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How can I make an academic appeal?

We understand that your performance in an assessment may have been affected by adverse circumstances. You may want to make an academic appeal for the following reasons: 

You were unable to submit a mitigating circumstances form at the time of your assessment

You want to challenge the outcome of a request for mitigating circumstances

You believe that procedural errors by the university have impacted on your results

Important to know: Appeals which are based on a challenge to the academic judgment of the examiners will not be considered.  

In this article:

• Grounds for an appeal
• Appealing a mitigating circumstances decision
• Making an appeal
• Stage 1 Academic Appeal Form
• Stage 2 Academic Appeal Form

As stated within the Academic Regulations , you may appeal on either or both of the following grounds:   

Where there is evidence that assessment(s) may have been adversely affected by mitigating circumstances which the student was unable, or for valid reasons unwilling, to make known before the original decision was reached.

Where there is clear evidence that assessment(s) may have been adversely affected by a significant administrative error on the part of the University or in the conduct of the assessment.

You are expected to inform the university of any mitigating circumstances by submitting a Mitigating Circumstances Form (MCF) as soon as possible either before an assessment, or within 7 days of it .

If you submit an appeal which involve s the retrospective disclosure of mitigating circumstances , you will need to demonstrate why you didn't make a disclosure earlier.

If you have submitted a mitigating circumstances form and it is rejected, you can appeal against this decision once you r results have been ratified.

This can be on either or both of the following grounds:   

• There is new evidence that could not have been, or for good reason was not, made available at the time of the submission of the mitigating circumstances form, and that sufficient evidence remains that your mitigating circumstances warrant further consideration
• That evidence can be produced of significant procedural error on the part of the university in the consideration of the mitigating circumstances, and that sufficient evidence remains that the original mitigating circumstances warrant further consideration

The appeals process involves two stages:  

Appeals concerning decisions of the Faculty Assessment Board (FAB). This is known as a Stage 1 a ppeal.

Appeals made to Student Conduct & Appeals ; t his is known as a Stage 2 a ppeal .

You will only need to submit a Stage 2 appeal if you are not satisfied with the outcome of your Stage 1 appeal.  

Important to know: If the Faculty Assessment Board rules to remove you from your course of study due to lack of academic progress, there is a separate appeals process. For more information, please refer to How can I submit a progression appeal at King's?

How do I submit a Stage 1 Appeal?   

• Complete a Stage 1 Academic Appeal Form and include any supporting evidence.
• This must be submitted within 15 working days of the publication of results of the relevant module .

Important to know : Appeals received after this deadline will only be accepted at the discretion of Student Conduct & Appeals. If you are submitting your appeal outside of this timeframe, you should provide a reason and evidence to explain why your appeal is late. 

What happens after I’ve submitted my Stage 1 appeal?   

Student Conduct & Appeals will process your form. We'll check that it meets the basic grounds for appeal, including that you’ve provided evidence.

The Faculty Assessment Board will then review your appeal. This is a team of senior academics who are familiar with your course. It's supported by professional services staff from your faculty and the wider King's community .

They'll look at the supporting evidence you provide and de cide whether the criteria for an appeal have been met.

If your appeal is upheld, the outcome will depend on your circumstances. For example, you could be granted a further resit of an assessment (capped or uncapped at the pass mark depending on how many times you’ve already taken the assessment).

This outcome is then shared with Student Conduct & Appeals and relevant administration teams. They'll update your student record and share the outcome with you in due course .  

Important to know: There are circumstances in which your Stage 1 appeal may be rejected before your appeal is passed on to the Assessment Board for further consideration.  If this is the case Student Conduct & Appeals will let you know including your right to challenge this decision.  

When will I be informed of the outcome of my Stage 1 appeal?   

Student Conduct & Appeals will normally notify you of the outcome of your appeal via email within 30 working days of the publication of results of the assessment(s) to which your appeal relates to.

Over the summer period the university receives high numbers of academic appeals so it may not be possible to get back to you within this timeframe .

However , we will endeavour to do so as soon as possible and try to ensure you’re not unduly impacted by any delays.

We may not be able to respond to emails asking for updates on the progression of an appeal as we will be focusing on dealing with the large volumes which we receive.  

