Please click on the link below for student guidance on the extension procedure:

Student Guidance

It will be up to your Department to determine which assessments are eligible for an extension and the appropriate length of the extension. As a general rule, any assessment that requires less than 24 hours to complete and submit cannot be extended and must be deferred instead.

For assessments that have changed format to replace scheduled exams:

• You cannot request an extension for any assessment that has a submission window of 24 hours or less to complete and submit.
• This means you can only request an extension for an assessment that requires more than 24 hours to complete and submit.
• The maximum extension period for these assessments will be 50% of the original submission period.

An approved extension allows you more time to submit a summative assessment without any late penalties being applied.

Please note that:

• A late submission of assessment is not a right and permission will only be given in exceptional and unforeseen circumstances. Extensions will not granted after the deadline has passed.
• You are responsible for submitting a request on time. Academic Mentors or another member of staff may support you in completing the Extension request form, and may refer you to other support services such as the Disability and Wellbeing Service.
• The length of any extension granted is at the discretion of the Sub-Board Chair and will take into account the circumstances and work required. This will normally be a maximum of 50% of the original submission period. 
• Students are advised to provide evidence where possible as this will assist the Department when making a decision whether or not to approve the request and if approved the duration of extension that can be permitted. Please also refer to the Standards of Evidence table for further guidance. 
• If you require an extension for less than all components of assessment for a course, you will be expected to attempt and complete all other components in accordance with published deadlines.
• Where you have a disability or long-term condition and need regular extensions to deadlines this should be explicitly stated in your My Adjustments (MA). You should discuss scheduling of your assessment submissions with your Academic Mentor or Sub-Board Chair who may require you to complete the Extension request form. If extensions are not explicitly included in your MA, you will need to complete the form. Equally, you may require an extension for reasons not linked to your disability, in which case, you will be required to complete the form.
• It is not possible to request an extension once the deadline has passed.

We have a “fit to sit” policy that applies to all students. If you submit an assessment, we consider you to have declared yourself well enough to do so.

However, you may experience circumstances which are sudden, unforeseen, outside of your control and proximate to an assessment. 

If your assessment has not yet been released, you should first consider whether you are capable of completing the work, or if deferring would be more appropriate. 

Where an assessment has been released, it is still possible for you to meet the deadline and you unexpectedly require more time to submit the work as a result of your circumstances, you may either:

• Apply for a deferral if you are not fit enough to complete the work even with an extension; or,
• Apply for an extension. The maximum period of extension that can be granted by your Department is 50% of the original submission period.  

1) Complete an Extension Request Form.

All extension requests need to include:
a) a clear statement detailing what has happened
b) information about how this has affected your ability to submit the assessment by the deadline;
c) the amount of time you require to complete the assessment.
d) where possible include supporting evidence.

2) It is open to you to discuss your request with the relevant Programme Administrator or Programme Manager.

Normally, an extension request would need to be approved by the Sub-Board Chair responsible for the course in which the assessment takes place. However, some Departments may nominate the Course Convenor or other appropriate individual to approve these requests. The Programme Administrator/Manager can either pass the form on for approval or let you know who you should pass the form to. 

The following link lists each Sub-Board Chair by Department. Please note some Chairs would like all correspondence to be submitted via their secretary; where this is the case this will be clearly stated.

If you have a disability or long-term health condition and need regular extensions to coursework deadlines, this should be stated in your My Adjustments (MA).

Where an adjustment has been made in your MA to allow for the possibility of extensions:

• You should discuss scheduling your assessment submissions with your Department well in advance of your assessment deadlines.

 If allowing for extensions is not explicitly included in your MA, you will need to complete an Extension Request Form with evidence and follow the steps in the “How can I request an extension” section above. 

It might be possible to extend the length of an extension once it has been agreed.

If you feel you need more time, you should contact the Sub-Board Chair as soon as possible with your reasons. If the Chair is not prepared to allow you more time to complete the assessment, then you must follow the deferral process.

Where you are not granted an extension you will be expected to submit the work by the original deadline. If you fail to submit the work you will receive a Zero Absent mark in this work.

If the assessment deadline has not yet taken place:

You may try to obtain further evidence and resubmit the request if the assessment deadline has not yet taken place.

If the assessment deadline has taken place and you do not submit the work:

You may try to obtain further evidence to submit with an Exceptional Circumstances (ECs) form within the normal ECs deadline.

The Exam Board will then consider whether there are grounds to discount the absent mark.

If you fail to submit an assessment by either the original published deadline or the agreed extended deadline your work will be subject to late penalties.

Information about the School’s late submission penalties and what you can do if you submit late for reasons beyond your control can be found here.

If you feel you submitted late because of unexpected circumstances beyond your control you must follow the Exceptional Circumstances Procedure.

If your submission deadline has not yet passed and you feel your work will still be impacted by your exceptional circumstances even with an agreed extension you should follow the deferral procedure.

If, having submitted an assessment, you feel that there have been exceptional circumstances arising from unforeseen, serious and acute problems or events which you feel may have impacted on your performance despite the extended deadline, you should follow the Exceptional Circumstances Procedure.