Extenuating Circumstances for Continuous Assessment

If you need to apply for extenuating circumstances for a continuous assessment (such as an in-class test, coursework assignments or compulsory teaching activities) please read the information below carefully.

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If you experience circumstances that affect your ability to complete or submit an assignment, you will need to submit an Extenuating Circumstances Application.

If your request is accepted, you may be given an extended deadline or exemption, and you will be notified of this via email.

You can find guidance on how to submit an Extenuating Circumstances Request here. E:Vision can also be accessed through the MySwansea App.

Key Deadlines

Requests must be submitted within the 10 working days before the affected assignment deadline, or within the 5 working days after the affected assignment deadline.
Requests should be submitted before the affected submission deadline. Requests may be rejected if submitted after the deadline without a valid reason for the delay.
Where possible, evidence should be uploaded at the time of the request. However, you can submit your form and then attach supporting evidence at a later date.
Supporting evidence must be provided within 10 working days from the assessment deadline.
If you are concerned that you will not be able to provide documentation/evidence to support your claim within the 10 working day deadline, please contact our team urgently for guidance.

Circumstances eligible for Extenuating Circumstances

The Faculty recognises that occasionally students may be affected by a wide range of difficulties and circumstances, which may lead to the inability to complete a piece of assessed work or attend a compulsory lab, in-class test or exam.

Common reasons for extenuating circumstances include:

Serious accident or serious short-term illness.
Severe or acute physical or mental health issue.
Bereavement.
Serious personal or family problems.

Reasons which are unlikely to qualify for extenuating circumstances:

Late enrolment to your course and/or a late course transfer.
Poor time management – you are likely to have multiple deadlines due around the same time. Make sure you plan your time.
File loss – while we realise this can be distressing when it happens, you are expected to always keep a back up of your work. You must also be prepared to submit by the deadline published and allow contingency time for any last-minute technical issues. Normally only verifiable failure of University IT Equipment which affects a system or systems would be accepted with compelling evidence provided. This can include failure of remote invigilation software, unplanned localised Wi-Fi outage or unplanned downtime of a Digital Learning Platform (or elements of).
Social obligations such as holidays, weddings, etc.
Problems arising due to employment while pursuing your studies.
Minor illnesses such as headaches or colds.
Sports and training commitments are not eligible for Extenuating Circumstances unless you are recognised/registered with the University as a TASS Sports Scholar.

Supporting Evidence

Supporting evidence must:

Indicate how the circumstances have affected a student’s performance and/or may have affected a student’s ability to attend, complete, or submit an assessment on time.
Be dated within one month of the affected assessment.
Be supplied by a third party and submitted by the student.
Clearly explain the circumstances.
Confirm the time period affected by the circumstances.
Be submitted as soon as possible.
Where documentation is written in a different language an official translation must be provided.
Be submitted as a Word document, JPEG or PDF (the University systems are not able to read supporting documents that are in HEIC format).

Examples of appropriate evidence are:

Potential Circumstances	Examples of appropriate evidence
Technical Issues (i.e. wifi/connection disruptions, access issue etc.)	Screenshots of error messages with a date/time included. A dated service disruption notification. An update from a network provider page. Communication outlining the disruption, including email or social media posts. Correspondence with a service provider or technical team to indicate the issue, date/time, and attempt to resolve the issue.
Physical Health or Wellbeing/Mental Health related circumstances	A note from your doctor, GP or health centre indicating the circumstances and the dates affected. Hospital admission or discharge letter. A note from the central University Wellbeing or Welfare teams if you are receiving support from these services. In the case of students with fluctuating health conditions/disabilities that have been approved by Wellbeing and Disability Services the adjustment proforma shall be taken as evidence if the circumstances cited on the request relate to the documented health condition.
For bereavement	We realise that this is a difficult time for everyone and it can be difficult to obtain evidence. The types of evidence we can consider include, but are not limited to: A copy of the death certificate (if available) A copy of an order of service, or a funeral notice A copy of a Funeral Director’s Letter If you find that the bereavement means that you are struggling with your wellbeing/mental health you can provide evidence of this (please see the above guidance on appropriate evidence) The above are just examples. If you are struggling to obtain evidence please contact our Team for guidance and support.
If you are the victim of a crime	Police Report, a crime reference number on its own will not be sufficient.
Caring responsibilities	In the case of short-term caring responsibilities and domestic difficulties which impact a student’s ability to prepare for or undertake assessments, a statement from a family member/friend. In the case of a long-term caring responsibilities, a carer’s Passport.
For other circumstances that are eligible	Please try to describe the circumstances in as much detail as possible and provide as much evidence as you are able, and the Student Information Team will contact you if further evidence will be required.

The absence of any supporting documentation will result in the application being rejected unless the student can provide a satisfactory explanation in their application as to why they have been unable to provide such evidence. The University recognises that it will be difficult for some students to obtain evidence in the current climate and will consider applications sympathetically if appropriate explanation is provided.

