Sometimes life can throw difficult and unforeseeable circumstances your way, and even the best laid plans go awry. You’re worried about how all of it is going to affect your upcoming exams or assignments, or if you can work to the best of your abilities in these difficult circumstances. But don’t panic - there are people at university who can help and support you through your studies no matter what life throws at you.
Sometimes life can throw difficult and unforeseeable circumstances your way, and even the best laid plans go awry. You’re worried about how all of it is going to affect your upcoming exams or assignments, or if you can work to the best of your abilities in these difficult circumstances. But don’t panic - there are people at university who can help and support you through your studies no matter what life throws at you.
Given what you are going through at the time, it may feel challenging to manage all of your responsibilities. So, we’ve put together some key considerations regarding Extenuating Circumstances, also known as ECs.
The Extenuating Circumstances process has changed. However, for PGT Students who started their studies in January 2024 and Management students studying with Kaplan (Singapore) on Terms 352405 and 352408, you should refer to the information on the following page.
What are Extenuating Circumstances?
Extenuating Circumstances are situations/events that have happened in your life that make it difficult or even impossible for you to take an assessment (such as submitting coursework, making a presentation or sitting an exam) or made you not perform to the best of your abilities. They would usually be something that happened at the same time as, or when you were preparing for, the assessment.
ECs are events that are outside of your control as they are unforeseeable and unpreventable. These are situations which are different to what you deal with in your day-to-day life, and you couldn’t know that it was going to happen. They are also circumstances that you couldn’t stop from happening and you don’t expect to last very long.
Examples of extenuating circumstances can include (but are not limited to):
- Illness (excluding minor illnesses)
- Hospitalisation
- Bereavement
- Worsening of a long-term condition
- Major adverse family circumstances
- Acute personal circumstances
Some issues that will not be considered as extenuating circumstances include:
- Short-term illness (coughs, colds, sore throats, etc.)
- Computer/tech failure
- Transport issues
- The workload/ number of submissions for your course
It’s important to bear in mind that this list is not exhaustive and you can find more information about what circumstances do and do not count as ECs here. If you're unsure of whether you should apply for ECs, you can speak to an advisor.
If your circumstances are longer term and are affecting multiple assessments, then extenuating circumstances may not be the most appropriate means of support. You should always contact your Personal Tutor or the Wellbeing team at the university if you feel that your circumstances are going to be affecting you a longer period. They’ll be able to advise on the best course of action and what other options you may wish to consider so that you get the most out of your academic career.
Applying for an EC may feel daunting at first. We understand that in some cultures, it might be unusual to discuss the details of such difficult circumstances outside of your immediate family. We are fully supportive of students in these circumstances and want to assist you where possible. Always reach out to the support services available to you and avoid facing these difficulties on your own.
How to apply for ECs
You must submit your applications for ECs within 10 working days of your original or extended assessment deadline.
If you are applying based on the original deadline, the application window begins from the moment the deadline passes until 10 working days after.
If you have an extension for the assessment, the application window begins once the extended deadline passes and ends 10 working days later.
Keep in mind that weekends, bank holidays, and university closure days do not count as working days, so you may have more time to submit your application around those periods. A full list of bank holidays and University Closure dates for the 2024/25 academic year is available here.
You can only apply for ONE assessment to be taken into consideration on each application.
You may apply again if your circumstances continue and affect later assessments or if new circumstances occur at a later date.
When you log into Campus Connect, you will be able to complete the EC application through the online system.
The Extenuating Circumstances application form can only be completed in one sitting - it is important that you prepare to make your application by ensuring you have the following ready:
Dates: The start and end date of your circumstances. Circumstances need to be contemporaneous to the time of your assessment, so they should be affecting you during the same time. In some situations, you may have circumstances that started earlier on, but you have recently been impacted by these same circumstances again, or your circumstances may still be ongoing at the time of the assessment. If you are unsure of what dates to include in your EC application, you should contact an advisor for more information.
Assessment information: The module name and number, along with the assessment you are applying for.
Submission status: You should indicate if you submitted your assessment on time, late (after the original or extended deadline) or if you did not submit it at all. If late, you should provide the exact date of submission.
Deferrals for PGT Students: If you’re applying for a deferral, you will need to specify your preferred deferral period.
Circumstances: You will need to indicate the nature of the situation that impacted your ability to attend or submit your assessment. You should also explain if the circumstances prevented you from attending the necessary teaching.
Brief Outline: You will need to provide a concise description outlining how your circumstances affected your assessment (maximum 400 characters). You should assume that the EC Committee will have no prior knowledge of your situation and provide adequate detail accordingly.
While you won’t be required to submit supporting evidence, you must self-certify that the circumstances you describe are accurate.
Once you have submitted your application, you will receive an automatic confirmation. You will also receive various email notifications through the process and will be able to check the status of any applications you have made in the Extension and Extenuating Circumstances System.
Applications cannot normally be accepted once the 10 working-day application window has passed. However, in cases of serious and high-impacted circumstances (such as hospitalisation), you should contact the ECs Team for guidance. Late applications will only be considered in exceptional cases and must be supported by documentary evidence explaining why the application window was missed.
Missing the EC deadline does not include being unaware of the assessment date/submission deadline/EC procedures etc, moderate or minor disruptions to your studies or IT issues that could be resolved by contacting the IT team, or by using an alternative device on campus or elsewhere.
How is my application assessed?
Your EC application will first be reviewed by the ECs team to ensure the application has been completed correctly and that your circumstances are applicable. Then, the Extenuating Circumstances Committee meet monthly to review the applications. They will consider:
- The quality and clarity of the information you provided.
- Whether your circumstances meet the criteria for ECs
- The likely impact of your circumstances on your ability to complete the assessment.
The Committee decides whether to accept or reject applications and identifies the possible mitigating outcomes available under the University regulations.
Accepted applications are passed to your School Progression and Award Board, who are responsible for using academic judgement to decide which of the possible mitigating outcomes is most appropriate in your case. This will depend on your performance in the affected assessment compared to your performance across your other assessments.
Outcomes of Extenuating Circumstances:
After the Committee meets, you’ll receive an interim outcome notifying you whether your application has been accepted or rejected. If your applications include request for deferral (PGT Students) or the removal of late penalties, you may also receive a final outcome.
The final outcome is determined by the School Progression and Award Board. This decision will be based on your overall academic performance, including the affected assessment, and is typically announced when your final grades and progression decisions are released.
There are a limited number of actions that can be taken as a result of an Extenuating Circumstances application- these include the lifting of a late submission penalty, or the opportunity to take the assessment again at the next available opportunity (this may be the next academic year). Resits granted through ECs applications are First Sits- which means they are uncapped, and have no fee associated. A list of possible outcomes can be found here.
ECs cannot increase module marks, a year or degree average or Classification.
Understanding and following the Extenuating Circumstances application process is important to ensure that any unexpected challenges you face and have impacted your studies are properly considered by the university. Remember, the ECs process is there to assist you during difficult times, and can help the university make decisions about how to support your academic progress! If you need further guidance or support the application, the Advice Centre is here to help!
FURTHER SUPPORT
Our Advice Centre is a free, independent, and confidential service for all students here at Royal Holloway. Our friendly, experienced, and professional staff will provide a listening ear and offer general and specialist advice. We’re here to support you with a whole range of issues, big and small, and if we’re not the best people to help you with a particular issue, we’ll point you in the right direction.
Our advisors hold drop-ins on Zoom and in-person every Tuesday during term time. You can find more information on our events calendar on how to join the virtual drop-ins.
Email us at advice@su.rhul.ac.uk with any questions or to ask for a different meeting time.