Problems with your course

Additional Consideration

If you experience exceptional circumstances which result in non-submission, late submission, unrepresentative performance or failure of an assessment, then you can submit a request for Additional Consideration (previously known as mitigating circumstances).

There are two routes for Additional Consideration requests:

Self-Certification for absence from time bound assessment

• If your difficulties mean you have been absent from one or more time-bound assessments (e.g. an exam) for a period of up to and including seven calendar days. Self-certification is not applicable for coursework or attendance at taught sessions.
• Self-certification requests must be submitted within 7 calendar days after the last affected assessment date (all eligible assessments in the 7 day period can be included on the request)

Full application

• If your difficulties have led to non-submission, late submission, absence, or unrepresentative performance (including failure) in any summative assessment. This includes requests which are not eligible for self-certification.
• Full Requests for Additional Consideration must be submitted within 14 calendar days after the assessment deadline. Requests received more than 14 days after the assessment deadline will only be considered if there is a valid rationale for lateness. Please note that not being aware of the deadline is not sufficient grounds for a request to be considered after the deadline.

To submit a request for Additional Consideration please first read the full guidance and Student FAQs, before completing the ARGEAR form. The completed form should then be returned to additionalconsideration@brighton.ac.uk.

• Requests will be reviewed by an Initial Assessor and, for complex cases, by the University’s Additional Consideration Sub-Committee. If your claim for Additional Consideration is upheld, this decision will be reported to the relevant Course Examination Board who will determine how the Additional Consideration can be taken into account. In most cases, the Examination Board would grant you another opportunity to submit work without penalty (a deferral) during the usual referral (resit) period.

Upcoming Additional Consideration Sub-Committee meeting dates

• TBC – dates for 2022–23 will be available here shortly. Please note that the majority of requests can be considered by initial assessors and do not need to be considered by committee so please ensure you apply as soon as possible after your last affected assessment deadline and no later than 14 days after the assessment deadline.

Outcome Review

If your application was not upheld , you may wish to request an Outcome Review, by completing the Outcome Review Form and submitting this to additionalconsideration@brighton.ac.uk.

Outcome review requests must be submitted within 14 days of being notified of a not upheld decision. Please see the full guidance for further details of the grounds for submitting an outcome review.

Extension to deadline

If your difficulties are short-term and occur close to a coursework submission deadline, you may apply for an extension to deadline.

An extension to deadline grants you extra time to complete your assignment without any negative impact on your marks. Without an extension, a late submission of work (i.e. handing in the work within two weeks after the submission deadline) carries an automatic penalty, and the mark for the work will be capped at the module pass mark of 40% for undergraduate or 50% for postgraduate, so it is imperative that you apply for an extension in advance of the submission deadline.

To request consideration for an extension, you must submit an application form through your School Administration Office. You should complete the form and submit it along with supporting documentation at least one full day before the published submission deadline. The extension request will be considered by the Designated Signatory (Course Leader or equivalent eg, Deputy Course Leader or Year Tutor).

Where to get help

Your school office will be able to advise you on the extension to deadline process and give you information about how and when decisions are made. In either case, it is better to seek help early so that you can get the support you need. 

If you are experiencing difficulties and would like to discuss this further, we encourage you to reach out to one of our support services, such as your Personal Academic Tutor, Student Support and Guidance Tutor, the Brighton Students' Union, or your Course/ Module Leader.

If you have a Learning Support Plan you should seek advice from the Disability and Dyslexia Team.

Further information can be found in the regulations section of the Student Contract – see GEAR section B4: Extension to deadline.

Errors or queries about your marks, or the assessment process, before an Examination Board meets

At any point during the academic year and up to the time that an Examination Board meets, you are encouraged to speak to your Course Leader, School Quality Lead or school office to discuss your concerns regarding a provisional mark (ie a mark that has not been approved and confirmed by an Examination Board) including where you feel that this has been incorrectly recorded.

Where such a concern arises, the Course Leader or School Quality Lead will undertake such actions as to check the provisional assessment outcome and notify the student of their findings. Students should note that marking errors (eg ‘slips’ such as transposition or arithmetic errors) may be rectified prior to an Examination Board if an error is acknowledged by the academic school.

Results review

If you have any queries relating to your results, once your marks have been ratified (i.e. confirmed by the Course Examination Board), you have up to 14 calendar days from receipt of your results to contact your school office and request a Results Review.

You should state clearly why you have a concern and what you expect the outcome to be. If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the Results Review, you will have a further 21 calendar days to submit a formal Stage 1 Appeal.

Academic appeals

An academic appeal is a formal request to the university to ask an Examination Board to look again at its decision about your progression or award. This might concern your degree classification or your ‘progression’, which means a decision about whether you continue to the next stage of your degree, are asked to repeat a module, or are asked to leave the university.

