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University of Bedfordshire
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Luton
Bedfordshire
UK, LU1 3JU

Academic Appeals

Questions and Answers

What is an academic appeal?

An academic appeal is a request for review of an exam board decision which either:

  • (a) relates to an award made at the end of the final stage of a course, or
  • (b) would result in an interruption of the normal progress of a student arising from a requirement either to withdraw from a course, to undertake referrals or to repeat an element of a course.

What are reasonable grounds for making an appeal?

There are two valid bases for making an academic appeal. These are:

(a) exceptional extenuating circumstances
Where a student establishes that his/her assessment performance was adversely affected by illness or some other reason which he/she was unable, or for valid reasons unwilling, to divulge before the exam board reached its decision, or

(b) operational problems impacting on academic outcome
Where there is evidence that assessments were not conducted in accordance with the relevant regulations or that an administrative error or some other irregularity occurred in relation to teaching or assessment.

Appeals based solely on a request for the student to be given another opportunity to change a grade, or that constitute an attempt to alter the outcomes of academic judgement reached through due academic process will not be considered.

How do I make an academic appeal?

If you believe you have reasonable grounds for making an academic appeal based on the above information, you should email the Student Experience Team within three weeks of receiving the decision of the exam board against which you wish to appeal. Your email must include:

  1. The grounds upon which you are making the appeal
  2. A brief description of the circumstances that led to your performance being adversely affected and
  3. Credible and verifiable documentary evidence that supports your claim

What happens then?

The student experience team will collate and present your appeal to an Academic Appeals Board for consideration. The board will consider each appeal on its own merits and reach a decision in accordance with the Policy Regarding Academic Appeals. The decision will be communicated to you in writing from the Faculty Office, normally within two weeks of the appeal being received.

Where can I find more information?

  • You can download the University Academic Appeals Policy and Procedures - PDF 142.5 KB
  • You can pick up a copy of the student guide to appeals from the Student Union and the Student Information Desks (SiD) on campus.
  • You can contact a member of staff from the Student Experience Office, or the Student Union, who will be happy to help you.
Bedfordshire University

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