Extensions and Exceptional Circumstances

Extensions policy

For more information on our processes on extensions, please find below.

What is an extension?

An extension request is a request made by a student to a tutor to ask for a short extension (usually one week, but can be longer than this at the tutor’s discretion) of a set coursework submission deadline.

Requesting an extension to a coursework deadline

The University expects students to cope with normal / minor life events without requiring adjustments to assessment deadlines. Some examples of these events are colds and minor illness, dental treatment, ‘bunching’ of assessment deadlines or normal examination stresses. Students are expected to plan their work schedules sufficiently well so that minor illnesses or problems should not normally affect their abilities to meet an assessment deadline.

If students experience a short-term problem which impacts their ability to submit an assessment or reassessment on time, module leaders can approve a short extension to a deadline, usually for one week (which can be extended by agreement from the module leader). Extensions may not be appropriate for certain types of assessment (e.g. group performances, exhibitions). Extensions will be agreed at the module leader’s discretion and further supporting documentation may be requested before the extension is granted.

The following examples are likely to be considered acceptable grounds for an extension:

• Short-term illness / hospitalisation
• Court attendance
• Illness of close family member, dependant or friend.

The following examples are not considered acceptable grounds for an extension:

• Misreading assessment deadline
• Poor time-management
• Submitting the wrong piece of work for assessment, or draft version
• Books not available in Library
• Travel difficulties that cannot be verified (traffic delays)
• An existing long-term condition where support is already in place.

Please note: the Assessment and Feedback Policy states the following:

5 a) The deadline for all assessments submitted as a hard copy or electronically is normally 12.00 (noon) UK time, with Turnitin accepting submissions without penalty until 17.00.

If a student wishes to submit an extension request, they should send a completed extension request form to their module tutor:

• Extensions Request Form (docx)
• Extensions Request Form (pdf)

Sciences and Education Students 

• If you are an Undergraduate or Postgraduate student in the School of Sciences or an Undergraduate student in the School of Education, please visit your programme Ultra platform to complete the online extension request form (please do not use the forms on this page).   
• If you need support with your application for an extension, please contact:  education.admin@bathspa.ac.uk or sciences.admin@bathspa.ac.uk  

Teach First

• If you are a Teach First student, the extension and Exceptional Circumstance processes at Bath Spa University apply to your final assignment submissions only. Please visit your programme Ultra platform to complete the online extension or Exceptional Circumstances forms (do not use the forms on this page).  
• If you need support with your draft submissions, please contact your Development Lead at Teach First. The University does not process extensions or Exceptional Circumstances for draft/formative submissions. 

Exceptional Circumstances Policy

Please download our Exceptional Circumstances Policy.

What are Exceptional Circumstances?

Exceptional Circumstances are defined as

“unexpected exceptional events outside of a student’s control that occurred during or shortly before the assessment which are likely to have a negative impact on a student’s ability to complete and where appropriate submit an assessment”.

This policy applies to all students registered on taught programmes at undergraduate and postgraduate level.

As a Bath Spa student, it's expected you will normally be able to meet set assessment deadlines throughout the academic year. However, the University recognises that this may not always be possible for a wide variety of reasons. You're able submit work late (for a capped mark) in line with the Assessment and Feedback Policy or request a formal extension to the deadline. However, if there are unexpected events outside of your control that have affected your ability to complete and, where appropriate, submit an assessment, an Exceptional Circumstances claim can be submitted to inform the University.

It is the University’s responsibility to ensure that you're not unfairly disadvantaged by such circumstances and to treat all claims fairly and equitably.

If Exceptional Circumstances are approved, this would normally ‘defer’ your coursework deadline to the next assessment deadline in the academic year. Deferred assessment is treated as a first attempt (i.e. uncapped), with the full range of marks available. You can also seek to ‘defer’ a referred (capped) piece of work to the next assessment period through this policy.

Details of the reassessment coursework submission deadlines throughout the year are available on the Central Assessment Board schedules on the Policies page under “Academic and Student”. An approved Exceptional Circumstances claim will not excuse you from completing your assessment(s), but will defer the coursework deadline for those modules or assessments approved on the claim to the next University assessment point. You'll still be required to demonstrate that you can achieve the required learning outcomes to successfully pass each of your modules and to meet the programme requirements for progression or award.

