individual Support Plan (ISP)?

    An Individual Support Plan can be issued to students registered with the Disability and Mental Health team to detail the additional support they require.

    If you need an extension because of the disability or condition in your ISP, you can apply as normal, but submit your ISP as the evidence to support your claim instead of self-certifying.

3. Delay your upcoming assessment until the next attempt (Mitigation)

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If you have exceptional circumstances that mean you are not able to attend an exam, in-class test, performance, or other timetabled assessment, or an extension is not enough for you to be able to submit some coursework, you can mitigate to delay the assessment until later in your course.

You can ‘self-certify’ three assessments per academic year, for either an extension or mitigation. Self-certification means that a decision is made based on the reason you give for your request, but you do not need to provide documentary evidence. Once you have used your 3 self-certifications, you would need to provide evidence to support any further claims. You can only self-certify if you apply before the deadline.

  • Before you apply

    You should speak to your personal tutor or module leader and seek advice as soon as possible so that they can support you.

    Read the exceptional circumstances regulations

     

  • How do I apply for mitigation?

    To apply for a mitigation you will need to:

  • What does mitigation mean for me?

    Mitigation means you can delay your assessment until the next time it takes place.

    There are a limited number of times assessments take place in a year, normally a first attempt date and resit date. Mitigating a resit attempt may mean you have to wait until the next year to try again and could delay your progression or graduation. The task or question may change for the next attempt.

    Make sure you get in touch with your Personal Tutor, Module Leader, Course Leader or the UWLSU Advice team about the impact of mitigation on your workload and progression to the next level of your course.

4. Get an extra attempt at an assessment you’ve failed or not submitted (Mitigation)

A student completes an application form.

If your extenuating circumstances mean that you’ve failed or not submitted an assignment, you can apply for Mitigation.

  • Before you apply

    Before you apply for mitigation you should talk to your module leader or personal tutor about your circumstances, so that they can support you.

    Read the exceptional circumstances regulations

  • How do I apply for mitigating circumstances?

    To apply for Mitigation you will need to:

    You must provide evidence from a professional involved in your circumstances. The evidence must be directly relevant to your circumstances and the date of your assessment.

    We strongly advise that you get in touch with the UWLSU Advice team, who can help you fill in your mitigation form and support you in getting evidence for Mitigation.

  • How can successful mitigation help me?

    You automatically get two attempts at an assessment, a first attempt, and a resit attempt (where your mark is capped at the pass mark). Mitigation allows you an extra attempt at the assessment you failed or did not submit. The task or question may change for this attempt. 

    You can also Mitigate to get a free retake of a failed module (including teaching), or for a penalty for late submission to be lifted, just let us know that's what you want. 

    Remember, there are a limited number of times assessments take place in a year. Mitigating a resit attempt may mean you have to wait until the next year to try again and could delay your progression or graduation.

    You cannot mitigate the same assessment more than three times.

    Make sure you get in touch with your Personal Tutor, Module Leader, Course Leader, or the UWLSU Advice Team about the impact of mitigation on your workload and progression to the next level of your course.

  • Can I apply for Mitigation if I have passed an assessment?

    No, you cannot mitigate for an assessment you have passed.

  • How do I attach evidence to my mitigation application with the online form?

    Review your applications and attach evidence using the online form (Sign-in, go to ‘My Assessments’, Look for ‘My Exceptional Circumstances’ and click ‘View, Add and Amend Requests’, then find your application in ‘Requests Awaiting Further Evidence or Awaiting Statement’, under the ‘My Extensions’ or ‘My Mitigations’ tab). You can also scan and email evidence to mitigationapplications@uwl.ac.uk.

Late submission without extension or mitigation

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Work that is submitted after the deadline, without an extension or mitigating circumstances, will have the mark limited, based on how late it is:

  • Late up to 10 days from the deadline: the element mark will be capped at the pass mark.
  • Late over 10 days from the deadline: the piece of work will be recorded as a non-submission and you’ll need to resit/retake it.

Getting help with your studies

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Get the most out of your course

We want you to get the full benefit from your course and get the best from yourself during your time here. We are here to help you throughout your studies and offer a range of study support including:

  • Specialised support with English, Maths and IT
  • A peer-mentoring service to get support from another student
  • Drop-in sessions to discuss concerns
  • Skills workshops