I’d like to appeal the outcome of my Stage 1 appeal

If you would like to appeal the outcome of your Stage 1 appeal, you will need to submit a Stage 2 appeal to the Head of Student Conduct & Appeals.

As stated in the Academic Regulations (see regulation 7.25), students may appeal the decision of an Assessment Board on the following grounds:

• T here is new evidence that could not have been, or for good reason was not, made available at the time of the Stage 1 submission and that sufficient evidence remains that the appeal warrants further consideration; and/or    
• That evidence can be produced of significant procedural error on the part of the university in considering the appeal, and that sufficient evidence remains that the appeal warrants further consideration; and/or  
• Giving due consideration to the evidence and representations previously provided, the decision of the Assessment Board was unreasonable.  

How do I submit a Stage 2 Appeal?  

To submit a Stage 2 A ppeal, you will need to submit a Stage 2 Academic Appeal Form including any supporting evidence within 10 working days of your Stage 1 Appeal outcome email.

Appeals received after this deadline will only be accepted at the discretion of Student Conduct & Appeals.

For help on supporting evidence, please refer to guidance from KCLSU Advice on Complaints & Misconduct .

What happens after I submit my Stage 2 appeal ?  

Student Conduct & Appeals will determine whether the criteria for an appeal have been met.  

Where they have determined that an appeal should be heard, an Appeal Committee will be arranged in accordance with the Appeal Committee structure, detailed in the Academic Regulations  (see  Assessment Boards, External Examiners and Committee Procedures ).

However, if the criteria for an appeal have not been met, your appeal will be dismissed and you will receive a letter outlining the reasons for the decision, and the next steps.  

When will I be informed of the decision made on my Stage 2  appeal?  

You will normally be informed of the decision made on your appeal within 30 working days of the receipt of the Stage 2 Appeal.

What happens i f an A ppeal C ommittee has been convened?  

Where an Appeal Committee is convened, you will receive at least 10 working days' notice of the hearing .    

Y ou will be invited to present your case to the p anel. The Chair of the Faculty Assessment Board (FAB) (or nominee) is normally invited to respond to your case .

What happens during a C ommittee hearing?   

During the C ommittee hearing, the C ommittee will determine whether there is sufficient reason to challenge the decision of the Faculty Assessment Board (FAB) . W here appropriate , it can set aside the original decision and replace it with one of its own, or refer the case back to the Faculty Assessment Board (FAB) with commentary, for re-consideration.   

The decision of the Committee will be normally communicated to you and the Chair of the FAB within 5 working days of the decision.   ​​​​​​

What can I do if I am dissatisfied with the outcome of my Stage 2   Appeal ?   

When all internal procedures are complete, you may request an independent review of your case by the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education , should you be dissatisfied by the university’s final outcome.

The Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education (OIA) is an independent body set up to review student complaints. It is free for students and deals with individual complaints against Higher Education Institutions in England and Wales. 

Provided your complaint is eligible under the rules of the OIA’s complaints scheme, the OIA will look at whether King's has applied its regulations properly and followed its procedures correctly. It also considers whether any decision made by the King's was fair and reasonable in all circumstances.

Who can support me throughout the appeals process?   

KCLSU Advice are highly experienced in advising students before and during the appeals process. They can accompany and/or represent you during a committee hearing.

Student Conduct & Appeals can provide you with further advice on university regulations.  Your Personal Tutor can also provide you with support during your appeal and throughout your studies.

We understand that academic appeals are often made in the context of very difficult personal circumstances. Our Student Services can support you with a range of issues:

• Money & Housing Advice
• Disability Support & Inclusion
• Faculty Wellbeing Advisors
• Counselling & Mental Health Support Service

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Academic Appeals

The Assessment Board or Postgraduate Research Awards Board (PRAB) is responsible for confirming marks or assessment outcomes and for confirming progression and awards.

Decisions are confirmed to students through either a results letter or a communication from the PRAB.

An Academic Appeal is a way of asking the University to review a decision taken by the Assessment Board or the PRAB.

The University has an Academic Appeals Procedure in our  Student-Facing Policies and Procedures  repository that outlines the process for submission and review of an academic appeal.