You should consider the current University Progression Rules when working towards your modules and assessments and considering whether to submit an Exceptional Circumstances claim. The August reassessment period represents the last assessment point within each academic year and you should check whether deferring your assessment/s to the next academic year would impact upon your eligibility to progress to their next year of studies (this relates to undergraduate students who have started their course at a September entry point – this may differ if you are studying at a different level of study or if your course entry point was at a different time of year. Please contact MyServices if you have any queries).

For further guidance, please refer to MyServices and the Undergraduate Progression Flowchart .

If you’re a final year student, you'll be informed that you will not be eligible to attend graduation until all assessments have been successfully completed. Therefore, deferring coursework through Exceptional Circumstances may result in you becoming ineligible to graduate with the majority of your cohort. You will be invited to a later winter or summer graduation, depending on when you successfully complete your award.

What is the Fit to Sit/Submit Principle?

The University Exceptional Circumstances Policy is based on the Fit to Sit/Submit principle. When you submit an assessment or sit an examination, you are declaring that you are fit to do so. You should not then claim at a later date that your performance in an assessment or examination was affected by Exceptional Circumstances.

If you are not fit to sit/submit, a short extension (usually one week, but this can be extended by agreement of the module tutor) can be requested from the module tutor, or an Exceptional Circumstances claim can be submitted to request that the assessment is deferred to the next assessment point in the academic year.

How do I apply for Exceptional Circumstances?

Information, updates and how to apply can be found on MyServices. The Student Information team is also able to help you if you need any advice or guidance when applying for Exceptional Circumstances. The Students' Union Advice Centre can also help you with any queries regarding your Exceptional Circumstances claim.

Exceptional Circumstances claims must be submitted as close as possible to the date of the affected assessment. Claims should not be submitted so far in advance that the impact of the Exceptional Circumstances cannot be assessed.

You should refer to the “Examples of eligible and ineligible Exceptional Circumstances” section below prior to submitting a claim.

You may apply for Exceptional Circumstances for more than one module if the same circumstances have affected more than one assessment. The claim form should clearly explain the details of the circumstances, which assessments and modules have been affected, and how these circumstances have affected your ability to submit.

If you have agreed Exceptional Circumstances in place for an assessment, you can still submit the assessment on time for the original submission deadline. This will “void” the Exceptional Circumstances claim and the mark ratified at the Central Assessment Board will stand. You cannot subsequently ask for an Exceptional Circumstances claim to be reinstated once the assessment has been submitted.

Exceptional Circumstances cannot be used to waive the late submission penalty when coursework is submitted after the published deadline.

Claims will initially be considered by the Assistant Registrar - Assessments and Progression or their nominee who will make a decision to approve or not approve the claim if their findings demonstrate clear information or supporting documentation to enable them to make a decision on your claim. In all other cases, the claim will be considered by the Exceptional Circumstances Panel. Details of the membership and terms for reference for the Exceptional Circumstances Panel are available in Section 3 of the Exceptional Circumstances Policy.

Retrospective Exceptional Circumstances

Retrospective or late claims for Exceptional Circumstances can be submitted up to 10 working days following your receipt of your official University results email. The claim should be submitted via the online form on the Exceptional Circumstances MyServices page and should be accompanied by a clear explanation as to why it was not possible for you to submit the claim on time.

Support for your Exceptional Circumstances and your studies

The University offers a range of support services and opportunities to enable you to manage the challenges and demands of academic study. You're encouraged to seek support from:

• Academic Advisors, module and course leaders
• ASk (Academic Skills)
• Student Wellbeing Services
• Students’ Union Advice Centre
• other mechanisms, such as a study break, as appropriate.

You're encouraged to use the University's Assessment Action Plan Template (.docx) to help to map out their assessments and reassessments, where appropriate, throughout the academic year.

Requests for review

Stage Two: Review

If you wish to request a review of the outcome of your Exceptional Circumstances claim, please read the Stage Two: Review information on the Appeals Policy and Procedure pages and submit your completed Review form within 10 working days of the date of written notification of the Panel outcome.