Extenuating Circumstances
Extenuating circumstances are unexpected problems that may occur outside your course that consequently have an impact on your assessments.
Please note that the guidance below is relevant to students on Taught Programmes only.
These are defined, within the University’s Extenuating Circumstances Policy & Procedure as circumstances that:
- Impair your performance
- Prevent you from attending an assessment or reassessment (exam) or
- Prevent you from submitting assessed or reassessed work by a scheduled date (resubmission)
Examples of circumstances that are considered as valid:
- Serious illness
- Mental health difficulties
- Bereavement
- Acute personal or emotional circumstances
- Domestic disruption
Examples of circumstances that are NOT considered as valid:
- Misreading examination/timetabling information
- Exam stress
- Moving home
- Accommodation disturbances
Please note that the above lists do not contain all possible examples.
Categories of Extenuating Circumstances
There are 3 different types of extenuating circumstances, all of which serving a different purpose:
- Extension request: 14-day extension on coursework. Please note that you can only request for an extension once per assignment.
- Deferral request: request to submit/take at the next available opportunity, determined by the PAB.
- Impaired performance: work that has been submitted but not to the best of your true abilities. If your claim is accepted, you may be granted the opportunity to resubmit your assignment and/or retake your exam.
Please ensure to review the above categories to identify which claim type best suits your situation before submitting your claim.
Evidence
You must evidence that your EC has prevented you from:
- Submitting/completing an assessment by the deadline.
- Taking an assessment at the correct time.
- Performing as well in an assessment as might have been reasonably expected.
You should submit your claim within 7 calendar days even if you don't have evidence. Your evidence must be uploaded to your claim within 14 calendar days following this. You will receive an email confirming that your claim cannot be considered until you have provided your evidence by the deadline.
The university have created a useful guide containing Accepted Extenuating Circumstances along with examples of suitable evidence.
If you have a Greenwich Inclusion Plan (GIP), you can provide this as valid evidence within your EC claim.
All claims must be supported by independent evidence, (such as a letter from your General Practice (GP) or another medical professional) unless you choose to make a self-certification claim (see below for additional details).
Submitting your claim
You can submit an extenuating circumstances claim before an assessment but no later than 7 calendar days after an assessment deadline or exam date.
The university EC webpage states: "All deadlines and periods of time are measured in ‘calendar days’ - This means every day of the week including Saturdays and Sundays, except for university closure days such as public holidays and Christmas closures. Full details of term dates and university closures days can be found here ."
If you claim is submitted after the 7 calendar day deadline, it will automatically be rejected.
All claims must be submitted through the Portal: detailed guidance on how to make a claim online can be found here.
It’s important to remember that making an extenuating circumstance claim won’t change an individual grade, but it may allow you to progress to the next stage of your studies or influence the award you’re given by the award board.
Self-Certification
Students can now self-certify up to three times per academic year (additional claims will need to be independently evidenced). Each instance of self-certification may cover multiple assessments due within a 7-calendar day period.
If you are submitting a self-certified EC claim, you do not need to provide supporting evidence, however the system will still request for something to be uploaded. The university advise students to provide a screenshot of this page to complete the required 'evidence' section.
Please note: Self-certification cannot be used to request an extension during the resit period. During this time, students can only request a deferral or impaired performance.
EC Appeals
If your EC claim is rejected, you will have a right of appeal and must meet certain grounds for that appeal. You must then submit your appeal no later than 14 calendar days after you have received the EC decision.
You can find further information on the EC appeal process .
Further information
Further information and guidance regarding EC claims can be found in the Extenuating Circumstances Policy & Procedure and the university's full Webpage Guide.
What can the GSU Advice Service do for me during the process?
- Advise you on the EC process
- Help you structure your form and the reasons for your EC
- Advise on suitable evidence
- Read over your claim and suggest any changes
- Guide you through the process if you don’t agree with the outcome
Get in touch
If you need any further help and support, please get in touch with the advice service by completing our contact form here.
Correct as of January 2025