Read our regulations on Academic Appeals in Section H of GEAR.

If you are considering making an academic appeal, the Brighton Students’ Union can offer advice and guidance. Please contact them at bsusupportservice@brighton.ac.uk or book an appointment for a confidential conversation about your options. This does not commit you to bringing an appeal unless you decide to go ahead.

Appeal documents

• Academic appeals (GEAR section H)
• Stage 1 Academic Appeal Form (.docx)
• Stage 2 Academic Appeal Form (.docx)
• Stage 1 formal appeal guidance (pdf)
• Stage 2 appeal outcome review guidance (pdf)

How do I appeal?

You must use the Stage 1 Form and accompanying guidance provided for this purpose, which you can download here or obtain from the BSU. You must appeal within 21 calendar days from receipt of your Course Examination Board results, or within 21 calendar days of the conclusion of your school’s Results Review. You need to follow the guidance instructions carefully and you must attach evidence in support of your appeal, including an attached copy of your results notification email. If you are still awaiting evidence and cannot provide this within the deadline of 21 calendar days, you should submit your appeal form together with a rationale explaining why you have not been able to submit on time and a note explaining what further evidence is awaited and when it will be received. You have a maximum of 14 calendar days to submit this evidence.

What if I am not satisfied with the outcome of the Stage 1 Formal Academic Appeal?

If you believe that the outcome is incorrect, you should read the Academic Appeals Regulations Section H of GEAR carefully and seek advice from the BSU to see whether to request a Stage 2 Appeal Outcome Review. To do this, you will need to complete the Stage 2 Academic Appeal Form, referring to the accompanying guidance and submit to academicappeals@brighton.ac.uk within 14 days of your stage 1 Academic Appeal outcome.

Academic Appeal Panel meeting dates

• 6 September 2022
• 14 September 2022
• 21 September 2022

What if I am not satisfied with the outcome of the Stage 2 Appeal Outcome Review?

If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of the Stage 2 Review of Appeal Decision, you have the right to submit a complaint to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education (‘OIA’), the time limit for so doing, and further advice and support may be obtained from the Brighton Students’ Union.

Problems that should be raised as a Complaint and not an Academic Appeal

If you have a problem with the service delivery of the university, whether this relates to quality of teaching and course materials, supervision or if you think you are a victim of bias or prejudice, you should raise the issue via the Complaints Resolution Procedure, which will enable a proper investigation to be carried out. You should raise this in the first instance with one of your school Complaints Officers, but if the matter cannot be resolved to your satisfaction within 7-14 days, you should bring a formal Stage 1 Complaint.

See the section below: How to make a complaint.

Contact details

Students’ Union website

Please note that both Stage 1 Formal Appeal and Stage 2 Appeal Outcome Review forms should be submitted directly to academicappeals@brighton.ac.uk.

Repeating a period of study

If you have failed all or part of the academic year, you may not have to leave the university. Instead, you may be able to repeat a period of study.

Repeat study opportunities are offered at the discretion of the examination board. You will need to discuss your individual situation with your personal tutor or course leader.

Bear in mind that repeat study funding, including bursaries, is a complex issue, and we recommend that you see a student adviser to ensure that you will be able to successfully fund your repeated year.

Placement issues

If you experience issues while you are on a placement, contact your placement officer. You can also contact your personal tutor, course leader or student support and guidance tutor (SSGT) if your school has one.

If you find yourself without the contact details you need, call the main switchboard on 01273 600900 and ask to be put through to a member of staff from your area.

Changing your mode of study

Poor academic practice and academic misconduct

If you have received a letter accusing you of poor academic practice or academic misconduct, it can be confusing and upsetting. Academic misconduct is taken seriously by the university and can lead to disciplinary action.

The letter you receive will indicate whether yours is considered to be a case of 'poor academic practice' or 'academic misconduct' and will give you a date for an academic practice review meeting with the Head of School or nominee or an Investigating Panel for cases of academic misconduct.

We advise you to contact the Students' Union support service for advice and support with the process as soon as possible. The Students' Union is there to make sure you are treated fairly throughout the process and to advise you on your options.

How to make a complaint

What is a complaint?

While the university aims to provide the best possible educational experience for you, sometimes you may feel the service you have received was unsatisfactory. We have produced a How to Complain guide to help you.

Where can I obtain advice and support?

If you are considering making a complaint, the Students’ Union can offer advice and guidance (Issuu). Please contact them at bsusupportservice@brighton.ac.uk or book an appointment for a confidential conversation about your options. This does not commit you to bringing a complaint.