Coursework Deferral

If you experience significant extenuating circumstances which mean you are unable to submit an assignment, even with support of the Extenuating Circumstances system, then you may be able to apply for a Coursework Deferral. Please be aware that applications are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and appropriate supporting documentation must be provided.

Please note that if you have a proforma with the University we would need additional evidence about how your long-term condition has been significantly impacting you and why you require a Coursework Deferral.

To apply for a Coursework Deferral please submit an Extenuating Circumstances Request on eVision and specify in the free text box that you are requesting a deferral for your coursework. Please submit your request within 5 working days of your revised submission deadline.

If you have any questions or want to discuss the option to request to defer please contact the Student Experience and Information Team for guidance.

Contact the Student Experience and Information Team

If you are unsure on any of the guidance provided or require any suppport, please do contact the Student Experience and Information Team.

For further detail, please also see the University Extenuating Circumstances Policy.

Register with a GP

Apply for an Exam Deferral

Contact Money@CampusLife

Frequently Asked Questions related to Extenuating Circumstances

What if I am too embarrassed to talk about my circumstances?

Please don’t be. All staff at the University will treat your situation as confidential and will not pass on information without your permission. All applications are considered on a case-by-case basis. If you are still unsure, then we recommend that you speak with a member of the Student Experience and Information Team in the first instance, as they can provide non-judgmental, confidential advice and support.

What if I choose not to tell anyone about my circumstances?

It is your choice if you want to disclose your circumstances to any member of staff within the Faculty or University. You may feel that you are able to complete assessments in spite of your circumstances. However, if you choose not to disclose your circumstances at the time of the incident/issue, the University will not normally consider these Extenuating Circumstances as grounds for an academic appeal against a degree result or progression decision.

I have submitted a request but not received an outcome yet, what should I do?

The Student Experience and Information Team aim to respond to all Extenuating Circumstances requests within 2 working days. We would strongly advise students to submit any requests as early as possible within the 10 working days before your submission deadline.

If you have submitted an Extenuating Circumstances request prior to your submission deadline but have not received your request outcome yet, then we strongly advise you to submit what work you have completed prior to the original deadline. If your request is then approved, you will be allowed to re-submit your work.

If you submit an Extenuating Circumstances request after the original submission deadline and are awaiting your request outcome, we advise you to submit your completed work via Canvas and/or email it to your Module Coordinator. Please note that the standard extension possible for coursework is 5 working days and a further extension may not be possible. Therefore, if you have submitted your request after the original deadline and not received your outcome yet then please ensure you submit your work (via Canvas and/or to your Module Coordinator) within the standard extension timeframe.

How will I know if my request has been approved?

If you submit a request for an assessment via eVision, any updates to the request will be made on that application. You will receive an email notification when an update has been made, normally within 2 - 3 working days.

My extenuating circumstances application for coursework / an in-class test / a compulsory lab have been approved. What happens next?

You will be notified via email when an outcome/adjustment on your extenuating circumstances has been reached. The adjustment will normally depend upon the piece of work affected. This is normally one of the following:

To provide an extension.
To rearrange a test / presentation / lab.
To exempt a piece of work if not substantially contributing to learning outcomes for the module.

With some outcomes, you may be asked to contact your Module Coordinator directly for further information. You are responsible for contacting your Module Coordinator as soon as possible. If you do not hear back within 2 working days, please contact the Student Experience and Information Team.

I have a long-term disability / health condition, what other support is available?

Extenuating circumstances apply to short term circumstances affecting a particular assessment / exam period. If you have a long-term disability / health condition, this should be supported by the Wellbeing and Disability Service.

You can self-refer yourself to this service via the online Student Support Form.

Options if you have lost or damaged your personal laptop or IT equipment

Students are expected to make arrangements for any personal IT equipment that you will need as part of your programme of study. However, if you have lost or damaged your laptop/equipment and need support while getting personal equipment repaired or replaced, then please see the options below (available to students in Swansea):

Library PC Spaces are available: https://www.swansea.ac.uk/library/book_study_space/

Short-term Laptop Loans are available through self-service lockers: https://myuni.swansea.ac.uk/it-services/laptop-lockers/

Long-term Laptop Loans are available for students who have eligible extenuating circumstances and are able to demonstrate a clear need for a long-term loan. Please contact the MyUniLibrary Team to discuss.

Hardship Funds and Student+ Support: There are funds available for students in need through Money@CampusLife. If you have unexpected expenses such as loss of or damage to personal IT equipment, and cannot afford to replace immediately due to other essential commitments, you may be eligible to apply for funding to contribute to the cost of equipment replacement or repair. There are also schemes specifically for students are a Care Leaver, Estranged, Person Seeking Asylum, Refugee or Carer (please contact Participation@CampusLife via accessofficer.campuslife@swansea.ac.uk if you believe that you may qualify for this support).

Student-deals on laptop purchases: the university is working in partnership with Stone Group and has arranged for re-conditioned laptops and IT kit at discounted prices for students: https://www.getyourtech.co.uk/swansea