Mitigating circumstances during the examination period
Please note that the information below applies to students on undergraduate and taught
Masters (including MRes) programmes only. Students on PhD programmes should contact the
Research Degrees Unit for further advice.
1. What is mitigation?
If, during your time at the School, you experience circumstances which you feel have a
significant effect on your academic performance, you may wish to submit mitigation. Such
circumstances include, but are not limited to, illness, injury, or bereavement.
2. Why submit mitigation?
By submitting mitigation, you are making the Sub-board of Examiners for your programme of
study aware of these circumstances when it considers your overall results at the end of your
final year.
3. What can the Sub-Board of Examiners do as a result of my mitigation?
If the Sub-Board believes that a student, as a result of their mitigating circumstances, has fallen
marginally short of a higher degree classification, it may recommend to the School Board of
Examiners that the higher degree classification be awarded.
If the Sub-Board believes that a student's mitigating circumstances have resulted in them
exhausting all attempts at an assessment which is yet to be passed, it may recommend to the
School Board of Examiners that a further attempt is granted.
Please note that individual marks are never changed as a result of mitigating
circumstances.
Please see Mitigation Regulations for information on the section of the Appeals Regulations
directly relevant to mitigation.
4. How do I submit mitigation?
Please complete the Submission of Mitigation form. The form must be accompanied by
appropriate evidence (see Section 5 below).
The Sub-Board can only consider documentation submitted via the Student Services Centre.
Therefore, you should ensure that any relevant documentation that you may have given to your
academic department is also submitted accordingly. The Sub-Board will not contact you to
request further details or documentation to support your statement.
If you are unable to submit these documents in person, they should be posted to the following
address:
Registry, Student Services Centre, Old Building, LSE, Houghton Street, London, WC2A 2AE
5. What should I include in my submission?
You should submit a statement explaining how you feel the circumstances affected your
preparation for, and/or performance in, an assessment or examination.
Please be precise about how you feel the circumstances affected you, and give relevant dates.
For example:
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'I became ill six days before my EC700 exam. This affected my revision because the medication
I was prescribed made me drowsy and I could not concentrate fully. I was also ill on the morning
of the exam on 25 May, and was not able to complete the paper'.
You must also attach official, original evidence, in English, of your circumstances. Examples of
evidence include a detailed doctor's letter, hospital note, death certificate or police
report. Please contact the LSE Language Centre regarding official translations.
It is your responsibility to attach all relevant documentation at the time of submission. Registry is
not able to obtain any documentation on your behalf.
6. What is the deadline for submission?
You must submit mitigation within seven calendar days of your last examination in the year
affected, or of the submission deadline for your dissertation (if applicable). If the seventh
calendar day after your last examination or dissertation submission deadline falls on a bank
holiday, then mitigation will still be accepted on the next working day after the bank holiday. Any
documentation submitted after this deadline may not be considered by the Sub-Board.
7. What happens once I have submitted mitigation?
A record that mitigation has been submitted will be kept on the School’s central database. The
documentation will then be made available to the Sub-Board of Examiners for your programme
when it considers your overall results at the end of your final year. You will not be notified
separately of the outcome of your submission; however, your published result will reflect any
decision made by the School Board of Examiners. Your final transcript will not contain any
details of information submitted in relation to mitigating circumstances.
Information submitted regarding mitigating circumstances will not be made available to any
member of staff who is not involved with the examinations and/or results process.
8. Will I receive confirmation that I have submitted my mitigation form?
Yes, you will be notified in an email once the details have been logged on our system.
9. I have been given Specific Exam Arrangements. Do I need to submit mitigation?
The Sub-Board will not be notified of any SEA, or of your condition. You may, however, wish to
submit mitigation if you feel that the agreed SEA did not fully compensate for your condition, or
if there are other mitigating circumstances of which you wish to make the Sub-Board aware.
Please note that if you feel that your mitigation is related to, or might lead to, a permanent
condition that could be classed as a disability, you are strongly advised to contact the Disability
and Well-being Service (DWS). The DWS will be able to determine if you require SEA and/or
other adjustments to assist you with future study at the School.
10. What do I do if I need further assistance?
If you are experiencing difficulties and require advice, you may wish to approach your
Supervisor or Academic Adviser in the first instance. Please note, however, that any information
given to your department will only be made available to the Sub-Board if you submit mitigation
via the Student Services Centre (see Section 4 above).
For advice on submitting mitigation, and on degree and classification regulations, please
contact the Student Services Centre.
The Teaching and Learning Centre can provide help and advice regarding essay writing, time
management, dissertation planning etc.
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