You should know if you have been given a minor offense penalty from the University. These are usually issued by Authorised Persons within the University such as security and relate to minor breaches of a code, regulation or rule. 

Minor penalties can range from a verbal warning, to written warnings, to a temporary ban on premises and up to a £200 fine. For a full list of penalties, you can refer to the University Disciplinary regulations here: https://www.surrey.ac.uk/quality-enhancement-standards/regulations/201920-regulations

You are able to appeal the fine or penalty you have been given, and this page should guide you through the process and what you have to do next. We have listed our FAQs for you to help.

Do I need to make an academic appeal?

No. Appeals against fines or penalties from an authorise person are dealt with under the Disciplinary Regulations and have a specific form you will need to complete.

If you feel the fine is too harsh or that you are not guilty of what you have been fined for then you can make an appeal. 

Important – appeals against fines and other decisions at this level need to be submitted to OSCAR within 10 working days of you getting the letter about the fine or other decision​

What do I need to do first?

Read the Disciplinary Regulations. These can be found on the website of the Office of Student Complaints, Appeals and Regulations (OSCAR) – https://www.surrey.ac.uk/office-student-complaints-appeals-and-regulation

Decide what grounds your appeal will be on. There are three which are specified in the Disciplinary Regulations:

  • That the University have failed to follow regulations or failed to follow them with due care
  • The the University have been bias or prejudice in their deadling with the matter
  • That there is new evidence that has become available that was not available at the time, for valid reasons
  • That the descision was unreasonable or disproportionate

Write your statement – make sure you are clear about what you are appealing, on what grounds and the outcome you are seeking.

Gather your evidence. The burden of proof is on you as the student appealing, so it is vital that you have evidence to support your case.

Submit the form to OSCAR. This can be found on the OSCAR webpages.​

How can the Students’ Union help?

We can help you:

  • Decided if you have a case and if so, what grounds your appeal will be on
  • Read through your statement
  • Identify evidence that you might need and read through any evidence you have gathered to see if it is good enough for your case
  • Help you with the process and talk you through the likely outcomes