MyGlasgow Students

‘Extenuating Circumstances’ are issues beyond your control which affect your ability to complete any part of your course, attend an exam or hand in an assignment. You may require an extension (of more than five days), deferral, or other support. 

By completing the Extenuating Circumstances form, you can: 

• Tell us about your situation and any support you require 

• Ask your School to consider extended deadlines, if possible 

• Ask for your circumstances to be considered and adjustments or supportive arrangements made 

For short-term extensions (up to five working days), please refer to the guidance provided by your School (if you are unsure, consult your course convenor or subject handbook). 

The following examples could be considered as Extenuating Circumstances: 

• Serious or incapacitating injury, illness, or medical condition or operation (whether elective/routine or unanticipated/emergency). 

• Significant short-term mental ill-health. 

• A long-term or chronic physical or mental health condition which has recently worsened significantly. If you are affected by a long-term health condition, please consult the Disability Service as soon as you can so that we can put support and reasonable adjustments in place. You may also speak to your School to explore other options concerning your programme of study (e.g., moving from full-time to part-time study or arranging an Interruption of Studies).  

• A significant family or personal crisis (e.g., bereavement or serious illness affecting someone close to you, such as a family member, friend or partner). 

• Jury Service or Court attendance. 

• Unforeseen events, such as being a victim of a crime which has had a significant emotional impact, an exceptional crisis or commitment beyond your control, or being immediately impacted by military conflict or natural disaster. 

• A financial or housing crisis, e.g., temporary homelessness or eviction. 

• Severe disruption during your online exam, such as sudden software failure or prolonged loss of internet connection. If you experience technical difficulties with accessing, completing, checking, or submitting a non-invigilated online exam, you should immediately contact the IT Helpdesk. If you are unable to access the Helpdesk via the internet, call +44 (0)141 330 4800. Include the IT Helpdesk Incident Number in your claim.  
  Note, however, that if there is a University-based technical issue impacting a whole group or cohort of students, IT will publish a Spotlight Alert (you can sign up to the alert email list). In this case, your School will communicate with you about mitigations they will put in place, which may include advice that there is no need to submit an Extenuating Circumstances claim.  

• Extreme, unforeseen travel disruption on your way to an on-campus exam. You are expected to take reasonable steps to allow for some cancellations/delays. 

The above list is not exhaustive, and we want to know about serious issues, beyond your control, that you believe have prevented you from taking an assessment or have significantly impaired your performance. If you are unsure whether your circumstances are considered Extenuating Circumstances, please contact your Student Support Officer or Advising Team for further advice and support. 

Extenuating Circumstances are unexpected issues beyond your control which affect your ability to complete any part of your course, attend an exam or hand in an assignment, and where you could not reasonably have been expected to plan for or around. 

The following are examples of circumstances which would not normally be considered Extenuating Circumstances: 

• A long-term or chronic physical or mental health condition which has not significantly worsened recently. If you are affected by a long-term health condition, please consult the Disability Service as soon as possible so that we can put support and reasonable adjustments in place. You may also speak to your School to explore other options in relation to your programme of study (e.g., moving from full-time to part-time study or taking a 'Fitness to Study' Leave of Absence). 

• Competing demands, and periods of exam/study stress. Students are encouraged to engage with the Wellbeing Matters resources and/or consult with their Student Support Officer or Advising Team for guidance on managing the everyday demands of student life. 

• A minor short-term illness or injury (e.g., a common cold) which would not reasonably have had a significant adverse impact on assessment. 

• Personal/domestic events that could have been planned for and choices in personal life (e.g., attending weddings or taking holidays). 

• General worry about financial difficulties over time. Please note that advice is available on the Cost of Living Support Pages. 

• Failure or theft of your computer or other equipment being used to produce assessed work, including work not being backed-up. For exams taken on your own device, please see the online exams checklist for advice on steps to take in advance. If you experience technical difficulties with accessing, completing, checking or submitting an exam, you should immediately contact the IT Helpdesk. If you are unable to access the Helpdesk via the internet, call +44 (0)141 330 4800. Keep the web address and telephone number to hand throughout the exam diet. 

