Academic Rights: Extensions

Extensions are there for you as students when something unexpected happens. This will probably be a stressful time for you so ensuring you know the process before this happens, and know who to contact for help, is really important. Your personal tutor or course leaders may be able to offer you advice and our Advice Centre at the SU is always here to help you.

Should I apply for an extension?

• If you can’t meet an assessment deadline during your studies due to a short-term unforeseeable reason, you are eligible to apply for an extension.
• You are allowed two 2-working day extensions and two 5-working day extensions per academic year.

You won't be able to apply for an extension if:

• If it is more than five working days before the deadline
• Your assessment is exempt from extension (e.g. exams)
• You have already had all your permitted extensions for the academic year.

What about extenuating circumstances?

Extenuating circumstances are for when:

• You are able to meet a deadline but feel that your work has been substantially affected by circumstances out of your control
• If you are not able to make a deadline whether extended or not due to your circumstances
• You have reached the maximum number of extensions permitted per academic year but still have assessments affected by further personal circumstances
• Exams and coursework which are exempt from extensions are affected by your circumstances

Read more about applying for Extenuating Circumstances.

How do I request an extension?

Before you begin, remember:

• You will need to complete and submit your application in one go.
• You cannot withdraw, amend or extend an extension application, and you have a limited number per academic year - so make sure you are certain you want to apply for one, and for how long.
• You will need to know the module code, assessment name and published submission date/time.

You will not be required to submit evidence for your extension and applications are automatically approved by the extension system.

Before you begin, make sure to read the FAQs on the Student Intranet.

When you are ready to apply:

• Go to Campus Connect, and find the "Extensions and ECs" card. (You will be required to log in to access the system.)
• You will only be able to apply for assessments for modules you are registered on and that are due for submission in the next 5 working days. The system will also show how many extensions you have used/how many you have remaining in that academic year.
• Any exempt assessments should still show in the system but will be labelled as ‘exempt’. (If you’re not able to see the assessment you need to apply for in the system, please contact the Extensions Team.  
• For monitoring purposes, you will be prompted to briefly explain why you need an extension. (This and all other information provided will be treated confidentially.)
• Within a few minutes, you should receive an email to confirm your application has been processed and the outcome is available. You can also look in the ‘View submitted extension applications’ section of the Extension and Extenuating Circumstances System.
• The system may occasionally take a little longer to process your application but if you do not receive anything within a few hours, please contact the Extensions team.

Who should I talk to if I need help?

• Your personal tutor should be kept updated about anything affecting your studies. This way, they can make sure you have access to all the support you need.
• You can always directly access the University’s help and support services.
• We're here at the Advice Centre to help you navigate university processes and provide independent advice. Please contact us to speak to an advisor.