We know that exams can be stressful for some students, and when something happens that makes it impossible for you to complete your assessments, your Union is here for you to talk through your options. Over Semester 2 exams, we will be running services to support you in accessing the help you need from our independent advisors:
Email support: Email ussu.advice@surrey.ac.uk. We will normally get back to you the same day, and always within 48 hours. The more information you can give us, the more we can help quickly.
Extenuating Circumstances (ECs) are, according to the University regulations, circumstances that make it ‘temporarily impossible’ for a student to meet a deadline, revise for or attend an exam or assessment, or participate in their programme as might be reasonably expected’. Applications are made on Student Self-Service, which you can find out more about below.
For a full, comprehensive list of accepted circumstances, refer to the regulations
It is important to remember that applying for Extenuating Circumstances will never just give you more marks. Outcomes from applications may have implications on your progression or graduation, so check carefully before you apply, especially if you are self-certifying your application.
We recommend that you read all of the information on this page, and the FAQs at the bottom of this page, as it may help answer your questions but if you need more help then you can email us on ussu.advice@surrey.ac.uk.
Self-certified ECs
Self certified ECs do not require evidence with the University. Similar to signing yourself off work unwell, self-certified ECs will either give you a short extension, or defer an exam to the next assessment period. Self-certified ECs will be approved by the University without evidence, but they are limited: Students can only use one self-certified EC per semester per academic year (1x for semester one, 1x for semester two, 1x for the late summer assessment period).
Students can change a self-cert to an evidenced application if you can provide relevant evidence within the semester, which if accepted would restore your Self-Certified EC for use during that semester.
BMBS (Medical school) students are not able to submit self-certified applications for extenuating circumstances. All applications from BMBS students should be accompanied by evidence.
What can the Students’ Union do?
We understand that sometimes it can be difficult to know how to submit your ECs, and what evidence you might need, what implications this has on your studies, and when you should be applying.
So, either come along to one of our drop-ins/online Quick Query appointments (during exam times only) or email ussu.advice@surrey.ac.uk and one of our advisors will be able to help you navigate the process. You can also watch our helpful videos below!
If you have applied for ECs but not received a response within 10 University working days, or don’t know why your EC has been rejected, let us know and we can help you out.
Please note: If you’ve seen a counsellor or advisor from the Centre of Wellbeing previously and within the past two months, they may be able to provide evidence.
Grounds for applying for Extenuating Circumstances
There are several valid “grounds” for applying for extenuating circumstances, and unless you are self-certifying your application, you must demonstrate, with evidence, how the grounds have affected you and your ability to do your work to the best of your ability. The grounds considered by the University include:
Bereavement through the death of a close relative or significant other
For yourself, or someone within your care (child, parent, partner etc), who experiences:
Short term illness
Long-term chronic health problem, or other disability as defined by the Equality Act (2010) suddenly worsening
Flare-up of a chronic health problem, or other disability as defined by the Equality Act (2010)
Late diagnosis of additional learning requirements or a disability resulting in the need for reasonable adjustments, such that the student has not received the support they needed
For students enrolled on part-time programmes and distance learning programmes who are in employment, an increase in their workload due to circumstances beyond their control, or being required by their employer to work through periods normally available for study and/or assessment;
Other exceptional circumstances
Technical difficulties are sometimes considered by the University as a valid ground, but you must ensure that you are following the right steps to get your EC – have a look at the information below for help with technical difficulties.
Unless you are applying for self-certified Extenuating Circumstances, you will need evidence to prove the nature of your ECs. The exception to this is a flare-up of a chronic health problem where you only need to provide evidence once explaining the nature of your flare-ups.
Outcomes of an Extenuating Circumstance
There are several different outcomes when applying for an EC, depending on the type of EC you are applying under, and what the assessment is.
For exams: The exam will automatically defer to the next assessment period, which is normally the late summer assessment period in August. If you are unsure when your next assessment period is, then we would suggest talking to your module leader/personal tutor.
For coursework:
If you are self-certifying then you will be given a 5 university working day* extension only from the original deadline.
If you are submitting a normal EC with evidence, then you will be given a 10 university working day* extension only. Anything over 10 University working days will be deferred to the next assessment period, which is normally the late summer assessment period in August.
The University will only consider longer than 10 University working days for coursework for students who have significant evidence and where it would lead to substantial unfairness. Deferring to the LSA is not considered substantial unfairness.
*University working days do not include weekends, bank holidays or University holiday closure dates. The University is closed between 23rd December – 3rd January.