Academic Appeals Procedure

Advice and Information

Independent advice about the Academic Appeals Procedure is available  from the Students' Union  Advice Centre (salfordsu.com) .

General information on the operation of the Procedure is available from the Quality Management Office at [email protected] or askUS [email protected] .

Grounds for an Appeal

Appeals can only be considered under specific grounds. You can submit an appeal on one or more of the following grounds:

• Personal mitigating circumstances where, for good reason, the Assessment Board was not made aware of a significant factor relating to your assessment through the Personal Mitigating Circumstances Procedure when it made its original decision (for students on taught programmes only);
• Exceptional circumstances affecting assessment candidates, which for good reason, have not been notified to the University through routes outlined in the Code of Practice for the Conduct of Postgraduate Research Degree Programmes (for students on postgraduate research programmes only);
• That there has been a procedural irregularity in the assessment process;
• That the Assessment Board/Postgraduate Research Award Board has acted in a way which is manifestly unreasonable.  In this context, unreasonable shall be taken to mean perverse, i.e. the decision was not a possible conclusion that a similar meeting of the Assessment Board/Postgraduate Research Award Board might have reached.

Disagreement with the academic judgment of the Assessment Board/Postgraduate Research Award Board in confirming marks, grades and recommendations of examiners for assessments does not constitute valid grounds for appeal.

The assessments system is robust because it is not based on one person's opinion. There are a group of people involved in 'verification' (the writing of the assessment such as the question paper or the essay title in the first place) and also in the 'moderation' process where work is checked to make sure that the assessment and marking schemes have been applied properly.

If you are unhappy or disappointed with the mark you receive for a piece of work, you should speak to the module tutor for feedback. Feedback will help you to understand how the mark was arrived at.

Appeals cannot be considered on the basis that you are unhappy with your marks.

When do I use the Appeals Procedure?

Students on taught programmes

You can only submit an academic appeal when you have received formal confirmation or ratification of your assessment results from the Assessment Board. You will receive a document called a ‘Results Letter’ setting out all the modules and assessments you have taken, the outcomes and information about next steps where appropriate. Results Letters are sent to your University of Salford student email account.  If you are unsure about the process for receiving your Results Letter, or when you will receive this, please contact your School Office.

If you do not pass an assessment or module, the Board may offer you an opportunity for a further attempt which may attract a capped mark. If you wish to submit an appeal, it is very important that you engage with this process when you first receive the Board’s decision, and not wait until you receive the outcome of a subsequent assessment attempt.  It may be too late to consider your appeal if you wait until a later point.

Students on research programmes

You can only submit an academic appeal when you have received formal confirmation or ratification of your assessment results from the Postgraduate Research Awards Board (PRAB). You will receive an email through your University of Salford student email account with the decision reached by PRAB.

If you do not pass an assessment, PRAB may offer you an opportunity for a further attempt. If you wish to submit an appeal, it is very important that you engage with this process when you first receive PRAB’s decision, and not wait until you receive the outcome of a subsequent assessment attempt.  It may be too late to consider your appeal if you wait until a later point.

Process and timescale to submit an appeal (stage 1)

You should complete a stage 1 academic appeal proforma and include any relevant information or evidence to support your appeal. This should be submitted to [email protected] within 15 working days from the date on your results letter .

The University can only consider an appeal submitted by someone else if you give written permission for another person to do so. You will need to complete a  third party consent form  and send this via email to  [email protected]  or post it to the Quality Management Office.

When your appeal has been received, the Quality Management Office will review your appeal to see if it has been submitted in time, that the issues you have raised can be considered through the Procedure and to check if you have provided any relevant information or evidence. If your appeal does not meet these checks, the Quality Management Office will write to you and explain why. If your appeal meets these checks, it will go to your School for review.

When a decision has been reached by your School, you will receive a communication, usually via your University email account.

 Possible outcomes are:

• Appeal Upheld or Partially Upheld
• Appeal Rejected
• Correcting any errors identified on your results letter.

If your appeal is upheld or partially upheld, you will be told what this means in relation to affected assessments. Examples include the offer of a further attempt at an assessment or the removal of late submission penalties/map caps.

