If you are aware that you are not able to attend your assessment/examinations or something happened during the assessment/examinations and you think it affected your performance, you will need to apply for extenuating circumstances.
These circumstances may:
- Be affecting a student at the moment they are due to submit their coursework or sit an examination, stopping them from sitting/submitting
- Have affected a student at the moment they submitted their coursework or sat their examination, having an effect on their performance
If you apply for Extenuating Circumstances, you would be granted a concession if the decision makers accepts that extenuating circumstances, which have been supported by evidence, have affected your assessment. This concession would be the elimination of that assessment attempt and would not result in any increase in marks. If your application is successful and the assessment attempt is cancelled, you would be expected to resit this assessment at the earliest opportunity.
How long do I have to make an application?
Applications should be made no more than 10 working days after the assessment took place or was due.
Late applications will not be considered unless you are able to show that you were mentally or physically unable to submit your application within the time limit. This must be accompanied by evidence which also supports your reasons for handing in the application late.
How to apply for Extenuating Circumstances
You will need to:
- Set up an online account for your application.
- Provide evidence to prove that this unexpected event occurred. (see evidence guide here)
- Demonstrate how the event or situation affected your performance.
- Ensure your application is received by the Office of Regulation & Compliance within 10 working days after your assessments.
Please note, when submitting your application, you must use your BPP student email address. You will receive an email that confirms that BPP have received your application. Make sure you keep this email as proof that your application has been received.
If you are aware before your assessment (coursework) submission deadline that you are being affected by unforeseen/unavoidable circumstances, you should notify your school by applying for a coursework extension and submitting a Query Form on the Hub/VLE. If you do not feel that an extension is viable then you will still need to inform your school through the extension query form and also submit an extenuating circumstances form.
Do I need to provide evidence?
Yes.
Your application must be accompanied by factual and trustworthy evidence which shows the time and nature of the circumstances.
This evidence should be original signed documentation from an appropriate third party (eg. A doctor or psychiatrist). The evidence should be relevant to the assessment/assessment period. If you obtain evidence which is not in English, you must also provide an independent translation.
For more information on the evidence requirements please click here
What happens after I have submitted my application?
Once you have submitted your application, the Office of Regulation and Compliance (ORC) will determine, normally within ten working days, whether the information you have provided presents a case that meets the criteria for an extenuating circumstances application. Generally to meet the requirements for this, the application must:
- Be made on the correct form and accurately contain all the information requested on the form
- Clearly identify the unforeseeable and unavoidable circumstance(s)
- Include objective and trustworthy evidence which shows that the circumstance is connected to the assessment
- Have been received within the 10 working day time limit
If your application is rejected, you may request a review of the application by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor. You can do this by emailing the Office of Regulation and Compliance. The information on how to do this will be included in the rejection email.
The Extenuating Circumstances and Concessions procedure is intended to cover circumstances which, though they may cover a period of time, are short-term and do not stop students from continuing their studies. If you are affected by serious ongoing circumstances, you may be referred to the Inclusion and Learning Support team or given other options.