For group work: If you need to EC group work then you may be removed from the group project and you are likely to be given an individual assessment or coursework to submit at a later date. Sometimes this may mean completing the group work project on your own, or submitting a different assessment. You should check with your module leader what the alternative assessment may be and when it will be submitted – some might be deferred to the next available assessment period (usually August)
For dissertations/final projects: As these are individual projects, ECs are likely to extend the deadline. Normally this will be in line with coursework deadlines, as mentioned above. With the right evidence, you can have more than a 3 week extension on dissertations and final projects if you need it – up to a year or more in some cases.
For other assessments: We would suggest talking to your module leader if you are unsure on the outcome.
ECs should be applied for BEFORE the deadline. If you have missed a deadline or exam, you can still apply for an evidenced EC, but it may be harder to get this approved. Applications cannot be self-certified after a deadline or the start of an examination event.
If you have to leave an in-person exam due to extenuating circumstances, you need to complete the ‘unfit to continue’ form in the exam and then have 5 University working days to apply for extenuating circumstances.​ If this is an online exam, then you should email your faculty assessments team, and your module leader to let them know.
Technical Difficulties
Normally, technical difficulties are not considered as a valid ground to have ECs unless it is a University error or error on a University system or computer. However, since exams and assessments are online, the University will consider them if you follow the below:
First thing to remember is not to panic! The University know and anticipate these things might happen so it is important that you follow these steps if it does:
Take a note of the time that the issue happened. If you can, take a photo on your phone or screenshot of the issue as evidence, and ideally a photo that shows the time and date of the issue
Email your faculty hive when the issue happens. Let them know what happened and how it impacted you. You should also raise a question through MySurrey Help letting them know what happened and how it impacted you.
In an exam:
Wait until the end of the exam to EC – you might find that you only lost 10 minutes which you can make up. Putting in an EC too early might void your attempt, so make sure you know you need to EC before submitting
If you believe that the technical difficulty impacted your exam, you can then submit an EC. You won’t be able to self-certify, so you will need evidence. Your evidence should be the email you sent to your faculty hive at the time, along with any other screenshots or photos you took at the time.
ECing an exam under a technical difficulty will defer the exam to the next available assessment period
Remember ECing an exam will defer the exam to the next assessment period, which may mean taking the exam again in August. So make sure you need ECs first – you cannot take an EC away once it has been approved.
For coursework:
If you have a technical difficulty whilst trying to upload your assessment, record the time that you are trying to upload and email your faculty and module leader. If you are trying up load too close to the deadline, then there is a risk that they will consider this as poor time management, which isn’t valid for an EC.
If you believe that the technical difficulty impacted your submission, you can then submit an EC. You won’t be able to self-certify, so you will need evidence. Your evidence should be the email you sent to your faculty hive at the time, along with any other screenshots or photos you took at the time.
Submit your work as soon as you can
ECing an exam under a technical difficulty will either give you more time to complete, and an extension on your deadline OR it will remove any late penalty incurred.
If you have applied under ECs and you are unsure if they are valid, please get in touch and we may be able to advise.
Applications submitted after the deadline or event
Students are able to submit an evidenced EC after the start time of an assessment or past the deadline. You should make sure you submit your EC within 5 University working days. Anything outside of these 5 working days requires students to explain why they were not able to apply before, or at the time, or within 5 working days of the event.
Applications made more than 5 university working days after the deadline or event must also explain (and provide evidence to support) why you were not able to apply before, or at the time of, the event.
These are:
that you were awaiting a diagnosis of their illness or its confirmation and you submitted a request at the appropriate time whilst awaiting receipt of the evidence
that the nature of your illness affected the your capacity to report it
that you did not have access at the time to their medical practitioner (including GP or clinical specialist) or registered counsellor, their minister of religion, or solicitor, to provide support and the required independent evidence
that a significant traumatic event has impaired the student’s capacity to report it
Submitting a EC: What do I need to do first?
Read the University’s regulations for Extenuating Circumstances. In here you will find a list of what is considered to be extenuating circumstances and what evidence the University will accept.
Write your statement – make sure you clearly explain what your circumstances are, how they are impacting your ability to study and the outcome you are seeking.
If your application is AFTER the deadline or event, you will need to explain why you were not able to apply beforehand or at the time.
If possible, gather your evidence. The burden of proof is on you as the student applying so it is vital that you have evidence to support your case. e.g. doctor’s letter, death certificate, counsellor’s letter, police report. You will need this in electronic format e.g. a photo or a scanned copy as you will need to upload this with your EC application
Submit the online form. This can be accessed via student self-service. A video explaining the form can be found on the OSCAR website.​
Waiting for an outcome?