If your appeal is rejected, you will be provided with an explanation for this decision. You will also be advised that there is a second stage of the Appeals Procedure which you can use if you are unhappy with the stage 1 outcome. 

We aim to investigate, and resolve appeals as quickly as possible and, in most cases, you are likely to receive a response within 4-5 weeks however it can take longer if cases are complex.

Process and timescale to submit an appeal (stage 2)

If you are dissatisfied with the outcome reached at stage 1, you can submit a stage 2 appeal. Stage 2 appeals can only be considered under specific grounds. You can submit an appeal on one or more of the following grounds:

• That there was a procedural irregularity at Stage 1 of the Academic Appeals Procedure which has materially disadvantaged the student;
• The emergence of new and relevant evidence which, for good and reasonable cause, was not available during Stage 1;
• That evidence is available to show that the outcome reached at an earlier stage was unreasonable.

You will need to complete a  stage 2 appeal form and submit this form along with any supporting information/evidence within 10 working days of the date on your stage 1 appeal outcome letter to [email protected] .

Upon receipt, your stage 2 appeal will be considered by the Director of Academic Quality (or nominee) to see if you have met grounds for further review of your appeal. If you do not meet grounds, you will receive a communication to explain why. If you have met grounds, you will be invited to attend a meeting of the Appeals Review Panel which will consider your appeal. You are allowed to bring a supporter or representative meeting if you want to. The Panel is made up of three people (including a representative from the Students’ Union). A Secretary will also be there to make notes.

Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA)

If you have followed every stage of the Academic Appeals Procedure and you are not satisfied with the outcome, the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA) which is the ombudsman for Higher Education may be able to undertake an independent review of your appeal outcome. You will need a letter from the University which states that you have completed the University’s internal appeals procedure.

Further information about the OIA’s scheme can be found on their website .

The information below gives an indication of the type of evidence which may help to support an Academic Appeal. It is not comprehensive and there will be circumstances that do not fall within the examples given. You are encouraged to provide appropriate evidence to support your case. Reviewers will look specifically at the nature of the evidence provided and the time period which the evidence relates to see if this correlates to the timing of the relevant assessment.  It may not be necessary to supply all the various forms of evidence listed for each circumstance below, but independent evidence is necessary to support each request.  

Medical Problem / Problems at Home / Personal Matters

• Letter from doctor or counsellor
• Recorded proof of attendance at hospital or doctor or counsellor
• Letter/evidence from independent professional
• Whilst you can, in some circumstances, self-certificate for a period of illness of up to seven days, you cannot do so at the appeal stage.

Bereavement

• Death certificate
• News/media report

Victim of Crime

• Official witness report/Police report (it is likely that a letter which just provides a crime number may not be sufficient evidence)

Housing Problems

• Student Loan Company/debt letters
• Tenancy agreement

Natural/Environmental Matters (e.g. extreme weather conditions)

• Evidence of travel arrangements/Statement from independent third party
• Meteorological Office report

Please be aware that healthcare professionals may charge for any letter or medical evidence which they provide and you are responsible for the payment of these fees. You will not be reimbursed by the University for any costs associated with obtaining medical evidence. Appointment cards are unlikely to provide sufficient evidence of a health condition alone, as they will not confirm a medical condition or the period during which you were affected.

As mentioned above, evidence needs to be from an independent person, so if you have an injury for example, it would not be appropriate to provide a photography of your injury but it would be appropriate to provide some kind of medical record (i.e. fit note, hospital discharge paperwork, letter from a doctor) which confirms the injury and the impact it has had on you.

Photographs are not normally considered as appropriate evidence; however, a photograph of a document generated by a third party will normally be reviewed and considered.

Please note that you do not need to provide original versions of evidence, copies are sufficient.

If concerns arise regarding the authenticity of evidence provided to support an Academic Appeal, the University reserves the right to check the authenticity of such evidence with the identified originating source.

Information for Final Year Students

If you are in your final year and due to graduate, you can still attend the Graduation ceremony if the Assessment Board has confirmed an award if you have submitted an appeal; however your current award/classification will appear in the Graduation brochure. If your degree classification changes as a result of a successful appeal, you will receive a revised certificate.