Advisers from the Students’ Union can provide you with advice and support relevant to your individual circumstances, including helping you complete a Stage 2 Formal Complaint Form and accompanying you at meetings. You are encouraged to contact a Students’ Union Adviser before submitting your complaint.

What can I complain about?

• Failure by the university to provide a satisfactory service.
• The quality of facilities or learning resources.
• Misleading or incorrect information in prospectuses or promotional material and other information provided by the university.
• Concerns about the delivery of a programme, teaching or administration including, where applicable, that provided by a partner college.
• Poor quality of facilities, learning resources or services provided directly by the university.
• Complaints involving other organisations or contractors providing a service on behalf of the university.

Complaint documents

• Complaints resolution procedure (pdf)
• Complaints guide for students (Powerpoint)
• Stage 2 Complaint Form (.docx)
• Stage 3 Complaint Form (.docx)

Supplementary Regulations, Student FAQ’s September 2022 (Academic Year 2022/23)

Adjustment to the way we calculate degree classification

Is the university changing the way my degree is being calculated?

Students starting their degree in 2022/23 will have the standard degree award classification applied, without credits discounted.

This is because the University is phasing out the temporary Supplementary Regulations (adjustments to award classification algorithm), which were in place for students who studied at the University during the pandemic in 2019/20, 2020/21 or 2021/22.

If you started your degree prior to 2022/23, see the following questions for more information about how your degree will be calculated.

How will my award be classified if I am due to graduate in 2022/23?

The majority of students graduating this year will be covered by the approaches below. If your circumstances are complicated, (for example you are returning to university after a break, or changing your mode of study, or have taken a placement year) please contact your school office to confirm bespoke arrangements.

As in previous years, you will still need to have achieved enough credit for your award, but in recognition of the impact of the pandemic in previous years, some modules where you may not have performed so well will be discounted when calculating your award.

Current Level 6 undergraduate students

Your classification will be made up of*:

2021/22 Level 5
Your best 80 credits (out of 120) in level 5. These are weighted at 25% in your final award calculation.

This means your lowest performing 40 credits will be excluded from the calculation.

2022/23 Level 6
All 120 credits in level 6 (your final year) are included. These are weighted at 75% in your final award calculation.

Current Level 7 postgraduate studentsMasters awards (MA, MSc, MBA, LLM, MRes, MArch)

Students starting their Masters in academic year 2022/23 will have the standard award classification applied, without credits discounted.

This is because the University is phasing out the temporary Supplementary Regulations (adjustments to award classification algorithm), which were in place for students who studied at the University during the pandemic in 2019/20, 2020/21 or 2021/22.

If you are a part-time PGT student and have taken modules in 2019/20, 2020/21 or 2021/22, the Supplementary Regulation classification rules will be applied when you complete your level 7 credit. Please contact your school office to confirm bespoke arrangements.

Integrated Masters awards (MEng, MPharm, MDes, MFA, MComp, MChem, MGeog, MGeol, MMath)

A subject-specific classification and algorithm for the award is in place which will follow either the undergraduate or postgraduate scheme as detailed above.

*This revised approach to calculation awards will apply for most courses, however there will be some exceptions and differences for some courses, due to the structure of your course or due to your course being associated with a Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Body (PSRB). Your School will contact you to confirm arrangements for your course where this may differ.

How will my award be classified if I am due to graduate in 2023/24?

Current Level 5 undergraduate students

Your classification will be made up of*:

2022/23 Level 5
All 120 credits in level 5 are included. These are weighted at 25% in your final award calculation.

2023/24 Level 6
All 120 credits in level 6 (your final year) are included. These are weighted at 75% in your final award calculation.

Current Level 0/4 undergraduate students

As in all previous years, your level 4 results will not count towards your classification award. However, you must achieve enough credit to progress.

* This approach to calculation awards will apply for most courses, however there will be some exceptions and differences for some courses, due to your course being associated with a Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Body (PSRB).

I haven’t submitted an assessment for a module which I started studying in academic year 2021/22 – which set of regulations will apply?

There are a very small number of students for whom the previous Supplementary Regulations continue to apply, for example, if you started a dissertation module in academic year 2021/22, but the submission date is after 26^th September 2022.

This is likely to impact the following if started before the 26th September 2022:

• Postgraduate taught (PGT) dissertations
• Part-time PGT modules
• Courses with non-standard term dates (e.g. courses starting in February)
• Courses with non-standard lengths (e.g. pre-registration PGT Health courses – Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Podiatry)
• Courses with awards considered at Winter examination boards
• Courses with a placement year

Your award classification will be calculated using the regulations which were in effect when you started studying the stage, so for a part-time PGT course started in 2021/22, the 2021/22 Supplementary Regulation classification rules would be applied when you complete your level 7 credit.

Your school office will be able to confirm this information if you are unsure, or have complicated circumstances.