If, due to the observance of a religious holiday, a student is unable to sit exams on specific dates, they should email the Student Exams Management and SSC Support Team as soon as possible, and before the publication of the general course by course timetable, to discuss alternative arrangements.
When emailing students should include:
- your name
- your student ID number
- the courses you are taking
- the dates on which you are unable to attend exams
- details of your religious observance (you may be asked to provide a supporting letter from a religious leader)
Events such as weddings or other personal appointments do not constitute exceptional reasons for exam timetabling purposes.
Ramadan sometimes overlaps with the summer exam period. Guidance about sitting exams during Ramadan can be found here.
We appreciate that the scheduling of assessments may potentially coincide with religious festivals or other mandatory religious observance. We advise the students concerned to discuss any issues with the Faith Centre and their Academic Mentor to see what accommodations can be made by their departments and what the students can also do to limit the impact of their observance on their assessments. The Assessment Schedule cannot be amended, but departments have been made aware of the options available to them, for example, with regard to the timing of assessments where appropriate.
The measures detailed in the Assessment Support Package are open to all students irrespective of the nature of your circumstances; you can request extensions for assessments longer than 24 hours, defer if needed, and you have the option to sit/submit the assessment and submit Exceptional Circumstances (ECs) to bring the impact of your circumstances on you to the Exam Board’s attention; participating in obligatory religious observance comprise valid grounds for submitting ECs. As with any circumstances, you will need to demonstrate the particular impact upon you and your academic performance at the time of the assessment(s) in question.