Students on Interruption of Study

If you are on interruption of study, you should submit your academic appeal within 15 working days of receiving your results letter. You will still have access to the University of Salford student email account during an interruption of study so will be able to communicate with the University using this account.

Postgraduate Research Students

If you are a postgraduate research student and your thesis wasn’t accepted, you can submit an appeal against a decision made by the PRAB, but you should be aware that appeals can’t be considered on the basis that you are unhappy with the outcome. Whilst we appreciate the work and commitment involved in writing and presenting the thesis; it's important to recognise that a doctorate is awarded on achieving the specific Doctoral criteria (Assessment level 8), rather than the effort or time expended.

If you are a postgraduate research student and you didn’t pass your viva voce examination, the reasons why your thesis is not accepted will be made clear to you both during and after the examination. You may feel it helpful to discuss the outcome with your supervisor, who if present during the Viva, could provide additional feedback.

Students who are Required to complete Reassessments and Retakes

If the Assessment Board has decided that you must complete reassessments or retakes, and you have submitted an appeal against this decision, it is important that you continue to complete any relevant assessments until the outcome of your appeal is known.  Students who have an outstanding appeal will often need to submit assessments, no matter what the outcome of the appeal is.  For example, a student who submits an appeal on the basis of late notification of personal mitigating circumstances will still need to complete assessments as accepted personal mitigating circumstances will not change an assessment mark or provide a route to the award of credits.

Contact your School Office if you have any queries about reassessment or retake requirements.

Students Wanting to Progress to the Next Year/Stage of Study

If you have an appeal under consideration and the outcome you are seeking from your appeal is the ability to progress to the next level/stage of your course, then you may temporarily continue at the next level your programme of study providing that a successful appeal will enable you to accumulate all the credits necessary to complete the level/stage.  Whilst you are awaiting an outcome from your appeal, you submit assessments at the higher level and receive marks/feedback. Please be aware that that marks cannot be confirmed/ratified by an Assessment Board whilst an appeal is pending.

If your appeal is successful, the Assessment Board will permit you to progress. Any marks obtained during the interim period will be confirmed/ratified by the Assessment Board.  If your appeal is unsuccessful, any marks obtained during the interim period will not count.  This is because you have not formally been permitted to progress. You will be required to stop attending modules at the higher level/stage and retrieve outstanding credits from the lower level/stage.

If your course requires attendance on clinical placements, this will be at the discretion of your School.

Whilst the above represents general guidance offered to students there may be exceptions to the above which apply to specific courses, especially where courses are regulated by professional bodies so you are advised to speak to your programme leader about temporary progression arrangements whilst awaiting an appeal outcome.

If you have been required to withdraw from your programme, you will not be able to continue with your studies.  If you appeal is successful and the decision to withdraw is overturned, you will be permitted to undertake replacement assessment attempts the next time they are available.

Academic appeals

The Academic Appeal procedure is for use by any person pursuing a taught undergraduate or postgraduate course, module or programme of study offered by the University which leads to an award of or the award of credit by, the University. Separate Academic Appeals procedures exist for students on Research Degrees.

Doctoral Researchers should refer to the separate Academic Appeals procedures for Research Degrees .

If you have any questions regarding these procedures, please contact the Academic Standards Team via email [email protected] .

You can also contact the Students Union Advice Service who can provide free, confidential advice and are completely independent of the University. This means they are not involved in any part of the decision-making process. The Advice Team can assist in discussing your case and the procedures applied. To book an appointment visit the Student Union Advice Service .

What is an appeal?

An ‘Academic Appeal’ is defined as a request for a review of a Progression and Award decision or Mitigating Circumstances Board decision. 

If you think a mark is missing or incorrectly recorded on your student record, please contact the  Student Centre  in the first instance. 

If you have read your assessment feedback and would like additional feedback, we advise you to contact your Module Leader.

The University has robust procedures in place to make sure that work is marked consistently and fairly. These procedures can be read in Section 12 of our academic regulations . 

