Application for Deferred Examinations:
Undergraduate and Taught
Postgraduate Courses
Name (block capitals)
Registration Number
Title of Intended Degree
Correspondence Address (A decision will be
sent to your student email account, if you would
prefer a letter please advise the address you wish
this to be sent to.)
Please enter information in respect of all modules for which you are registered this semester. Please note that
you are normally expected to apply for deferral of all examinations or all remaining examinations in the examination
diet. However, you may elect to sit your remaining examinations at the main diet if the grounds cited no longer
prevent you from taking the remaining examinations. If you are in doubt if you will be eligible for deferred
examinations please contact the Student Programmes Office before submitting your application.
Module
Is an
examination
set? (yes/no)
Date of
examination
Are you
requesting a
deferred exam for
this module?
(yes/no)
Have you requested deferred examination(s) for a previous exam diet?
Authorisation
Approved/
Not
approved
Signature
Date
Yes/No
If yes, which diet(s)
REQUESTS FOR DEFERRED EXAMINATIONS MUST FALL WITHIN THE FOLLOWING GROUNDS.
Please refer to guidance notes for students for further details:
Note 1: Unavoidable detention elsewhere. Give dates affected, nature of detention and provide some form of
independent certification.
Note 2: Compassionate grounds. Please indicate the reason. Normally, only bereavement or recent sudden
onset of major illness is acceptable. You must be in a close relationship with the person. Independent certification
is required.
Note 3: Medical grounds. Medical grounds only cover inability to attend exams. Please provide a medical
certificate or doctor’s letter indicating that you were unable to attend on the dates in question and indicating the
nature of the symptoms that prevented you from attending. Please note that the decision to grant deferred exams is
an academic decision. Although medical evidence is taken into account, a medical certificate does not entitle you to
a deferred exam. It is your responsibility to provide certificated evidence of illness. Please note that doctors are not
expected to certify illness where there is no means of proving or disproving the occurrence of the illness.
Note 4: Disability grounds. If you have already declared a disability to the university, please supply a statement
of support from your disability adviser.
Note 5: Other exceptional grounds. Exceptional circumstances will be considered on their own merits. Please
explain why you consider your circumstances to be exceptional. Supporting documentation should be provided
wherever possible.
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HAVING READ THE NOTES, PLEASE NOW TICK THE APPROPRIATE BOX:
Unavoidable detention elsewhere
Compassionate grounds
Medical grounds
Disability grounds
Other good cause for absence on the days of the examinations
Note 1
Note 2
Note 3
Note 4
Note 5
Please now give as much detail as you can to support your application. Forms which have insufficient
detail cannot be considered.
I understand that having applied to defer my examination(s), if granted, there will be no further resit
opportunity.
Signature:
Date:
Once you have completed this form, please take it to the Student Programmes Office, with all available
supporting documentation. The deadline for applications is the last day of semester (Please note this does
not apply to Nursing and Midwifery students).
The Student Programmes Office will notify students of the decision by post as soon as possible, but please note
that no undertaking can be given that this will be before the exams in question.
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DEFERRED EXAMINATIONS
GUIDANCE NOTES FOR STUDENTS
Student guidance on the University policy on Deferred Examinations as well as the application forms are available
from numerous locations across the campus [Student Services Area, Departmental offices] and can also be found
through the Student Portal.
1.
Eligibility
1.1
Deferred examinations are a concession intended to allow students who are unable to attend
examinations at the date first set, or who are compelled by illness to leave before the completion of an
examination, to take examinations at a later date.
1.2
Deferred examinations are only granted to students whose absence or withdrawal is on acceptable
grounds (see paragraph 3 below).
1.3
Students should bear in mind that, if a deferred examination is granted, all coursework and attendance
requirements will still have to be met in order to successfully complete the module.
1.4
Students are normally expected to apply for deferral of all examinations or all remaining examinations in
the examination diet. Students must list all modules for which they are registered on the application form.
However, students may elect to sit their remaining examinations at the main diet if the grounds cited no
longer prevent them from taking the remaining examinations. If a student decides to take an examination
for which they have been granted a deferral, they must make this known to the invigilator at the
examination. The invigilator will return a list of all previously deferred candidates who took the
examination at the main diet. Students who elect to take an examination at the main diet and do not
achieve a passing grade will be eligible to repeat the examination at the resit diet, in which case the
maximum grade that can be awarded is 3C.
2.
Application Process
2.1
All students seeking examination deferral (undergraduate and postgraduate) should complete a
University Application Form for Deferred Exams. The form should be submitted to the Student
Programmes Office.
2.2
Applications on grounds of incapacity to attend must be received by the last day of semester although
students are advised to apply as early as possible. Applications on grounds of incapacity to complete an
examination must be received as soon as practicable after the examination.
2.3
Decisions will be communicated in writing to students as quickly as possible.
3.
Acceptable Grounds
3.1
Attendance grounds
3.1.1
The student must have been detained elsewhere on the date of the examination, e.g.:




In hospital;
In court/detention;
Participating in authorised national or international sporting competition, or authorised national sports
training camps;
By a disability, previously disclosed to the Disability Adviser.
3.1.2
The dates, nature of detention and independent evidence are required.
3.2
Medical grounds
3.2.1
The student must be suffering from physical or mental symptoms that cause him or her to be
unexpectedly unable to attend or to complete an examination.
3.2.2
An application on grounds of incapacity to attend an examination for medical reasons must be supported
by a medical certificate. This should give the symptoms, but not necessarily the nature of the illness or
injury, and the student should authorise the doctor to disclose this information.
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3.2.3
An application on grounds of incapacity to complete an examination will not be entertained if the student
has left within the last quarter of the examination period.
3.2.4
Students unable to complete an exam on the grounds of ill health must advise the invigilator. In such
circumstances, students are only expected to see a doctor if medical assistance is required.
3.3
Compassionate grounds
3.3.1
The student must be suffering bereavement or similar distress to the extent that he or she cannot be
expected to attend the examination, e.g.:


Death of a close person during or just before the examination period;
Acute or serious illness or injury (including serious mental illness) of a close person during or just
before the examination period.
3.3.2
The definition of a ‘close person’ is, for example, a family member (parent/guardian, spouse/partner,
son/daughter, brother/sister, grandparent, grandchild) or someone living at the same address as the
student.
3.4
Grounds of disability
3.4.1
In cases where a student, through the University’s Disability Adviser, has disclosed a disability to the
University, deferred exams may be granted when that student’s ability to prepare adequately by the date
of the exam has been significantly impeded. Applications on such grounds will require to be supported by
a statement from the University’s Disability Adviser.
3.4.2
When a disability prevents attendance at the examination, a deferred exam will be considered under the
provisions of 3.1.1 above.
3.5
Other exceptional grounds
Whilst other grounds will not normally be accepted, exceptional individual circumstances will always be
considered on their merits. Supporting documentation should be provided wherever possible.
4.
Unacceptable Grounds
The following will not normally be considered acceptable grounds for deferred examination applications:








5.
going on holiday
returning home early
attending weddings or other family occasions (other than funerals)
mis-reading the examination timetable or turning up at the wrong time
failing to check changes between the provisional and final examination timetables
failure to get up in time
transport difficulty
death or illness of pets
Deferral of Repeat Examinations
Deferral of repeat examinations is not normally permitted.
6.
Deferral of Deferred Examinations
Deferral of deferred examinations is not normally permitted.
November 2002
Revised March 2003, June & October 2004, May 2006, November 2009, May 2012
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