Self-certified ECs will be approved by the University without evidence, but it still might take time for you to get an outcome. For some self-certs and evidenced ECs you might not hear about your EC application before your deadline. If this is the case with you then please try not to worry, we would advise you to do the following:
For coursework: We would advise that you submit what you have already by your current deadline. If your EC is later accepted, then your submission attempt will be voided and you will be given a new deadline – either 5 working days for self-certs, or 10 working days after the original deadline for evidenced, (so we would suggest you continue to work on your coursework) or your assessment will move to August.
For exams: We would suggest that you email your lecturer/module lead and assessment team (raise a question through MySurrey Help to contact the assessment team) and let them know that you do not plan on sitting the exam. This essentially tells the University that you are “not fit to sit” the exam and this will support your EC. If you are worried you don’t have valid grounds for an EC, then you can attempt your exam. If your EC is later accepted then your attempt will be voided and your exam will be deferred.
If your EC application is rejected following the event or deadline then please contact us and we can discuss your case in more detail. You can always apply for another EC – up until the board of examiners meet. Additionally, the appeals process is there to support you later down the line.
Frequently asked Questions
How do I submit an Application?
Online, via your Surrey Self-Service account. Under the ‘Modules’ tab along the top of the welcome page, click on Extenuating Circumstances and this will take you to the application form.
How do I submit a self-certified EC?
You should use the same application as a normal EC: online, via your Surrey Self-Service account. Under the ‘Modules’ tab along the top of the welcome page, click on Extenuating Circumstances and this will take you to the application form.
When you get to the evidence section of the application, you should select “I am eligible to self-certify”.
If you are not providing evidence as you are covered by the ground of “long term health condition” then you should select evidence, and mention in the statement which previous evidence you have submitted that supports your EC. You have the option to ask the University to consider previously submitted evidence.
For information on Self-certified ECs, please see here
What should my application include?
For self-certified ECs, you will just need to say which ground you are applying under.
For evidenced ECs, you will need to include a statement, explaining:
what grounds you are applying under
your situation and how it is/has been affecting your academic ability
how long you have been/will be impacted for
what outcome you are seeking
as well as relevant evidence to support your statement unless you are self-certifying your application.
Please see page 4 of the University’s regulations for extenuating circumstances for more details on evidence needed. You do not need evidence if you are applying under the grounds of a “flare-up of a chronic health condition” and you have already provided evidence of the nature of your illness and how it can flare up.
How long will it take to get a response?
After submission you should receive an immediate confirmation of receipt via email to your Surrey account.
A self certified application should be approved automatically for coursework. For exams, you should find out within 5 working days by the University so you should have a response quickly.
Applications with evidence usually take around 5 working days to receive an outcome. However, during exam periods and busy times, ECs can take around 7 – 10 working days to get an outcome.
What happens if I fall unwell the night before, or the day of, an exam and can’t attend?
You should ideally submit extenuating circumstances as soon as you know you won’t be able to attend an exam. If you are physically unable to attend the exam then we would recommend you raise a question through MySurrey Hive and email your Module Leader to let them know that you cannot do the exam.
You may wish to consider if you want to apply for self-certified ECs, and you can do so in order to defer your exam to the next suitable examination period (usually the August examination period) provided you apply before the start of the exam, and provided you have not already used your self-certified EC for the semester already.
If you have already used your maximum self-certified application for the semester, seek support as soon as possible as you will need evidence to add to your EC application. Please be aware that if your ECs aren’t valid, and you don’t attend the exam you run the risk of your exam being awarded zero. Click here to find out more about appeals.
What to I do if i have not had an outcome before my exam or coursework deadline?
In some cases you might not hear about your EC application before your deadline. If this is the case with you then please try not to worry, we would advise you to do the following:
For coursework: We would advise that you submit what you have already by your current deadline. If your EC is later accepted, then your submission attempt will be voided and you will be given a new deadline (so we would suggest you continue to work on your coursework) or your assessment will move to August. This means that you should continue to work on your assignment, as if you have your new deadline accepted.
The original deadline (no ECs submitted)
If you submit a self-cert and it is accepted: your deadline will always be 5 working days after the original deadline
If you submit an evidenced EC and it is accepted: your deadline will always be 10 working* days after the original deadline
If you submit an evidenced EC for and extension longer than 10 working days, your assessment will be deferred
For exams: We would suggest that you email your lecturer/module lead and contact the assessments team through MySurrey Help and let them know that you do not plan on sitting the exam. This essentially tells the University that you are “not fit to sit” the exam and this will support your EC. If you are worried you don’t have valid grounds for an EC, then you can attempt your exam. If your EC is later accepted then your attempt will be voided and your exam will be deferred.