If personal circumstances have impacted your studies you should submit a mitigating circumstances claim. If you have submitted a mitigating circumstance claim and your claim has been rejected twice by the Mitigating Circumstances Board, an academic appeal can be submitted.

It is not possible to use the academic appeal process to raise a mark for impacted performance in assessments. This is because we cannot quantify the number of marks a student would have received if the circumstances had not occurred. Please see the University’s ‘fit to sit’ policy for further details. If you believe you experienced serious circumstances meaning you were not fit to sit an assessment, then you must refer to the Mitigating Circumstances procedures on how to submit an ‘unfit to sit’ claim.

If you wish to raise matters relating to course provision or delivery, please follow our complaints guidelines .

More information on appeals can be found in Section 16 of our academic regulations . You may also find it helpful to review the following case studies:

Case Studies for Academic Appeals (PDF)

What are the possible outcomes for a successful appeal?

Ground a) “that there has been a material irregularity in the assessment process;”.

The Progression and Award will decide what remedy is offered to you, but generally if there has been an error in the recording or calculation of your marks or grades, this will normally be remedied through the correction of the error, and, if necessary, the progression or classification of award decision will be reconsidered.

If your submitted work has been mislaid and not marked, but there is evidence that you have submitted it before the appropriate deadline, you may be given another opportunity to submit coursework.

Depending on the circumstances more than one remedy may be made. Remedies are there to put things right, that is to return the student to the position they were in before the circumstances of the academic appeal occurred.

Remedies for academic appeals are made in accordance with the provisions of the academic regulations eg financial compensation would not be offered via an academic appeal.

Ground b) “that there has been a material irregularity in the conduct of the Mitigating Circumstances process”

Where an academic appeal is accepted for mitigating circumstances, the Assessment Board may consider one of the following:

• a retrospective deferral of the assessment affected, providing a further attempt
• to retrospectively accept an allow late claim and provide the student with their original mark
• to allow the student to defer the module to the next academic year without penalty

Remedies for academic appeals are made in accordance with the provisions of the academic regulations eg financial compensation would not be offered via an academic appeal.

How do I submit an appeal?

Before you decide whether or not to appeal, it's a good idea to talk to your personal tutor or relevant lecturer. It may be that you have a question which could be answered that way, or another process needs to be followed rather than by making an appeal. You may also find it helpful to seek advice from the Student Union Advice Service which can provide you with friendly, independent advice and support.

If you decide to submit an academic appeal, you'll need to complete and submit the Stage 1 Academic Appeals via e:Vision to the Academic Standards team within 15 working days of the publication of the decision which is being appealed. Academic Appeals cannot be submitted for provisional results.

When you submit an academic appeal, please provide all of the evidence that you wish to be considered.

It is your responsibility to ensure that your appeal is received on time. Late appeals will not be considered unless you can demonstrate good reason and provide evidence as to why the appeal has been submitted late.

You can find the area to submit an academic appeal by logging into your SRS web profile on e:Vision and going into the My Self-Service menu. Any documentary evidence to support your appeal request must be included with the form at the time of submission via e:Vision.

Instructions for how to use the appeal task can be found in the Academic Appeals User Guide for Students:

Academic Appeals User Guide for Students (PDF)

Where evidence is in a foreign language it is your responsibility to have this independently translated into English before submission.

Please be aware that, while an electronic copy of a piece of evidence is normally sufficient, the University may ask to see the original evidence if there are any queries. The falsification of evidence will be treated as a very serious matter and, where this is suspected, the student may be referred to the Student Code of Conduct and Student Disciplinary Regulations .

A summary of the appeal process can be viewed on the Academic Appeal Flowchart:

Academic Appeals Process Chart (PDF)

Stage 1 of the appeal procedure is an initial consideration of the appeal request based solely on the form and evidence submitted by the deadline. No-one can appeal on your behalf, only you may prepare and submit your appeal. (An exception may be made in cases where a student is suffering from a mental health condition as defined within the University's relevant Codes).

A member of staff may provide a statement in support of your appeal, but this must be submitted with the appeal if it is to be considered with the other documentation in support of the case.

All appeals must be submitted online via e:Vision.