• Poor management of time or misunderstanding of deadlines/dates (including failure of others to submit group assignments). 

• Commitments to paid or voluntary employment

Be sure to provide clear and accurate details about your circumstances, and how they have impacted your assessment submission or performance.  

Where possible, attach supporting documentation (e.g. medical certificates, letters from professionals, or other official records).  

Indicate what School and course(s) isare affected by your circumstances and the type of support you are seeking.  

You must submit an Extenuating Circumstances claim within five working days of the assessment date (e.g. exam date, coursework submission deadline). Claims submitted after 5 working days without explanation may not be accepted. 

We understand that in some situations, it may not be possible to submit your Extenuating Circumstances claim within the usual five working day window, for example, if you’ve been in hospital or faced an emergency that prevented access to the system. 

If this happens: 

• Please submit your claim as soon as you’re able and include an explanation of why you were unable to meet the deadline. 

• If possible, let your School or Adviser know that you’ve missed the deadline but intend to submit a claim. This helps us understand your situation and offer appropriate support. 

• In exceptional cases, you can ask a friend or family member to contact your School or Adviser on your behalf if you're unable to do so yourself. 

Don’t worry, you can still start your Extenuating Circumstances claim even if you don’t yet have your supporting evidence. The important thing is to start the claim within five working days of your assessment deadline or exam. 

Once your claim is started, you can upload your evidence when it becomes available. 

This applies whether you’ve missed an assessment, or you attended an exam or submitted coursework but believe your performance was significantly affected. 

Yes, it is too late. Once your results have been released, for example, on Moodle, MyGrades or MyCampus, it is too late to submit an Extenuating Circumstance claim. If you would like to appeal your result, you should submit an appeal. Information on the Academic Appeals process can be found on the University website, and support and guidance are available from the SRC.

If you change your mind about making a claim (e.g. on reflection, you decide that the impact on work that you submitted wasn’t as severe as you had first thought), you may withdraw the claim. 

Once your claim has been accepted and you are given an opportunity to repeat the assessment (submit the coursework again or sit the exam at the next available opportunity) then you cannot withdraw the claim or opt to take the grade that would have been awarded for the original assessment. 

Note, if you have made a claim for affected performance and subsequently receive a grade for the assessment or exam that the Board of Examiners considers not to be out of line with your prior performance, then your claim may not be accepted.  

Supporting evidence is required for your claims and will vary dependent on individual circumstances. Some examples are listed below but this list is not exhaustive: 

Physical Illness/injury or Mental Ill health - Documentation from hospital, clinic, GP, consultant, counsellor, therapist, or carer. The University does not expect Extenuating Circumstances claims to be supported by GP letters in relation to minor matters that did not require medical advice and/or treatment. 

If you’re experiencing mental health difficulties such as depression or anxiety, Extenuating Circumstances may be granted if your condition has been significantly worse than usual at the time of your assessment. 

If it is not already held by the disability service, evidence for this should normally come from a GP, psychiatrist, counsellor, mentor, or other health professional, and should be obtained as close as possible to the time of the deterioration. 

We understand that it’s not always easy to access support or obtain evidence quickly, and we’ll take that into account where possible. 

Bereavement - a letter from an independent person (usually not a family member), a death certificate, funeral notice, or order of service are other forms of acceptable evidence. 

Disability Related Claims – Students registered with the Disability Service are not required to submit additional evidence of their disability. Evidence will be requested from students who have not previously provided information to the Disability Service. 

Family Emergencies or Significant Personal issues - a letter or document from an independent responsible person (or organisation) such as: Letter from a support service (e.g., Citizen’s Advice Bureau, social worker or other support organisation); The Police (e.g. crime report or accident report with reference numbers); Legal documentation from the Court, Crown Prosecution Service or a solicitor; Documentation from an insurance company (e.g. in relation to a road traffic accident); A member of university staff who was alerted to the circumstances at the time; Letter from a leader/manager or senior colleague of a group or club or a place of employment. 

Another circumstance beyond your control – for example, technical difficulties with accessing, completing, checking or submitting an online exam, provide the IT Helpdesk Number if you logged the issue with the IT Helpdesk. 