If your EC application is rejected following the event or deadline then please contact us and we can discuss your case in more detail. You can always apply for another EC – up until the board of examiners meet. Additionally, the appeals process is there to support you later down the line.
What Do I Do if I cannot get my evidence before the deadline?
You may wish to consider whether you can apply for self-certified ECs but we would only suggest this when you are not able to obtain evidence. For example, an illness that you would not normally go to your GP for. You can read more about the self-certified process here. To apply without evidence, you must be applying for ECs before your deadline and not have already used your self-cert for the semester.
If you have already used up your self-cert for the semester, or if you require longer than a 5 university working day extension, we would advise that you submit your application before the deadline anyway, and indicate in your application that you are still waiting to obtain the evidence. As soon as you receive it, you can log back in to your application and add it. At least this way you have ensured that you have reported the matter ahead of the assessment.
It is important to note, however, that your application won’t be looked at until your evidence is uploaded. If your application closes before you have time to submit your evidence, that is ok, you can just submit another EC application. If your application is rejected because the board of examiners have met, you will need to make an academic appeal. If you are not able to source evidence for your situation, you might be eligible to self-certify your ECs.
What do i do if i am unwell in an exam?
For an in-person examination: You can ask an invigilator for an ‘unfit to continue’ form, and then you can leave if needed. This ensures your exam will NOT be marked as a non‑attempt and will serve as part of your evidence in your extenuating circumstances application. You must follow this up with a full ECs application as soon as possible. You should book an appointment with a medical professional as evidence for your ECs.
For an online examination: Email your module leader and raise a question through MySurrey Help and let them know you are unwell and are unable to continue the exam. This email will help when you apply for your EC. You will not be able to self-certify if the exam has already started, so you should seek to obtain medical evidence as soon as possible – from a GP/counsellor etc. Put in your EC application as soon as you can – you can add your evidence later on.
What will happen to the exam paper or Coursework if I submit but my EC is upheld?
Any attempts you have made will be void if your EC application is upheld. If this is an exam, your assessment will move, usually to the August exam period.
You should be aware that if you are happy with your submission and your EC is approved, it will be voided regardless as, once an EC has been accepted, you cannot revoke the EC.
What Will Happen if my EC is rejected?
If you submitted or sat your assessment: Your work will be marked as normal. If you failed to sit the exam or failed to submit an assessment then you may be awarded zero. You can appeal this decisions but will need valid grounds to do so.
If you self-certified then your EC should be approved without evidence, by the University and should not be rejected so long as you have valid grounds. However, in the event that it is rejected, you will be able to use your self-certified EC again that semester.
If your EC was evidenced then you can submit another EC with new grounds or new evidence for the same grounds. You can apply for a self-cert for the same assessment, provided you meet the self-cert criteria.
What happens if i no longer want my EC? Can i take it away?
If you decide that you no longer want your EC, and you believe you can complete your assessment, then you can ask the University to remove your EC however, it would depend on when your exam or assessment takes place:
Accepted self-certified ECs: can be revoked up until the deadline or start time of an assessment. Once the assessment has started or deadline passed, you can no longer withdraw your request for an EC
Accepted evidenced ECs: can be revoked up until the deadline or start time of an assessment. Once the assessment has started or deadline passed, you can no longer withdraw your request for an EC
Pending evidenced ECs (where you dont yet have the outcome): Can be revoked after an exam, assessment or deadline if the EC has not yet been accepted. However, students will need to provide good reasons why they were unable to revoke their EC before the start time or deadline.
If you revoke a self-certified EC and it no longer is used for any assessments, then you will get your self-certified EC back, to use again in the same semester.
the module i need to EC isn’t on SurreyLearn
Sometimes this happens and when it does, it is usually a technical error. Don’t panic. We would suggest you submit your EC and choose a different module and assessment so that you can submit the form. When you come to write your statement make it very clear that the module you have selected is NOT the one you want to EC, and instead you want to EC XX00234 module assessment instead. The assessments team who look at your EC will be able to change it the other side for you. Make it REALLY CLEARwhat you are doing in your statement.
We would also suggest you send a follow up email to your faculty team as well, to let them know what you have done and what outcome you are seeking. You can raise a question through MySurrey Help.
Need more help or advice? Can’t find the answer to your question?