Your appeal request will be acknowledged normally within five working days of its receipt, which will be confirmed via e:Vision in your academic appeal case.

How confidential is my appeal?

The University undertakes to treat all appeals with confidentiality.  As part of the investigation information may be shared with the following people:

• The Academic Standards Team within the Academic Registrar’s Department
• Any staff member of the University who may be able to contribute to the investigation of your case
• The Chair of Progress and Award Board
• The Chair of the Mitigating Circumstances Board

I’ve submitted my appeal, what happens next?

The Academic Standards Team will review your appeal and determine whether or not there is evidence of the permissible grounds. You will be notified of their decision within 20 working days of receipt of the appeal via e:Vision in the Academic Appeals Area.

Where it is determined that the appeal does present evidence of the permissible grounds, it will be sent to either the Chair of the Progression and Award Board or Chair of the Mitigating Circumstances Board for further investigation. The Chair shall decide one of the following:

• Uphold the appeal on the basis that a material irregularity has occurred and modify the Board’s original decision as appropriate
• Reject the appeal on the basis that a material irregularity has not occurred and the Board’s original decision will stand

Written confirmation of this decision, along with full reasons for that decision will be provided to you within 20 University working days of receipt of the appeal via e:Vision in the Academic Appeals Area.

Can I carry on with my studies while my appeal is considered?

Whilst your appeal is being investigated the Progression and Award Board decision stands. This means you are expected to abide by the original decision regarding your results, award or progression.

You should therefore meet any requirements for a referral, resubmission of work or resitting an examination, until the appeal is completed. This will not influence the outcome of the appeal.

You are responsible for the consequences of not complying with the original decision of the Progression and Award Board.

Can I submit another appeal if my first appeal is unsuccessful?

Where it is determined that your appeal request does not provide evidence of permissible grounds, you may request that the Deputy Registrar (Quality and Standards) review this decision.

This request must be made within five working days of the notification letter by submitting a completed Request for Review of Stage 1 Academic Appeal Form which can be accessed via e:Vision.

I have submitted a Request for a Review and it was unsuccessful. What happens now? 

If the Deputy Registrar (Quality and Standards) reviews your original Stage 1 or Stage 2 appeal and determines that the grounds for your appeal have not been met, then you will be issued with a Completion of Procedures letter from the University.

If you are dissatisfied with the University’s final decision you may wish to contact the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education (OIA).

Should you decide to make a complaint to the OIA, your OIA Complaint Form must be received by the OIA within twelve months of the date of the Completion of Procedures letter from the University.

Guidance on submitting a complaint to the OIA can be found on the OIA’s website - Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education - OIAHE

Related Pages

Academic misconduct.

Read about academic misconduct and the University's procedures for dealing with it.

Changing your course

Find out how to change your course or change from full- to part-time study.

Academic regulations

See our full academic regulations.

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Student Academic Appeals

You have a right of appeal against academic decisions and recommendations made by the Assessment, Progression and Awarding Committee (APAC) and Faculty Boards (or Deans acting on their behalf) that affect your academic progress. To find out when APACs and/or Faculty Boards take place, please contact your Info Point.

Appeals can be made against the following decisions:

• a formal assessment result
• a degree classification
• a decision consequential to an academic failure (e.g. termination of registration)
• postgraduate research students may also appeal against a decision relating to their registration status, such as transfer to continuation status, change of mode of study, early submission of thesis etc.
• the decision reached is one that no reasonable body, properly directing itself, could have arrived at (for Mitigation Appeals)
• a decision consequential to unsatisfactory academic progress

It is a principle of the University that appeals cannot be made against the academic judgment of either an internal or external examiner of the University. You can, however, appeal if you believe that this judgment was not made fairly or according to the correct University process.

Full details of the University's Academic Appeals Procedure can be found here . This link also contains all relevant Academic Appeal forms i.e.

• Formal Appeal form
• Appeal Review form
• Appeal against Unsatisfactory Progress form
• Appeal against a temporary visa interruption form
• Appeal against a withdrawal from Programme on Immigration Grounds form

Please ensure that you are using the correct form for your circumstances as the grounds on which you may appeal may not be correctly identified if you are not using the correct form. In particular, do not use the 'Appeal against withdrawal of procedure' form unless you have had an appeal cancelled as a result of circumstances such as those described in sections 1.8 and/or 1.9 of the procedure .

