There are a few things that you should know before making your EC application:
- What type of EC do you need to submit? There are 2 main types of EC that are used for assessments. These are self-certified and evidenced ECs:
- Self-certified ECs are submitted via Self Service if you are close to the deadline, have valid grounds but are struggling to get evidence e.g. if you have the flu the day before an exam but cannot get to the doctors in time to get a note.
- We have a dedicated page for self-certified ECs here but in general:
- You can use these only once per semester and once in the reassessment period in August (otherwise known as the LSA Period) - 3 in total per year
- These type of ECs are usually approved automatically unless you do not meet the grounds, where you will be emailed by the University to confirm
- You can use these for both exams and/or coursework
- Exams are deferred automatically to the next assessment period
- Coursework is either deferred or extended by only 5 working days e.g. if you have a deadline on Tuesday, it will need to be submitted the following Tuesday (excluding Bank Holidays which don't count)
- You can only submit this type of EC in advance of the assessment or at the start of a timed assessment
- If you submit the self-certified EC and then need more time after 5 working days, you will need to submit an Evidenced EC before the new deadline.
- Evidenced ECs are submitted via Self-Service if you are close or slightly more advance of the deadline, have valid grounds, need a longer extension and are able to provide evidence e.g. if you know you have surgery coming up on the day of your exam and coursework deadline, you can get a doctors note and request a deferral of your exam and a 10 working day extension of your coursework.
- You can submit as many evidenced ECs as you wish up until the Board of Examiners meet before confirming your results
- You can use these for both exams and/or coursework
- Exams are deferred automatically to the next assessment period
- Coursework is either deferred or extended by only 10 working days e.g. if you have a deadline on Tuesday, it will need to be submitted the 2nd Tuesday after (excluding Bank Holidays which don't count)
- You can submit this type of EC in advance, during and within 5 working days after the assessment. You can submit later than this but you will need compelling evidence to improve your chances of it being approved
- If you need more time, you can submit another evidenced EC on top of the one you submitted.
- When you submit an EC you are effectively telling the University you cannot do something for valid reasons, so you cannot withdraw your EC once a decision has been made or if the assessment has passed. There can also be implications when you submit your EC depending on the outcome, so if you are unsure of anything please get in touch with us before you click submit!
- We always advise students to read the regulations to fully understand the details. We've tried to break it down here for you on this page, but it may help.
In order to submit an EC to the University, you need to decide on which ground(s) you are applying for and unless you are self-certifying, you will need to make sure you have evidence to support the grounds. There are several grounds that you can select. If you are not sure which one your case falls under, then email us with the details and we can help you.
The next thing you need to do is prepare your EC so it is ready for submission. You'll need a good statement and your evidence (if applicable).
Your statement
We would suggest your statement include:
- An introduction that says:
- What you want to EC (add module name, code, attempt and when you submitted the deadline is)
- What ground you are appealing under
- What evidence you have included in your application and why
- What you want your ideal outcome to be
- Talk about your grounds:
- Tell the University how you meet the valid grounds and how you have evidenced it
- Conclusion: Summarise your case and re-affirm the outcome you want.
Once your EC is ready (and we are always happy to read over any statement and check your evidence if you email it over to ussu.advice@surrey.ac.uk) then you can submit it to the University who will process your application.
How to submit an EC
To submit your EC, you need to login to Student Self-Service. On the top bar menu, you'll see a tab for "Extenuating Circumstances" - click this. This will then take you through the relevant stages on the online form. It will ask you:
- What assessment(s) you are EC'ing (you can select as many as you need to)
- What grounds you are applying for (you can select more than one!)
- It will ask you to upload your statement: you can either copy and paste your statement into the text box, or upload it as a word document under evidence, either will be accepted
- You can also upload your evidence at the end of the form
- If you are submitting a self-certified EC then there should be an option at the beginning of the form to confirm you are not submitting evidence
You can find more information about submitting an EC here.
Well done! You have submitted your EC. Now what?
If you submitted a self-certified EC, then it should be approved by the University automatically, but you may not hear back from them the University straight away. An evidenced EC may also take up to 5 - 7 working days before you hear back. If you hear before your deadline with the outcome, that's great! But if not, we advise the following for you:
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 – 5 working days for self-certs or 10 working days for evidenced ECs (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 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.
- Self-certified ECs: You will be given a 5 university working day extension only from the original deadline. e.g. If your deadline is on a Tuesday, then the new deadline would be the next Tuesday.
- Evidenced ECs: You will be given a 10 university working day extension only from the original deadline. e.g. If your deadline is on a Tuesday, then the new deadline would be the 2nd Tuesday.
Don't forget working days do not include weekends, bank holidays or closure dates.
Sometimes EC's will be rejected which we know can add more stress for you. If you get a rejection email and you don't understand why, please send it to us and we can discuss your options for next steps. You may need to submit another EC or potentially an academic appeal, but we will help you figure it out.
While your EC is rejected, you will still be expected to attend or submit your assessment, so within reason, please do attempt it to avoid an automatic fail or non-submission.