We understand that it can sometimes be difficult to obtain supporting evidence.  If you don’t yet have the relevant evidence, you must still submit the Extenuating Circumstances claim within five working days of the assessment date. Supporting evidence should be submitted as soon as possible after that. If you require additional guidance, please contact your local Student Support Officer or Advising Team. 

Your evidence must be in English and include your name (or the relevant other person’s name if the claim relates to their circumstances, e.g. the illness of a relative), and must cover the date(s) of the impacted assessment(s) (e.g., if your essay is due 3 July, the evidence must cover that date). 

We are aware that some online services offer medical certificates for a fee. These certificates may simply reflect self-reported symptoms and may not involve a clinical consultation. As such, they may not meet the criteria for robust evidence. We encourage you to consider this carefully before using such services. 

Note: As soon as you become a student at the University you should register with a local doctor (within the postcode area of your term-time home) who will be responsible for your medical care whilst at the University. This does not mean the relationship with your home doctor is broken; you may still consult them when on vacation. 

We recognise that some personal situations—such as experiences of sexual violence, pregnancy loss, or family emergencies—can be deeply distressing and difficult to talk about. If you are facing circumstances that you feel are highly sensitive and relevant to your academic experience, but you are unsure or hesitant about sharing them in full, please speak to your Student Support Officer or the Wellbeing Services for support and guidance. They will work with you to ensure that the necessary information is shared in a way that feels safe and respectful. This allows your circumstances to be considered while limiting the number of people who need to be informed. 

You will still need to submit an Extenuating Circumstances claim, but you do not need to upload supporting evidence if it has already been shared with the staff member supporting your claim. Please include their email address so that they can confirm that significant adverse circumstances have been discussed and are relevant to your claim. 

We may not approve your claim if: 

• It was submitted more than five working days after the assessment deadline, and you have not given a good reason for this. 

• It does not relate to a situation that would reasonably count as Extenuating Circumstances. 

• You did not sufficiently explain how your circumstances substantially disrupted your assessment(s). 

• There is insufficient evidence to support your claim. 

• In the case of a completed assessment, it is judged that your performance has not been adversely affected. 

For further guidance, contact your Student Support Officer or Advising Team. 

Please Note: 

• The reassessment will be treated as your first attempt (unless your claim relates to a resit).  

• Reassessment opportunities will usually be scheduled during the resit diet, which takes place during the summer vacation.  

• There are no circumstances in which an Extenuating Circumstances claim will result in an increase to a grade for completed work. 

• Once a claim is accepted and you are offered a reassessment (submit the coursework again or sit the exam at the next available opportunity) then you cannot withdraw your claim or opt to take the grade that would have been awarded to the original assessment. 

Senior Honours / Integrated Masters Students 

At the end of Senior Honours or of the final year of an Integrated Masters programme, where Extenuating Circumstances are accepted, a limited amount of assessment could be set aside (i.e. the grade discounted and no resit attempt required). 

For missed assessments that cannot be set aside, further details about your options where no alternative assessment is available can be obtained by contacting your local Advising Team.   

If illness or other difficulties suddenly arise or become more serious close to the submission date for the work, you may request an extension of up to five working days using the local process, as described in your School guidelines. If you think you will need an extension of more than five working days, you can request this by submitting an Extenuating Circumstances claim. You should also make your Supervisor or Course Convenor aware. 

The length of extension that can be granted to a Senior Honours student is limited by the turnaround time for marking before graduation. In some cases, there may be an option to complete the dissertation/project over the summer, which would result in your graduation being delayed until the winter. You should therefore be sure to discuss your situation with your Supervisor or Programme Lead as soon as you become aware of any difficulties, to ensure you understand your options. 

If personal or health difficulties occur during your work, but not close to your submission date, you are not required to submit an Extenuating Circumstances claim but must alert your supervisor, Honours convener or PGT Programme Lead. They will be able to advise you on how best to manage the circumstances so that you will still be able to complete the work. If appropriate, they will also be able to refer you to sources of support.