If you are submitting a Formal Appeal it must be submitted with 10 working days of you being notified of an academic decision. All supporting evidence should be attached to the form where possible, and you should indicate the remedy you are seeking.

Where to send your appeal

Formal Appeal forms and evidence should be sent to the relevant address below:

• For students seeking to appeal a decision on their INTO programme, please use [email protected] .
• For all Research students (Postgraduate Research appeals  only ) please use [email protected] .
• For UG or PGT students based at our Penryn Campus please use [email protected] .

For all other taught students:

• If your programme is homed in Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy please use [email protected] .
• If your programme is homed in Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences please use [email protected] .
• If your programme is homed in Faculty of Health and Life Sciences please use [email protected] .

If you are unclear which Faculty you belong to (or are unsure if you are an INTO or PGR student) please login to your student portal and check your student record.

For answers to other Frequently Asked Questions please click Appeals FAQ .

If you have already received a Formal Appeal outcome and you remain dissatisfied you can ask the University to Review the formal appeal outcome. The completed Appeal Review form together with a copy of your formal appeal and any correspondence from the College in respect of their decision, should be submitted to the Student Cases Office ( [email protected] ) within 10 working days of you being notified/sent the Formal Appeal outcome.

Advice from the Students' Guild/SU

Please remember that an appeal must be submitted within 10 working days of notification of the decision you wish to appeal, and you cannot appeal against academic judgement. We recommend that you draft your statement of appeal and the grounds for your appeal and send it to us by email and we can then advise on the clarity of your case.

For further information please visit: https://www.exeterguild.org/advice/

Students based in Cornwall should visit: https://www.thesu.org.uk/advice/

Information and contact details for the Students' Guild Advice Unit:

The students' Guild Advice Unit offers a range of support whether you need someone to listen or are looking for support. Friendly, trained advisors can be contacted in person, by phone or by email to discuss any problems you might be experiencing in your University or personal life. The team can provide confidential support and signpost you to expert advice if needed.

You can find the Students' Guild advice Unit on Level +1 in the Forum and email [email protected] .

Information and contact details for the Falmouth and Exeter Student's Union Advice Service:

The SU has a team of fully trained and experienced advisers to help and support you. The Service covers the full range of issues including student funding, benefits advice, financial problems, housing queries, consumer advice, employment, institutional/academic related problems and more.

The Advice Service offers free independent, confidential, and impartial information, advice and support to all students of the University of Exeter Penryn and of Falmouth University Campus.

You can make an appointment with an adviser here or by phone on 01326 255861  or email on  [email protected] .

Academic appeals

Through the Academic Appeals Procedure, we aim to investigate and resolve appeals — effectively, fairly and transparently — against academic decisions made by the University.  The Procedure is used when concerns are expressed in relation to any of the following areas:

• the decision to terminate study or require a student to withdraw from their candidature/or for postgraduate researchers the decision to recommend transfer to MPhil candidature;
• the outcome of an examination, assessment, or placement;
• the decision not to award a degree/or for postgraduate researchers the decision to refer your research degree submission;
• the award, or for taught students the class, of the degree received.

Students considering making an appeal are encouraged, in the first instance, to approach a member of staff in the relevant School. If you remain dissatisfied with the local response, you should put your appeal in writing to the Student Cases Team at [email protected] .

• Download the full Academic Appeals Procedure (PDF)
• Download the full Academic Appeals Procedure (Word)
• Download Appeals Guidance and Frequently Asked Questions (PDF)
• Download Appeals Guidance and Frequently Asked Questions (Word)

If you wish to make an appeal, please use the Appeal Form .

Complaints about academic provision and appeals against disciplinary decisions are covered by separate procedures — details of these processes are available on the Student Cases team  webpage .

If you wish to request a review by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Student Education of the decision of the Committee on Applications, please use the DVC Review Form.

Further procedural advice in these areas can be obtained from the Student Cases team: [email protected]

The Student Cases Team The Secretariat

Last updated: 05.07.2024